Behind every Irish tune is an ancient tale of love and loss, of history and heroes. Living the Tradition is the journey of cello player and composer Ilse de Ziah around Ireland in a search for undiscovered secrets of ten Irish Airs. Along the way she meets with renowned Irish musicians, scholars and local characters who share with her the history and stories behind the music. Ilse performs each of these intensely beautiful pieces in the settings they were written. Filmmaker Maarten Roos captures the landscapes, the charm of the Irish people and the powerful resonance of the cello, creating a fresh account of Irish music and culture.
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The 52-minute version (2017) available at Amazon to rent or buy;
All the original Irish solo cello music, Irish Airs for Solo Cello from the film can be purchased in the cello sheet music collection from the Play Cello Music Store
Learn the Irish Airs for Solo Cello with video lessons at the Play Cello Music Cello Club
The Official Album Irish Airs for Solo Cello can also be listened to on Bandcamp
A 92-minute version of the film (2014) is available on DVD, accompanied by a second disk (65 minutes) containing a full performance of each air plus performances of the pieces played by the musicians who participated in the film. The DVD is playable in all regions on all players and can be ordered (when back in stock) in the Play Cello Music Store
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A huge thank you to the generous contributors who made this film possible!
