Úrnua

Úrnua are:
Carl Hession, piano and arrangements
Eimear Coughlan: fiddle & harp
Francis Cunningham: concertina

With
Guest Musicians
Bogden Sofei: Violin
Sharon Howley: Cello
Jimmy Higgins: Percussion

From the west of Ireland comes this exciting outfit with an all new music. Featuring 40 new compositions from Carl Hession

Úrnua is the Irish word for fresh and new (pronounced “oor-new-a”).

We came up with the name to reflect Carl’s brand new compositions and arrangements. It also represents the unique combination of instruments. From what I’m aware, concertina and harp with piano accompaniment hasn’t been done previously, especially given the fact that Eimear plays the melody on all tracks as well as accompaniment. Finally it reflects Eimear  (pronounced “ee-mer”) & Francis’s debut  as neither of us have recorded before this so in a sense we’re fresh and new to the game.

Carl Hession is regarded as one of the foremost piano accompanists and orchestral arrangers in Irish Music. This album showcases Carl as one of the finest composers in Irish Traditional Music. Carl is one of Ireland’s most sought after accompanists/arrangers, having cut his teeth in the legendary Irish band, Moving Cloud, also alongside Frankie Gavin is several outfits, currently Frankie’s Roaring 20’s outfit.

Eimear and Francis from Tulla and Crusheen in Co. Clare, have been playing music together since the age of 15. Also a fiddle player, Eimear learned her music from her grandfather Paddy Canny and studied the harp with Janet Harbison. West Limerick concertina player Tim Collins taught Francis from an early age. Individually and together they have won numerous accolades at various Fleadhanna over the past few years.

Testimoney from Kevin Crawford:

"I feel immensely proud and hugely fortunate to know Carl, Francis and Eimear as dear friends and outstanding musicians. Carl Hession is one of Ireland's most revered piano players, prolific composers and sought after musical arrangers. His work needs little or no introduction as his reputation is golden and has spanned the decades.

From a ridiculously early age Francis Cunningham and Eimear Coughlan have impressed me in every way imaginable. Musically, personally, socially and professionally their understanding, knowledge, respect, passion and overall grasp of the many layers and facets within our tradition is refreshing and quite remarkable.

Two of the finest exponents of concertina and harp with a strong emphasis on the Clare tradition in which they are steeped. I was so excited when I first got wind that Carl was collaborating with Francis and Eimear on a recording made up solely of Hession compositions. Stylistically and instrumentally they're a great fit and this gem of a recording is testimony to that. And the bloom of youth and the experienced Master making music across the generations."  Kevin Crawford

Audio

Track 1: The Flying Magpies

Track 2: The Arran Cruiser

Track 3: Inisboffin

Track 4: Portland McCann's

Track Listing

1. Sporting Galway / The White Plains / Threadneedle Reel (Reels) [4.08]
2. The Flying Magpies / A Roll of the Dice / Just Another Dilemma (Slip Jigs) [3.55]
3. The Granddaughter's Dream (Waltz) [2.51]
4. Cullivan from Cavan / The Catskill Pines / Knefsky Prospect (Reels) [3.05]
5. Trip to Letterkenny / Morning Gallop (Slow Reel & Gigue) [5.12]
6. Links by the Bay / Salthill Prom (Slow Reels) [4.04]
7. The Aran Cruiser / A Trip to the Village / The Drinker and the Whiskey (Jigs) [3.13]
8. Blackrock Tower / Claddagh Basin / The Eyre Square Buzz (Reels) [3.36]
9. Celtic Storm (Adagio & Classical Gigue) [3.09]
10. The Rambles of Mike / The Laughing Spoons (Jigs) [3.06]
11. Down the Hill to Carlow / Jackie the Adopted (March & Reel) [3.33]
12. Myles the Man / Greg the Great / The Corrib Suite Crew (Reels) [4.12]
13. Minuet / Sprightly Spring (Minuet & Waltz) [3.17]
14. Tim the Gardener / The Final Round (Polkas) [4.09]
15. The Ballybrit Dip / Up and Over (Slow Reels) [3.05]
16. Farewell to Jim / That's More of It (Jigs) [3.14]
17. Inishbofin (Slow Air) [3.42]
18. Micky Ward's / Portland McCann's (Reels) [3.03]
    

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Notation for all 40 tunes is available in "The Tunes of Carl Hession".

Watch Úrnua on Facebook

Press Reviews

SONGLINES 154 * * * *

              Stalwart of Galway trad makes way for fresh new talent

The scion of a well-known County Galway family of traditional musicians, pianist Carl Hession has established himself as a consummate accompanist, arranger and composer (notably of the international hit Rhythm of the Dance, which has toured constantly since its 1998 premiere). To the fore on Úrnua (Irish for ‘Fresh and New’) are his eloquent abilities as a composer, with 40 new tunes arranged into 18 sets that find Hessian on piano supporting two young County Clare talents making their debuts on disc.

