Renaissance of the Celtic Harp


Renaissance de la Harpe Celtique or Renaissance of the Celtic Harp is a 1972 record album by the Breton master of the Celtic harp Alan Stivell that revolutionised the connection between traditional folk music, modern rock music and world music.
WWW alanstivell.bzh

Significance

The release of this album with its fusion of classical, traditional folk and rock music, its mixture of instruments and its evocation of a utopian atmosphere and vision of humans in harmony with nature, immediately set it as a benchmark in the Celtic music revival of the 1970s.
The album influenced many harpists, Bretons like or Cécile Corbel but also Jo Morrison, Loreena McKennitt, Deborah Henson-Conant, Charles de Lint, Australian Robert Hart and Louisa John-Krol, Russian, Italian Vincenzo Zitello, Norwegian Kristian Nordeide, New York musicians Steven Halpern and Ben Kettlewell.
By the time of his second album, in one year, the number of harps sold in France had reached into the thousands.
Music critic Bruce Elder wrote:

People who hear this record are never the same again. Renaissance of the Celtic Harp, one of the most beautiful and haunting records ever made by anybody, introduced the Celtic harp to many thousands of listeners around the world. To call this music gorgeous and ravishing would be the height of understatement—indeed, there aren't words in the English language to describe this record adequately.
The opening work, Ys, is a piece inspired by the legend of the 5th century capital of the kingdom of Cornwall, which was engulfed by a flood as punishment for its sins.. The reflective "Marv Pontkellec" is every bit as sublimely beautiful, but the highlight of this record is "Gaeltacht," a 19 minute musical journey by Stivell's harp across the Gaelic lands of Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man.

Personnel

  • Bass - Gérard Levavsseur, Gérard Salkowsky
  • Bombarde - Alan Kloatr, Mig Ar Biz
  • Cello - Henri Delagarde, Jean Huchot, Manuel Recasens
  • Double Bass - Jean-Marc Dollez
  • Drums - Guy Cascales
  • Drums - Yann-Fanch Ar Merdy
  • Electric Guitar - Dan Ar Bras
  • Organ - Gilles Tinayjre
  • Percussion, Tabla - Michel Delaporte
  • Producer - Franck Giboni
  • Viola - Gabriel Beauvais, Paul Hadjaje, Pierre Cheval, Stéphane Weiner

Track listing

Side A:
  • A1 Ys Variations on folk themes.
  • A2 Marv Pontkalleg Folk themes. A classical arrangement of Breton music.
  • A3 Extracts From Pennlyn Manuscripts of Harp Music Sonatas for Bardic Harp transcribed from 17th Century Welsh manuscripts by Arnold Dolmetsch
  • * A3a Ap Huw
  • * A3b Penllyn
  • A4 Eliz Iza Breton mountain folk song.
Side B:
  • B1 Gaeltacht Folk themes. A journey across Gaelic countries
  • * B1a Caitlin Triall Irish Melody.
  • * B1b Port Ui Mhuirgheasa Irish Jig.
  • * B1c Airde Cuan Irish Melody. l
  • * B1d Na Reubairean Scottish Melody.
  • * B1e Manx Melody
  • * B1f Heman Dubh Hebridean Work Song.
  • * B1g Gaelic Waltz Scottish Waltz.
  • * B1h Struan Robertson Strathspey.
  • * B1i The Little Cascade Scottish Dance.
  • * B1j Braigh Loch Iall Scottish Melody
  • * B1k Port An Deorai Suite of Irish Slip Jigs.

Discography

  • Fontana 6325 302
  • Philips 6414 406
  • Polydor 2424 069
  • Rounder 3067
  • Philips 51
  • Philips 818007-2