Eurovision song contest
Craig Cockburn
Ann an sgriobhainn <Pine.SUN.3.91-941213.960516093656.2841G-
100...@draco.dur.ac.uk>, sgriobh Roger Gawley
<Roger....@durham.ac.uk>
>Jim Lloyd played the French entry to the Eurovision song contest on the
>radio last night. I do not wish to sound unkind, but, on the basis of one
>hearing, it is not going to set the celtic music world alight (nor win
>the contest probably but who knows?)
>
>It is sung by Karen Matheson and Elaine Morgan (who is Welsh). Donald Shaw
>plays keyboards. The title is in Breton and I will not attempt it; the
>official translation is, "May the children be born". Composed by Dan ar
>Bras (did I get his name right?)
>
Perhaps so, but the French are to be highly commended for having an
entry in Breton. I look forward to Britain's entry next year being in a
Celtic language too!
--
Craig Cockburn ("coburn"), Du\n E/ideann, Alba. (Edinburgh, Scotland)
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~craig/
Sgri\obh thugam 'sa Gha\idhlig ma 'se do thoil e.
Roger Gawley
Jim Lloyd played the French entry to the Eurovision song contest on the
radio last night. I do not wish to sound unkind, but, on the basis of one
hearing, it is not going to set the celtic music world alight (nor win
the contest probably but who knows?)
It is sung by Karen Matheson and Elaine Morgan (who is Welsh). Donald Shaw
plays keyboards. The title is in Breton and I will not attempt it; the
official translation is, "May the children be born". Composed by Dan ar
Bras (did I get his name right?)
If you want to see it, BBC1 TV, Saturday evening, 7:30pm I think but check
that.
Candy Schwartz
It's Dan Ar Braz, and I saw a clip on this on the French news we get on
our International Channel. Apparently it was written in 1979 for the
school system in Brittany, to promote the Breton language. There was a
nice little piece about how the number of children learning Breton was
on the rise, and it showed a bunch of them singing the song. It sounded a
little, shall we say, slow. There are any number of things on Heritage
des Celtes which might have been good choices for Eurovision. Oh well.
I'm sure the Breton community is pleased as punch that whatever national
committee decides on the song decided on something in Breton.
--
Candy Schwartz, Associate Professor
Graduate School of Library & Information Science
Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston MA 02115-5898
(617) 521-2849, FAX (617) 521-3192
<csch...@vmsvax.simmons.edu>
http://www.simmons.edu/~schwartz
Sean Patrick Moran
Once again, Ireland has won the Eurovision Song Contest. Tin
whistle, fiddle and 'sean-nos'-influenced singing featured in
Ireland's entry. The BBC commentator (Irishman Terry Wogan)
speculated that the large number of Irish pubs in Europe has made
Irish music popular throughout the continent and this has helped the
Irish victory.
Sean Moran
Con Gregg
Just wanted to add that the singer was Eimear Quinn of Anuna.
Brendan Graham, who wrote Winter Fire and Snow (on the international
edition of Anuna's album Invocation, and released as a single in
Ireland a couple of Christmasses ago) was the composer. He also wrote
Rock 'n Roll Kids, the Eurovision winner of two years ago.
Con
Craig Cockburn
Ann an sgriobhainn <4nlr8b$9...@roch.zetnet.co.uk>, sgriobh Sean Patrick
Moran <sean....@zetnet.co.uk>
>
>Once again, Ireland has won the Eurovision Song Contest. Tin
>whistle, fiddle and 'sean-nos'-influenced singing featured in
>Ireland's entry. The BBC commentator (Irishman Terry Wogan)
>speculated that the large number of Irish pubs in Europe has made
>Irish music popular throughout the continent and this has helped the
>Irish victory.
>
like to see a traditional sounding Gaelic song being entered. Does
anyone know the name and address of the committee which chooses the
British entry?
