Shaun Davey

Shaun Davey (1948– ) is an Irish composer.

Early years

Shaun Davey was born in Belfast in 1948. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin in the history of Art in 1971. He then took a master's degree at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. In the late 1970s, he made his first recording, "Davey and Morris," with Donal Lunny and others. He worked as a composer of advertising jingles, including "The Pride of the Herd" for the National Dairy Council.

Symphonic folk music

Davey's reputation is built on four large-scale concert works based on Irish history, all using uilleann pipes and folk tunes.

"The Brendan Voyage" (1983) depicts the journey taken by explorer Tim Severin, in 1978, from Ireland across the Atlantic to Newfoundland in a leather currach. Severin's journey was a recreation of the one allegedly made by Saint Brendan. The style is similar to that of film composer John Williams. The work uses the traditional uilleann pipes to represent the small currach, while the rest of the orchestra represents the conditions, islands and wildlife encountered by the boat.
" The Pilgrim" (1983) is set in a vaguely medieval world where the Irish, the Bretons and Scots explore the seas of western Europe. It exists in two versions: the 1983 recording made at the Lorient Interceltic Festival, and an expanded version recorded mostly in the 1990s.
" Granuaile" (1985) tells the story of Grace O'Malley, an Irish pirate queen in the 16th century. It has more songs than the previous works and features the voice of Rita Connolly (who married Davey soon after). Donal Lunny again contributed as a session musician. It is a homophonic piece of music set in the re mode.It was also played by a chamber orchestra
"The Relief of Derry Symphony" (1990) has a more obvious symphonic structure. It is based around the 17th century Siege of Derry, showing the Protestants inside and the Catholics outside the beleaguered city. Whereas the previous three works involved uilleann piper Liam O'Flynn, this one uses a Scottish bagpipe band, who enter the auditorium from behind the audience.
"May We Never Have To Say Goodbye, released by the Tara Music label, is a collaboration between Shaun Davey, the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and a number of world-renowned artists. The album takes its name from the anthem especially composed for the Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Croke Park, June 2003. Performed by Rita Connolly, Ronan Tynan and no less than six Dublin choirs. It is presented along with a range of spectacular music from Shaun Davey's unique and exhilarating suite, featuring traditional soloists, singers, choir, pipe band, and orchestra, together with spectacular percussion. This release also includes previously unrecorded pieces from 'The Pilgrim', 'Waking Ned' (Fill to me the Parting Glass), ‘Music of the Spheres’, a magical piece from the Royal Shakespeare Company production of 'Pericles'.

More Recently Shaun along with Rita Connolly and Dingle based musicians, Seamus Begley, Eilís Kennedy, Lawrence Courtney, Eoin Ó Beaglaoí, Daithí Ó Sé and Jim Murray to perform a collection of new songs in Irish: music by Shaun, with lyrics based on the poems of the late Caoimhín Ó Cinnéide. The name of the band is Béal Tuinne and the album was recorded live at St. James' Church, Dingle, Ireland.

Davey as film composer

Davey had a talent that was obviously suitable for films. His most famous film score has been Waking Ned (1998), with contributions from Nollaig Casey and Arty McGlynn. His other scores include Twelfth Night, The Tailor of Panama and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Television work includes the theme to Ballykissangel. In 2000, Richard Nelson's play "James Joyce's The Dead" (a dramatisation of a short story) was performed on Broadway, with incidental music by Shaun Davey for which he received a Toni nomination.

For many people his greatest work remains "Granuaile", partly because of the abundance of melodies, and partly because of Rita Connolly's soaring soprano voice. Liam O'Flynn's solo album "Out To An Other Side" (1993) had several tracks arranged by Davey. Shaun's arrangement of St. Patricks Breastplate titled 'The Deer's Cry', first used on the soundtrack of the TV documentary 'Who Bombed Birmingham' and later included on his album The Pilgrim, is probably his most requested song.

References