Quote Originally Posted by fandango
When I studied music in UCD (University College Dublin to you, Bamber), there was an infamous lecture in second year where some ancient recordings of keeners were played, and the lecturer would say, just before playing "I trust you will have the necessary maturity not to find humour in these recordings, as others have in the past."

Obviously, this was enough to have us all biting the insides of our mouths to stop the laughing, as the recording that began was like a cross between Monty Python and and Mrs Doyle from Fr Ted. Many of us failed th etest, as the stern professor witnessed in disgust. Looking back, I reckon he did it deliberately, and had his own laugh once he returned to his office...
I'm studying Irish music myself in UL. And, to be honest, I don't find the keening or caoineadh humorous. I find it quite difficult to listen to and very hard on the ear. Not just in tone and timbre, but also when the whole scenario of the funeral is taken into account. It's an interesting aspect of the Irish culture and one which created a 'shock factor' for some visiting foreigners on witnessing it [e.g. the book Alexander's Travels in Ireland - or something to that effect]. Anyway, another thread for another day.

In all seriousness, I'm thinking I'd like to have Ben Harper & The Blind Boys of Alabama do a rendition of "I want to Ready" or similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIg1cCpNf5Y