For Quadriga the method of biblical interpretation, see Allegorical interpretation.

A Roman aureus struck under Augustus, c. AD 13–14; the reverse shows Tiberius riding on a quadriga, celebrating the fifteenth renewal of his tribunal power.

The Triumphal Quadriga in Venice, a replica of the only surviving ancient quadriga

A quadriga (Latin quadri-, four, and iugum, yoke) is a car or chariot drawn by four horses abreast (the Roman Empire's equivalent of Ancient Greek tethrippon). It was raced in the Ancient Olympic Games and other contests. It is represented in profile as the chariot of gods and heroes on Greek vases and in bas-relief. The quadriga was adopted in ancient Roman chariot racing. Quadrigas were emblems of triumph; Victory and Fame often are depicted as the triumphant woman driving it. In classical mythology, the quadriga is the chariot of the gods; Apollo was depicted driving his quadriga across the heavens, delivering daylight and dispersing the night.

The word quadriga may refer to the chariot alone, the four horses without it, or the combination.

All modern quadrigas are based on the Triumphal Quadriga, a Roman or Greek sculpture which is the only surviving ancient quadriga.^{[citation needed]} It was originally erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople, possibly on a triumphal arch, and is now in St Mark's Basilica in Venice. It was looted by Venetian Crusaders in the Fourth Crusade of 1204 and placed on the terrace of the basilica. In 1797, Napoleon carried the quadriga off to Paris, but in 1815 the horses were returned to Venice. Due to the effects of atmospheric pollution, the original quadriga was retired to a museum and replaced with a replica in the 1980s.

Modern quadrigas[link]

Some of the most significant full-size free-standing sculptures of quadrigas include, in approximate chronological order:

• The Berlin Quadriga was designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow in 1793 as the Quadriga of Victory, perhaps^[1] as a symbol of peace (represented by the olive wreath carried by Victory). Located atop the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, it was seized by Napoleon during his occupation of Berlin in 1806, and taken to Paris. It was returned to Berlin by Field Marshal Gebhard von Blücher in 1814. Her olive wreath was subsequently replaced by an Iron Cross. The statue suffered severe damage during the Second World War, and the association of the Iron Cross with Prussian militarism convinced the Communist government of East Germany to remove this aspect of the statue after the war. The iron cross was restored after German reunification in 1990.^[2]
• The Carrousel quadriga is situated atop the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris, France. The arch itself was built to commemorate the victories of Napoleon, but the quadriga was sculpted by Baron François Joseph Bosio to commemorate the Restoration of the Bourbons. The Restoration is represented by an allegorical goddess driving a quadriga, with gilded Victories accompanying it on each side. Circa 1815.
• The Quadriga on the General Staff Building on the Palace Square in Saint Petersburg, 1819–1829
• The Quadriga on the Alexandrinsky Theater, in Saint Petersburg, 1828–1832
• The Panther Quadriga on the Semperoper in Dresden, c. 1841
• The Quadriga on the Bolshoi, above the portico of the Bolshoi Theatre designed by sculptor Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg, c. 1850
• The Siegestor (Victory Gate) in Munich is topped by a lion quadriga created by Martin von Wagner, c. 1852
• The Quadriga on the Royal Palace in Braunschweig was erected in 1868 and destroyed in 1944 during the Second World War. It was reconstructed in 2008 and is considered as the largest one in Europe
• Two Quadrigas on the Grand Palais in Paris, the work of French sculptor Georges Récipon, c. 1900
• Atop the Arch at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn, New York, lady Columbia, an allegorical representation of the United States, rides in a chariot drawn by two horses. Two winged Victory figures, each leading a horse, trumpet Columbia's arrival. The sculptor was Frederick William MacMonnies, done c. 1900.
• Victory and Progress, horse drawn chariots by J. Massey Rhind on the Wayne County Building in Detroit, Michigan, c. 1900
• The Quadriga of Brabant, situated on top from Parc du Cinquantenaire (1880–1905); built for the 50 years of Belgian Independence, in Brussels, Belgium, was built in 1905 by Thomas Vinçotte and Jules Lagae
• Progress of the State at the Minnesota State Capitol is unique for being entirely covered in gold leaf, and is situated above a building entrance rather than a triumphal arch. It was sculpted by Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter and put in place in 1906.^[3]
• The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II (Monument of Victor Emmanuel II) or Altare della Patria (Altar of the Nation) or "Il Vittoriano" in Rome, Italy features two statues of goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas. Begun 1911, completed in 1935
• The Wellington Arch Quadriga is situated atop the Wellington Arch in London, England. It was designed by Adrian Jones in 1912. The sculpture shows a small boy (actually the son of Lord Michelham, the man who funded the sculpture) leading the quadriga, with Peace descending upon it from heaven.

