A MOMENT IN TIME

A moment in time, rosin the bow.
Sound the strings, of years ago.
A sunlit room at Glenties fair.
A traveller plays a haunting air.

A story told the laughter peel.
The fiddler strikes another reel.
The music lifts: the tapping toe
The listener calls for "Séan sa Cheo"

Feel his art
Lift the heart
Sense the spirits rise and fall
A fiddler plays...........in Donegal.

The story resounds, the tune rings on.
The given note, the given song.
And now a child lifts the master's bow.
A moment in time, from years ago.

Feel his art
Lift the heart
Sense the spirits rise and fall
A fiddler plays...........in Donegal.

The Story and the credits

The Photo

Photographer Jill Freedman took this photo, as the lyrics say, in a sunlit room.
The light shining on the fiddle and his hand is just magical!
The fiddler is the most famous of Donegal fiddler's; the legendary John Doherty.
I have been told that the other men in the picture are a young
Joe Burke; and Paddy "Cit" O'Beirne (an uncle of Dermot Byrne from Altan).

Ms. Freedman called the 1974 photo: "Fiddler's Light"
It became the cover of her 1987 book: A Time That Was: Irish Moments

The Song

Altan recorded this song on their album Runaway Sunday
recorded in '96-'97. In the liner notes, composer-singer-fiddler Mairéad ní Mhaonaigh says:

"This song was inspired by a striking black and white photograph of
John Doherty called "Fiddler's Light" by American photographer Jill Freedman.
It captures a precious moment where John, having told a funny story, without
pausing to join in the laughter, draws the bow across the fiddle to play another tune.
"A Moment in Time" was written for all those musicians like John who have encouraged
other players and passed on their music so generously.

The fine print

The Photograph is copyrighted Jill Freedman.
The song is copyrighted by Chrysalis Music (Virgin Records)
Words and music by Mairéad ní Mhaonaigh and Mark Kelly of Altan

Thanks to

Altan,
Chrysalis
Virgin Records
and Jill Freedman.


emailbtn29902.gif - 1.0 K
CONTACT

BACK TO WELCOME PAGE