‘Raok diletra: Before accosing – Wikipedia

‘ Raok Diestra ( Before accosing in French, Before Landing In English) is the ninth original album by Alan Stivell and his seventh studio album, published in the fall of 1977. He reissued in CD in 1992 with a distribution by Dreyfus/Sony Music discs. Completely composed by Alan Stivell, it is an album-concept which traces the stages of the history of Brittany at first, then the events that the Bretons knew at XX ^{It is} century, finishing, turned towards the future, by a “free Brittany” chanted in three languages. This historical work is a step which he considers necessary in his cycle turned towards transmission before turning to the future. However, music combines folk and progressive rock.

Artistic, political and intellectual approach [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

“In this historic moment when the hope of a change of life is reborn thanks to the chances of the electoral left to be brought to power, it was necessary to encourage the French and the Bretons (and other peoples gathered by the same administration) to be Release from a falsified story by the bourgeoisie. The decolonization movement of Brittany (like other movements fighting on other fields) will help the French left to fight its old nationalist demons. The recovery of other civilizations, such as Celtic civilization, will also help the spirits to finally escape Roman prisons. »»

– Alan stiffel, Pocket text

Alan Stivell seeks to present through the disc the history of the Breton nation ^{[ first ]} . The project of the first part – dedicated to Glenmor – is to return to the past of the Bretons, to trace its important stages according to him, from the old Celts, title of the first song. Follow the historical “moments” retained by Alan Stivell: the Bretons exiled in Armoricus, the Kingdom of Brittany, the Duchy of Brittany, the Treaty of Union with France, the revolts, the French Revolution and the XX ^{It is} century in two parts. Musically, the songs in Breton are linked without interruption for almost thirty minutes.

In his book Prohibited roots (1979), he declared: “[…] My needs for violence should explode. Through music. Through the words […] Reducing more than twenty centuries of ten songs? The attempt is delicate, but I believe I have respected the important facts. […] Raok Diestra Obviously marks my position in favor of a national release … and whose aim is not to go from one bourgeoisie to another ^{[ 2 ]} … » Cited by Jacques Vassal, the singer declared, to present his approach: “A story of the Breton people reduced to a dozen songs […] cannot avoid having some simplifications. But however I believe I have respected the important facts of this story prohibited by the school ^{[ 3 ]} . » The singer will recognize that certain statements may seem exaggerated, but that they arrived after decades, centuries of domination and “That there is nothing really questionable” ^{[ 4 ]} . “I had designed this disc when the hope of a change of life was reborn, thanks to the chances of the electoral left to access power …” ^{[ 2 ]}

The disc Raok Diestra appeared in the fall of 1977 in France at Phonogram (Philips) with Franco-Breton song and in its English version a few months earlier by its historic label Fontana. The 33 laps was reissued in CD by Dreyfus discs in 1992, based on the Anglobreton edition which had the titles and part of the song in English. The version with French voices is not reissued in digital.

On the music side, it flirts with elements of the so -called “progressive” rock, the branch of the most sophisticated rock, which makes few people really understood this album when it was released ^{[ first ]} . In terms of texts, understanding is not facilitated for many, speaking in Breton. However, he tells a real story of the Breton nation, sometimes from his point of view or by expressing his opinion, while pointing out of real current issues as the recognition of national minorities ^{[ 5 ]} .

André-Georges Hamon delivers his opinion in his book dedicated to 20 years of Breton song: “… a wonderful musical and political education album for the young Breton in search of research. The texts are both expressive and finely chiseled. The music is surprising, strong in its electrified and sensitive expression in its acoustic form. The beauty of this disc comes from both the desired discrepancy between “historical text” and hovering music and the perfectly successful alternation of “cool” passages with intervention of the Celtic harp in particular and the harshness of rock sounds. It is a real educational disc which, without completely announceing accosting, opens a completely new path in the Bardic expression ^{[ 6 ]} … »

Musical analysis [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The composition of the disc inscribes it once again quite in the musical modernity of its time: progressive rock (note the Breton title Raok which means “before” and “rock”), with a Stivell knowing how to welcome musicians from the galaxy of this type of very virtuoso music. Indeed, with the support of English multi-instrumentalists such as Lyn Dobson (Soft Machine), Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention) and Richard Harvey (Gryphon), Stivell always turns out to be an artist in research, marrying his time, never deny its culture of origin, nor its convictions.

Musically, it presents a very rock side (progressive or fusion), with the strong presence of the guitar of Dan Ar Braz, for the last time, a stronger presence of keyboards (Alan having put it) and even The organ on The Breton Kingdom , the rock use of the Fiddle (violin) of Patrig Kerre (replacement by René Werneer) as well as the introduction of the saxophone which sounds very aggressive, all accompanied by the usual bass and battery structure. On the traditional acoustic side well known in the artist, the instruments present are: his harp, enchanting on Dead for his people , the Dulcimer, the Sitar of Lyn Dobson to open and close the album, the Cromorne, which dates from the Middle Ages (on The Breton Duchy ) and of course the bombers and bagpipes.

