RESOUND A QUARTERLY OF THE Archives of Traditional Music Volume IX, Number 4 October 1990

singers and bagpipers to pop-rock bands whose arrangements of traditional tunes served as a catalyst for A Musical Renaissance in the rediscovery of Breton identity by younger genera tions. Lois Kuter A year of research in 1978-79 was made much easier with a car and a gradually expanding network of individuals whose expertise and friendship were invaluable. My task for a doctoral dissertation was to define the adjective "Breton"-what did it mean to be My first field trip to Brittany as a graduate student Breton. Unlike other anthropological and in 1975 was exploratory in the fullest sense. I had already ethnomusicological studies which homed in on a discovered that American libraries have an extremely particular village or specific hypothesis, my research was small collection of literature of very mixed quality related purposely open-ended and wide-ranging. Because ?f a to this Celtic country within . I had been able to great deal of cultural diversity within Brittany-whIch gather very little information about Breton music, but the appears subtle to an outsider but is sharply perceived, if few references and recordings I had located led me to not clearly defined by -the adjective "Breton" is believe that it was well worth my while to take a closer about as precise as the adjective "American." Imagine the look at the persistence of Breton culture. response people in the U.s. would give to a foreign In 1975 my travels in Brittany were limited to foot researcher asking them to define" American identity." and public transportation, which meant I was frustrated My questions about "Breton identity" left many Bretons by an inability to attend musical events and meet speechless. Most people in Brittany use a more local individuals who might help me begin my research. identity-as do Americans-and had never given thought Hungry for any information I could get which would give to defining the adjective "Breton." Although I did not me a means to define just what Breton music was and want to lose the open-ended quality of my research, I where and when it was performed, I used every bit of quickly found that I needed a topic to approach the idea evidence I could find, spending a great deal of time in of "Bretonness." libraries, but also scouring the contents of daily The definition of "Breton" music served as an ideal newspapers, magazines, record jackets and posters approach to the wider question of Breton identity. advertising upcoming events. I am certain that store Complimentary to this was an examination of how clerks were perplexed by this individual who spent so identity was marked by the -a Celtic much time taking notes in the record bins. And, my language unrelated to French still used as the everyday explanations-in a French still far from fluent-that I was language of 300,000 to 500,000 people in Brittany. The a student studying Breton music did little to justify to negative stigma that has been attached to the Breton them my study of record jackets (which in Brittany can language through a conscious attempt on the part of be a source of valuable details unavailable in any other French school teachers and government officials to both medium). "civilize" the peripheries of France and make the Locating musicians and Bretons who were speakers of non-French languages better citizens of studying Breton music was more difficult. As a total France has made the study of sociolinguistics in Brittany stranger in a country where knowing someone and extremely complex. This is compounded by the fact that having their introduction was critical to opening a in the eastern half of Brittany the Breton language has conversation, I wrote letters introducing myself. I was been gone for centuries and a distinct dialect of French fortunate to meet several individuals who generously identifies the unique culture of "Gallos." During the offered suggestions for further research, and i~formation, years of my research the Bretons of eastern Brittany were hospitality. My summer stay in Brittany in 1975 gave me struggling with the definition of their own identity. just enough of an introduction to know that Breton music Folklorists, ethnographers and Bretons of the west had was alive and well in a variety of forms, from traditional managed to convince Gallos that the absence of the organizing local festivals and archives to foster the Breton language in eastern Brittany made them "less unique traditions rooted in the different pays (literally, Breton." (See Kuter 1985 and 1989 for discussion of countries) of Brittany. This trend continues today and has linguistic diversity within Brittany.) Because language fostered a new generation of traditional singers and tended to emphasize social, political and cultural division instrumentalists who strengthen the oral tradition by within Brittany, it proved to be a difficult and sensitive respecting the essentially sociaL nature of learning topic for conversation. Music and other cultural markers traditions from older generations. Young musicians enjoy of Brittany had not escaped the negative social and and