Alan Stivell
Human Kelt

 

A Hed an Nos   ( All Through The Night )

 

   A Hed an Nos   ( All Through The Night )
( Feat. Andrea Corr  &  Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne )
 
Alan Stivell Lyrics »

 

 

This other dream duet with Andrea !

When I was 10 or 12, I heard this Welsh lullaby, thanks to the linguist François Vallée AbHerve, who translated it from Welsh, like many other celtic songs from over the channel and the celtic sea. English speaking children from all over the world knew the saxon adaptation “All Through The night”. I included it on the album Emerald. Some Welsh people may be surprised by the mixture of Welsh and English, probably less by the presence of Breton. I’d say that if this is considered as provocation, then I believe that other artists have pushed this farther. And you will understand that I do not wish to provoke anybody. I prone bridges, and I am certainly outdone also by many others in this positive approach. In my already long life, I believe it is the principal theme, with my Celtic passion (once more the title “Human – Kelt”).

Here is a bridge across the Channel, but also across to Ireland since (paradoxically ?), it is Andrea Corr whom I invited to interpret it, in Welsh, Breton and English. In my arrangement, I included the “classic” aspect of the welsh culture, under the influence of Anglo-Tutonic Protestantism. We must acknowledge this because every aspect is a treasure. This with the Symphonic Orchestra of Brittany, promising another project.

Just as I did for Bro gozh (Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau), I do still give a supplement of Celtic note to a Welsh music which has moved a bit away from it. I do this, for example, by introducing pentatonic elements, but also by using rubatos which are more familiar to “sean-nos” than to welsh choirs, and, probably, closer to ancient Welsh tradition.

But these « brainy » words should not distract from the emotion of this song with Andrea Corr.

 

 

A HED AN NOS (Ar Hyd y Nos - All Through The Night)

(Welsh Traditional Lullaby DP – AbHerve DP – Alan Stivell / DP arrangement Alan Stivell)

 

Ar hyd y nos
Holl amrantau'r sêr ddywedant
Ar hyd y nos
Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch
Ar hyd y nos

      O’er their spirit gently stealing
      Visions of delight revealing
      Breath(e)s a pure and holy feeling
Teyli ‘r nefoedd mewn tawelwch
      All through the night

O mor siriol, gwena seren
Ar hyd y nos
I oleuo'i chwaer ddaearen
Ar hyd y nos.

      They will of all fears disarm thee
Na du eo ‘n noz endro dImp-ni
      They will let no peril harm thee
Ar hyd y nos

      While the moon her watch is keeping
      All through the night
      While the weary world is sleeping
      All through…

Ni a gar a galon vat
Feiz krIsten pe kredennoù all
‘ vont a-hus d’hor sonjoù bemde’
An hIrañ nos !

Mor a dudi eo prederiañ
A-hed an nos
Dindan bolz an neñv o sklaeriañ
A-hed…
Pedom holl a galon laouen
      Visions of delight revealing
Nerzhus ha distan ar bedenn,
Ar hyd y nos

(Nous aimons de bon cœur,
Foi chrétienne et d’autres croyances,
Transcendant le quotidien,
La plus longue nuit)