Synopses & Reviews
The Companion to Irish Traditional Music represents a landmark in the study of one of the Western world's most universally recognizable forms of cultural expression. This ambitious volume comes at a time when Irish music and culture is experiencing a genuine renaissance, as evidenced by the popularity of such phenomena as Riverdance.
Only a handful of books have attempted to present an overall picture of Irish traditional music, and many of these are now outdated or out of print. Since the late 1960s, the traditional music scene has changed radically: the commercial life of traditional music has mushroomed, bringing with it tremendous growth in what might be called music tourism. At the same time, an energetic revivalism has taken hold, the result of a wealth of new approaches to playing and spirited debate over the influence of traditionalism in Irish music.
Fintan Vallely has harnessed the expertise of dozens of specialists who between them present a remarkably comprehensive picture of the field, incorporating ancient history, past ideals, and contemporary ideologies. The companion presents A-Z descriptions of individuals, traditions, and instruments, as well as an analysis of the modern history of traditional music-making. Biographical entries cover significant musicians and composers and central themes; central themes within traditional music, such as the oral tradition, the Bardic system, and the politics of Irish music, are given extended entries.
Not just the ideal reference for the interested enthusiast, The Companion to Irish Traditional Music provides a unique resource for every home, school, or library with an interest in the distinctive rituals, qualities, and history of Irish traditional music and song.
Review
"Highly recommended."-CHOICE,
Review
"Bringing together history and ethnographic interviews, (NYU Press, $23) argues that Hindu-inspired meditation movements are a distinct type of new religious movement, even if their followers and leaders may repeat the "mantra" that they are "spiritual but not religious."" -Religion Watch,
Review
“In this highly readable study, Williamson not only places Hindu-inspired meditation movements within the larger picture of the historical context of American religion and culture, but also gives us an intimate glimpse into the motivations and experiences of long-time practitioners. Combining both insider and outsider perspectives, she provides a rich, balanced, and sympathetic account of these movements, while not shying away from the controversies they have generated. This book is a ‘must-read for those interested in both Indian spirituality and American pluralism.”
-Kathleen M. Erndl,author of Victory to the Mother: The Hindu Goddess of Northwest India in Myth, Ritual, and Symbol
Review
"The author explores the hybrid forms of spiritual practice that emerged in the West, especially in the United States, over the last century as a result of the encounter with Hinduism in its myriad forms."-Frank J. Korom,Religious Studies Review
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Synopsis
A thorough and excellent resource for study of the traditional music of Ireland. Arranged alphabetically, entries range from a brief paragraph to several pages and cover renowned musicians, music scholars, instruments, regional styles, techniques and recordings.
Synopsis
The first comprehensive book of traditional Irish music.
Synopsis
Yoga, karma, meditation, guru—these terms, once obscure, are now a part of the American lexicon. Combining Hinduism with Western concepts and values, a new hybrid form of religion has developed in the United States over the past century. In
Transcendent in America, Lola Williamson traces the history of various Hindu-inspired movements in America, and argues that together they constitute a discrete category of religious practice, a distinct and identifiable form of new religion.
Williamson provides an overview of the emergence of these movements through examining exchanges between Indian Hindus and American intellectuals such as Thomas Jefferson and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and illuminates how Protestant traditions of inner experience paved the way for Hindu-style movements acceptance in the West.
Williamson focuses on three movements—Self-Realization Fellowship, Transcendental Meditation, and Siddha Yoga—as representative of the larger of phenomenon of Hindu-inspired meditation movements. She provides a window into the beliefs and practices of followers of these movements by offering concrete examples from their words and experiences that shed light on their world view, lifestyle, and relationship with their gurus. Drawing on scholarly research, numerous interviews, and decades of personal experience with Hindu-style practices, Williamson makes a convincing case that Hindu-inspired meditation movements are distinct from both immigrant Hinduism and other forms of Asian-influenced or “New Age” groups.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 443-462) and discography (p. 463-478).
About the Author
An accomplished musician and music writer, Fintan Vallely lectures on Irish music and ethnomusicology at Maynooth College and is a regular reviewer and commentator for The Irish Times and numerous other papers.