amazon.com
thechieftains.com
RCA Victor | BMG Classics 09026-68602-2
1996
amazon.com
thechieftains.com
RCA Victor | BMG Classics 09026-68602-2
1996
THE CHIEFTAINS
DEREK BELL: Harp, Tiompán, Harpsichord
MARTIN FAY: Fiddle
SEÁN KEANE: Fiddle
KEVIN CONNEFF: Bodhrán, Vocals
MATT MOLLOY: Flute
PADDY MOLONEY: Uilleann Pipes, Tin Whistle
With very special guest CARLOS NÚÑEZ: Gaita, Recorder, Whistle, Bombard
Guest musicians as indicated in each track
THE PILGRIMAGE TO SANTIAGO
1. Txalaparta [1:17]
Kepa Junquera, Julio Pereira: txalaparta
Kepa Junquera: trikitixa (accordion) — Julio Pereira: cavaquinho (Portuguese ukelele)
2. Arku-Dantza / Arin-Arin [4:21]
Kepa Junquera: accordion, tambourine — Julio Pereira: cavaquinho
3. El Besu (The Kiss) [2:19]
Zuacu Amieva: rabel, voice
4. Não vas ao mar, Toino (Don't go to the sea, Toino) [2:02]
Julio Pereira: cavaquinho, percussion — Lance Doss: bass
5. Dum Paterfamilias / Ad Honorem [3:14]
Codex Calixtinus
cc 117
cc 115
Ultreia Choir conducted by Fernando Olbés: voices
***
6. Dueling Chanters [2:54]
(Sixpenny Mondy / Polka de Vilagarcia)
7. Galician Overture [11:01]
Xoven Orquestra de Galicia conducted by Joam Trillo
Diego Bouzón: Spanish guitar — Pancho Álvarez: mandolin — Antón Requeixo: drum
Hipólito Cabezas: tambourine — Steve Cooney: guitar
8. Guadalupe [2:52]
Linda Ronstadt: vocals — Los Lobos: Mexican string instruments and percussion
9. Minho Waltz [3:21]
10. Setting Sail / Muineira de Frexido [3:26]
Xoven Orquestra de Galicia
11. Maneo [3:27]
Eliot Fisk: classical guitar — Ciro Baptista, Jeffery Lesser, Paddy Moloney: hand clapping
12. Santiago de Cuba [3:38]
Ry Cooder: mandola — Pancho Amat: tres — "Cachaíto": double bass
Richard Egües: flute — Roberto García: percussion
13. Galleguita / Tutankhamen [4:08]
Ry Cooder: mandola — Coro Folklórico: vocals — Zozaya and Pío Leiva: vocal soloists
Pancho Amat: tres — "Cachaíto": double bass — Richard Egües: flute — Roberto García: percussion
14. Tears of Stone [2:40]
15. Dublin in Vigo [7:07]
A. Alborada Gallega
B. Miudiño
C. Lola
D. Jackson's Morning Brush
E. Muiñeira de Cabana
F. Muiñeira de Chantada
Matto Congrio: vocals, dance — Wenceslao Cabeza "Polo" solo vocals, tambourine
THE CHIEFTAINS
Santiago
More
than twenty years ago my dear friend Polig Monjarret introduced me to
the wonderful music of Galicia, a green and hilly region in the
northwest corner of Spain. With an economy historically based on fishing
and farming, it has traditionally been one of the poorest regions in
Europe. Galicians speak their own language (closer to Portuguese than
Spanish). The culture, particularly the music, has more in common with
those of Brittany, Wales, Scotland and Ireland than Castille or
Andalusia. Galicia was once described as "the world's most undiscovered
Celtic country".
In 1984, in the seaport of Vigo, I performed at
an outdoor festival hosted by the Galician band Milladoiro. It was here
that I was introduced to a quiet and polite lad by the name of Carlos
Núñez. A few years later a young and gifted Galician piper played for us
during our visit to the traditional music Conservatoire of Ploemeur in
Brittany. To my surprise and delight, he turned out to be the very same
lad.
A short time later, with the assistance ol Polig and
Fernando Conde, Señor Núñez's equally young and knowledgeable associate,
I made arrangements to have the precocious piper from Vigo join the
Chieftains on stage. The evening turned out to be a glorious meeting of
musical styles and traditions. From that moment I was determined to
recreate and expand upon the experience, to capture its essence on
record as we had done years before with the music of Brittany on "A
Celtic Wedding".
