Charlie Lennon – Áille na hÁille: evocative suite about 1916 signatories

Charlie Lennon's new suite, commissioned by Gael Linn, adds to the depth and breadth of interpretation of our past in this centenary year.

Lennon uses a wide range of traditional idioms to add light and shade to what is an evocative work, with signatories’ personal histories acting as vignettes that unite to form a cohesive narrative.

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh brings a spare and poignant edge to the two songs referencing Pearse and Plunkett.

The true unifying force is Lennon, who uses jigs, double jigs, slow airs and a sweeping sonata for violin and piano (featuring Finghin Collins and Elizabeth Cooney) to tell these tales with no small degree of chutzpah.

Flute, whistle, concertina, percussion and fiddle sit comfortably alongside the more architectural forms of the RTÉ ConTempo Quartet. gael-linn.ie