Bonny Portmore, collected by Edward Bunting in 1796 from the harper and singer, Daniel Black, has a rich historical background, with many closely related songs, including the Irish language harp song, Peigi Ní Shléibhín, also collected by Bunting.

In this first session Eibhlís will briefly introduce you to the sources and background of Bonny Portmore, then you will learn the song and Eibhlís will work with you on stylistic and technical elements in your singing of the song. This class affords an easy introduction to traditional (vernacular) singing style and technique (ornamentation, variation, phrasing, vocal quality / voice placement, intonation etc), and prepares you for class 2 where you will start to sing the song to your own harp accompaniment.   

(Session 1 of 2)

Materials provided in advance: Source facsimiles, lyrics, lyrics recording, and Eibhlís’s reconstructed setting. This will allow you to prepare, and also to have authoritative, and practical, source material for your own subsequent work.