September 23, 2001
By Francette Cerulli
Book Correspondent Times Argus Barre-Montpelier Vermont
When writer-musician Art Edelstein of East Calais set out to write a biography of Irish harper Turlough Carolan (1670-1738), he didn't have a lot to go on. Only one other biography of Carolan had ever been written. And only one person who'd met him in the flesh had written about it. As the author puts it, the trail of Carolan, who composed much traditional Irish music still played today, was "chillingly cold."
Starting with this dearth of facts about a man who left no clues to his identity but his songs, Edelstein obviously labored long, thoroughly, and lovingly before his book, "Fair Melodies: Turlough Carolan: An Irish Harper," was born. The methods the author used to envision the life of the elusive composer are as fascinating as what he actually found out. "Fair Melodies" is a fine example of the intriguing art of historical detection.
Since the centerpiece of his inquiries left no primary sources (actual writings of his own), Edelstein's method, of necessity, was to fill in as much information around his subject as he could, then extrapolate from there about who this man Carolan probably was, or might have been. Edelstein's authorial integrity is obvious. His use of qualifying words and phrases like "probably" and :might have" and "it seems likely that" make us trust him. We know we are in the hands of an investigator who is willing to conjecture, but will not let himself step over the line into historical fictionalizing or legend-making. The result is historically informative as well as educational.
There were three aspects of "Fair Melodies" that most compelled me. The first was Edelstein's thorough explanation of Roman Catholic Ireland's long and varied resistance, more or less successful, to takeover and influence by the Protestant English kings and other leaders like Cromwell. If you find the Irish "troubles" as hard to understand as this reader does, then reading chapters three ("It All Began with Henry VIII"), four ("The Ireland of Carolan's Day"), five ("The Ireland of Carolan's Adult Life"), and six ("Life During the Protestant Ascendancy") will help with understanding the violent origins of this fierce modern conflict in the early 16th century.
The second, perhaps most intriguing thing about Edelstein's approach to Carolan were those little details about him that make it possible for us to picture him and his idiosyncrasies. Players of the wire-string harp had to maintain very long, very pointed fingernails to allow them to pluck the hard metal strings. This one small fact gives us a clear if disconcerting picture of harper Carolan. It also explains why a harper could not be a part-time farmer. The breakable tools of his music trade would not survive such hard use. Another fascinating tidbit: Carolan very likely made up words like "Planxty" because they sounded like Latin. As the blind son of an ironworker, he wouldn't have had access to this high-flown tongue, but he was a whiz at making fun of it. Even though he performed for and was paid by the comparatively rich, Carolan's obvious pleasure in mocking so-called higher learning clue us in to his maintenance and comfort with his own earthy roots.
Third, "Fair Melodies" comes with a CD of some of Turlough Carolan's music, played by Edelstein himself (founding member of the trio Borealis) and Tim Newcomb of Worcester. I played the CD several times through as I read. Not only did it calm my soul through the week following Sept. 11, it made me realize I'd already heard some of Carolan's songs composed for harp. They were changed slightly, and played on other instruments, but they were his. I'd just never known that Carolan was their maker.
As Carolan was a musical bridge between the ancient world of the Irish chieftains and the modern musical world, so Edelstein is a bridge between Carolan's original music and the people who play it now. In chapter 20, "Carolan from a Musician's Perspective," Edelstein interviews five modern harpers and a dulcimer player who play the composer's music today. In these interviews, musicians both American and Irish follow up on Edelstein's inviting statement, "It sounds like there were two Carolans who composed very differently," and answer questions like, "How do you feel when you play Carolan's music?"
This book is intelligent, complex but not daunting, and a pleasure to read. Occasionally, the author's phrasing is a little clumsy. But I came away from "Fair Melodies" with a much-deepened understanding of how Ireland, its music and history are inextricably braided together, and more confidence in my own ability to approach and understand music history.
Edelstein has included a thorough 38-page discography of all of Carolan's songs, as well as his written music, Internet sources, other assorted sources, and an extensive bibliography.
To Order "Fair Melodies: Turlough Carolan: An Irish Harper," by Art Edelstein. (Noble Stone Press, Box 771, East Calais, VT, 05650, 160 pp. Paper, $21.95).