Alan Stivell Releases New Album Emerald

/ mrbaxteria2008

I have listened to Brian Boru and Tri Martolod by Alan Stivell these past few days. What a surprise it has been to receive a letter from his website about Emerald , the new album. A coincidence! I would like to share the news to those who love Breton music and the talent of the one and only Alan Stivell. According to his official site:

It’s been almost 40 years since Alan Stivell released “Reflets” (Reflections), his first album featuring him singing. An Emerald anniversary, one could say. It’s definitely a return to the roots, a return to the violin and to folk-rock (“Chemins de terre”), much as he did with “Brian Boru”. But it’s also an album for 2010. It fuses electric and acoustic bagpipes – like his latest acoustic and electric harp prototypes – in musical arrangements that are as eclectic as they are original. Alan, the singer and the Breton of today: with his Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon, Indian or African influences and his very distinctive vocal and writing styles, he effortlessly blends Breton, French and English (along with Gaelic and Welsh). In addition, Alan wanted to present songs that were popular in the Brittany of yesteryear as well as in English-speaking and other Celtic countries … songs of his youth that are today forgotten. He brings them back to life and hopes others will love them too..

emerald

It is also in the chapter nostalgia that he invited the very beautiful Ensemble choral of the “bout du Monde” for “Mac Crimon” (a homage to Gwennole Ar Menn, Eliane Pronost, Roger Abjean, Paul Ladmirault and to Scotland).
He invited his stage musicians to join him on this disc, and also invited Dom Duff (song) for “Brittany’s” and “Tamm ha tamm”, Solenn Lefeuvre (song) for “Lusk”.
An album with much of emotion and festive.


Tracks

1 – BRITTANY’S – Ar bleizi mor – 5:56
2 – LUSK – Skye Boat Song – 4:08
3 – MARIONIG – 3:29
4 – TAMM HA TAMM – Rennes, Nantes & Brest – 3:16
5 – GAEL’S CALL – Glaoch na nGael – 6:07
6 – HARPLINN – 4:13
7 – GOADEC ROCK – 5:17
8 – EIBHLIN – Eileen A Roon – 6:52
9 – AQUARELLE – Er penn all d’al lanneg – 3:44
10 – AN HIRAÑ NOZ – Noël, espoir – Ar hyd y nos – 4:41
11 – MAC CRIMON (part I) – 2:23
11 – MAC CRIMON (part II) – 4:51
11 – MAC CRIMON (part III) – 2:58
Alan Stivell : vocals, harps, bagpipes, bombarde, flutes, percussion, synthesizers, piano, arrangements, production and composition.
Loumi Seveno : violins, alti, viele, bodhran (1,2,4,5,7,8,9).
Christope Peloil : alto (2).
Gaetan Grandjean : acoustic and electric guitar.
Nicolas Méheust : Hammond organ, melotron, piano and bass.
Marcus Camus : percussion, drums.
Iwan Ellien du Bagad Gwengamp : Scottish soldier drum (3).
Dom Duff : vocals (1,4).
Solenn Lefeuvre : vocals (2).
L’Ensemble choral du Bout du Monde directed by Christian Desbordes (11,12).
Samples of the tracks can be heard  when you go to the official site:

www.alan-stivell.com

www.alan-stivell.com/blog

7 thoughts on “Alan Stivell Releases New Album Emerald”

  2. My name is Geraldine Mc Auley. I live in the Republic of Ireland.
    I come from a Family of Singers and Musicians, and have been great Fans of Alan Stivell
    over the years.
    I have tried to search the Internet for an email address for Alan without success.
    The purpose of this was to share with Alan of the Passing of my Beloved Brother Samuel Smith
    a Composer of many Celtic Songs of which Alan listened to an appreciated.
    Samuel attended Alan’s last Concert when in Dublin on a trip from the States but did not take the opportunity
    to go back stage to talk with him.

    Samuel Passed away on the 12/07/2013 after a short period of 5 months from a Brain Tumour.
    It was heart breaking for us to watch him suffer and to say goodbye to him. Such a waste of a Talented Life.
    The one good thing was we got to take him back to Ireland from Arkansas before he passed away.
    His Funeral Service was full of his Beautiful Haunting Celtic Melodies both performed on CD by Samuel.

    Alan can you Remember Samuel in on one of your Songs when next you Perform in Concert

    This would be a great honour for my Family.

    My email address is: germcauley@hotmail.com

    Best Regards,

    Geraldine.

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    • My condolences Geraldine. I know how it is to loose someone you love but I think it is much more painful when he is taken ahead of his time. I lost my mom this year so I hold your hand in spirit as we go through life with this kind of loss that we will carry with us. I wish I can get in touched with Alan through the web but it is hard in these times. I will see what I can do. Do you have a site where I can listen to the songs by your brother?

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      • Thank you Labatos for your kind Words at this time . They are much appreciated. There is a lovely Lady named Charlie Doidge who met Samuel in a recording Studio in Brighton. She recorded and arranged some of Samuel’s Songs Shortly afterwards he went to live in Arkansas.I will attach now a Song entitled Song for Eire. There is some Photographs of Places Samuel visited when he was back home in Ireland. Hope you like it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uGD3dRCvtK0&t=20

        Geraldine

        .

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        • Hello again Labatos.
          I was at a Gig this evening and just returned at 1:15am. Having gone into town from work I am only getting a chance to look at my emails now.
          Samuel did not go on line Himself with His Own Arrangement of The Mystic Rover.
          It is when I went on line last year I discovered and was surprised this Lady Charlie Doidge recorded Her own Version of Samuels Song The Mystic Rover on Sound Cloud. Send me your email address and I will attach Samuel’s Version from Disc. You can certainly Refer to the Lyrics of His Song to make Reference to this Celtic Theme in your Essay. Send me on a copy on completion. I would love to read it.
          Regards’

          Geraldine

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