Ulster Scots Music ~ What is it!

[Ptarmigan]

This site looks at the instruments, the many forms of music, & some of the musicians, that go to make up the music, referred to today as that of the 'Ulster-Scots', or the 'Scots-Irish' or the 'Scotch-Irish'.

But what is this music?
Is it simply Scottish Music played in Ulster by the descendants of Scottish planters?
Is it in fact Irish Music that has been heavily influenced by Scottish Music, as in Donegal, & which someone once described as being simply "bad Scottish Music".
Or is it something totally unique to those people of Ulster who are descended from the Scots. Music, which not only reflects their historic musical links with Scotland, but which has also been influenced by the Irish Music which is all around, and yet, which retains it's own very individual traits which give it a character all of it's own?

Scots Irish Music

[emdee]

Is there a parallel here with the Cape Breton music, which developed as a separate tradition from mainstream Scottish Music, and now we are being told that they have the "true" style? (which I very much question and dispute). What they say is that Scottish music crystallised there 200 years ago, and that mainstream Scottish music at home has "gone to seed".

With Ulster Scots music being such a local tradition, I can't say that I have heard much of it, but your site is whetting my appetite to get over and have a few sessions, and I hope that the ferry materialises so that I can do this.

I have only been in Ulster once, and that was 1963. I was very young at the time, but we had a great day in Ballycastle.

[Ptarmigan]

Absolutely NOT emdee.

As I understand it, Cape Breton Music is actually a distinct form, with hundreds, perhaps thusands, of it's own tunes, & a very distinct way of playing those & all the Scottish tunes that the musicians over there would also have in their repertoire.

The only Traditional music I can find over here, which could be described possibly, as Ulster Scots Music, would be the handful of Fife tunes which are detailed in one publication. ALL the rest of the music I have heard touted as being Ulster Scots, is in fact quite simply Scottish Music, & the musicians I have heard playing it, were either from the Irish tradition & so gave the tunes a wee Irish flavour, or they were simply copying a Scottish style.

Some folks within the Ulster Scots movement itself over here would love there to be a distinct Ulster Scots style of playing, with a large repertoire of locally grown tunes, but that simply is not the case.

If you need proof, check out this YouTube video: Ulster-Scots eXperience

Or any of the other YouTubes by the Ulster Scots Expererience, which is the Ulster Scots group with the highest profile over here.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of politics behind this Ulster Scots movement & while it is doing some good work by raising the profile of the local dialect, whether by design or accident, the process is still, sadly, managing to alienate those of a Nationalist persuasion.

The fact is, most country folk, whether catholic or protestant, use the vocabulary that is being described as Ulster Scots, but this present process is creating a wedge between folks. Likewise, country musicians play a huge mixture of Irish tunes with, depending on the region, a clatter of Scottish tunes thrown in too for good measure. This mixture is what I personally think of as Ulster Music, & with the strong Scottish influence, it is a truly wonderful mix. However, instead of the common language & common music being used to bring all the country folk together, I get the sense that the Ulster Scots movement is actually perpetuating the divide between folks here, which is a great shame.

On the positive side, it is making country folk proud of their old country words & dialect, which is all to the good. It is also giving folks of a unionist persuasion an opportunity to embrace traditional music again. Sadly, throughout most of the troubles, traditional music was seen by many as something only nationalists practiced &/or enjoyed. This of course was nonsense because throughout, loads of Protestants played Trad music. So at long last, classes teaching traditional instruments, even Tin Whistle & Fiddle, plus of course, Fife, Flute & Drum, are springing up all over the place, specifically in old Unionist & Loyalist strongholds.

To give you some idea of just how interested I am in this subject, as well as the numerous webpages I have devoted to the subject, at the link above, I have, over the last two years also posted over 400 posts, mostly on music, at the Ulster Scots Online Forum
Many of them were asking questions about this music, of the local musicians, but so far NOBODY has been able, or is prepared to step forward & say what exactly they believe Ulster Scots Music is!

So, as you well know, Irish Music & Scottish music both have a huge, well documented history & each has a huge repertoire of literally thousands of tunes, in many books & collections. However, Ulster Scots Music remains a mystery, & with no recognized or documented repertoire to speak of, it is hard to see how anyone can justify that it actually does exist!