• 

  Brandenburg Gate Quadriga at night.
• 

  Quadriga, Wellington Arch, London.
• 

  "Brabant Raising the National Flag" or "Quadriga of Brabant", Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels.
• 

  Quadriga, Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris.
• 

  Buddy Bear Quadriga in Berlin, Kurfürstendamm 21.

See also[link]

• Horses of Saint Mark in Venice, remnants of a quadriga of ancient Rome & Nova Roma taken by Enrico Dandolo.
• Biga, the ancient two-horse chariot.

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18119242
2. ^ Brandenburg Gate. Berlin - Offizielles Stadtportal der Hauptstadt Deutschlands - Berlin.de.
3. ^ [1]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Quadriga

External links[link]

 Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Quadriga". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

• Quadriga Encyclopaedia Romana. University of Chicago
• Quadriga
• (German) Berlin.de: Brandenburger Tor, Pariser Platz, Quadriga

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (November 2010)

Portrait of Turlough Carolan, from R.B. Armstrong "The Irish and Highland Harps", Edinburgh, David Douglas, 1904.

Turlough O'Carolan, also known as Turlough Carolan,^[1] (Irish: Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin; Irish pronunciation: [ˈt̪ˠɾˠeːl̪ˠəx oː ˈcaruːl̪ˠaːnʲ]) (1670 – 25 March 1738) was a blind early Irish harper, composer and singer whose great fame is due to his gift for melodic composition. He was the last great Irish harper-composer and is considered by many to be Ireland's national composer. Harpers in the old Irish tradition were still living as late as 1792, as ten, including Arthur O'Neill, Patrick Quin and Donnchadh Ó Hámsaigh, showed up at the Belfast Harp Festival, but there is no proof of any of these being composers. Ó Hámsaigh did play some of Carolan's music but disliked it for being too modern. Some of O'Carolan's own compositions show influence from the style of continental classical music, whereas others such as Carolan's Farewell to Music reflect a much older style of "Gaelic Harping".

Biography[link]

O'Carolan was born in 1670 near Nobber, County Meath, but in 1684 he moved with his family, to Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon, where his father took a job with the MacDermottRoe family of Alderford House. Mrs. MacDermottRoe gave him an education, and he showed talent in poetry. After being blinded by smallpox, at the age of eighteen, O'Carolan was apprenticed by Mrs MacDermott Roe to a good harper. At the age of twenty-one, being given a horse and a guide, he set out to travel Ireland and compose songs for patrons. For almost fifty years, O'Carolan journeyed from one end of the country to the other, composing and performing his tunes.

In 1720, O'Carolan married Mary Maguire. He was then 50 years of age. Their first family home was a cottage on a parcel of land near the town of Mohill in Co Leitrim, where they settled. They had seven children, six daughters and a son. In 1733 Mary died.

O'Carolan is buried in the McDermottroe family crypt in Kilronan Burial Ground near Ballyfarnon, County Roscommon. The annual O'Carolan Harp Festival and Summer School commemorates his life and work in Keadue, County Roscommon.

A bronze monument by sculptor Oisin Kelly depicting Turlough O'Carolan playing his harp, was erected on a plinth at the Market Square, Mohill, on 10 August 1986, and was unveiled by Patrick Hillery, President of Ireland.

