Monday 29 March 2021

Compositions by Yvonne Casey

268554 Yvonne Casey
Yvonne Casey / Yvonne Casey

Compositions

  1. After midnight [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel
  2. Bluebells in the glen [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel
  3. Éanna's dance [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel 
  4. Frank Kelly's reel [comp. Yvonne Casey]
  5. Kieran's jig [comp. Yvonne Casey]
  6. The gift of music [comp. Yvonne Casey], jig

Listen: Audio playlist of Yvonne Casey compositions, played by the composer.

Learn: Interactive scores of Yvonne Casey compositions, with the tunes played slowly by the composer.

Learn: Transcriptions of compositions, composed by and transcribed by Yvonne Casey.

After midnight [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel

After midnight [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

I am often too fond of the hours after midnight. The stillness and peace it brings helps my creative side open up more, sometimes playing fiddle until the early hours of the morning.
Yvonne Casey

Learn the tune

After midnight [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel [played slowly] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle


Bluebells in the glen [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel

Bluebells in the glen [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

I walk through the Glen in Ennistymon, immersing myself in nature, surrounded by dancing bluebells in the wind everywhere. As this experience lights me up I am filled with inspiration to write music. 

It is one of my favourite places in the world filled with magical potent bliss!
Yvonne Casey

Learn the tune

Bluebells in the glen [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel [played slowly] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

Éanna's dance [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel

Éanna's dance [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

Éanna is my nephew and godchild and I wrote this tune for him. We always have a fun time when he comes to visit, and sometimes we dance together in the kitchen. I grew up dancing in the kitchen with my siblings, and my mother grew up dancing with her mother in her kitchen. 

This tune keeps the tradition alive with the next generation through Éannaʼs Dance
Yvonne Casey

Learn the tune

Éanna's dance [comp. Yvonne Casey], reel [played slowly] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

Frank Kelly's Reel [comp. Yvonne Casey]

Frank Kelly's reel [comp. Yvonne Casey] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

I first met Frank Kelly, the actor who played Father Jack in the hit comedy series Father Ted, many years ago in Lisdoonvarna.

I was playing at a session in the Roadside Tavern and we ended up chatting outside during a break. I gifted him my CD that night and he found my
phone number on the CD and rang me.  That led to many joyful phone conversations.  When I was looking for a name for this tune the sad news came of the passing of my friend, Frank Kelly.

Learn the tune

Frank Kelly's reel [comp. Yvonne Casey] [played slowly] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle


Kieran's jig [comp. Yvonne Casey]

Kieran's jig [comp. Yvonne Casey] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

My fathers name was Kieran and he bought me my first fiddle in London.
Yvonne Casey

That fiddle spent many years on top of my parents wardrobe in their bedroom before I reached the age where I could go for fiddle lessons to Frank Custy In Toonagh near Ennis, Co. Clare. Sometimes my parents took it down from the wardrobe to show it to me and I was always fascinated by it. My father also played the piano and created some nice sounds in the house when playing it, as well as influences of old records of traditional music. He sadly passed away suddenly when I was 19 years old, so this tune is dedicated to the memory of keeping his spirit alive through the music.

Learn the tune

The gift of music [comp. Yvonne Casey], slip jig / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

The gift of music [comp. Yvonne Casey], slip jig / Yvonne Casey, fiddle

I dedicated this tune on my album Croí to all music lovers. At the time of writing it I was involved in co-creating a benefit concert called The Gift of Music in aid of the building of an ashram in India. I asked my musician friends to take part and they all said yes!

We had a great afternoon in the Cliffs of Moher hotel in Liscannor, where the concert was held, and it was a huge success.

I see this tune as an Irish style mantra slip jig in honour of the gift of music.
Yvonne Casey

Learn the tune

The gift of music [comp. Yvonne Casey], slip jig [played slowly] / Yvonne Casey, fiddle


About Yvonne Casey

268555 Yvonne Casey
Yvonne Casey / Yvonne Casey

Yvonne Casey is one of Co. Clareʼs most distinctive fiddle players. She grew up surrounded by the richness of Clare music and plays in a unique soulful style. In the 1990ʼs Yvonne recorded two albums with The Ceili Bandits and they toured Europe and the USA. She also recorded her first solo CD in 2004. Since then, she has created her own music school in Clare and teaches and performs at various festivals at home, abroad and online.

Her recently released CD entitled “Croí” (Heart) includes many of her own new beautiful compositions as well as performances by Dermot Byrne, Eoin OʼNeill and Jon OʼConnell.

Connect with Yvonne on Facebook

Presented by Treasa Harkin, February 2021, with thanks to Yvonne Casey.