Song description [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The first part is called Our past .

The ancient Celts

The text speaks of a democratic essay among the Celts, even before that of the Athenians, of gender equality; Upon arrival of the Romans, he advances, the Celts were known as philosophers and artists ^{[ 7 ]} . He made the Roman conquest a battle of ideas between the supremacy of the state and the individual freedom which would have been specific to the Celts. When Stivell evokes Celtic philosophy-opposing a certain way to the idea that it was born in Greece to IN ^{It is} century of. J.-C. -, one can think of the role played by the Druids – undoubtedly appeared from the I ^is millennium before our era – and also by bards ^{[ 8 ]} . Regarding vocal interpretation, Stivell is rather in restraint, accompanied by various traditional instruments, including mandolin and Indian Sitar ^{[ 9 ]} . Finally, through his work, the artist illustrates such as the “Celtitude” of the origins, in that it was also a culture open to otherness.

Britons on the island of Brittany

The text evokes the conservation of the Celtic roots despite the Romanization, of the Armorica in the year 50 BC. AD (Gallo-Romains) then from Great Britain during the I ^is century (Britto-Romains). The song is punctuated by the serious song of Stivell and by the percussion and tablas of Lyn Dobson and Jean-Luc Danna, still accompanied by the Celtic harp and the dulcimer of Patrig Kerre ^{[ ten ]} .

Armoric Britons

Maria Popkiewicz (future member of the Fusion Zeuhl Magma group) continues on the harp agreements by declaring the emigration of the Britons in Armorica.

The Kingdom of Brittany

Piece Rock, introduced by the sound of a horse ride, which traces the history of the kingdom, punctuated by moments of wars during the succession of kings and peace allowing to pursue a still strong Celtic culture ^{[ 11 ]} . Stivell “flirts” with progressive rock here (changes of rhythms, in particular). Participate in the album of musicians from this movement: the two brothers Michel and André Hervé in the bass guitar and the keyboards, ex-Zoo and members of Magma at the time, Lyn Dobson (Flûtes, Sitar, Tablas and Psalterion), ex-member of the British psychedelic group Soft Machine. The multi-instrumentalist Richard Harvey, of Gryphon, English group known for his association of folk music with medieval sounds and Renaissance, is still there ^{[ n. 1 ]} . Stivell’s warrior song is supported on this piece by the bagad and a Hammond organ, which stands out for a small solo with accents jazz-rock ^{[ twelfth ]} .

The Duchy of Brittany

To evoke the Duchy of Brittany, the music is more medieval, accompanied by the choirs, the percussion, the harp and especially the Cromorne – an old wooden wind instrument, with double reed, in the shape of a curved pipe – by Richard Harvey ^{[ 13 ]} . Its refrain is one of the summits of this first part ^{[ 14 ]} .

Le Traité d’Union Franco shelf And Revolts

Songs that introduce the drama, the historical breakup: Stivell declares the text and then sings it, with a disturbing climate accompaniment (Jazz-Rock Fusion) ^{[ ten ]} , evoking on slightly dissonant sounds non-compliance with the Union Treaty to France, then the people’s revolt in the face of obscurantism accompanied by Fiddle ^{[ 15 ]} .

The French Revolution and the 19 ^{It is} century

After the sweet arpeggios of the harp, comes the tension of the drums and the electric guitar (Dan Ar Arme plays a mutilated version from the beginning of the French national anthem on the guitar) on various harp sounds and a reasoning voice, before The arrival of the violin on the English declamations of Marie Popkiewicz ^{[ 16 ]} .

XX ^{It is} century

The XX ^{It is} century ( Ugentwed kantwed In Breton) is sung by Alan Stivell, accompanied by his piano and the violin that twirl together. After a short silence returns the electric fury, reinforced by the rhythm of the Scottish batteries of the Bagad Bleimor. It is a question of cultural and linguistic ethnocide (communicate to Breton children the shame of their origins and their language), economic and human (“genocide” sometimes used to qualify the dead during the French wars) ^{[ 17 ]} . This first part includes a sequel: a frenzied kan ha diskan, with Dan Ar Braz, who pays homage to the awakening of which Stivell is himself a stakeholder. The role of Glenmor, the creation of UDB or FLB, is then cited as so many stages, the social revolts, May 1968, the concert of Olympia, the role of music and dance to reach young people , restoring their pride to the oldest – this kind of first assessment opening on a prospect full of hope for the years to come ^{[ 18 ]} .

The part Our present Includes six titles, including two out in 45 laps.

