|
Elizabeth.
Posts: 5470
|
Posted:
18 Dec 2004 at 11:34 |
| We are delighted to say that the debut CD Siubhal from Gaelic singer James Graham has arrived. James was this year's winner of the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Award and if anyone saw his winning performance at the GRCH in January or his turn at the Scots Trad Music Awards 2 weeks ago you will know that this young man is a real talent. |
Simon T
Posts: 6410
|
Posted:
18 Dec 2004 at 14:34 |
| James is a beautiful singer and a star in the making. |
domhnull
Posts: 517
|
Posted:
18 Dec 2004 at 19:46 |
James has a lovely, natural, youthful voice. A real Gaelic singer and a personable young man to boot. I had the pleasure of speaking to him at that gig in Keith (remember the postings?) and was impressed by his willingness to listen and to discuss. I hope his potential colours don't become inextricably nailed to an over-neurotic 'trad' mast. This is not a criticism of traditional music; rather a plea to allow people of James' ability to develop their talents, both vocally and technically. He has depths still untapped!
D |
Onny
Posts: 12843
|
Posted:
19 Dec 2004 at 00:08 |
domhnull;
whilst I have every confidence James is er.........grateful for your er ............support, perhaps you might tell the rest of us
1) what a 'real' Gaelic singer is
2) what the alternatives to 'real' are (fake, false and so on) and
3) who falls into the fake/ false categories
Thanks in anticipation.
Onny
|
domhnull
Posts: 517
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 13:11 |
Perhaps 'authentic' would have been a better word than 'real'. An authentic Gaelic singer would have command of the language (anything less is an immediate giveaway) and an understanding of the marrying of words and music. Into this category come Art Cormack and his fellow-singers in Cliar, Kenna Campbell, Mary Smith, Donald MacLeod (Islay), the late Angus MacLeod, Gibby MacPhail, James MacPhee and many more. Gaelic is notoriously difficult for learners to sound authentic: the dreaded 'blas na beurla' (taste of English) is a hurdle not often taken with success. This is often the case in the Gold Medal Final at the National Mod with singers who have come up 'through the ranks', as it were, of Learners' competitions and have become good enough in conversational Gaelic to pass the required pre-comp 'test'. All power to their dedication and genuine effort. But set against native speakers they rarely sound authentic. Some have done it: Judith Peacock, Fiona Mackenzie and the late George Clavey, for example could convince the sternest critic / Gaelic pedant. There are some, though, who neither know nor care, but who think they are up there with the real Gaels. The Rankine Family, whose musical ability is not in doubt, show scant regard for the essence of a Gaelic song; while their Gaelic is articulate but flawed. Singing 'Mo Run Geal dileas' (My Faithful Fair One) -- a tender and heart touching love song -- with all the sensitivity of "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall' at breakneck speed is a case in point. And that is why I commend James Graham, a learner of the language, who more than satisfies my pedantic standards. An authentic Gaelic singer, real in every aspect!
D
|
Simon T
Posts: 6410
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 15:21 |
| Very interesting domhnull. What is the "the required pre-comp 'test'"? |
domhnull
Posts: 517
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 15:55 |
Competitors at the Royal National Mod must demonstrate some ability in speaking the language.
The level of difficulty varies according to whether the competition is for learners or fluent speakers and is based on the 'Speaking our Language' series. My point about 'authenticity' in this respect was that many learners achieve total fluency and are able to engage in conversation with confidence, yet retain the accent of their 'mother tongue', whatever that may be. Now, I'm not criticising these learners in any way; they deserve a medal for their linguistic achievement; but to sound like a 'real' -- ie \authentic' -- Gaelic singer requires that final step of losing the 'blas na beurla' and fooling the natives!
I hope this helps to put my somewhat personal views into context.
D |
Donald
Posts: 45
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 16:00 |
As one who has been through the test (and it isn't pleasant) I have my doubts as to its validity. Whilst strict standards are supposed to be applied this isn't always the case and there are numerous poor Gaelic speakers who have been allowed to enter the Gold Medal competitions and indeed have won them on some occasions.
As Domhnull says the true mark of a successful learner of the language is to achieve the "blas". I would agree that some of the very few people who have done this successfully are Judith Peacock (now living in Seattle) and Fiona Mackenzie from Dingwall.
|
Auldtimer
Posts: 2958
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 17:21 |
Interesting -and it's equally difficult for someone not brought up to the Scots language to sound authentic (I have heard "ye're nicht but senseless asses", more than once!)
Just on a point of pedantry, I believe Art Cormack, glorious singer that he is, does not claim to be a native Gaelic speaker having learned the language in his teens. |
domhnull
Posts: 517
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 17:33 |
I'd forgotten that! And doesn't it show how even the natives can be fooled? With the added comfort of realising that I'm not the only over-60 pedant on the board!! :)
D |
Onny
Posts: 12843
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 18:16 |
| Does that mean that the Mod isn't actually a genuine open test? In order to compete you have to jump through artificial hoops? Oh dear! |
Fungus the bogeyman
Posts: 12
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 18:41 |
Interesting point, Onny.
I believe that this has been the case with many other recent competitions. I believe that the judging of such competitions has partly depended on, for example, whether the competitor is well known, his/her background and how he/she came to learn and general musical politics.....
This is of course, not the way it should be. It should be MERIT alone which counts in the judging of competitions |
Onny
Posts: 12843
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 18:44 |
| MERIT? Don't be daft! Then anyone could win...... |
Fungus the bogeyman
Posts: 12
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 18:58 |
| lol |
bilko
Posts: 54
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 19:10 |
| Do you not think that competitions have a habit of killing the tradition? |
domhnull
Posts: 517
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 20:08 |
Well, I've done my best to explain. It's clear that this board is besotted by posters hell-bent on smart-alicky stupidity. Just get on with it...........
D |
Onny
Posts: 12843
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 20:44 |
I suspect the stupid over 60 smart alicks will do just that.
Don't be despondent; we're sure you DID your best. Akela agrees. |
Bella McNab
Posts: 305
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 22:49 |
| QED |
Onny
Posts: 12843
|
Posted:
20 Dec 2004 at 22:57 |
| QED? Wow, can someone translate that into Gaelic? |
Donald
Posts: 45
|
Posted:
21 Dec 2004 at 09:09 |
Onny, I'm afraid there are plenty of hoops to jump through at the Mod. One of the bizarre anachronisms is the situation where you have a Gaelic and a Music adjudicator for singing competitions. Where else do you have a language adjudicator. Don't see any problem singin Italian, French or even Scots - but Gaelic and the Mod Committee still persist in this. Surely if someone's Gaelic is good enough that will come across in the singing. I coulld be cynical and say that this practice highlights the very small number of qualified music adjudicators who speak the language - hence the need for a Gaelic adjudicator.
Its a daft system and does nothing for encouraging new competitiors, especially from overseas.
|
|
|