The project evolved slowly, taking us in many
new and exciting directions never imagined that first night in Vigo.
Carlos joined us on stages around the world, thrilling audiences with
his unrivalled skill on recorder and Gaita (Galician bagpipes). At times
he could almost have been considered a seventh member of the
Chieftains. We recorded as we travelled, deriving inspiration for our
musical movements from the places we visited along the traditional
pilgrims route to the enchanted cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Christians hold the site sacred and believe it to be the final resting
place of St. James the Apostle. Older legends dating back to ancient
Celtic times speak of another pilgrimage that followed the stars of the
Milky Way to Land's End (Finisterre). Transcending its own mysterious
origins, the Pilgrimage continues to draw countless thousands from
around the world to this faraway land.
During our travels we
sampled the many moods and musical styles of the surrounding cultures,
from Breton to Basque, from Asturian to Portuguese and beyond. There is
music from Medieval times, when the Pilgrimage reached its peak, and
music dating further back with far more obscure origins.
Music of
a more contemporary history evolved when Galicians, like many of their
Celtic cousins, emigrated in great numbers to the new world. Whether by
design or necessity they settled primarily in the south, spreading their
roots from Mexico and the Caribbean through Central and South America.
In our travels, we were able to sample only a taste of this exotic fare,
to Cuba with Carlos and our good friend Ry Cooder and later to southern
California with Los Lobos and Linda Ronstadt.
Other countries
with music steeped in the richness of Galician tradition tempted us to
continue the pilgrimage. Unfortunately, for now, time and schedules have
put an end to our travels. Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, all will have
to ait for another time, another
project, another journey back to Santiago.
PADDY MOLONEY
July, 1996
THE CHIEFTAINS
Hace
más de veinte años, mi querido amigo Polig Monjarret me introdujo a la
maravillosa música de Galicia, una region verde y montañosa del noroeste
de España. Galicia, cuya economía se ha basado principalmente en la
pesca y la agricultura, ha sido desde siempre una de lus regiones mis
pobres de Europa. Los gallegos hablan su propio idioma (más parecido al
portugués que al español). La cultura, especialmente la música, tiene
más en común con la de Bretaña, Gales, Escocia e Irlanda que con la de
Castilla o Andalucía. Galicia fue descrita en otros tiempos como "el
país céltico menos descubierto". PADDY MOLONEY
Pilgrimage to Santiago
Santiago
En 1984, en el viejo puerto de
Vigo, actué en un festival al aire libre organizado por la banda gallega
Milladoiro. Allí fue donde me presentaron a un joven tranquilo y cortés
llamado Carlos Núñez. Unos años mas tarde, un joven y talentoso gaitero
gallego tocó para nosotros durante nuestra visita al Conservatorio de
música tradicional de Ploemeur en Bretaña. Quedé gratamente sorprendido
al descubrir que el mismo joven que tocaba era el que yo conocí en Vigo.
Poco
después, y con la ayuda de Polig y Fernando Conde, el asociado
igualmente joven e inteligente del Señor Núñez, hice los preparativos
para que el precoz gaitero de Vigo tocara junto con The Chieftains en
una función. La noche resultó una gloriosa reunión de estilos y
tradiciones musicales. A partir de ese momento, me decidí a recrear y
desarrollar la experiencia para capturar sus esencia en una grabación,
tal y como habíamos hecho años atrás con la música de Bretaña en "A
Celtic Wedding".
El proyecto se desarrolló lentamente,
llevándonos por rumbos excitantes y nuevos nunca imaginados en esa
primera noche en Vigo. Carlos se unió a nosotros en escenarios de todo
el mundo, conmoviendo ali público con su destreza sin igual con la quena
y la galta. A veces, parecía que era el séptimo miembro de The
Chieftains. Grabamos mientras viajábamos, derivando la inspiración por
nuestros movimientos musicales en los lugares que visitábamos a lo largo
de la tradicional ruta de los peregrinos a la catedral encantada de
Santiago de Compostela. Los cristianos respetan el lugar como sagrado y
creen que es el lugar donde está enterrado el Apóstol Santiago. Las
leyendas más antiguas de los tiempos célticos hablan de otra
peregrinación que seguían las estrellas de la Vía Láctea hacia el fin de
la tierra (Finisterre). Trascendiendo sus propios orígenes misteriosos,
el peregrinaje sigue atrayendo a miles de personas de todo el mundo
hacia esta tierra lejana.
