Prehistoric
Music Ireland was established in the
late 1980s, when an experimental reconstruction
of a Bronze Age horn led to the establishment
of the worlds first institution dedicated to the
study, reproduction and exploration of prehistoric
musical instruments. Initially Prehistoric
Music Ireland concentrated on the great family
of cast horns from the Irish Late Bronze Age.
It was important to develop the skills
required to allow the casting of new examples
of these fine complex instruments. In the
early 1990s, Prehistoric Music Ireland in collaboration
with the Dublin Art Foundry succeeded in making
accurate reproductions of a number of horns from
around Ireland. Techniques were developed
which allowed for horns to be made at commercially
viable rates which made possible the first proliferation
of Irish bronze horns in 3,000 years. Through
the ‘90s, Prehistoric Music Ireland continued
to expand the research and development of instruments.
Recordings were made of original horns which are
in the Museums of Dublin and Belfast.
A unique collaboration
began which brought together the sound and rhythms
of horns and bodhrán with the Australian
didgeridoo to form the music of the band ‘Reconciliation’.
In 1996 the first web site dedicated to
prehistoric music was launched from North Galway
under the name ‘prehistoricmusic.com’.
At the same time investigations were begun
to explore the feasibility of attempting the first
reproduction of the great Celtic war trumpa known
as the ‘Loughnashade’. Two
years later in 1998 the new instrument was completed
by John Creed of Glasgow. In the same year
Prehistoric Music Ireland were invited to present
the Irish bronze horns at the world conference
of music archaeology in Germany. In subsequent
years, Prehistoric Music Ireland has attended
the following three conferences and play an important
part in contribution to music archaeology.
Prehistoric Music Ireland’s ongoing research has led to a blossoming of understanding of a variety of previously silent instruments ranging from wooden pipes, bronze horns, bone whistles, war trumpas and early reed horns. Continuing experiments with playing methods have revealed a hidden world of sound and vision. Creations that are made possible in a recording studio such as multiple horn sounds or overtone generation hint at future musical composition which will become possible as more players become proficient.
Prehistoric Music Ireland is represented by Simon O'Dwyer and Maria Cullen O'Dwyer, they are based in Connemara in the West of Ireland.
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