Having learned the fiddle from her grandfather, Paddy Canny, and harp from Janet Harbison, Eimear Coughlan shows herself wonderfully communicative in pieces cast in the guise of assorted dance forms. She’s especially responsive to Hession’s classical leanings in the crisply delicate French baroque accents of The Granddaughter’s Dream (Waltz)’, the marriage of adagio prettiness and dancing, gigue-like nimbleness of ‘Celtic Storm’ and graceful slow air of ‘Inishbofin’. A pupil of West Limerick concertina virtuoso Tim Collins, Francis Cunningham’s contributions are never less than lively and colourful, not least in the reel sets that open and close the album. Hession’s piano is always discreet (occasionally to the point of near anonymity), the overall impression one of relaxed, reciprocal music making. The result is altogether pleasing and pleasant.   MICHAEL QUINN

The Living Tradition 12.19
Forty new compositions by Hession are played here on harp and concertina by Coughlan and Cunningham, with superlative backing by the composer himself. Several of Carl's tunes have already become session standards or featured on recordings by other musicians, so there are flashes of familiarity here: Knefsky Prospect, Morning Gallop and a couple of others are old friends, but most are met here for the first time. There's a varied programme - reels and jigs are only the tip of it, with waltzes, polkas, and a few other forms included. Two tracks lean towards Carl's classical training: a leisurely minuet paired with the waltz, Sprightly Spring, drafting in violin and cello for a late Baroque feel before the concertina cuts in, and the dreamy Celtic Storm medley which has a similar structure.
Eimear and Francis handle all this music with aplomb - I don't think Carl’s piano takes the melody line at all, and both harp and concertina are rock solid throughout. Interpretation and expression are hard to judge, as most of the tunes will have been new to this young duo and the majority of Úrnua is up-tempo dance music played in tight unison. There are three slow reels which leave some room for individual flair, and there is a wonderful lightness and flow to the tunes throughout, but no showy solos. The Ballybrit Dip is a fine example, and other high points for me were the polka Tim The Gardener and the jig Rambles Of Mike. Carl Hession sticks to straight measures and sociable major keys in general, and his melodies fit easily into the canon of Irish music - it would be nice to hear more of the minor keys and modal cadences, maybe next time. For now, as the name suggests, Úrnua provides plenty of shiny new material for listeners and players alike. There's a tune book available too. Alex Monaghan

RnR Magazine   ****
For Urnua renowned accompanist, orchestral arranger and composer Carl Hession has commandeered two excellent young traditional players from Tulla, Co. Clare, Eimear Coughlan on harp and fiddle, and Francis Cunningham on concertina, to deliver eighteen sets of tunes (or forty of his original compositions, ranging from marches and waltzes to jigs and reels) with an energy and professionalism which belie the fact that the two players have never before been recorded.

Hession has worked with Frankie Gavin in various guises, so there's no question about his competence or understanding of Irish music. It flows through all these tunes, and the unusual, if not unprecedented, line-up of concertina, harp and piano mines the truly ethnic while adding a pseudo-classical veneer that inevitably brings to mind O'Carolan, or The Chieftains. (Be careful that you copyright your work, sir, or someone might sneak in while you're looking the other way...) I'm deeply impressed, moved at times, and always eager to follow where Hession leads. He is a clever man.

If there's any reservation here, it has something to do with deliberation or control. But it's not a point worth labouring. 'The Aran Cruiser' or 'Blackrock Tower' sets are both sublime and abandoned. Say no more. Nick Burbridge

www.folking.com
Carl Hession is held to be one of the finest accompanists, arrangers and composers in Irish music; a veteran of Moving Cloud and a number of bands with Frankie Gavin. Concertina player Francis Cunningham and harpist Eimear Coughlan are both making their recording debuts on Úrnua in this distinguished company. Also appearing are violinist Bogden Sofei, cellist Sharon Howley and percussionist Jim Higgins. It’s a tribute to Carl’s skills as a producer that Eimear’s harp shines so brightly in the mix.

If I were a talented session player I’d be all over this album like a cheap suit. There are forty tunes here, spread over eighteen tracks – some sound deceptively simple and others definitely are not. The majority are written in the Irish traditional style: reels and jigs with a set of slip jigs and another of polkas plus slow reels, a march and a couple of waltzes.

Sadly, I’m not a player and here’s my problem. I’m not a fan of the piano in folk music although I appreciate its use as a continuo in Celtic music. To his credit, Carl doesn’t try to dominate the other players but provides a firm basis for the melodies, enriching the sound while allowing space for the harp and concertina. Secondly; can a tune be traditional if it’s only just been written? Inevitably, some of these tunes will be adopted into the tradition and welcomed simply because they are good tunes but their origins will always be documented. Is that also the case with the majority of Irish instrumental music?

Because of the above my favourite tracks are those which don’t quite fit the traditional mould. ‘Celtic Storm’ is listed as an adagio and classical gigue and ‘Minuet/Sprightly Spring’ is a paring of a minuet and a waltz while ‘Inishbofin’ is a delightfully mournful slow air. The playing is never less than exemplary and, despite myself, my foot was definitely tapping by the end.  Dai Jeffries