respect the social bonds fostered in an oral tradition, political stigmatization the Breton language so clearly but have expanded the network by using recordings and carried, but music served as a more neutral means of publications to document and help make traditions more expressing Breton identity-an identity with many levels. accessible beyond a one-to-one contact. New technologies On one level, Breton identity was highly negative, have not threatened the oral traditions of Brittany, but and distinctively Breton markers such as language and instead strengthen them. Young and old musicians take music traditions marked one as a backwards peasant. advantage of recordings to supplement more direct Many Bretons believed that to get ahead in the world it contacts which include the transmission of far more than was necessary to become French. The old songs were all music. right for old people, but not to be passed on to one's Founded in 1972 by a handful of musicians who children. Fortunately, many Bretons did not believe that simply wanted to share their collection of recordings with it was necessary to abandon their heritage to get ahead in others, Dastum has become a major archive in Europe the world. And others who had emigrated to with some four hundred to five hundred individuals learned first hand that to become French did not contributing tapes, adding up to over 1,500 hours of guarantee paradise. Emigrants returning to Brittany were music, radio programs, oral histories and storytelling (see frequently leaders in creating new contexts and Kuter, forthcoming). Dastum has also become a major institutions to foster Breton traditions. In the 1950s older repository for old photographs and song texts, all performers were urged to dust off their repertoire and indexed by computer. Alone, or in cooperation with a new contexts were created for performance-locally based number of other cultural groups in Brittany, Dastum has contests and dances called the fest noz . Young Bretons produced dozens of well researched books, records, joined Cerdes Celtiques (Celtic Circles) or a bagad (bagpipe cassettes and compact discs documenting traditional band) which were relatively new institutions to Brittany. Breton music. When I visited the archives of Dastum in Young people who participated in these groups were not 1975--then located in the living room of one of the co­ Breton nationalists or even perhaps aware of being founders-I would not have predicted the success of this Breton, but the Cerdes Celtiques and bagads introduced institution. But the "just do it and stop .talking_about it" thousands to the existence of a Breton history and attitude and the direct involvement of musicians distinctive, positive culture, and left a lasting impact on themselves in scholarship and collection boded well for the consciousness of youngsters. the future of Dastum even then, despite their lack of In the 1960s young Bretons were looking for new financial stability. expressions more suited to urban lifestyles, and the folk In the 1990s Brittany can boast of one of the revivals of the U.S. and British Isles did not go healthiest music traditions of Europe. The transmission of unnoticed. Breton pop and folk singers and groups song and instrumental traditions from the past remains appeared during this period-the best known being Alan unbroken-although it has been severely tested at times Stivell. Using traditional music as a base, young and interests a relatively small number of Bretons. The musicians arranged it using electric guitars and a diversity of music in Brittany and the creation of new combination of acoustic instruments which had no music that is rooted (more or less successfully) in Breton tradition in Brittany. Looking back today, Breton traditions is a surer sign of health. In his Guide de La musicians are somewhat horrified by the quality of music Musique Bretonne 1990 Serge Moelo reports the results of a they produced in those days, but this "Breton is survey of the state of music in Brittany. In this country beautiful" phase of consciousness was critical in laying the size of Belgium with a population of approximately the groundwork for a more serious examination of roots. 3.7 million, one can find two hundred musicians who In the 1970s Bretons were feeling uncomfortable make their living by performing or teaching Breton with, or at least very self-conscious about, the music. A directory lists 950 musicians who perform renaissance of traditional music and dances. The older Breton music more or less regularly. The count is rural contexts for this music had clearly disappeared. impressive when compared to the 1930s when one had to Numerous articles in magazines belabored the notion of scrounge to find a dozen musicians who would admit to authenticity and decried the popularity of Breton dances playing the biniou koz (a small high-pitched bagpipe and pop groups as faddism. Although some musicians unique to Brittany) or the bombarde (a shawm traditionally active in this period had grown up with or thoroughly played in pair with the biniou). Today 210 players of the researched the traditional music of Brittany, many young biniou koz