Galway early music project

Musical Tour of Medieval Galway

Captain Moreno has just arrived in Galway (his favourite city) with a cargo of wine.  After the wine is all unloaded, he invites you, his fellow sailor, to see a bit of the city. As you walk around the city, you hear music that is happening in various places.

You are listening to audio which places you in early 17th-century Galway, but you are seeing the modern city. This plays with your perceptions and requires you to use your imagination. We suggest watching on full screen and using earphones for the best experience.

ABOUT THE TOUR
This started out as a smartphone app, commissioned by Galway Early Music, that allowed visitors to Galway to walk around the medieval city guided by Captain Moreno. Audio was triggered at particular places by GPS. It was designed and created by Máiréad Ní Chróinín using a platform called 7scenes, which is unfortunately no longer active. We hope to re-create and develop the smartphone tour again as an independent app, but in the meanwhile, because people cannot visit and walk around Galway due to the pandemic, we thought we would create this draft version of our Medieval Walk using the audio created for the original app, to give you a chance to be in Galway again – medieval Galway! Filmed in March 2021, you’ll see a strangely empty Galway, but we hope it will be full of visitors soon. This video was created for Early Music Day 2021, but wasn’t ready due to technical details.

ABOUT THE MUSIC – SUPPORT THE ARTISTS!
The artists whose music features on the video have all performed at the Galway Early Music Festival, with the exception of Brice Duisit. If you like what you have heard, we encourage you to support these artists by buying CDs.  All musicians have had their main income, concerts and workshops, cancelled because of COVID, but they have often come up with wonderful and innovative ways to reach their audience online. Check this out as well!

The Fishmarket
Elizabeth Cronin: Seoithín Seó from The Songs of Elizabeth Cronin, Irish Traditional Singer, by Dáibhí Ó Cróinín (Four Courts Press, 2000). This book includes two CDs. New edition due out in 2021. Four Courts Press Website

Blake’s Castle
Compagnie Maitre Guillaume: Pavane de Espagne from Musiques a Danser de la Renaissance Francaise (Arion S.A., 1995).  Website

Hall of the Red Earl
Brice Duisit:  Companho non puosc mudar qu’eo no m’effrei from Guillaume IX d’Aquitaine – Las Cansos del Coms de Peitieus (Alpha 505, 2002)

The Kings Head Pub
François Lazaravitch / Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien: Suite de Trois Bransle de village from A l’Ombre d’un Ormeau – brunetttes & contredanses (Alpha 115, 2006)  Website

The Market
Maura Ó Cróinín: Market Soundscape

St Nicholas Collegiate Church
Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir (dir. Brendan O’Connor): O Iesu Christe  (Jacob of Mantua) from Lux Aeterna (2000)  Website

Lynch’s Castle
Siobhán Armstrong: Da Mihi Manum from Les Witches – Lord Galloway’s Delight (Alpha 534, 2012) Siobhán Armstrong’s Website

Williamsgate
The York Waits: Das Jaegerhorn from Music from the time of Richard III (SayDisc Records, 1987) Website

The Tourney Field (Eyre Square)
Maura Ó Cróinín: Tournament Soundscape

The Town Wall
Andrew Lawrence-King: Canarios from Luz y Norte (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, 1995)  Andrew Lawrence-King Website

Title and Credits
The York Waits: Lord Zouche His March from Fortune My Foe (Beautiful Jo Records, 2005)  Website

 

ABOUT THE TITLE IMAGE OF GALWAY
This image of Galway comes from the Surveys of Irish fortifications carried out by the English military surveyor, Thomas Phillips. (1635?-1693).  The manuscript is currently kept in The National Library of Ireland, mss  MS 3137 and MS 2557.

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