It's been a long while since I've read any ethnomusicology, and I'm too lazy to look it up, but I sometimes wonder if there has been a study comparing Welsh and Russian male choral traditions. Because to the untrained ear they sure seem to have some (superficial?) affinities.
You're right. Coincidentally this week I was listening to an interview with Welsh musician John Cale and his accent sounded very Slavic to me. Maybe Welsh and Slavic language and music diverge from Enlish/American in ways that make them sound similar to the American ear.
Many basses singing in a very large, all-male choir; repeated and frequent use of crescendo and decrescendo; largo to adagio tempo, in a very stately style. Yep, very Slavic sounding.
And linguistically, I know that both the Celtic and Slavic language families are among the "oldest" and least "developed" of the Indo-European languages — that is, still very heavily inflected.
Given the fact that it was the Celtic Orthodox Church in Exile (since the Synod of Whitby) which laid the foundation for the embrace of Christianity by the Kievan Rus, it only stands to reason.
Ahhhh, the myth of the ancient Celtic Orthodox Church. LOL! My older son is doing an intensive undergraduate research project on early medieval Ireland. One of the myths he's rebutting is that Celtic Orthodox Church shtick (which history professor Edwin Tait once characterized as "the Orthodox version of the Baptist Trail of Blood" -- lol!).
The other myth my son is debunking is the widespread pop-history notion that the early Celts were peace-loving feminist hippies with a matriarchal social structure.
I find both myths pretty silly, although I guess the hippie-matriarchy one takes the prize.
That "idea of a Celtic Church" is also refuted by Orthodox here, which while a popular magazine presents the matter with what seems to be sobriety and accuracy:
Though I just got the most recent Gaelsong Celtic kitsch catalog* in the mail and during the 0.2 seconds I spent meditating on their "Message of the Trees" Ogham necklace the uncreated light revealed to me that Diane is wrong and that early Celts were peace-loving feminist hippies with a matriarchal social structure. So there.
*the only reason I get it is because an ex-sister-in-law of mine insisted on getting a Christmas present from that catalog one year, back when my wife's family did lists for Christmas. Sigh.
Well, duh, of course the COC doesn't exist anymore on the British Isles. It's in exile - as was stated. Hello, McFly!!
Oh, and the hippie part - guess in which pre-Christian cultures found in and near Brittany did no word exist for "father"? And why might that be?? Cuz you had no concept of father. Everyone knew who your Mamma was, but otherwise, well, let's just say it took a village.
But isn't that what some want now, what with the whole "who needs a father" movement? Ain't nuttin new under the sun.
You're right. Coincidentally this week I was listening to an interview with Welsh musician John Cale and his accent sounded very Slavic to me. Maybe Welsh and Slavic language and music diverge from Enlish/American in ways that make them sound similar to the American ear.
ReplyDeleteWell I'm glad it's not just me that thinks so.
DeleteMany basses singing in a very large, all-male choir; repeated and frequent use of crescendo and decrescendo; largo to adagio tempo, in a very stately style. Yep, very Slavic sounding.
ReplyDeleteAnd linguistically, I know that both the Celtic and Slavic language families are among the "oldest" and least "developed" of the Indo-European languages — that is, still very heavily inflected.
Given the fact that it was the Celtic Orthodox Church in Exile (since the Synod of Whitby) which laid the foundation for the embrace of Christianity by the Kievan Rus, it only stands to reason.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, the myth of the ancient Celtic Orthodox Church. LOL! My older son is doing an intensive undergraduate research project on early medieval Ireland. One of the myths he's rebutting is that Celtic Orthodox Church shtick (which history professor Edwin Tait once characterized as "the Orthodox version of the Baptist Trail of Blood" -- lol!).
DeleteThe other myth my son is debunking is the widespread pop-history notion that the early Celts were peace-loving feminist hippies with a matriarchal social structure.
I find both myths pretty silly, although I guess the hippie-matriarchy one takes the prize.
That "idea of a Celtic Church" is also refuted by Orthodox here, which while a popular magazine presents the matter with what seems to be sobriety and accuracy:
Deletehttp://www.roadtoemmaus.net/back_issue_articles/RTE_30/Bebes_World.pdf
Though I just got the most recent Gaelsong Celtic kitsch catalog* in the mail and during the 0.2 seconds I spent meditating on their "Message of the Trees" Ogham necklace the uncreated light revealed to me that Diane is wrong and that early Celts were peace-loving feminist hippies with a matriarchal social structure. So there.
*the only reason I get it is because an ex-sister-in-law of mine insisted on getting a Christmas present from that catalog one year, back when my wife's family did lists for Christmas. Sigh.
Well, duh, of course the COC doesn't exist anymore on the British Isles. It's in exile - as was stated. Hello, McFly!!
ReplyDeleteOh, and the hippie part - guess in which pre-Christian cultures found in and near Brittany did no word exist for "father"? And why might that be?? Cuz you had no concept of father. Everyone knew who your Mamma was, but otherwise, well, let's just say it took a village.
But isn't that what some want now, what with the whole "who needs a father" movement? Ain't nuttin new under the sun.
Take it up with Helen Gurley Brown. It's her world view that's gonna rule.
ReplyDelete