 | Anonymous - "Were you at the Rock?" for Flute & Harp Flute and Harp |
Vidéo :
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| Composer : | Anonymous | ||
| Instrumentation : | Flute and Harp | ||
| Style : | Celtic | ||
| Arranger : | MAGATAGAN, MICHAEL (1960 - ) | ||
| Publisher : | MAGATAGAN, MICHAEL | ||
| Copyright : | Public Domain | ||
| Added by magataganm, 23 Oct 2013 This song speaks of Penal Days when the Mass was celebrated in secret at remote gatherings. The "Carraig" was the "Mass rock" used as a meeting-place and altar. According to native Irish "sean nos" singers, the words appear as a love song, "Were you at the Rock and did you see my Valentine?" (meaning either the priest or the Host). However, it was a code addressed to a disguised priest or congregant, so the enemy would not grasp the true meaning even if he spoke Irish. Death was the penalty for those caught at Mass. In Penal Times, a price of 30 pounds was offered for the head of a priest or hedge-school master, the same as for that of a wolf. At first glance, "An Raibh Tú ag an gCarraig" appears to be a series of questions and answers about a young woman, but in reality it contains a coded message. A traditional air from the 1796 collection of "Ancient Irish Music" of Edward Bunting. The coded message is uncoded below. Were you at the Mass? I was at the Mass; Did you see the Virgin Mary? I saw the Virgin Mary Did you take communion? I received communion, And say the rosary? and said the rosary Did you see the chalice? I saw the chalice, Did you see the sacrifice of the Mass? and saw the sacrifice of the Mass Did you practice the faith? And I practiced the faith; Are we being persecuted as they are saying? we are not being subdued as they are saying. Although this work was originally written for Folk Instruments, I created this arrangement for Flute & Celtic or Concert (Pedal) Harp. | |||
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