Alan Stivell

Alan Stivell Releases New Album Emerald

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 7 Comments

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..

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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

Music of Brittany: Tri Martolod(With English Translation)

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 58 Comments

Been a fan of Alan Stivell and I tried to learn this song by heart . I found the English translation to this by Bobby Bob and Ellan Vannin. However the beauty of this song really blooms through its native tongue. Breton language is fascinating to study. Too bad I am still struggling with my Irish Gaelic. The one on the video is from Arany Zoltán, a rising  singer/song writer from Hungary. Visit http://www.aranyzoltan.hu/ and  http://www.youtube.com/user/aranzoltan

The lyrics in Breton are –

Tri martolod yaouank tra la la la digatra
Tri martolod yaouank o vonet da veajiñ
O vonet da veajiñ ge, o vonet da veajiñ

Gant ‘n avel bet kaset tra la la la digatra
Gant ‘n avel bet kaset betek an Douar-Nevez
Betek an Douar-Nevez ge, betek an Douar-Nevez

E-kichen Meilh-ar-Wern tra la la la digatra
E-kichen Meilh-ar-Wern o deus moulhet o eorioù
O deus mouilhet o eorioù ge, o deus mouilhet o eorioù

Hag e-barzh ar veilh-se tra la la la digatra
Hag e-barzh ar veilh-se e oa ur servijourez
E oa ur servijouirez ge, e oa ur servijourez

Hag e c’houlenn ganin tra la la la digatra
Hag e c’houlenn ganin pelec’h hor boa konesañs
Pelec’h hor boa konesañs ge, pelec’h hor boa konesañs

E Naoned er marc’had tra la la la digatra
E Naoned er marc’had hor boa choazet ur walenn
Hor boa choazet ur walenn ge, hor boa choazet ur walenn

You can see that the structure of the song is quite repetitive, so the following attempt at a translation just tries to deal with the operative words in each verse – you’ll have to sort out the vocables for yourself.

In fact, you’ll probably have to sort out the meaning for yourself! I hesitate to attempt any Breton, not knowing how the grammar operates to any great extent.

However, by fumbling through my Breton dictionary, some sort of story seems to emerge – the nearer the end, the more hazy my attempts get, needless to say. Take it all with a pinch of salt!

Three young sailors went travelling

By means of a strong wind they were sent up to Newfoundland

In the vicinity of Meilh-ar-Wern (the mill on the marsh?) they set(?) their anchors

And inside that mill was a female servant

And she asked me where were our usual neighbours

In Nantes in the market our customary chosen circle

I hope you can find a Breton speaker to give you the proper thing.

Shoh slaynt – yec’hed mat,

Bobby Bob, Enez Manav

P.S.

I found this interesting wiki article about Celtic fusion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_fusion

 

Lisa Lynne Franco’s Circle of Hope, Love and Peace.

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 4 Comments

Beautiful Celtic harp music for all seasons!

I strongly recommend Fairy Tales  by Lisa Lynne Franco, for those who love Celtic harp music. This is a beautiful album filled with optimistic melodies and tender percussion. It also features a bamboo flute by George Tortorelli. The album opens with the beautiful mid-eastern flavored Dance of Herod. Like a wicked bar of dark chocolate, the tune waltzes into our consciousness. This is a perfect soundtrack for traveling.

Cucanandy is a stately  bouncing tune with its use of tin whistles and chimes. Douce Dame Jolie is of old English flavour with a Scottish lilt embellished with bouzouki lines. Crimson Morn as the title suggest, is a lament. The bright  and breezy rendition reminds me walks on the beach. Now Oh Now, I needs Must Part is a Valentines tune-but not the happy kind!

Carolyn’s Welcome is tune at the fireside. The strings are impeccable with their warmth. Chimes, tin whistle among other instruments wrap this Irish tune. It is a perfect holiday song. Lisa gives a refreshing redo on this Simon and Garfunkel classic Scarborough Fair. It stays loyal to the original tempo, but with hints of Enyaesque swaying of string parts in the middle part.

Fanny Power is playful. This piece evokes scenes of the summery countryside and child-like innocence. The 10th track Circle of Joy is probably Lisa Lynne’s most ‘pop’ instrumental piece. I first got hold of this on the Celtic Season’s compilation and I never got tired listening to it. Regal, optimistic and magical; this tune will continue to hook future listeners.

Greensleeves has  been covered by other artists and it is just ok.  Boru’s March is a traditional piece that I remember from Breton musician Alan Stivell.

Love and Peace is a magical album. It is filled with the spirit of Renaissance and traditional Celtic.

****

Phil Holland

Phil Holland

In the vein of Instrumental music, I would like to present to you this wonderful artist by the name of Phil Holland. I am looking forward for an interview article about her-if her time permits!

Check her MySpace page out and listen to the music.

http://www.myspace.com/philholland2

Relaxing Breton Music for You

/ mrbaxteria2008 / 6 Comments

Since we are at the height of our plunge into the Celtic music of Brittany, I want to share some personal discoveries.  Again thanks for visiting and leaving your comments .  So look around, listen to the music through the links  and relax. Weekend is coming and I  still have more for you.

Alan Stivell:The Best of

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When you talk about Breton music then you have to talk about the great Alan Stivell. He has been making records since the early 70s. His name stands up there with the other greats in the world of Celtic revival. Those who heard Renaissance of the Celtic Harp released in 1972 can attest to its greatness and is now considered the album that opened Breton music to the world.

Here’s a sample music for you: Eliza Iza (From Renaissance of the Celtic Harp)

For more info visit :

Alan Stivel Official Site

The Chieftains: Celtic Wedding-The Music of Brittany

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I took out The Chieftains’ Celtic Wedding-The Music of Brittany out of my shelf.  My perspective has changed now, after learning more about Breton music. I see the wealth in its distinctive arrangement. Nolwen Monjaret’s singing was something I found strange at first because It’s really different from the rest of Celtic women I have been listening to . Her’s as well as the rest of Breton singing style is more inflected, strong and mournful. I am sure everyone would agree that her’s is more Lisa Gerrard than say, Enya or Moya Brennan.  But learning how geographical location can affect one’s style of performing, I think I really got into it, understand it and came to appreciate its uniqueness.

The album contains nine tracks that are popularly used as wedding accompaniment. Recorded at Lansdowne Studios, Dublin in 1986, Celtic Wedding became my introductory to Breton music.

For more comprehensive lists of Breton artists, you can click the links below:

http://icdbl.org/saozg/guide.php

http://tonyupton.tripod.com/brittany.html