Four comments
Recording details
Released by Gael-Linn in 1992, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the 1792 harper’s festival, at which Edward Bunting started to write down some of the last remaining old Irish harp music. This album presents Grainne Yeats‘ very well-informed reconstructions of the original harpers’ repertoire and style, played on wire- and gut-strung harps, as well as her singing of the songs that go with some of these tunes.
It’s a two-disc set: disc one (tracks 1-22) contains anonymous tunes and compositions by several of the lesser-known harper/composers; disc two (tracks 23-42) is entirely Carolan, and includes some very interesting arrangements derived from manuscript fragments that included Carolan’s left hand parts.
The original recording was released as an LP in 1980 and had fewer tracks than appeared on this CD
Sorry, Niall, but the CD was originally issued as two separate LPs in 1976. I’ve no idea where you get 1980 from!
Re: The Belfast Harp Festival
Oddly my copy of the double LP is indeed dated 1980, and is clearly a different issue from the one described above