As we’ve all found out this semester, music and sound, in general, are very important in film, so we must always assume that everything we hear is intentional. This is why I was somewhat confused when I heard the opening song of the film The Banshees of Inisherin, directed by Martin McDonagh.
The film, which is set in 1923 Inisherin, during the Irish civil war, tells the story of Padraic and his friend and drink buddy, Colm Doherty, who one day decides that he doesn’t want to be friends with him anymore. The film serves as a fable for the Civil War and has an almost entirely Irish cast and crew (director Martin McDonagh, actors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, and Costume designer Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh). And yet, the film opens with a performance of “Polegnala e Todora”, performed by the Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir.
“Polegnala e Todora” is a love song from the Bulgarian folklore Genre, but this specific version is perfomed by the prestigious musical ensebmle, which is most famous with it’s project Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices). It’s important to note that folklore music, performed by ensembles such as this one, does not sound exactly like traditonal folklore. While I know that Bulgarian folk music has been used many times in film/tv show scores (see below), I found it very strange that this extremly Irish movie starts with a Bulgarian song.
According to my research, McDonagh wasn’t a fan of the stereotypical Irish music and felt that the film was Irish enough. This reminded me of the soundscape for Shogun, which aimed to create a feeling, rather than a place, as the visual elements achieve this already. Burwell was inspired by Fairytales and the Grimm brothers, which led him to select this song, which has a whimsical feel. This makes sense, as the song is not a typical folk song and it’s difficult for a lot of people to place the language. Based on YouTube comments, many people thought the song was Irish.