Bill Whelan, the unassuming composer, arranger and performer, was the driving force behind the global triumph of Riverdance. Whelan, who is recognised for his original interpretation of traditional Irish music, designed the platform for Michael Flatley’s and Jean Butler’s breathtaking Irish dance performance that premiered during the Eurovision Song Contest intermission in 1994. This musical revolution altered the perception of Ireland both domestically and internationally as noted by Fergal Keane, a journalist.
Whelan, who is softly spoken and always keen to explore the world in its disarrayed beauty, is currently preparing for an upcoming performance of his orchestral creations at the National Concert Hall. His conversation often draws references from wide-ranging personalities, such as author Colm Tóibín, politician Éamon de Valera, or musicians Joni Mitchell and Thelonious Monk. He is just as adept in discussing subjects like nature, technology, and musical entrepreneurship.
Despite the passage of time, Whelan’s ardour for music hasn’t faded. Notably, he seeks collaborations with newer, younger artists, because they bring a fresh dimension to his creative pursuits. Alongside his innovative work with violinist Zoë Conway, he has extensively collaborated with the sean-nós siblings Seamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta, and piper Tara Howley.
Whelan, now residing in Roundstone, Co Galway, appreciates the lively musical heritage of Connemara. However, he doesn’t shy away from experimenting with it, just as he did with Riverdance and its forerunner, Timedance, first introduced at the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest. Both pieces are on the playbill for this Friday’s concert.
In his vibrant 2022 memoir, The Road to Riverdance, Whelan reflects on the 1960s when traditional music was choking under the pressure of the church and the State, an era where protectionism was given preference over innovation. But now, it’s flourishing like never before. He ponders upon how similar or different the current world of music is, compared to the one he recalls from the past sixty years.
“The essence of traditional music remains same, always,” he opines. “However, what has undoubtedly transformed is the culture accompanying it. When Riverdance was in its infancy, I was fortunate to collaborate with some of the industry’s finest, such as Davy Spillane and Máirtín O’Connor. I could choose from the very best of traditional musicians, but it seemed to me that there was a decline in quality as you moved down the hierarchy of performers, which is not the case currently. There is a plethora of fantastic young talents, like Haley Richardson, who is an exceptional fiddler.”
“What has evolved in the context of the music is the manner of its interpretation, which is as fresh and innovative as ever. Bands like Lankum and Ye Vagabonds are as passionately involved with the music as ever, but their presentations are astonishingly original. My mind goes back to the first time I listened to The Bothy Band; it was a musical revelation. It was not that I was actively seeking this experience, rather the way Dónal [Lunny] and others infused those unique characteristics into the music, made it relatable and appealing to a youthful listener. To me, that was of immense significance, and I realise a similar phenomenon is taking place now, but in a novel manner for a new era.”
Whelan perceives an evident thread of continuity in our music tradition, keeping the past, the present and the future inextricably linked. He believes that Seán Ó Riada played a crucial part in enhancing the status of traditional music and acknowledging its inherent worth as a performance art form.
Whelan recounts how Seán revolutionised their musical routines by stepping away from the traditional practice of playing for fellow musicians and rather, presenting it as a form of entertainment for an audience. He took their passion for music from being a private enjoyment to a public spectacle. Whelan himself mirrored this approach when he, alongside his long-standing partner Dónal Lunny, penned down Timedance. They intertwined music and dance as a performance for the audience rather than an indulgence for themselves.
With a rich history as a musician and producer, Whelan was particularly moved by Richard Harris’s MacArthur Park, appreciating the underlying orchestrations penned by Jimmy Webb that seamlessly tied together the contrasting elements of the song. His diverse array of interests truly shows him as a polymath; this is evident in his talks at the Listowel Writers Week literary festival where he discussed the evolution of popular songs, and his collaborations with Omar Faruk Tekbilek, a Turkish musician and composer.
That said, Whelan admits to certain existential fears, specifically the notion of eternity. In his memoir, he poignantly describes his dread in facing the concept. He says how the weight of such existential questions can still evoke terror in him, even in his seventies. His contemplation on eternity leads him to ponder over the value and purpose of life.
In light of Woody Allen’s sentiment, “I’m not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens,” I find myself in the calmer stages of acknowledging my mortality. Even though my journey on this earth is reaching a more leisurely pace, I remain deeply engaged with my profession. The thought of ceasing to work is quite foreign to me, but facing the expanse of eternity—an eternal procession of days and nights—is something everyone must grapple with.
As I gear up for my upcoming performance with National Symphony Orchestra, joined by former Riverdance violinist Athena Tergis, alongside Howley, Ó Flatharta, Uí Fhlatharta and violin virtuoso Julieanne Forrest, it’s clear that I’m not ready to slow down yet. I am currently engrossed in a work-in-progress project that aims to explore humanity’s underlying need for rituals, irrespective of any religious beliefs.
I recently watched a film called “That They May Face the Rising Sun”, which portrayed the inherent merits of simplicity. This has swayed my thoughts towards the loss of key rituals in our lives. It’s not a call for everyone to attend Mass, but rather an expression of my belief that rituals are integral to our existence and may exist in varied forms.
My contemplation of eternity and ritual has also led to reflections about the daily strain endured by people from various backgrounds to continuously achieve and produce for some purpose or other. I see an inherent flaw in this lifestyle.
The modern world is obsessed with outcomes and results, as evidenced by the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, which was built on such principles. Although AI is an impressive tool, I believe its design is rather one-dimensional. It doesn’t encapsulate what human life truly is. There’s a significant component missing from discussions around AI development. It’s crucial to address this gap before AI embeds itself too deeply into our lives.
The National Concert Hall in Dublin is set to host ‘The Music of Bill Whelan’, led by Gavin Maloney and presented by Aedín Gormley, on Friday, the 5th of July, under the banner of NSO. Concurrently, ‘Riverdance’ will be performing at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, until the 8th of September.