Not easy question…

the best would be to contact the sites « Breizh harp » or « Maison de la harpe » (also called « Ti an delenn »);
there are forums with many harp aficionados; one of them will probably have the answer;
all the best,
nasdravyé,
alan

Spasibo!

Very interesting!
BTW I dont know too many words in Breton. But as I remember they use to say for « harp » breton word « telenn »? So, why in « Ti an delenn » the letter « d » is used instead of « t »?

you have here one of the most typical (and complex) rule in the Celtic languages: the Mutations.
The first conson of a word is changing very often for grammar and esthetic reasons.
I will not totally teach this rule here, but a few exemples:
« Telenn » is feminine, so after the article « An » it becomes « delenn » for singular, but stay « telennoù » in the plural.
Other mutations occurs in other conditions too.
In the other hand, if you mistake, a breton speaker (if he can read and write) should understand you.
Spasibo is Thanks?
Kenavo (Bye)
alan

Trugarez!
I love to sing songs in Breton (text from the Internet, phonation from CD or tape) but not always understand entirely what the song is about. Think I need to find somewhere a dictionary (Breton/English or smth) but never found it in Moscow. Hope I success to travel to UK this summer and get it there.

One more question: How is spelled correctly the Breton word for « cider »: « Sistr » or « Сhistr »? I met both spellings. I love very much the song « Ev Sistr » (?) In Breton of course. And among Russian folk circles this song is as my visiting card.

Yes, « Spasibo » (accent on « i ») is « Thanks »

Ur blijadur, a pleasure speaking with you!

If you know the french CH (as the english SH);
almost everybody pronounce « chist(r) », some in the « Gwened » region pronounce « chicht(r) »; we ear the final « r » only if there is a voyel after; the name of the song is « Son ar chistr » (I recorded it on my first vocal album « Reflets » in 1970.
It has been adapted in many languages;

kenavo,
alan

Go raibh maith agat!

I found I wrote incorrectly the name of this song at my web-site… There is a MP3 version of « Ev Chistr » sung by me there but I am ashamed to show it to you. I am sure that my pronounciation is just terrible! Moreover our version leads by a breton dance but one Breton person I met in Moscow said that it is incorrect. He meant the continuality of this song shouldn’t be represented by such kind of dance. But what kind of dance should be correct…?

« It has been adapted in many languages »

When I begun to perform this song to our Russian audience they liked it but because they didn’t know it’s name they asked me at concerts « …Er… Could you sing How much is a fish please »

But situation is easier now… Russian -folk people know the difference.

« Reflets »… Think I didnt listen to it yet. Hope I could find it somwhere in Moscow.

BTW. Once I heard the last song at « Olympia Concert » (It begins by Suite Sudarmoricane) is… some kind of dirty couplets. Is it true?
I like this track very much.

Hello,
for « Son ar chistr », you know perhaps my album « Again »(where I recorded again this song)?
But perhaps not as you speak also of « Suite sudarmoricaine » on the « Olympia ». Yes, the lyrics were created by friends of mine when a bit drunk; the funniest thing was to get this song played in the main french radios and be top number one…
Nasdravyec’hed mat!
alan

Hi! Simply, hi.

Our version of « Son ar chistr » we took from « Celtic Wedding » of The Chieftains. And as I can find now they didn’t use kan-a-diskan style which is traditional for this song. Isn’t it? Or am I mistaken?

Concerning your albums – they are not very widespread in Russia. All we have – friends who had chance to buy your disks abroad. And until now I never heard any of my friends got « Again ». Well… Going to buy it through the Internet.

I heard first « Rennaissance de l’harpe celtique » thanks to it I took Celtic harp. (Think I’am not the first person who was inspired by your albums that way I bet you receive very often the messages like that: »Hello Mr. Stivell! I am from Uruguay/Nepal/Anus Mundi… and thanks to you I took my Celtic Harp!!! » etc.
But that must warm up

what else… « Live in Dublin », « Olympia Concert », « Telenn Geltiek », « Before landing », « Chemins de Terre », « E Langonned ». Not too many indeed.

But perhaps not as you speak also of « Suite sudarmoricaine » on the « Olympia ». Yes, the lyrics were created by friends of mine when a bit drunk; the funniest thing was to get this song played in the main french radios and be top number one…

YES!!!

Nasdravyec’hed mat!

Pol-Breton? In Russian it sounds like « NazdorOvie »

Anastassia

Hi,
I don’t know the russian for nasdravye which is perhaps a mistaken tchecq or polish for Good health (Yec’hed mat in breton).
I cannot blame you to have not found all my albums in Russia; but you know how dangerous it is to sing and play something you have been tought from third hand; it is already not that easy to reproduce an original thing without help.
My aim is to spread the breton and celtic culture, really breton and celtic, not only the schemas of tunes which have lost any identity.
The Chieftains have never tried to learn the breton music (they are good friends though..), opposed to me who have learn the celtic cultures and music for 53 years. I realize that in Russia you know only my work of the 70s, and even the 50s…: I feel young.
What you would suggest to get more of my work there? A Russian label dealing with world music? I have been told that the hackers are even « better » there than here.

best wishes,
alan

Demat.

Long time not seen

Need your help once more. I love the song « Buain a’ Chorice », it is in Scottish Gaelic. It’s text is found already and the translation also, but I need someone to make transcription. So, would you please contact me to a person who could help me?
I would like to sing this song

(Still hope you come to perform in Moscow)

Anastassia