and 270 bombarde players are tallied. The fears Bretons using traditional tunes in their electrified of the seventies that the interest shown in Breton music arrangements often had only a vague notion of their is merely a superficial fad seem unfounded today. sources. Supporting the performance of Breton music are By the mid-70s and throughout the 1980s Breton numerous "new" events-reinventions of older contexts musicians were taking a closer look at traditions­ for music. Particularly evident in their expansion are collecting music directly from older masters and annual music festivals (forty-four listed in Moelo's Guide), not to mention hundreds of other more local fairs or Guilcher, Jean-Michel annual pardons to honor the local saint which often La Tradition populaire de danse en Basse- Bretagne. Paris: include dancing, contests, or concerts of Breton music. Mouton, 1963. In-depth study of traditional dance The dance event called the fest noz which was used by styles of Lower Brittany; a basic reference for any everyone from the local parent-teacher association to anti­ study of dance in Brittany. nuclear militants in the seventies as a fundraising event Hamon, Andre-Georges remains a regular occasion for Breton dancing throughout Chantres de toutes les Bretagnes-20 ans de la chanson Brittany. At its best the fest noz brings young and old of a bretonne. Paris: Editions Jean Picollec, 1981. local community together to dance traditional dances of Encyclopedia-like listing of singers and that particular region (and to drink together). While the instrumentalists active especially in the "folk" revival presence of tourists or other outsiders means that the fest in Brittany in the 1960s and 1970s. Interesting noz does not always embody a spirit of community introduction; useful guide to recordings. solidarity, it remains an important context for the performance of traditional dance music by young and old Helias, Pierre-Jakez musicians. Danses de Bretagne. Chateaulin: Editions Jos Ie Doare, Breton music is also fostered through formal 1965. Short introduction to traditional dances; classes and schools-some seventy-nine counted in Guide beautifully written to give a good sense of the spirit of de la Musique Bretonne 1990-and communication between dance. musicians is fostered in seven magazines devoted to Breton music. The Guide discusses the oral tradition but Kuter, Lois includes no count of the number of times or the number "Music and identity in Brittany, France" Discourse in of people who gather informally in a horne, the local Ethnomusicology, Vol. II. Bloomington, IN: cafe, or at family events such as a wedding or hog­ Ethnomusicology Publications Group, 1981, pp. 15-41. butchering to sing. Such private gatherings are critical to Brief overview of different styles of music and the the future of Breton music. They are not successfully relation of music to social and political issues. tallied in ethnomusicological studies . . . and their future Guide to Music in Brittany. U.S. ICDBL Publication depends on the exclusion of outsiders with notebooks Series No. VII. Jenkintown, PA: U.S. Branch of the and tape recorders. International Committee for the Defense of the Breton If one were to look at statistics, it would be easy to Language, 1983, revised 1986, 25 pages. Introduction contend that American and has a to basic features of Breton song and instrumental much brighter future in Brittany than long a capella traditions; annotated bibliography and discography. traditional ballads or the paired playing of the bombarde and biniou. But, given the obstacles of a still largely "Dastum-The Breton Media Center" Discourse in inaccessible mass media and decades of ridicule and Ethnomusicology, Vol. III. Bloomington, IN: institutional oppression yet to be fully overcome, the Ethnomusicology Publications Group (forthcoming). persistence and continued growth of oral traditions in Description of the growth and productions of a major Brittany are not to be underestimated. organization for the promotion of traditional Breton music. RESOURCES Laurent, Donatien Breton musicians and scholars have produced a very rich "La gwerz de Louis Ie Ravellec-Enquete sur un crime collection of books, articles and recordings which de 1732," Ar Men 7, fevrier 1987, pp. 16-35. Detailed document Breton traditions and their continuing study of a song text and its use to clarify events of a evolution. The following is a selection of publications murder which took place in the 18th century; which could be used effectively as a starting point for fascinating account of research. research. Aux Sources du Barzaz-Breiz-la memoire d'un peuple. Abjean, Rene Douarnenez: Ar Men, 1989. Based on careful scrutiny La Musique bretonne. Chateaulin: Jos Ie Doare, 1975. of original notebooks and letters over a twenty-year Short introductory booklet; interesting photographs. period. A detailed analysis of the Barzaz Breiz, the Overview of range of styles of music in Brittany. most controversial and influential song collection to be Durand, Philippe published in Brittany. Forty-five introductory pages Breizh hiziv-Anthologie de la chanson en Bretagne. Paris: place