Alan Stivell Reflections -1974 Folk, Celtic (UK Import Vinyl)

Early life and career beginnings

Alan Stivell was born in theAuvergnattown ofRiom. His father,Georges (Jord in Breton) Cochevelou, was a civil servant in theFrench Ministry of Financewho achieved his dream of recreating aCelticorBretonharp in the small town ofGourin,Brittany[2]and his mother Fanny-Julienne Dobroushkess was ofLithuanian-Jewishdescent. In 1953, Alan began playing the instrument at the age of nine under the tutelage of his father and Denise Megevand, a concert harpist. Alan also learned Celtic mythology, art, and history, as well as theBreton language, traditional Breton dance, and the Scottishbagpipeand thebombarde, a traditional Breton instrument, from theoboefamily. Alan began playing concerts at the age of eleven and studied traditional Breton, English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh folk music, also learning the drum, Irish flute, and tin whistle.He competed in, and won, several Breton traditional music competitions in the Bleimor Pipe band.Alan spent his childhood inParis, with its cosmopolitan influences. But he fell in love withBreton musicandCeltic culture, in general, and often went back in his teens to Brittany.

Alan’s first recording came in 1960 (“Musique gaelique”), a single that was followed by the LPTelenn Geltiekin 1964. He already recorded solo harp and harp backing singers in 1959 withBreiz ma bro(“Brittany my country”) and aMouez BreizEP (“Voice of Brittany”) with the female singer Andrea Ar Gouilh. His stage name, “Stivell”, means “fountain” or “spring” in Breton. This name refers both to the Breton renewal and to his surname “Cochevelou” (an evolution ofkozh stivello, “the old fountains”).

Stivell and the Celtic harp revival

With a new bardic harp with bronze strings, Stivell began experimenting with modernized styles of music known asCeltic rock. In 1966, Alan Stivell began to perform and record as a singer. The following year, he was signed by Philips (Universal). This was during the birth of the New Breton and Celtic music movement.

In 1968, after two years of touring and regular appearances at the American Students and Artists Center in Paris, Alan joined theMoody Bluesonstage to perform in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

In 1970, Stivell released his first hits, the single “Broceliande” and the album “Reflets”, both on thePhilipsrecord label. He became closely associated with the burgeoning Bretonroots revival, especially after the release of the purely instrumental 1971 albumRenaissance of the Celtic Harp, which won one of the most famous awards in France, the prize of theAcadmie Charles Cros

The music critic Bruce Elder wrote of the albumRenaissance of the Celtic Harp:

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 understatementindeed, 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 fifth century capital of the kingdom ofCornwall, (most versions of the legend place the city in theDouarnenez Bayon the coast ofBrittany), [said to have been] engulfed by a flood as punishment for its sins. (Debussywrote one of his finest works, “The Engulfed Cathedral,” later adapted by the groupRenaissanceinto “At the Harbour” on the 1973 albumAshes Are Burning, based on the same legend). 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 theGaeliclands ofIreland,Scotland, and theIsle of Man

On 28 February 1972, Stivell performed a concert in theOlympiatheater, the most famous music hall in Paris, where Alan and his band played music combining traditional Celtic music with modern sounds (electric guitar, drums, etc.). This concert made Stivell and his music well known throughout France.At this time, Stivell’s eclectic approach to music was very new and was considered risky, but it soon became popular. Over 1,500,000 records of that concert (“A l’Olympia”) were sold. Alan Stivell’s new found fame propelled him to tour across France, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. He continued recording, and published a collection ofBreton poetryin 1976.With his 1980Symphonie Celtique, he mixed for the first time elements of rock, a symphonic orchestra, Celtic instruments and such non-European ethnic elements asBerbervocalistDjourhaandsitaristNarendra Bataju

The folk music revival faded somewhat in the 1980s. Though Alan Stivell still maintained a popular following, he did not reach the heights of popularity that he had in the 1970s. He continued touring in many parts of the world and recording for a loyal fanbase. He also worked with the English singerKate Bush

Celtic fusions and world music

Alan Stivell atNuremberg, Germany, 2007.

