Andy Irvine is the name on many a musicians lips, when asked about what made them first want to play the mandolin. Surely for me I had never even heard a mandolin until hearing my first Planxty album. For those that had heard a mandolin before, they would never quite hear this tiny instrument in the same way again, as Andy Irvine brought this instrument into the light and raised it to heights.
"Mandolinists really don't come any more tasteful than Andy Irvine, and I think he's a remarkable musician for the sensitivity and sheer invention of his song accompaniments." Simon Mayor
Although, today Andy doesn’t play as much mandolin as he did back in the Planxty days, his recordings are still held among the greatest mandolin works in Irish history. I asked him about his playing style and why his sound was so different from anyone else at that time, on a recent online interview
“My playing sounds different because I didn't copy anyone. I followed my own muse! My style of playing is the same for both instruments when I'm accompanying myself. Chord based, using harmonies and counterpoints within the chord, trying to play bass notes that I am not singing. I'm largely a down up down up player with a scratch lick and arpeggio thrown in!” Andy Irvine
I have mainly seen photos of Andy playing a Gibson A3 or Gibson A mandolin. He is pictured a lot with these instruments from Sweeney’s men, to Planxty and following on to his solo work.
“I started off, way back in the 50s with Italian mandolines which you could buy second hand quite cheaply at that time. Johnny Moynihan gave me my first Gibson after my Italian mandolino had had an accident at a Fleadh Cheoil in Boyle, Co. Roscommon in 1966. It was an A3. Nicest Gibson I ever saw! It was stolen from my car in Paris in 1978. I was devastated as it had been all over the Balkans with me in the late 60s. I played it in Planxty and another one, a Gibson A model. When Planxty came back in 1979, I played the A model and a Gibson Mandola H-1 that I had also acquired from Johnny Moynihan.”
These days Andy seems to have left the old Gibson’s way behind and is more at home with modern made instruments. I am sure this has more to with tone than to do with standing the very demanding tour schedules he thrusts on himself. Andy seems to be constantly on tour solo, with Planxty, Patrick Street or Mozaik and the quality of his playing seems to be only perfected night after night and never showing signs of tiring. For a man now in his 60’s it clearly shows his passion, stamina and demand has not faded.
Andy Irvine remains as much of an inspiration to musicians and singers today, as he has for more than three decades. A man that will be remembered, as one of the greatest mandolin players of our time.
Kieron
