Patrick Cassidy (composer)
Cavaliere Patrick Cassidy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | University of Limerick |
| Occupation | Composer |
| Notable work | Vide Cor Meum |
| Honours | Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella d’Italia (knight of the Order of the Star of Italy) |
| Website | https://www.patrickcassidy.com/ |
Patrick Cassidy is an Irish orchestral, choral, and film score composer.
Early life and education
[edit]Cassidy was born in Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland. He received a BSc in applied mathematics from the University of Limerick in 1985 and supported his early compositional activities with a day job as a statistician and technology analyst.[1]
Work
[edit]He is known for his narrative cantatas – works he has written for orchestra and choir based on Irish mythology – and for the aria ‘Vide Cor Meum’ originally composed for the film Hannibal, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Anthony Hopkins. The libretto for the latter aria was taken from Dante’s first sonnet in ‘La Vita Nuova’.[2][3]
The Children of Lir, released in September 1993, remained at number one in the Irish classical charts for a full year. It was the first cantata written in the Irish language.[4] The BBC later produced an hour-long documentary on the piece. Famine Remembrance, a commissioned piece to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Irish Famine, was premiered in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1996. In June 2007, the piece was performed at the opening of Toronto's Ireland Park with the President of Ireland as a special guest.[5]
Other albums include Cruit (arrangements of 17th- and 18th-century Irish harp music with Cassidy as the soloist) and Deirdre of the Sorrows, another cantata in the Irish language, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Tallis Choir. In 2004, Immortal Memory was released as a collaboration between Cassidy and Lisa Gerrard.[6]
Cassidy now divides his time between Los Angeles and Ireland, where in addition to his concert work he has scored films and documentaries. He is a relative of the singer Sibéal Ní Chasaide[7] who sang his composition Mise Eire at the official government commemorations of the 1916 Rising.[8][9]
Cassidy's song Proclamation was played at the inauguration of Joe Biden in Washington DC on 20 January 2021.[10][11][12][13]
Honours
[edit]Patrick Cassidy is a knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, conferred by the President of Italy, and bestowed with the title of Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy.[14] Recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Culture/Arts Alumni Award 2007 the University of Limerick UL[15] In Claremorris, County Mayo, a road was renamed Patrick Cassidy Road in 2022 as a way of honouring Patrick Cassidy. This choice was made after receiving public submissions.[16][17]
Notable credits
[edit]Cassidy provided music for the following:[18][19]
- Hannibal (2001)
- Veronica Guerin (2003)
- Confessions of a Burning Man (2003)
- Salem's Lot (2004)
- King Arthur (2004)
- Layer Cake (2004)
- Che Guevara (2005)
- Ashes and Snow (2005)
- Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- The Front Line (2006)
- Breaking the Ice (2007)
- Edgar Allen Poe's Ligeia (2008)
- Kill the Irishman (2011)
- In 2010, Cassidy's Funeral March was used in the trailer for The Tree of Life. In 2011, he recorded a new setting of the Latin mass with the London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices.[20]
Discography
[edit]- 1998: Cruit[21]
- 1993: The Children of Lir (London Symphony Orchestra and Tallis Chamber Choir)[22]
- 1997: Famine Remembrance[23]
- 1998: Deirdre of the Sorrows[24]
- 2004: Immortal Memory – with Lisa Gerrard[25]
- 2006: Ashes and Snow – with Lisa Gerrard[26]
- 2014: Calvary[27]
- 2016: 1916: The Irish Rebellion[28]
- 2019: The Mass[29]
- 2021: The Mass - Organ and Choir[30]
References
[edit]- ^ "Patrick Cassidy | University of Limerick". www.ul.ie. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Opera Meets Film: How Opera Adds Narrative Depth to Ridley Scott's 'Hannibal'". 15 August 2019.
- ^ "Composer from 'Hannibal' Film Releases 'The Mass': Patrick Cassidy and Glorious Pathos". 31 May 2023.
- ^ "Mr Patrick Cassidy | University of Limerick". www.ul.ie. 28 October 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ Official website, patrickcassidy.com; accessed 29 November 2014.
- ^ "Review: Immortal Memory by Lisa Gerrard + Patrick Cassidy". www.starsend.org. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
- ^ "Songbird Sibeal once silenced by shyness". Irish Independent. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ "A stroke of genius to kick off 1916 celebrations". Irish Independent. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
- ^ "Night of music in Duiske Abbey". 20 May 2016.
- ^ Song performed at Joe Biden inauguration Limerick Leader, 20 January 2021
- ^ "Irish composer Patrick Cassidy's original score 'Proclamation' chosen for Biden Inauguration | the Irish Film & Television Network".
- ^ "Irish violinist to perform Irish tunes at the Biden family's pre-inauguration mass". 19 January 2021.
- ^ "Louth violinist to perform two classic Irish pieces during inaugural mass for Joe Biden".
- ^ https://www.quirinale.it/onorificenze/insigniti/351040 [bare URL]
- ^ "Mr Patrick Cassidy". 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Road naming ceremony taking place in south Mayo town". 20 May 2022.
- ^ "Naming of Patrick Cassidy Road, Claremorris by Mr Patrick Cassidy, Friday 20th May 2022".
- ^ Patrick Cassidy at IMDb
- ^ Fabian G. Huss: "Cassidy, Patrick", in: The Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland, ed. by Harry White & Barra Boydell (Dublin: UCD Press, 2013).
- ^ Patrick Cassidy at AllMusic
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – Cruit". Discogs.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – the Children of Lir Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – Famine Remembrance Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – Deirdre of the Sorrows Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Lisa Gerrard, Patrick Cassidy – Immortal Memory Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Ashes and Snow – Lisa Gerrard & Patrick Cassidy". 9 January 2023.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – Calvary [Original Soundtrack] Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – 1916 the Irish Rebellion Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – The Mass". Discogs.
- ^ "Patrick Cassidy – The Mass | Patrick Cassidy | Organ and Choir". Discogs.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- Irish expatriates in the United States
- Irish film score composers
- Living people
- Irish male songwriters
- Irish male film score composers
- Musicians from County Mayo
- People from Claremorris
- 20th-century Irish composers
- 21st-century Irish composers
- Irish male classical composers
- 20th-century Irish songwriters
- 21st-century Irish songwriters
- Male opera composers