So does Ulster Scots music actually exist ....... I'm afraid the jury is still out.

That said, don't let it put you off from visiting, cause with your Fiddle under your arm & a few directions to some of the best sessions in Ulster { all 9 counties }, once that ferry gets going again & once you come over here again, you may not want to go home again! ;D

Cheers
Ptarmigan

[emdee]

If there is not an analogy with Cape Breton, can I suggest another comparison?

As you are no doubt aware, many Scottish mainland fiddle players have, over the years, incorporated a fairly substantial element of Shetland music into their repertoire. To my ear, these players interpret these tunes in their own idiom, and they do not sound the same as when they are being played by a Shetland fiddle player. Similarly, Shetland players have adopted Scottish mainland tunes, and play them in their own idiom. Who is to say that the style for playing the tunes, on either side, is wrong? It is an interpretation of the music in the player’s own regional style.

Shetland, although politically part of Scotland, is more Scandinavian than Scottish, in terms of history, language, culture, music and ethnicity, and when talking about “Scottish” fiddle music, I personally don’t include the Shetland tradition, as I regard it as having such a distinct and separate background as to be from another source completely, and with a different pedigree. They seem to have, over the years adopted things like the strathspey, etc into their repertoire, and in this respect I think that Gideon Stove may have been influential, as he was a Shetland fiddle player with a diverse musical interest. The Shetland players certainly have their own way of playing the strathspey.

When you speak of “Ulster-Scots” music, what you appear to be saying is that there is a body of Scottish music that is used by players in that area, but it is part of a bigger repertoire, and is not a free-standing separate tradition as such, as the style is influenced by the other influential factors in the background of the individual player. For various reasons this music has come down the musical generations, and is still used. Is this the situation, or am I being simplistic about it?

[Ptarmigan]

Yes emdee, the Shetland example is a perfect analogy of how the Donegal Fiddlers have encorporated Scottish tunes into their repertoire.

However, there is in fact no Ulster Scots repertoire over here & no Ulster Scots style of playing Scottish tunes, or any other tunes for that matter. When you come over, { } I'll be able to show you just one book ... of Fife tunes, which can claim to be of an Ulster Scots nature. But that's the only one.

The vast majority of traditional musicians in Northern Ireland would play a wide variety of traditional music, but mostly Irish music it has to be said. However, they would play a number of Scottish tunes & far more Scottish tunes than their counterparts further south. Most areas have a healthy Pub Session, close by, where I'm sure you would have fun sharing tunes with like-minded trad musicians.

On the other hand, the vast majority of musicians who would today be classing themselves as Ulster Scots musicians, are in fact long standing members of one Marching Band or another. These include Pipe Bands, Flute Bands, Accordion Bands, Fife Bands, but when you take these band musicians out of the equation, there aren't really many so called Ulster Scots musicians left.

Unfortunately, most of the band musicians efforts were centred around preparing for the Marching season, & very little playing throughout the rest of the year. Their whole reason for playing was not for pleasure, as it usually is with most trad musicians, but instead they were focused on making a political statement. What is happening now, is that with peace in our time over here, there is not the same need for these bands & I understand that already some bands are having to fold, because of falling numbers in their ranks.

I'm delighted to say though, that there are now a few exceptions to these rules & we ourselves have three Flute players who now join one of our sessions up here. They are learning more wee Irish tunes & wee in turn are picking up more wee Fifing tunes.

So when a trad musicians comes to Ireland for the first time today, were they to travel the length & breadth of the island, I'm sure they would still notice regional differences. They would of course find cosmopolitan sessions in every town, where young & old musicians are heavily influenced by comhaltas & the young cool trad bands of the day, & most of the music in all those sessions may well have a sameness about it.
But, if they made the effort to explore more of the quiet wee country sessions, I have no doubt they would still, even today, notice certain variations in regional styles & repertoire.
So, in Ulster, they may well hear lots more Marches & Scottish tunes than they would further south.

Of course, to understand all this emdee, what you will have to do is come over here & experience it for yourself! ;D

Speaking of Shetland Music though, isn't it amazing how one man can have such an influence. I'm thinking of course of Peerie Willie!

Cheers
Ptarmigan