Seán Ó Riada

His best-known pieces in the classical tradition include Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae (1957), but he became particularly famous for his film scores Mise Éire (1959) and Saoirse? He left a lasting influence as founder and director of the ensemble Ceoltóirí Chualann (from 1961). His music still endures: his mass in Irish is still sung to this day in many churches in the Irish-speaking regions of Ireland. Ó Riada died in 1971, aged 40.[1]

• Name — Seán Ó Riada • Birth Name — John Reidy • Born — 1 August 1931 • Birthplace — Cork, Ireland • Died — 3 October 1971 • Place of death — London, England • Occupation — Composer • Years Active — 1954–1971

• Illustration — Séan Ó Riada in Copper Sculpture Ó Riada was born John Reidy in Cork City.[2] He spent his early years in Adare, County Limerick, where his father, a Garda sergeant, was stationed. After beginning school in Adare, he later attended St Finbarr's College, Farranferris and whilst he was there he received musical education from Aloys Fleischmann (Senior). He moved to St Munchin's College in Limerick where he completed his Leaving Certificate in 1948. He played violin, piano and organ, and studied Greek, Latin, and Classics at University College Cork, with Aloys Fleischmann (Junior) and graduated in 1952. While at college, Ó Riada was the auditor of the UCC Philosophical Society. That year he became assistant director for Radio Éireann. He married Ruth Coughlan in 1953. During the evening he played piano with dance bands. He spent several months in France in 1955, and consolidated his interest in modernist music. On his return in July he became music director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin (until 1962), where he wrote, arranged and directed music for the small pit orchestra, also continuing his work in radio. Most of his original, modern orchestral compositions were also written in this time, which included his Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae for string orchestra (1957), Nomos No. 4 for piano and orchestra (1958) and the Triptyche pour orchestre (1960) as well as an early version of his ambitious Nomos No. 2 for baritone solo, mixed choir and orchestra (1965). As his work with Ceoltóirí Chualann developed, his engagement with the modern musical avantgarde decreased, but was never abandoned.

Ó Riada composed and directed orchestral music for theatre and film, combining traditional Irish tunes and "sean-nós" (old style) songs in the classical tradition, similar to nationalist composers such as Dvořák (Czech), Bartók (Hungarian) and Ralph Vaughan Williams (English). In 1959 he scored a documentary film by George Morrison called Mise Éire ("I am Ireland"), about the founding of the Irish Republic.[3] The recording is conducted by Ó Riada himself. Mise Éire brought him national acclaim and allowed him to start a series of programmes on Irish radio called Our Musical Heritage. Ó Riada told people that one should listen to sean-nós singing either as a child would listen or as if they were songs from India.

Between 1961 and 1969 Ó Riada led the Ceoltóirí Chualann group. They played in concert halls dressed in black suits with white shirts and black bow ties, but relied on traditional songs and tunes. An ordinary céili band or show-band would have musicians who competed with each other to grab the audience's attention. Ceoltóirí Chualann played sparse lucid arrangements. Ó Riada sat in the middle at front playing a harpsichord and a bodhrán, a hand-held frame-drum. This was an instrument that had almost died out, being played only by small boys in street parades. Ceilí bands generally had jazz-band drum-kits. Ó Riada also wanted to use the cláirseach or wire-strung harp in the band, but as these were as yet unavailable, he played the harpsichord instead – in his opinion the nearest sound to a cláirseach.[4] The harpsichord he used on a regular basis was made by Cathal Gannon. Unknown to Ó Riada, Irish folk music was being played ensemble-style in London pubs, but for most people of Ireland this was the first time they heard these tunes played by a band. For some, the membership of Ceoltóirí Chualann overlapped with that of The Chieftains. They recorded the soundtrack of the film Playboy of the Western World (original play by John Millington Synge) in 1962. Their last public performance was in 1969, the album was then called "Ó Riada Sa Gaiety".