this collection in historical context and detail the P.J. Oswald, 1976. Collection of 112 song texts in tedious work of transcribing the hand-written texts. Breton and/or French of a militant nature; includes The bulk of the book is made up of transcriptions of some introductory notes on social and political the Breton texts and French translations. A third context. section examines La Villemarque as a collector. Includes a comprehensive bibliography and useful Giraudon, Daniel indexes. Chansons populaires de Basse-Bretagne sur feuilles volants. Skol Vreizh no. 2-3, decembre 1985. Booklet tracing La Villemarque, Vicomte Hersart de (Kervarker) the history of broadsheets in Brittany, describing Barzaz Breiz-Chants popularies de la Bretagne. Paris: printing industry, singers and song writers, song Librairie Academique Perrin, 1963; reprint of 3d styles and content; photographs and reproductions of edition of 1867; 1st edition 1839. Classic collection of song sheets. song texts; texts in French with smaller print version in Breton; some music notes included. Barzhaz-Breiz. Lesneven: Mouladuriou Hor Yezh, 1988. researched articles on the bagpipe tradition in First edition to give Breton version of texts prominent Brittany, book and record reviews and notes on place; melodies for songs also included. musical activities in Brittany. (Ar Soner, 13 rue Louis de Montcalm, 29000 , France) Luzel, Fran<;:ois Marie (Fanch an Uhel) Chants et chansons populaires de La Basse-Bretagne. Paris: Recordings Maisonneuve et Larose, 1869-1890. Another very important collection of traditional Breton language Recordings are an indispensable resource for the study of songs; considered to be less "refined" than the Barzaz­ Breton music. Many records, and now CDs, are richly Breiz. documented with pages of jacket notes (see especially Le Chasse-Man~e and Dastum) or have instructional booklets Malrieu, Patrick and music transcriptions accompanying them. The Histoire de la chanson populaire bretonne. Dastum and following is the smallest sampling possible to include a Skol, 1983. Summary of the history of Breton song representation of the variety of traditions in Brittany texts and their collection; well documented with text today. Recordings have been selected based on the reproductions and photos. quality of documentation accompany them, as well as the quality of the performances included. There are a number "La gwerz ... vue par de jeunes chanteurs," Musique of excellent recordings produced each year in Brittany, Bretonne 98, decembre 1989-janvier 1990, pp. 3-7; and the list below by no means presents a complete list. Musique Bretonne 99, fevrier 1990. pp. 8-11. A series of interviews with young traditional singers about their Traditional Song feelings about singing and ideas about the ballad style gwerz. Bourdin, Marchand, Dautel Chants Ii danser de Haute-Bretagne. Dastum, 1986 Moelo, Serge Unaccompanied song in French for dances of the Guide de La musique bretonne 1990. : Direction Vannetais Gallo area-ridee, rand, hanter-dra and pile Regionale des Affaires Culturelles, Direction Regionale menu-by three young singers: Erik Marchand, de la Jeunesse et des Sports, Sonerien ha Kanerien Christian Dautel and Gilbert Bourdin; cassette only. Vreizh, and Dastum, 1989. A mine of information including descriptive analytical articles, definitions, Chants Ii repondre de Haute-Bretagne. Le Chasse-Maree statistical information as well as lists and addresses for SCM 011, 1988. Marches, melodies and songs for Breton musicians, instrument makers, teachers, dances. organizations, festivals, recording houses, etc. Dastum Monjarret, Polig Cahier de musique traditionnelle no. 7-Bro NoaL-Pondi. "Quarantee annees au service de la musique 1983. bretonne," Ar Soner 273 (40th anniversary issue), 1983, Cahier de musique traditionelle no.8-Pays d'Oust et de pp. 7-18. Overview of the use of in Brittany Vilaine. 1987. Just two of a series of beautifully and the evolution of Breton music in relation to social documented collections of field recordings focused on and political changes. different regions of Brittany; 80-90-page booklets with each record also present language, costume, Toniou Breiz-Izel- of West Brittany. Rennes: architecture and other distinctive cultural traits of the Bodadeg ar Sonerion, 1984. Over two thousand dances area studied. and melodies collected from biniou and bombarde players between 1941 and 1954 in Lower Brittany; Note: The Archives of Traditional Music has in its introductory section describes structure of music and collection three additional recordings in this series: collection activity. Cahier de musique traditionnelle No.2-Pays de Lorient­ Magazines , 1974. Two magazines which are particularly rich in information Cahier de musique traditionnelle No.3-Pays Pagan, 1975. on Breton music are: Cahier de musique traditionnelle No.4-Pays de Loudeac, 1976. Musique Bretonne Ten issues per year. Research articles, book and Also in the Archives under the accession number 76- record reviews, notes on concerts, festivals and 012-F are a number of recordings from the Dastum other events, and a variety of details focused archives I copied in 1976 