The Ewan (“In Ewan Mon Son”)

Ballad dedicated to the son of Alan Stivell, to whom the artist wishes happiness, security and freedom in his life on earth ^{[ 19 ]} . After an acoustic start with the harp and Sitar strings, the electric guitar chords follow the arrival of the battery and the bass and the melody is played by the bombers with the bagpipes in the background ^{[ 6 ]} .

Dying ewid e fobl (“Death for his people”)

Instrumental complaint (harp, violin and cello) dedicated to Yann-Kel Kernaleguen (1954-1976), Breton nationalist military, trade unionist and member of the FLB, died at the age of 22 stealing his bomb to save a passerby ^{[ 20 ]} . He also recalls the rebirth of the Celtic harp ^{[ ten ]} .

Gwrizid defennet (“Prohibited roots”)

This song denounces, as its title suggests, the impossibility of having access to teaching the Breton language, causes that Stivell says to support “thanks to mass media »Which broadcast the modern Breton song ^{[ 21 ]} . It is she who gives her title to the book published by Lattès in 1979. It is a progressive rock with traditional and electric instruments, where the tenor saxophone of Alain Hatot, which makes him graze free jazz ^{[ 22 ]} . It is also a new Bardic expression which uses a certain internationalism to pose its autonomismism ^{[ n. 2 ]} .

Naw Breton ‘low’ jail (“Nine Bretons in prison”)

This song testifies to the repression that fell on Breton activists who attacked in the 1970s in the symbols of the French Republic or capitalism ^{[ 22 ]} . Stivell denounces in the Kan Ha Diskan sung with Yann-Jakez Hassold and punctuated by traditional instruments (violin, bombard, flute), their preventive detention and warns: “There will be no spring neither in Brittany nor elsewhere / not before socialism and freedom are victorious” ^{[ 23 ]} . Following incarcerations and trials, the demonstrations and testimonies of support have multiplied, from the Socialist Party to Breton activists to artists ^{[ 24 ]} .

Tamm-Cright New ‘ (“New central part”)

Fast moment of traditional Breton music with the Bagad Bleimor. The title implies the Kreiz Breizh (Center Bretagne) in renewal. The Fest-Noz Observatory is called “Tamm-Kreiz” ^{[ 25 ]} .

PLINN-SLOGAN

Piece with the traditional structure (Dañs Plinn, close to the trance) supported by a rock rhythm and the Breton instruments of the Bagad Bleimor. Alan Stivell repeatedly claims a “free Brittany”, in French, in Breton ( Breizh Digabestr ) and English ( Free Brittany ) ^{[ 26 ]} . We hear at the end of the Sitar ^{[ 27 ]} .

Pouch and disc [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The cover is a painting (made by Smart Art) of a green and naked island in the middle of an ocean between light and dark blue, under a mysterious veiled sky. At the top, Alan Stivell is inscribed in stylized white letters, the Keltia III logo on the right, below, the title of the album, supplemented by “Before accoster” and the CBS logo. An island that recalls the poem by Youenn Gwernig opening the previous disc, Trembra’n inis: Vars Île . Inside, a beautiful shot signed Phonogram: Alan, in jeans jacket, bearded, hair in the wind, eyes turned towards the distance, with its bombarde. The text compared (cited above) is part of the time and, always, in the Celtic project of Stivell.

Song list [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

All the words are written by Alan Stivell, all the music is composed by Alan Stivell.

Credits [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Artistic team [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Technical team [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Production: Alan Stivel (Pour Keltia 3)
• Recording and mixing: Sawmills Studios (in) (Cornwall)
• Sound engineer: Jerry Boys
• Recording and mixing (12, 14) Aquarium Studios (London)
• Sound engineer (12, 14)  : Gilbert Grenier
• Illustration : Karl Dallas (Smart Art), Jim FitzPatrick (logo)

Notes [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

References [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Bibliography [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

• Laurent Bourdelas , Alan stiffel , Le Télégramme Éditions, 2012 , 336 p. (ISBN  978-2-84833-274-1 And 2-84833-274-3 ) , p. 149-164 : reissue 2017, the word and the rest (ISBN  2360544551 )
• Alan Stivell , Jacques Erwan and Marc The fat , Prohibited roots: Gwriziad Difennet , Jean-Claude Lattès, coll. “Music & musicians”, 1979 , 224 p.
• Alain Cabon and Erwan Chartier , The FLB file: Diving with Breton illegal immigrants , Special, coop Breizh, 2006 , 316 p. (ISBN  978-2-84346-296-2 )
• André-Georges Challenge ( pref.  Glenmor), Chants of all Brittany: 20 years of Breton song , Paris, Jean Picollec, coll. “Celtic biblio”, 1981 , 544 p. (ISBN  2-86477-034-2 ) , p. 463-464

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