- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Northeastern University Press; New edition edition (July 1 2005)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1555536409
- ISBN-13: 978-1555536404
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.4 x 2 cm
- Shipping Weight: 408 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
-
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#981,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #88 in Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Dance
- See Complete Table of Contents
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
Review
"Susan Gedutis has created a highly readable, very enjoyable, and historically important memoir of this era... a loving, sensitive recreation of a scene that will never be witnessed again... [The interviews alone are a treasure trove, but the author has given them a beautiful and understandable context within which to more fully appreciate them... See You at the Hall puts Boston on the map with other large Irish cities and it will be of interest on both sides of the Atlantic for those concerned with Irish culture in all its many forms. It is very accessible for those without formal training, yet at the same time it will be of tremendous value to researchers both now and in the future. Northeastern University Press must be commended for publishing this book."--H-Net URBAN Digest
"What this study does very well is reanimate a lost chapter of the history of the Irish-American community in the Boston area . . . See You at the Hall chronicles an unrecorded chapter in the coming-of-age of one of the major Irish-American communities in the United States. The community of Irish musicians and enthusiasts is greatly enriched by Gedutis's careful, yet exuberant, retelling of a vigorous period in the life of Irish music."--New Hibernia Review
"What this study does very well is reanimate a lost chapter of the history of the Irish-American community in the Boston area . . . See You at the Hall chronicles an unrecorded chapter in the coming-of-age of one of the major Irish-American communities in the United States. The community of Irish musicians and enthusiasts is greatly enriched by Gedutis's careful, yet exuberant, retelling of a vigorous period in the life of Irish music."--New Hibernia Review
Product Description
From the 1940s to the mid-1960s, on several evenings a week, thousands of Irish and Irish Americans flocked from miles around to the huge, bustling dance halls -- the Intercolonial, the Hibernian, Winslow Hall, the Dudley Street Opera House, the Rose Croix -- that dotted Boston's Dudley Square. For the city's Irish population, the Roxbury neighborhood, with its ballrooms and thriving shopping district, was a vital center of social and cultural life, as well as a bridge from the old world to the new.
See You at the Hall brings to life the rich history of the "American capitol of Galway" through the eyes of those who gathered and performed there. In this engaging look back at Boston's golden era of Irish traditional music, Susan J. Gedutis deftly weaves together engaging narrative with spirited personal reminiscences to trace the colorful dance hall period from its beginnings in 1940s Roxbury, when masses of young Irish flooded Boston following World War II, through its peak years in the 1950s, to its decline in the 1960s, when reduced immigration, urban social upheaval, and a shift in neighborhood demographics brought an end to the heyday of Irish dance hall music in Boston. After the last dance hall closed, Dudley Square musicians moved from the big ballrooms to pubs, social clubs, and private parties, preserving the music and passing it on to younger generations of Irish performers.
Today, Irish traditional music is experiencing a major revival, and Boston still boasts a lively Irish music scene. This vivid portrait of the enduring and vibrant heritage of the dance hall era will rekindle memories of the good times in Dudley Square, and it will fascinate the legion of fans around the globe interested in the roots of the Irish music they hear today in concert halls, pubs, and clubs. The book also recounts an important period, as yet unchronicled, in the history of Irish music in America, and of the Irish in the diaspora.
See You at the Hall brings to life the rich history of the "American capitol of Galway" through the eyes of those who gathered and performed there. In this engaging look back at Boston's golden era of Irish traditional music, Susan J. Gedutis deftly weaves together engaging narrative with spirited personal reminiscences to trace the colorful dance hall period from its beginnings in 1940s Roxbury, when masses of young Irish flooded Boston following World War II, through its peak years in the 1950s, to its decline in the 1960s, when reduced immigration, urban social upheaval, and a shift in neighborhood demographics brought an end to the heyday of Irish dance hall music in Boston. After the last dance hall closed, Dudley Square musicians moved from the big ballrooms to pubs, social clubs, and private parties, preserving the music and passing it on to younger generations of Irish performers.
