Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996
From: Brian Baranoski (baranosk@umbc.edu)
The most enjoyable part of Enya's singing to me occurs in her Gaelic songs. I have always found certain parts of the music extremely enjoyable, but have never been able to put my finger on it. I have studied classical guitar, but don't claim to know much of music. I have also read that some musicians have said (apparently in a derogatory manner) that Enya shamelessly employs something in her music that is very Irish musically. I have heard others mention about lilting in Irish music. But no one has explained it (at least to me).
I quite recently bought the Shepherd Moons music scores book created by Hal Leonard. I was listening to Smaointe on the CD and following the notes on the pages, when I suddenly realized what it was that I enjoy so much about her music. In 4/4 time, a four note sequence is what I think is the Irish lilt. It consists of a dotted 1/4 note, two 1/16 notes followed by an 1/8 note. A 1/4 note rounds out the measure. The first and third notes are the same and each note beginning with the second goes down in progression by one note on the scale. For example: notes F G F E or B C B A. See page 51 - 53 of the music book for what I am talking about. If I have botched my explanation (not hard to do) or not made it clear, please forgive me as it has been some years since I played the classical guitar and had some semblance of musical knowledge.
I also noticed the Irish lilt on the Watermark album when listening to Na Laetha Geal Moige. In 3/4 time, it seems to take several different forms, but each form consists of six notes. One form consists of 1/4 note, 1/8 note, two 1/16 notes, followed by two 1/8 notes. Another form consists of three 1/8 notes, two 1/16 notes, followed by an 1/8 note. The last variation or form consists of 1/8 note, two 1/16 notes, 1/4 note, followed by two 1/8 notes. This last variation seems to be linked to the last part of the preceeding measure. See page 38 on the Watermark music scores book created by Hal Leonard.
Common to all of these variations, whether in 4/4 time or 3/4 time, is that there appears to be the equivalent of "three 1/8 notes", two 1/16 notes, followed by the equivalent of "two 1/8 notes". It is the 1/16 notes which give rise to the beauty of the lilt. I think that the Irish lilt (as I am calling it) sounds better in 4/4 time. Do others think that this sequence is what is referred to as Irish lilting? Comments and corrections are welcome.
My point of this discussion here was not to ruin the beauty when listening to the pieces by disecting them, but to share some of my discoveries and understanding of the "inner beauty" of the pieces.
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 1996
From: "Mark Tom Q. Mulingbayan" (marktqm@engg.upd.edu.ph)
Whoa! Seems like you did a lot of analysis there. But I believe the lilt character not only comes from the value of the notes but also from the scale with which those lilts are made of. Try singing Na Laetha Geal Moige in a minor key and let's see how the lilt turns out...
I'm not really sure what the true definition of an Irish lilt is, but it seems a lilt is something like the decorations used in classical music (and even jazz): turns, mordents, inverted mordents, acciacaturas and appogiaturas...(Thank goodness Enya doesn't trill!)
Maybe the definition of a lilt is singing more notes than what is required, and those extra notes sung are very near and leading to the first major note supposed to be sung in the next count or bar. The reason for those variations in 1/16 and 1/8 notes in the lilt is to make the note values to satisfy the measure/time signature, hence the different "forms".
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 1996
From: Brian Baranoski (baranosk@umbc.edu)
Thanks for replying to my discussion on what I am calling the Irish Lilt. You are probably right in saying that the lilt character also comes from the scale in which those notes are played. One thing however, I could not test it out as you suggested since I don't sing anywhere near good enough for people to listen to -- even dogs cover their ears when I sing. :-)
I don't know what the true definition of an Irish lilt is either. I decided to look lilt up in the dictionary. As a verb: to sing or speak rythmically and with fluctuating pitch. As a noun: a spirited and usually cheerful song or tune; a rhythmically swing, flow, or cadence; a springy bouyant movement. As far as Smaointe goes, perhaps the verb definition fits. However, it surely does not fit as a noun. Lilt as a noun fits Anywhere Is more than Smaointe. So I can't decide which it is.
I was about to agree with you and say also that thank goodness Enya doesn't trill. However, as I am typing this and listening to The Memory of Trees CD, I heard her trill (slightly) on China Roses! She does it on the stanza beginning with "A new moon leads me to ....." and continues until those four lines are finished. Well, thank goodness it is slight and only for a little bit.
Speaking of lilting, she does it in Athair Ar Neamh obviously. But I did not realize that she also does it in English on Hope Has a Place (both my favorites) on TMoT. Wow, now I'm in heaven!
Thanks for adding to my vocabulary with mordent, etc. and increasing my appreciation of music. I looked up "turn" in the dictionary and got lost! In the collegiate dictionary it has nearly a page of definitions (and I didn't find anything to do with music). Maybe I have to look further (in a music dictionary).
I hope we hear from some other knowledgeable people on this topic. Do I hear someone from California and Italy trying to type in a response? For the rest of the fans, see, we can actually learn from listening to Enya! And you thought that Enya's music was only useful to sooth the nerves, etc. (Music is hard to describe without hearing examples of it.)