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Athanor has recorded in 1997 its first compact disc which contains Celtic inspired compositions. This CD will take you back in time and space... You will discover music with medieval flavour, dances of Breton inspiration, spirited music evoking memories of Eastern European aksaks, entrancing melodies...
description of the musical pieces
Processions*: a rhythm inspired by the "an dro", a dance from Brittany.
Renuncio*: in memory of a friend and composer, Richard Pouliot; a piece for three violins.
Équinoxe*: a piece written in a 10/8 tempo, an irregular rhythm that remind one of Eastern European's "aksaks", composed for a spring equinox; it is here played with a touch of tablas (drums from India).
Hanter dro des petits cochons*: or "The piglet's hanter dro", which is another tempo of dance from Brittany.
Montjoie!/ Les Étoiles filantes*: Montjoie! was a rallying cry in France in the Xllth century; this one have a medieval colour, and is played on vielle à roue (sometimes called hurdy-gurdy) and violin. It is followed by Les Étoiles filantes , or "The Shooting Stars" .
Athanor*: this composition can be seen as a musical "mandala". Its title became our group's name; the "athanor" is the alchemist's crucible, in which is made the Philosopher's Stone (among other things...).
Danse du feu* (or "Fire Dance"): another "aksak", in 7/8 this time.
Hommage à Peter Chalmers**: in memory of an excellent guitarist, and also played on his guitar (the violin added a kind of improvisation on that one...).
Le Métayer**: the only song of the album, a tribute to the farmers; accompanied by vielle à roue, violin, mandola...
Flammes/ Danse des spectres* (or "Flames/Ghost's dance"): the first one is slow and mysterious; it is followed by a dance on which one can imagine ghosts and skeletons dancing together.
Adieux à Brocéliande*: Brocéliande was Merlin's forest; when Christianism's implantation sounded the knell of Celtic domination, the world of fairys couldn't coexist anymore with ours... |
