Patrick Ball, the American master of the Irish Harp and renowned storyteller, will present his one-man musical theater performance "O’Carolan’s Farewell to Music" onstage Friday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m. at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown.
Mr. Ball will appear in full 17th century costume, assuming the character of Charles McCabe, life-long friend and traveling companion to harper Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738), and the last and greatest of the Irish bards. The performance is part of The Minstrel Acoustic Concert Series, sponsored each Friday evening at The Fellowship.
Admission is $7.00 at the door. For further information, call 973-335-9489 or visit www.folkproject.org.
Turlough O’Carolan was born in County Meath, Ireland in 1670, the son of a poor farmer. Stricken by smallpox and left totally blind at the age of 18, he took up the harp, and began the life of an itinerant musician, traveling throughout Ireland, staying in the houses of the gentry, and composing for them. A contemporary of Vivaldi and J.S. Bach, his music shows Baroque influences, but retains the pure melodic quality of his Irish heritage. Now regarded as the last and greatest of the Irish Bards, over 200 of his compositions are still performed today, and his face appears on the Irish 50 pound note. He died in 1738.
Patrick Ball is one of the premiere Celtic harpers in the world today, and one of a very few who perform exclusively on the rare, legendary wire-strung harp – the harp of O’Carolan. O’Carolan’s Farewell to Music was written and conceived as a one-man presentation by playwright and director Peter Glazer, in collaboration with Patrick Ball.
The performance brings onstage the tumultuous times of 17th and 18th century Ireland, interwoven with fourteen of O’Carolan’s tunes. Told in the voice and character of Charles MacCabe, O’Carolan’s life long traveling partner, the play brings to vibrant life Irish wit and pathos, the crystalline sound of the Irish Harp, and the vital role of the artist in troubled times.
Variety called the performance "Hauntingly beautiful ballads and lilting storytelling … it might spring from the 17th century .. but the play seems as current as the latest troubles in Belfast."
Patrick Ball was born and raised in California. He started out to become a lawyer, like his father, although he spent some time studying piano and guitar. In college, he was irresistibly drawn to the power of words, and especially to the Irish writers. He enrolled in graduate school, and soon traveled to Ireland, where he fell in love with both the eloquence and fire of the Irish oral tradition and the beauty of the Celtic harp. He returned to California, earning a Master’s Degree in History at Dominican College, and began a lifetime of travel, study and performance.
He is now considered one of the premiere Celtic harpers and storytellers, touring extensively in Canada and the United States. He has recorded nine instrumental and three spoken word albums, selling well over 500,000 copies. He has won grants from The Zellerbach Family Fund and the California Arts Council, and has been awarded the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Council.
The Folk Project is a non-profit 501C Corporation whose mission is to present high caliber folk music performances, dances and instructional workshops for the public and members; to encourage development of musicianship, performance, storytelling and dance skills in the Northern New Jersey area; and provide interesting social and learning activities relating to traditional and participatory folk music and dance. Funding for this project has been made possible in part by funds from the Arts Council of the Morris Area through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.