Although my initial research spanned many sources, the most important information I used when completing this project came from a lecture-concert at Fairfield University by Derek Warfield, one of the original singers for the Wolfe Tones (an Irish traditional band known for their work with the rebel song genre), and Georges Zimmermann's book Songs of Irish Rebellion: Political Street Ballads and Rebel Songs.
Derek Warfield
- Any song that was formally banned by the monarchy would invariably spread and achieve national popularity.
- "Irish musical culture is fundamentally inclusive, and non-Irish musicians are welcome to participate in it." This crucial piece of information allowed me free reign to interpret the music I would be arranging without too much concern for adhering to traditional practices or preserving cultural authenticity.
- “'The Rising of the Moon,' a ballad with text set to the tune 'The Wearing of the Green,' is an extremely popular rebel song written by John Casey, who wrote it while he was imprisoned for organizing rebel activity." This song would eventually be one that I arranged for choir, given its rich history and character (which I researched at the National Library of Ireland later on).
Georges Denis Zimmermann
- "Given the active eradication of the Irish culture, specifically the Gaelic language, by England, most rebel songs were written and performed in English, since that was the dominant language of the Irish during the rebellion." My first instinct was to seek out at least one song in Gaelic to arrange, but upon reading this (and later confirming it with sources in Ireland) I decided that it would better represent the genre if I chose three songs in English instead.
- "Most rebel songs featured literary devices of symbolism and allegory, to avoid detection by British officials; the depiction of Ireland as a fair maid was popular." This theme appeared in many of the songs I investigated, and I used it to help inform some of my compositional decisions when I completed my arrangements (specifically "Four Green Fields").
- "Around 1860, even violent rebel songs were largely cries of helplessness more than demands for change." This gave me a radically different perspective on the character of the more violent rebel songs, including "The Rising of the Moon," which I would later arrange. I used this information to help inform many of my compositional decisions, trying to capture the tone of helplessness and sentimentality that permeated any perceived call for action.