for deposit in the U.S. particularly on traditional music. Includes music Dastuml Ar Men transcriptions and a wealth of photographic Barzaz Breiz: Tradition chan tee de Bretagne-aux sources du documentation from the Dastum archives. (Dastum, Barzaz Breiz. Ar Men and Dastum, 1989. Recordings of 16 rue de Penhoet, B.P. 2518, 35025 Rennes Cedex, songs from La Villemarque's famous 19th century France) collection by a variety of traditional singers including Ar Soner Goadec sisters, !fig Troadeg, Erik Marchand, Mari Published by Bodadeg ar Sonerion, this bi-monthly Harnay and Yann-Fanch Kemener. magazine focuses on bagpipes with a large Mari Harnay percentage of its content devoted to the bagad, BreizhlBretagne: Les traditions populaire en France, Vol. 2 contests for this bagpipe band unique to Brittany, Hengouniou poblou Bro-C'hall. Dastum/Ocora 5586031 and music transcriptions. Issues also include HM52, 1982. Well-documented album featuring a well- known singer of Bro-Pondi; notes are trilingual Breton­ Vol. 1: Chants de marins des cotes de France. SCM 001, French-English. 1982 Vol. 2: Danses et complaintes des cOtes de France. SCM Yann Fanch Kemener (Jean-Franc:;:ois Quemener) 002, 1983 Chants profonds de La Bretagne. Three volumes. ARN Vol. 3: Chants de bord des baLeiniers et long-courriers 34386m 34476 and 34587, 1979-1981. Unaccompanied franfais . SCM 003, 1984 ballads by one of the best young traditional singers of Vol. 4: Ballads, complaintes et shanties des matelots Lower Brittany. anglais. SCM 004, 1984 Yann Fanch Kemener and Marcel Guilloux Vol. 5: Gens de rivieres et bateliers de France. SCM 005, Kan ha diskan. Arion ARN 4702. Kan ha diskan for 1985 plinn and fisel dances. New Breton Music Bagpipes This category includes groups and individuals who use There are several distinctive piping traditions in Brittany traditional styles as the basis for innovation, using and a number of recordings that document contemporary instruments to accompany song and combining electric performance. The following record includes a sample of with traditional acoustic instruments. The following is all piping traditions: paired playing of the biniou koz ( a only a very tiny sample of recordings in this category. very small, high-pitched bagpipe unique to Brittany) and Roland Becker the bombarde (a shawm with the sound of a trumpet); Falliien. Rikou Soner RS 181. Jazz arrangements with paired playing of the biniou braz (Scottish Highland pipes bombardes and saxophones. adapted by the Bretons) played in pair with the bombarde; solo performance on the comemuse (the name most often Dans-Musique a danser de Bretagne. Iguane Productionsl given to the Scottish style pipes which Bretons have Adipho ADP 084, 1987. Seven acoustical instrument adopted for solo use); the pairing of bombarde and organ; groups with dance music: Storvan, Carre Manchot, the bagad or bagpipe band which includes the Scottish Strakal, Strobinell, Skolvan, B.F15, Pennou Skoulm. style bagpipes, bombardes and a drum section; and the Gwerz veuze (a bagpipe from the Loire River valley area in Au Dela. Gwerz/Coop Breizh. BUR 821, 1987 southeastern Brittany). Gwerz. Dastum and Gwerz DAS 100, 1986. AssembLee des sonneurs-Bodadeg ar Sonerion. 40e Hailed as the most important development in Breton anniversaire. BAS/Rkou Soner RS BAS 309, 1983. music since the emergence of Alan Stivell in the Double album with extensive jacket notes, 1960s, this group blends the essence of traditional photographs. style song and binioulbombarde pair playing with guitar and fiddle for a new but comfortably familiar Sonl1eurs de veuze en Bretagne et marais breton vendeen. sound. Musiciens et chants traditionnels, Vol. 3. Le Chasse­ Maree/Ar Men SCM DID, 1987. Variety of performers Alan Stivell with excellent documentation of the veuze and its recent Symphonie Celtique. CBS 88482 (a two record revival. composition) Bed and dud vewlTerre des Vivants. AZ 2373 (one of Other Instrumental Traditions Stivell's more recent records) Sonneurs de clarinette en BretagnelSonerion Trejenn-gaol. A l' . Fontana 6399005 (a classic selection of Dastum and Le Chasse-Maree SCM 008, 1986. Well 1970s Stivell recorded live) documented double album featuring traditional clarinet music of Brittany; excellent notes on history and use of instrument and its players. Resound La Boueze L'Accordeon en Bretagne. Edition la Boueze. Two A Quarterly of the volumes. 1985. Traditional music of Upper Archives of Traditional Music and Lower Brittany; good documentation of instrument. Marilyn B. Graf, Editor VioLons tradition nels en Bretagne. La Boueze, 1980. Archives of Traditional Music Sonl1eurs de vielle tradition neLs en Bretagne. Le Chasse­ Morrison Hall Maree SCM 004. Double album with 10 pages of Indiana University documentation of an instrument found primarily in the Bloomington, IN 47405 area of St. Brieue. (812) 855-8632 Maritime Music Ruth M. Stone, Director Le Chasse-Maree Dorothy S. Lee, Associate Director Series of albums of maritime with a Mary E. Russell, Librarian heavy representation from Brittany. All albums documented with 18-20 pages of song texts, historical ISSN 0749-2472 notes, photographs and drawings.