Marie interviewed by IrishCentral.com
Marie was interviewed recently by Irish Central, one of the biggest news sites for Irish people and the Irish diaspora. You can now read the full interview below.
Recently, the award-winning Marie Reilly released her first album The Anvil. While the album solidifies her legacy as a premier Irish musician, Reilly displays a profoundly nostalgic element throughout the album, with careful attention drawn to her late father and his influential style. She talked to IrishCentral and discussed The Anvil in further detail.
[IrishCentral]: First, tell us a little about your musical background.
[Marie Reilly]: Well, I was born in Co. Longford in a home where there was music for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My father was a very well-known and respected fiddle player, originally from Drumreilly, Co. Leitrim. He taught me from the tender age of six. I was privileged to have him as my tutor, as he showed me the importance of sustaining the musical traditions of the Reilly family.
[IC]: And you have had quite a successful career.
[MR]: I’d like to think so. I’ve received numerous awards and honors in major championships. I also performed on RTÉ radio and television and with many of the “greats” in the Irish traditional scene.
[IC]: It seems as though your father continues to have a profound influence upon your career. Am I right by saying this, and is the album title a reflection of this fact?
[MR]: Absolutely. Not only was my father a great fiddle player, he was also a blacksmith and, as a young child, I spent a lot of time in the forge with him. He loved to whistle while he worked and I loved to lilt – it was a great little duo. At the end of every tune he would tap the anvil with a hammer – it had a lovely ring to it, quite fascinating to me as a child. The more I thought about these great memories the more I knew I had the perfect name for the CD.
[IC]: So, what did you hope to achieve with The Anvil?
[MR]: I feel it is very important that these rarely-heard musical gems, which have a very unique style of fiddle-playing, are made available to collectors and musicians and enjoyed by everyone.
[IC]: One of the tracks is described as having a Scots measure. Can you describe this in further detail?
[MR]: A Scots Measure is an unusual category, it is a halfway house between a reel and a hornpipe and has its own beautiful rhythm. In fact, the track is the first of its kind to ever be recorded.
[IC]: Has the experience of creating an album encouraged you to record another in the near future?
[MR]: Absolutely, it was a great experience and now that I know how things work, I will definitely think about making another CD very soon.
[IC]: And I believe all the proceeds are going to a good cause?
[MR]: Yes, to a registered charity in Ireland – the Irish Cancer Society.
[IC]: Well then, where can we purchase copies of the album?
[MR]: Many of the Irish merchants on McLean Avenue, in Yonkers, will have the CD in stock and it will also be available from cdbaby.com shortly.
[IC]: Will you essentially “go on tour” in an effort to promote it?
[MR]: I plan to have an Irish launch in Co. Leitrim in early September. Other than that, I have no immediate plans.
[IC]: Thank you again for taking time out of your busy schedule. And I’m sure that we’ll be hearing from you again in the near future.
[MR]: You’re very welcome, and I hope you enjoyed it.
— Marie in conversation with Brendan Charles
Read the Marie Reilly interview at IrishCentral.com
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