Music and style[link]

O'Carolan composed both songs and instrumental harp music. Except for one song with an English text, all of his songs are in Irish. Most of his songs were dedicated to and about specific individuals. Many songs do not survive whole; what lyrics survive have only been published in part. His lyrics are rarely learned, whereas many of his tunes are widely performed and appreciated.

O'Carolan's musical style shows a mix of traditional and classical elements. He typically composed the tune first—as he rode from place to place—then added words later. Many of the tunes attributed to O'Carolan are older traditional melodies that he improved or lengthened. He wrote many "planxties" (tributes) in honor of some person. It is said that weddings and funerals were often delayed until he could arrive to perform.

Publication[link]

His music was first published in Neale's A Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes ... in Dublin, c.1726. At least 220 tunes which survive to this day are attributed to him, though most were not published or even written down in his lifetime; they survived in the repertories of fiddlers, pipers and the last of the old Irish harpers and were collected and published piecemeal in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Only in 1958 was his entire repertoire published in one edition by Donal O'Sullivan, and even then few lyrics were given and some of the tunes were edited to make them fit the treble register.

A definitive and comprehensive edition of harp settings matched with the words of the songs has yet to be produced although a number of song settings appeared in The Bunting Collection of Irish Folk Music and Song by Donal O'Sullivan.

Performances[link]

Some of his compositions are performed by many popular Irish musicians, such as Planxty, The Chieftains and The Dubliners. In addition, O'Carolan's Concerto has been used as a neutral Slow March by the Foot Guards of the British Army during the ceremony of Trooping the Colour.

Notable compositions[link]

• "Carolan's Concerto"
• "Carolan's Draught"
• "Carolan's Receipt (Dr. John Stafford)"
• "Carolan's Welcome"
• "Carolan's Ramble to Cashel"
• "Dr. John Hart, Bishop of Achonry"
• "Eleanor Plunkett"
• "Fanny Power"
• "George Brabazon"
• "Hewlett"
• "John O'Connor"
• "Mrs Mc Dermott" (alternatively known as "Princess Royal")
• "Lord Inchiquin"
• "Planxty Irwin"
• "Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór"

Compositions[link]

Complete list (alphabetical order)

Other[link]

• O'Carolan Road in the Tenters area of Dublin 8 is named in his honour.
• Carolan Road and "Carolan Corner" shop are named in his honour in the Ballynafeigh area of south Belfast.
• The Polish band Myslovitz performs a cover of one of O'Carolan's songs called "Peggy Brown", which is arguably one of their greatest hits.

See also[link]

• Music of Ireland
• List of people on stamps of Ireland

References[link]

1. ^ According to the 5th edition of Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the version "O'Carolan" is "modern and lacks authority"

• Dónal O'Sullivan, Carolan - The Life, Times, and Music of an Irish Harper (1958)
• Dónal O'Sullivan, Songs of the Irish, Browne & Nolan, Dublin (1960)
• Art Edelstein, "Fair Melodies: Turlough Carolan; An Irish Harper" (2001)
• The first commercial recording of the Complete Works has been arranged and performed by Irish pianist: J.J. Sheridan (from Trigon Recordings)
• http://www.mohillparish.ie/MohillParishOnline/turlough.htm

External links[link]

• Recording of O'Carolan's tunes by Garlic Bread and french baroque ensemble "Le concert de l'Hostel Dieu"
• The Complete Carolan: all Carolan's 227 tunes arranged in open tunings for the guitar
• O'Carolan: pages on his life, his tunes, his songs, his harp, with audio files
• Nikolaus Newerkla, Playford Dances & Carolan Tunes, Moeck-Verlag Celle, 2007, tunes arranged for recorders and basso continuo
• Turlough O'Carolan: Irish Harper
• Turlough O'Carolan 1670-1738
• Complete Works of Turlough O'Carolan (musical scores)
• Carolan Fragment: one of the early sources described
• Gaelic harp keys (web article with suggested original keys of all O'Carolan's tunes)
•  "Torlogh O'Carolan". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913. 
• The first complete recording of the Complete Works of O'Carolan has been recorded and arranged by Irish pianist, J.J. Sheridan
• Free scores by Turlough O'Carolan at the International Music Score Library Project