In the 1990s, Stivell recorded with the French singerLaurent Voulzy, Irish traditional performerShane MacGowanand Senegalese singerDoudou N’Diaye Rose. The album wasAgain, and it became very popular in France, the beginning of a Celtic new wave.Stivell’s records in the late 1990s contained more pronounced rock elements, and he performed at a rock festival calledTransmusicalesinRennes. He continued working with a variety of musicians, invitingPaddy Moloney(ofThe Chieftains),Jim Kerr(ofSimple Minds),KhaledandYoussou N’Dourto be in his very international1 Douar/1 Earthalbum.

The 1998 French-language hit “La Tribu de Dana” by rap trioManau, one of the best-selling French singles of all time, featured a very similar musical arrangement to Stivell’s “Tri Martolod”. Although Stivell sued Manau for the unauthorised sampling, the group claimed that they had modified the original sufficiently, through the addition of lyrics and other changes, to avoid any charges ofplagiarism. Stivell is now credited for a part of “La Tribu de Dana” ‘s arrangements

Stivel’s CD albumAgainin 1993 was the base for a new wave of his popularity, especially in France and Brittany. Other albums received good critical reviews, such asBrian Boruor1 Douar(“1 Earth”). In 2002 Stivell releasedAu-del des mots(“Beyond Words”), his twenty-first LP. The album featured him playing six different harps, specially dedicated to the Celtic Harp Revival’s 50th anniversary.

In 2004, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Celtic harp revival in Brittany, he wrote a book in collaboration with Jean-Nol Verdier:Telenn, la harpe bretonne(“Telenn, the Breton harp”).[8]The same year, a DVD,Parcourswas published by Fox-Path.

In 2006, a new CD album calledExplorecame out in France and other countries, distributed throughHarmonia Mundi. This album demonstrates that Stivell is still a leading artist, exploring fusions of Celtic music with electro-rock, raga, hip-hop… etc. with a unique and personal vocal style and a very interesting and original mix of lyrics in Breton, English and French

Alan Stivell andNolwenn Leroyperforming “Brian Boru” at theParis Olympiain 2012.

In 2009, the title of his albumEmeraldcelebrated hisemerald anniversarywith his fans (i.e. forty years together) and paid homage to the sea and the Celtic lands (color blue-green,Glazin Breton language). In 2013, a new CD album and DVD calledOlympia 40th Anniversarycame out in France (Universal) as a result of the concert performed at theOlympiamythical music hall on 16 February 2012.

On 2 October 2015 Stivell released his long-awaited new (CD) album calledAMzer: SeasonsthroughWorldVillagein France (and other countries), his first one of the 2010s, coinciding with his career’s 50th anniversary. The album’s release date was originally scheduled for 22 September 2015. The album is also available as a “Leclerc limited edition” including 3 bonus tracks (2 alternative mixes and a brand new instrumental) and a 60-page booklet

Critical acclaim

Music critic Bruce Eder has stated: “[Alan Stivell’s] harp recordings, with their enveloping lyricism and tightly interwoven patterns of variations, can appeal to more serious listeners of new age music. Stivell’s main audience, however, lies with fans of Celtic music and culture, and English folk music. Embracing ancient and modern elements, but (apart from his folk-rock work) making no compromises to modern melodic sensibilities, his music captures the mystery and strangeness of Breton, Irish, Welsh, and Scottish landscapes that are both ageless and timeless. It is haunting, mysterious, and beautiful, with no equivalent in modern popular music and few peers in the realm of commercial folk music.”

Sleeve Condition (Out of 10) ~8 light wear
Label Condition (Out of 10) ~ 10
Vinyl Condition ~ (Out of 10)
Side 1 -10
side 2 – 10
BIN # *10 / R21 Same
Label:Fontana 6399 008Format:Vinyl, LP, AlbumCountry:UKReleased:1974Genre:Folk, World, & CountryStyle:Folk

Tracklist