Composer Niall Vallely has long been fascinated by early recordings of Irish traditional music and this multimedia performance, 78 Revolutions, mixes archival recordings with live performance to create a rich mix of ancient and contemporary sounds.
Tracks from the early days of recording – by the likes of Patsy Touhey, John McKenna and Michael Coleman – are manipulated to create a soundscape that revels in the brilliance of the music and the noise and crackles so evocative of the golden age of recording.
Directed by Tom Creed, and featuring live performances from musicians including Mick O’Brien, Liz Knowles, Mick McAuley, Kate Ellis and Ryan Molloy, together with dancer Sibéal Davitt, with specially devised video projection, 78 Revolutions celebrates the circular nature of traditional music, turning back on itself while moving inexorably forward.