Description
THE DAY DAWN – More than 25 years of music making, from Australia to Ireland and back, including recordings with Mick Doherty and Paddy Jones.
Robert Zielinski – The Day Dawn
CD review by Tony Smith
TN2585-91 – $25
In a commentary on Robert Zielinski, Canberra librarian, Kevin Bradley, provides a brief biography of this dedicated fiddler, instrument maker and musical collaborator.
Settled now in Western Australia, Zielinski spent much of his younger years in Ireland, especially at Feakle in Clare, where he sat at the feet of experienced musicians to learn his craft.
He was motivated by his ambition to appreciate the music that has developed and emerged in that relatively small island.
Most tunes here Zielinski plays on fiddle, although he uses the viola for two jigs ‘Garrett Barry’s’ and ‘Brian O’Lynn’.
He dedicates this track to Clare fiddlers Bobby Casey, Joe Ryan, Junior Crehan and Paddy Canny.
He also presents one of his mentors Mick Doherty lilting ‘The Hills of Glenorchy’.
The fifteen tracks include a dozen reels, four jigs, a couple of marches and a slow air.
Most will be familiar to fiddlers.
Zielinski’s interest helped Mick Doherty get through a difficult time in his life, so the relationship was symbiotic.
Several tracks relate to Mick – the jig ‘Sprig of Shillelagh’, ‘Neilidh Boyle’s Highland’ and ‘Jimmy Lyons’ Highland’, the march ‘Doe Castle’ after the Doherty clan’s ancestral home, the reel ‘Drunken Piper’ and a version of the ‘Yellow Heifer’ reel.
A ‘highland’ is a Donegal variation on a strathspey, with a stronger first beat in the bar.
Zielinski acknowledges Mick Doherty’s importance to him in a poem called simply ‘Mick’ which ends: ‘I hear him now in the far turns conjuring up a tune, the heel of the bow planted on the string, lifting you into its core.
‘I will listen forever to own just a piece.
‘The fierce music he kept in his breast pocket’.
Some seven tracks are remastered tunes from earlier recordings in 1999, 2012 and 2018.
The rest are from 2024.
The gaps in recording are probably explained by Zielinski’s struggle with injury.
Anyone who has picked up the fiddle will understand how either hand, arm or shoulder can become wracked with pain.
Please remember to warm up!
Zielinski shares the story of a trip to Shetland and how he was so impressed by the dawn that when he returned, Joe Fowler recorded him playing the slow air ‘The Day Dawn’.
This seems to have been a relief from the paralysis he had felt for some years and so the album got its name.
Interestingly, even when physically unable to play, Zielinski still went over tunes mentally and continued to speak with those acknowledged leaders in the field.
It is no surprise that Zielinski composed some of the tracks here including ‘The Long Walk Home’ and ‘Doe Castle’.
Instrumentalists Jim Green, Michael McMahon, Tim O’Shea, Phil Waldron and Paddy Jones support Zielinski.
He also mentions encouragement from friends including Greg Bargmann and Lee Buddle.
Zielinski thanks his partner, Manuela Centanni, for support.
Indeed, he recorded ‘The Yellow Heifer’ in his father-in-law’s shed in Italy.
Keen fiddlers will be listening for changes in Zielinski’s style over the years.
I admit to a keen liking for the title piece.
Overall however, each tune from the opening reel ‘Andy Mc Gann’s’ to the closing ‘Green Groves of Erin’ is excellent.
Fiddlers and all musicians will enjoy this music.
Two aspects of Zielinski’s story are especially compelling.
One is Robert Zielinski’s single minded devotion to Irish music.
The other is his determination to overcome what proved to be a temporary affliction.
These themes should appeal to anyone who has a passion for a special activity, not just musicians, and should inspire perseverance.
Ed. Robert Zielinski has two albums for sale on the Trad&Now website, both of which have been uploaded to Trad&Now Live! and can be heard on that radio streaming service from time to time, but particularly during the recent arrivals segment which airs from 12noon to 1 pm daily.