Durante nuestros viajes, probamos las
emociones y estilos musicales de las culturas cercanas, desde la bretona
a la vasca, desde la asturiana hasta la portuguesa y más allá. Hay
música de los tiempos medievales, cuando el peregrinaje estaba en su
momento cumbre, y música de una época más antigua con orígenes mucho más
oscuros.
La música de la historia más contemporánea evolucionó
cuando los gallegos, como muchos de sus primos célticos, emigraron en
masa hacia el nuevo mundo. Ya fuera por el diseño o por la necesidad, se
establecieron principalmente en el sur, anclando sus raíces desde
México hasta el Caribe y América Central y del Sur. En nuestros viajes,
sólo pudimos probar algunos de estos estilos exóticos. A Cuba con Carlos
y nuestro buen amigo Ry Cooder y luego al sur de California con Los
Lobos y Linda Rondstadt.
Otros países con la música impregnada en
la riqueza de la tradición gallega nos tentaron para seguir el
peregrinaje. Desgraciadamente, por ahora, el tiempo y los horarios han
detenido nuestros viajes. Argentina, Brasil y Venezuela tendrán que
esperar otro momento, otro proyecto, otra jornada de regreso a Santiago.
Julio de 1996
1. TXALPARTA
2. ARKU-DANTZA / ARIN-ARIN
Our
journey begins in the Basque country of Northeastern Spain with the
sounds of the Txalaparta. These wonderfully ancient instruments,
actually large wooden planks, have been laid out on baskets and maize
leaves and played with sticks. The rhythm was originally intended to
recreate the sound of horses on the move.
The Basque country,
along with Galicia and Catalonia, is one of the three historical
nationalities recognized within Spain. The Arku-Dantza is actually part
of three dances that celebrate the legendary victory of the people of
Durango. The "Arin-Arin'' is a typical free dance piece in which
the couples danced separately. It is a beautiful example of the type of
tune created for the Trikitixa or box accordion.
3. EL BESU
The lovely simplicity of this extremely old song speaks of love and youth, Kiss me little girl, with your coral lips.
It originates from Asturias, a small principality on Spain's northern
coast with spectacular scenery and a deep sense of their Celtic past.
Xuacu Amieva sings and plays the rabel over his knees in the ancient
fashion. This three-stringed ancestor of the violin has changed very
little over time as can be witnessed in the 11th-century stone carvings
to be found in the ruins of tiny village chapels along the Pilgrimage
route.
4. NÃO VAS AO MAR, TOINO (Don't go to the sea, Toino)
In
Roman times the north of Portugal was part of old Galicia. Today they
are still linked by a similar language and their Celtic past. This cavaquinho tune originates from a small fishing village on the Atlantic coast
5. DUM PATERFAMILIAS / AD HONOREM
This
recording took place late at night in the Convento de San Paio de
Antealtares facing the cathedral of Santiago. At midnight, the bells
tolled mournfully, wonderful for atmosphere, but they interrupted one of
our better takes. We were so lost in the magic of the setting that we
did not notices the nuns watching from the shadows of their enclosure.
It is said that these Medieval tunes were popular anthems sung by the
pilgrims on their journey.
6. Dueling Chanters (Sixpennu Money / Polka de Vilagarcia)
This
duet has become a live favorite that we have played around the world.
It is wonderful vehicle to display the unique interplay of the Uilleann
pipes and the Gaita (Galician bagpipes)
7. Galician Overture (Composed: Paddy Moloney)
What
began as a thirty-second introduction piece somehow developed into this
eleven-minute overture for orchestra. In the end we had a taste of
music from Ireland and all Our Celtic cousins in Brittany, Scotland and
Galicia. Olé!
8. Guadalupe. With Linda Rondstadt and Los Lobos
Although
Linda and the boys from Los Lobos never had the chance to meet (travel
schedules required that we recorded this tune in three different
cities), I think they did justice to this joyous duet. While it was
still a work-in-progress we fondly referred to the tune as the Mexican Connection. It is typical of the type of song created by Galician immigrants to the new world longing for their homeland.
9. Minho Waltz (Traditional arr.: Matt Molloy)
This
unusual tune, probably of Portuguese origin, was discovered by Carlos
in an old manuscript in the museum at Pontevedra. It is, I think, a
perfect vehicle to display the dazzling virtuosity of our own Matt
Molloy. You may note as well, towards the end, a fine flourish of fiddle
from Seán Keane.
