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As soon as I saw this book was available I ordered it. I'm glad I did. I have other books on Carolan but this is concise and well written. The CDs are lovely. My only criticism is that not all the Gaelic words in the introduction are translated. But the info on the tunes is great and in general a very useful book to have.

If you only get one Carolan book, this should be it. All his music in one place. I've been just waiting for this book - Awesome!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Celtic harp music and getting "The Complete Carolan Songs and Airs" Collection and CD's was something I had to have! There are so many pretty arrangements in the book. It is perfect for St. Patrick's Day parties and events. It sounds Traditional Irish for sure. I feel so "Lucky" to have it!

I recently purchased this book from the Sylvia Woods Website. All I can say is, this book is amazing. I was very impressed by the amount of research that went into this book, as evidenced by the long list of sources included in the Bibliography and Principal Manuscripts sections. My favorite discoveries in this book are found in the many notes and stories that share the history and meanings of the songs included within. Some even have the lyrics included. The sections that describe Carolan, his love, marriage, and death, create an understanding of the man and his personality, and I found myself wishing I had been able to meet him in person. His lyrics demonstrated he was a kind and fun-loving person that would have been a joy to meet. The descriptions of how his music evolved from his time to now was fascinating. For example, it was discussed how the harps of current times differ from those during Carolan's times that had no levers or blades, necessitating a different style of playing; or the fact that his music was transcribed to piano, adding embellishments not playable on an ancient harp. There is a section towards the end of the book that demonstrates, by example, different ways to add ornamentation to the music. Along with the 226 arrangements of Carolan's songs, the book includes four CDs of each song played by Caitriona Rowsome. These are beautifully played and a joy to hear. If you enjoy the music of O'Carolan, you will never regret treating yourself to a copy of this music.

This is a wonderful compilation of Carolan's work - I am so glad I bought it! It has the words and complete harp arrangements. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Carolan!

This book represents so much. It touches on the varied history of our instrument. The music can be played and enjoyed by students and professionals. The student can grow with the book. As one learns the music you can play with the CDs included with the book. Or just enjoy the CDs at your leisure. Every time I use this book I get an insight into Carolan's strength and character and the friendship with those he encountered. Writing this book was obviously a labor of love for Caitriona Rowsome and it is an honor to own it.

I am so happy I held out for the back-order of "The Complete Carolan Songs and Airs". It is a fascinating book on many levels. There are some interesting scholarly facts for those of us who like to learn a bit more about the music history. I did not know these songs were sung (well, OK a few you sing in the pub) and therefore the chromatic embellishments were more specifically for the singer (just a tidbit). The lyrics are given in Gaelic as well as English. Since O'Carolan was composing during that time when we were morphing into diatonic tonalities but not there yet, I find the melodies to be exquisite and rather exotic. Ms. Rowsome has harmonized the pieces in different styles to give one an idea of the motifs used at the time historically by 18th century harpers. It provides different stylistic possibilities for the various gigs and airs. Just what I was looking for. The harmonies are at times very unusual from the direction I would expect and very pleasing to my ears. It provides me with a lot of material to think about in arranging Celtic pieces. The CD's that come with the book are beautifully recorded. You could just play them for the joy of it... or use them to learn... or if you really want to up your Celtic game practice learning them by ear (and you have the written music to refer to).... Oh my gosh, it's a total delight!

Rowsome's book is an epic work of dedication for any harpist who is serious about Irish music. Thorough and well-researched with extensive citations to further information and background--enough to satisfy any O'Carolan freak! The arrangements bring out O'Carolan's iconic style and the CD recordings illustrate how the music can be accessible to any player from beginner and beyond. The printed music is a bit small, I think it should be enlarged before starting to play.

The previous reviews extol all the virtues of owning this book. The only downside for me was the binding. I took the book to Staples and for less than $6 it is now spiral bound and lays flat on the music stand or piano. A simple fix for a frustrating situation of trying to keep the bound book open.

I anticipated an arrival by media mail of 4-6 weeks; however, the Complete O'Carolan book with cds by Rowsome arrived within the week! I look forward to exploring the various tunes and building my repertoire.

It will be no surprise that this amazing book, which Caitriona has put together with no less than 226 Songs and Airs in such detail, will have a profound effect for future harpists. The impact of her research brings us a knowledge, helping to more easily understand the nuances of Carolan's music. She gives information, not just involving the politics of that era, but also provides each song with specific details, giving a new depth to interpretation. Please pass on to Caitriona my gratitude for such devotion, which will give so much enjoyment to both my students and myself. Also, Sylvia, a huge thank you to you, for making this possible.