Copernicus
Industrial Strength Linguist
One of my passions is the Breton language and culture. Breton is a Celtic language (most closely related to Welsh) that is spoken in the northwest of France. Among my favorite Breton singers is Denez Prigent, a native of Finistere (Pen ar Bed).
You can find a number of Denez Prigent's songs on Youtube, but he is most famous for one of the themes of Blackhawk Down: Gortoz a ran (I wait). This song has a haunting melody and haunting lyrics. It is sung in collaboration with Lisa Gerrard, who does not actually sing in a foreign language. Interestingly, she sings in glossolalia (or "speaking in tongues")--a made up language that is associated with religious rites. But her voice stands as a beautiful accompaniment to Prigent's Breton lyrics, and most of you won't be able to tell the difference between it and Prigent's actual Breton. Anyway, I thought that her use of glossolalia might be of some interest to people interested in religion.
If you like "Gortoz a ran", you can find other songs by Prigent on Youtube. That song is something of a traditional Celtic lament (called a "gwerz" in Breton). Normally, laments are sung a capella, and the two singers could carry it off with their voices. But this modern song is accompanied by instrumentation. Also, the following video "A tribute to WTC" is slightly truncated, but you can find longer versions elsewhere if interested. It is usually set against a backdrop of war, but the following has a translation of the Breton lyrics (minus the last stanza in the longer version):
[youtube]1DPw8xJDcjg[/youtube]
You can find a number of Denez Prigent's songs on Youtube, but he is most famous for one of the themes of Blackhawk Down: Gortoz a ran (I wait). This song has a haunting melody and haunting lyrics. It is sung in collaboration with Lisa Gerrard, who does not actually sing in a foreign language. Interestingly, she sings in glossolalia (or "speaking in tongues")--a made up language that is associated with religious rites. But her voice stands as a beautiful accompaniment to Prigent's Breton lyrics, and most of you won't be able to tell the difference between it and Prigent's actual Breton. Anyway, I thought that her use of glossolalia might be of some interest to people interested in religion.
If you like "Gortoz a ran", you can find other songs by Prigent on Youtube. That song is something of a traditional Celtic lament (called a "gwerz" in Breton). Normally, laments are sung a capella, and the two singers could carry it off with their voices. But this modern song is accompanied by instrumentation. Also, the following video "A tribute to WTC" is slightly truncated, but you can find longer versions elsewhere if interested. It is usually set against a backdrop of war, but the following has a translation of the Breton lyrics (minus the last stanza in the longer version):
[youtube]1DPw8xJDcjg[/youtube]
I enjoyed it very much. This kind of music appeals to me.