10. Setting Sail / Muiñeira de Frexido (Composed/traditional; arr.: Paddy Moloney)
Archaeologists
date sea connections between Ireland and Galicia at least as far back
as the Bronze Age. There is even a legend in the Irish book of conquests
Lebor Gàbala (Leabhar Gàbala) that claims Ireland was founded by the
son of the Galician Celtic king Breogán. In that spirit we have selected
this tune, the first ever The Chieftains ever played with Carlos.
11. Maneo
Althoug
the tune is Galician in origin this is one of the most typically
Spanish rhythms in the program, accented here by flamenco-like hand
clapping as well as the Spanish guitar of Señor Eliot Fisk, a pupil of
the great Andrés Segovia.
12. Santiago de Cuba (Composed/traditional; arr.: Paddy Moloney)
With Ry Cooder: mandola
13. Galleguita / Tutankhamen. With Ry Cooder: mandola
There
is a long history of Galician immigration to Cuba. Over the years the
melodies have mixed with the exotic rhythms and choral styling of
Afro-Cuba to create a wondrous blend indeed. When we first arrived in
Cuba I had asked for six musicians. More than thirty singers and players
eventually showed up. Their spontaneity and joyous sense of friendship
and celebration were overwhelming. By the end of the session the studio
was filled with dances and laughter that continued long into the night.
14. Tears of Stone
This beautiful love song advises a young girl never to trust a man's promises... some things never change.
15. Dublin in Vigo
A) ALBORADA GALLEGA
B) MIUDIÑO
C) LOLA
D) JACKSON'S MORNING BRUSH
E) MUIÑEIRA DE CABANA
F) MUIÑEIRA DE CHANTADA
One
evening after a concert in Vigo we finished up at a tiny Irish pub
named the Dublin. After a few toasts to our Galician hosts things began
to get rather lively, and by the time we left, (so the tell me) they
were dancing on the tables. Later that year we decided to return to the
same pub armed with a mobile recording unit and a roomful of Galicia's
finest dancers and musicians. The room was packed to the rafters and out
into the streets. What followed wast faithfully recorded live by our
engineer, who hast to perch himself and his microphones rather
precariously from the very same rafters.
All traditional melodies arranged by Paddy Maloney except where indicated.
PRODUCED BY PADDY MOLONEY
Mixed by JEFFERY LESSER
All tracks mixed at CLINTON STUIDOS, New York.
Mastered at MASTERDISK, NYC, by Greg Calbi.
PHOTOGRAPHY & ART DIRECTION: James O'Mara & Ryan
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH & ASSISTANCE: Fernando Conde & Stephen Macklam
Very special thanks to Carlos Núñez and Fernando Conde
for invaluable research, assistance, patience and friendship.
BMG Classics
© Ⓟ 1996 BMG Music
TRACK 1, 2, 3, 4: Recorded at Elkar Studios, San Sebastián, Spain;
Engineered by Brian Masterson, assisted by Ciaran Cahill.
TRACK 5: Recorded remote at Convento de San Paio Antealtares, Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
Engineered by Brian Masterson, assisted by Ciaran Cahill.
TRACK 6, 9, 14: Recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland;
Engineered by Bill Sommerville Large, assisted by Ciaran Cahill.
TRACK 7 & 10: Recorded remote at Auditorio de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela, Spain;
& Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland; Engineered by Brian Masterson, assisted by Ciaran Cahill.
TRACK 8: Recorded at Schnee Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Engineered by Robert Loftus Jr.
& Russian Hill Studios, San Francisco, CA; Engineered by Jeffery Lesser, assisted by Bob Conlon.
TRACK 11: Recorded at DoubleWTronics Studios, Madrid, Spain;
Engineered by Jesús N. Gómez, assisted bu Fernando Álvarez;
& Westland Studios, Dublin, Ireland; Engineered by Bill Sommerville Large, assisted by Ed Keneham.
TRACK 12 & 13: Recorded at Estudio Egrem, Havana, Cuba;
Engineered by Matt Kemp, assisted by Zexia Torres.
TRACK 15: Recorded remote at the Dublin Pub, Vigo, Spain;
Engineered by Brian Masterson, assisted by Ciaran Cahill.
