|
|
 Photo - 70 Ko |
The "Tete blanche" - Penven in Brittany - continually leading the dances. The festival de Cornouaille opened today at the breton Museum with the first of the communications of the summer university. Kristel Le Neillon dedicated her post graduate studies to Jeff Le Penven, the founder of Quimper`s school of music who disappeared thirty years ago. With two kinds of musical education, both traditional and modern, this quimperois musician invented modern breton music : he widened the music`s scope appropriate to the mood, adapting his classical form to traditional instruments. His main piece 'Cantate du bout du monde' reconstitutes the legend of the great Celt empire from oral works. Jeff Le Penven interpreted this old quest for the end of the world through a musical form anchored in the present. He rises to the challenge of restoring and revitalizing breton music and culture by bringing life into music as only Jeff Le Penven knows how. |
|
The dawn serenade of the festivalgoers.
As they begin to play, everything around them comes to a halt. Better than a canon firing, its a 'bagad' sounding the first notes of the music festival of Cornouaille in the vibrant heart of Brittany. The 'bagad' Penhars from Quimper, comprising of bagpipes, traditional pipes and percussion, had the honor of charming the passers-by, leading them on foot to the cathedral where regional products were awaiting them. The 'bagad'varied their sequences to great affect, alternating between walking to the music and pausing at a square or beneath a window. The affect was also showing on the musicians. Annaig is fifteen years old and the only female in the group in which she plays the Bombard, a small breton flute. She started playing at the age of nine and is not willing to give it up. I have always loved it, she says cheerfully, and the public reception gives me just as much pleasure. Cultural ambassador at fifteen years of age, will anything stop her? |
|
 Photo - 34 Ko |
He holds his bagpipes like a mother her baby. Lucien Thomas aged 61 is now in retirement and is able to concentrate on his passion of breton music. Of Parisien origin, he discovered he had a Quimperois great-grandmother and little by little, he fell in love with Brittany. He took bagpipe lessons and has played for three years at the cultural society of Brittany (Mission Bretagne) in Paris. As for the festival de Cornouaille, he has come every year since 1989 to admire the 'bagadous' and to get the most from the traditions and music. It is plain to see that there is no other like Lucien. He talks passionately about breton music, the fingering techniques of the "biniou koz" (small binious with one bourdon) and the "biniou braz" (larger binious with two bourdons). The later passions in life are often the most lively. |
|
Small dancers becoming big dancers.
The step is unsteady but the eye is watchful. Today at Laennec place, breton dancing is being learned. The festival is the first opportunity for many to see traditional breton crafts first hand: music, crepe making, embroidery, singing and the breton language. The dance workshop is open to both adults and children but today it is reserved for the latter, the possible dancers of tomorrow. Step to in front, step behind, series of twelve and then series of eight, it is not always easy for the little ones to coordinate their moves. However, with training from the organizers, the presence of instructors in the ring and with the help of the singing, they will soon be Breton's number one dancers.
|
|
|
|
||||