In 1963, Ó Riada was appointed lecturer in music at University College, Cork. He moved to Baile Bhúirne, and not Cúil Aodha (a common misconception) in County Cork, an Irish-speaking area, where he established Cór Chúil Aodha, a male voice choir.[5] He turned toward choral church music, composing two settings of the Mass.[6] Ceol an Aifrinn ("Music of the Mass") was the first Mass written in the Irish language. This featured the hymn "Ag Críost an Síol", which has become popular in its own right, and with such good phrasing, that it is (wrongly) thought by many today to be an ancient medieval tune.[7][8] Aifreann 2 ("Mass 2") premiered posthumously in 1979. Further works in the "classical" tradition include Five Epigrams from the Greek Anthology (1958) and In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann (1964) to words by Hölderlin. Ó Riada also set the poetry of Thomas Kinsella (Three Poems, 1954), who returned the favour by praising Ó Riada in verse. He became involved in Irish politics and was a friend of several influential leaders. Ó Riada and his wife Ruth drank regularly at a local pub which still advertises itself as being his local.

He suffered cirrhosis of the liver. He was flown to King's College Hospital, London, for treatment and died there. He is buried in St Gobnait's graveyard, Baile Bhuirne, County Cork. Willie Clancy played at his funeral.

Opera • Spailpín a Rúin. Opera in 3 acts (1960). First performance: Dublin, Damer Theatre (St Stephen's Green), 15 September 1960.[10] Orchestral • Papillons (Schumann) orchestrated (1952) • Overture Olynthiac (1955) • The Banks of Sulán. A Pastoral Elegy (1956) • Nomos No. 1: Hercules Dux Ferrariae for string orchestra (1957) • Nomos No. 4 for piano and orchestra (1958) • Aspects of Irish Traditional Music (1959) • Seoladh na nGamhan. Festival Overture (1959) • Triptyche pour orchestre symphonique (1960) • Nomos No. 6 (1966) Voice with orchestra • The Lords and the Bards (Robert Farren) for narrator, soloists, chorus, orch. (1959) • Nomos No. 2 (Sophocles) for baritone, chorus, orch. (1963) Choral music (without orchestra) • Five Epigrams from the Greek Anthology (anon.) for flute, guitar and mixed chorus (1958) • Ceathramhhaintí Éagsamhla (words?) for SATB choir a capella (1962) • Díoghlann Ceoil agus Dána (old Irish liturgy) for SATB choir (1963) • Requiem for a Soldier (words?) for soloists, chorus and organ (1968) Songs for voice and piano • Four Songs (1954). Contains: Autumn; Winter; Spring; Summer. • Lustra (anon. Chinese in transl.) (1954) • Three Poems by Thomas Kinsella (1954). Contains: Classical; Night Song 1; Night Song 2. • Serenade (words?) (1955) • Four Nursery Rhymes (trad.) (1956). Contains: Humpty Dumpty; Tom, Tom; Rockabye, Baby; Seothín Seó. • In memoriam Aloys G. Fleischmann: Four Hölderlin Songs (Johann Christian Hölderlin): Die Heimath; Fragment; Hälfte des Lebens; An Zimmern (1956) • Hill Field (John Montague) (1965) • Sekundenzeiger (Hans Arp) (1966) • Lovers on Aran (Seámus Heaney) (1968) • Mná na hÉireann (Peadar Ó Doirnín) (1968) Piano • Eight Short Preludes (1953) • Five Epigrams (1954) • Piano Piece (1957) • Aon lá sa Mhuileann for harpsichord (1968) • Ceol (n.d.) Film scores for orchestra • Mise Éire (1959) • Saoirse? (1960) • Kennedy's Ireland (1960) • The Death of a Lord Mayor (1960) • Young Cassidy (1965) • An Tine Bheo (1966) • Ceol na Laoi (c.1966) Others • Suite of Greek Folksongs for flute, oboe, viola, cello, piano (1958) • Ceol Máirseála i gcóir Socraide for military band (1968) Religious music • Ceol an Aifrinn / Ó Riada Mass (1968) • Aifreann nua / Aifreann 2 (1970) • Requiem Mass (1970) Incidental music to several plays at the Abbey Theatre including An Crúiscín Lán (1956), The Playboy of the Western World (1956), Súgán Sneachta (1959), Mac Uí Rudaí (1961), Ulysses agus Penelope (1965).