Today, Irish traditional music is experiencing a major revival, and Boston still boasts a lively Irish music scene. This vivid portrait of the enduring and vibrant heritage of the dance hall era will rekindle memories of the good times in Dudley Square, and it will fascinate the legion of fans around the globe interested in the roots of the Irish music they hear today in concert halls, pubs, and clubs. The book also recounts an important period, as yet unchronicled, in the history of Irish music in America, and of the Irish in the diaspora.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Settle In, and I'll Tell You a Story,
By A Customer
This review is from: See You at the Hall: Boston's Golden Era of Irish Music and Dance (Hardcover)
Would you like a cup of tea? How about a slice of soda bread? This book is as warm, lively, and fun as an Irish family gathering. Though the author is a music scholar, this book is refreshingly free of the weighty tone of most academic works--the writing is smooth, informed, and accessible, the tone affectionate. Ms. Gedutis has interviewed many performers and fans about this era, and their recollections are amusing, poignant, and nothing if not sincere. Not only do they recall strong images of a lost city, but they place the music in historical context: as the author points out, when the Irish first came to America, music halls--like social clubs, pubs, and church groups--were just one of the "meeting places" where new immigrants could relax among their own as they tackled the routine problems of life. The Irish well know the power of story and song-- in relating our history, in affirming our personal and collective identity, and in establishing a foundation of shared experience and hope in building a community. Ms. Gedutis refuses to paint the tale with a broad brush, however. She addresses the social and cultural forces that less informed authors might miss. One example is the tension between some Irish and Irish-American musicians. The former apparently felt that the latter, not born of the Sod, weren't "real" Irish musicians. This view was heartily countered by Irish Americans, who pointed out that many of the "real" musicians couldn't read music. On the argument went, while people danced in the background. In recalling this era, this book can't help but make one wonder if, in a world where Play Station and cable tv isolate us from one another, perhaps more of us (of all ethnic backgrounds), need to "go to the hall," to reconnect with our neighbors and friends for a dance, a drink, and a bit of chat. (Of course, the photo of Cardinal Cushing doing the Highland Fling is itself worth the price of the book.)
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews) 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Settle In, and I'll Tell You a Story,
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: See You at the Hall: Boston's Golden Era of Irish Music and Dance (Hardcover)
Would you like a cup of tea? How about a slice of soda bread? This book is as warm, lively, and fun as an Irish family gathering. Though the author is a music scholar, this book is refreshingly free of the weighty tone of most academic works--the writing is smooth, informed, and accessible, the tone affectionate. Ms. Gedutis has interviewed many performers and fans about this era, and their recollections are amusing, poignant, and nothing if not sincere. Not only do they recall strong images of a lost city, but they place the music in historical context: as the author points out, when the Irish first came to America, music halls--like social clubs, pubs, and church groups--were just one of the "meeting places" where new immigrants could relax among their own as they tackled the routine problems of life. The Irish well know the power of story and song-- in relating our history, in affirming our personal and collective identity, and in establishing a foundation of shared experience and hope in building a community. Ms. Gedutis refuses to paint the tale with a broad brush, however. She addresses the social and cultural forces that less informed authors might miss. One example is the tension between some Irish and Irish-American musicians. The former apparently felt that the latter, not born of the Sod, weren't "real" Irish musicians. This view was heartily countered by Irish Americans, who pointed out that many of the "real" musicians couldn't read music. On the argument went, while people danced in the background. In recalling this era, this book can't help but make one wonder if, in a world where Play Station and cable tv isolate us from one another, perhaps more of us (of all ethnic backgrounds), need to "go to the hall," to reconnect with our neighbors and friends for a dance, a drink, and a bit of chat. (Of course, the photo of Cardinal Cushing doing the Highland Fling is itself worth the price of the book.) 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
History of Boston through the eyes of those who performed,
By Midwest Book Review - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: See You at the Hall: Boston's Golden Era of Irish Music and Dance (Hardcover)
From the1940s to the mid-1960s, several evenings a week, thousands of Irish and Irish Americans flocked to Boston's dance halls on Dudley Square to enjoy an unparalleled social scene of music, dance, and shopping. Musician and music book editor Susan Gedutis is also a performer of traditional Irish music in the New England area, and she's the logical author to add rich detail and social history to See You At The Hall, a probe of the history of Boston through the eyes of those who performed there. Narratives weave with social history to make for a compelling study in See You At The Hall.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Information was interesting,
By Tariah - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: See You at the Hall: Boston's Golden Era of Irish Music and Dance (Paperback)
I have not read this book cover-to-cover and probably won't. There is information in it regarding my father-in-law and his early beginnings in Boston. It does seem to be a well written book and well researched.
|
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Theatre
- Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Dance
- Books > Entertainment > Performing Arts > Theatre
- Books > History > Americas > United States
- Books > History > Europe > Ireland
- Books > History > United States
- Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Anthropology > Cultural
- Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Sociology
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
