Nine comments
Celtic Mouth Music
1977 Ellipsis Arts, New York, USA.
I got this on Caoimghgin (Kevin Muldoon)’s recommendation:
https://thesession.org/discussions/1345
It’s fairly easy to get through the normal Internet channels.
The presentation is interesting: it’s about the same size as a standard CD, but instead of a "jewel case", you get a little hardcover booklet with a CD inside. The booklet has (somewhat cute but interesting) information about lilting in general and each performer. The CD…
is absolutely mind-blowing. I haven’t heard anything as good as this CD, in Irish music or otherwise, in years. It’s something that has to be experienced, i can’t describe it. From the first track, it grabs you and doesn’t let you go, each track is better than the one before. Go for it!
Of the tracks i listened to coming to work today, a few highlights:
Grey Larsen (flute and harmonium) and Andr
"The Angry Uvula"? I have to get this just to find out what that’s all about…. hehehe
Zina
The angry what!?
That name sounds slightly dirty, doesn’t it? It’s by a Quebecois group called "Les Charbonniers De L’Enfer" (The Coal Men of Hell).
Celtic Mouth Music
i found this a few years ago, and it lived in my cd player for a long time. i give it about a 97. and you can dance to it 🙂
sarah
In case someone doesn’t know, the uvula is that weird little hangy-down thing at the back of your mouth — if you poke something against it, you’ll probably throw up. What it has to be angry about, I don’t know!
2nd tune played by Flute on 7th track (Grey Larson and Andre Marchand)
I just spent a while transcribing the beautiful tune Grey Larson plays on flute starting at the 1:22 mark of the 7th track. It lasts unItil the 3 min. mark. I’ve run searches everywhere to find the tune, before resorting to transcription, however I can’t seem to gather the name of the tune. Is it either, Geese, or Horses, or One Old Man? Or all three? It seems to be the second tune in the recording, but the tune name Geese doesn’t pull any tune that is in fact the tune Grey is playing. I’m looking to post it up as soon as I can figure out how to create a ABC file. I have it in Midi format currently. If anyone would like it in the meantime, email me.
Tioraidh,
hiharin
97 % is right! And 1 in a 100!
I wish there were more cd’s like this one. Unfortunately, its strength is also its shortcoming: it is a compilation of very varied styles. All lumped under ‘Celtic’ for some reason.
It’d be great if someone, out there in the archival sphere or recording industry issued a collection of world mouth music!
I’d buy every single new CD I swear!
A similarly brilliant compilation was published in France in 1996 by Voix Du Monde:
Une Anthologie Des Expressions Vocales - Voices Of The World: An Anthology Of Vocal Expression
Label:Le Chant Du Monde
A team of ethnomusicologists tried to condense on three CDs all possible colours and forms of the Singing Human Voice! (not just Lilting or mouth music) The result is brilliant and also very frustrating cause you’d like to hear more of each style presented! (+ all the examples that didn’t make it!)
A version of Marie-Louise, here sung by Yann-Fañch Kemener, was recorded by Clannad in the 70’s:
https://thesession.org/recordings/1173