Morag MacLeod, the world's foremost authority on Gaelic song said on the
national news yesterday that she is disappointed that in the Eurovision
song contest, British entries seem to mean "English" entries and says
that she'd like to see a traditional entry. Clearly the present system
isn't very good, with the last win being 1981 with the Euro-pop banal
rubbish from Bucks Fizz (where are they now?!)
Roger Gawley
On Thu, 16 May 1996, Craig Cockburn wrote:
> >Jim Lloyd played the French entry to the Eurovision song contest on the
> >radio last night. I do not wish to sound unkind, but, on the basis of one
> >hearing, it is not going to set the celtic music world alight (nor win
> >the contest probably but who knows?)
> >
> >It is sung by Karen Matheson and Elaine Morgan (who is Welsh). Donald Shaw
> >plays keyboards. The title is in Breton and I will not attempt it; the
> >official translation is, "May the children be born". Composed by Dan ar
> >Bras (did I get his name right?)
> >
>
> Perhaps so, but the French are to be highly commended for having an
> entry in Breton. I look forward to Britain's entry next year being in a
> Celtic language too!
Well I was right about the result and wrong about Dan ar Braz's name. It
did look slightly better on TV than it sounded on radio. What I fail to
understand is one one new-ageish modern celtic song can come second from
bottom and a very similar one win the contest. Well I do understand: the
other one was entered for Ireland. At least both groups were fully-dressed
on stage.
Angus MacCulloch
Craig Cockburn <cr...@scot.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>If a traditional song can win and if a Breton song can be entered, I'd
>like to see a traditional sounding Gaelic song being entered. Does
>anyone know the name and address of the committee which chooses the
>British entry?
>
>Morag MacLeod, the world's foremost authority on Gaelic song said on the
>national news yesterday that she is disappointed that in the Eurovision
>song contest, British entries seem to mean "English" entries and says
>that she'd like to see a traditional entry. Clearly the present system
>isn't very good, with the last win being 1981 with the Euro-pop banal
>rubbish from Bucks Fizz (where are they now?!)
The entry is chosen by a popular phone vote, there arte several
programmes on the BBC where the finalists perform their songs and the
winner goes on the represent the UK.
Due to population imbalance the English will always have an
adavantage. Also the UK end of the competition is organised by
Jonathan King, so write to him.
Angus.
--
**********************************************************
* Angus D. MacCulloch Faculty of Law *
* Tel: +44 (0)161 275 3582 University of Manchester *
* Fax: +44 (0)161 275 3579 Manchester M13 9PL *
**********************************************************
Stuart Dawson
Who CARES about the Eurovsision Song contest anyway. It is such
utter crap I wonder why anyone bothers especially our fellow
europeans.
Stuart
--
Stuart Dawson, Tel: +44 (0) 131 554 9424
Technical Support Engineer, email: stu...@europe.shiva.com
Shiva, Shiva Park, http://www.shiva.com/
Stanwell Street,
Edinburgh, EH6 5NG, UK.
The Nit Nurse
In article <4nphn0$4...@yama.mcc.ac.uk>, Angus MacCulloch
<angus.d.m...@man.ac.uk> wrote:
|> Craig Cockburn <cr...@scot.demon.co.uk> wrote:
|>
|> >If a traditional song can win and if a Breton song can be entered, I'd
|> >like to see a traditional sounding Gaelic song being entered. Does
|> >anyone know the name and address of the committee which chooses the
|> >British entry?
|> >
|> >Morag MacLeod, the world's foremost authority on Gaelic song said on the
|> >national news yesterday that she is disappointed that in the Eurovision
|> >song contest, British entries seem to mean "English" entries and says
|> >that she'd like to see a traditional entry. Clearly the present system
|> >isn't very good, with the last win being 1981 with the Euro-pop banal
|> >rubbish from Bucks Fizz (where are they now?!)
|>
|> The entry is chosen by a popular phone vote, there arte several
|> programmes on the BBC where the finalists perform their songs and the
|> winner goes on the represent the UK.
One has to wonder at what the failing finalists in the Icelandic competition
sounded like!
'Shoobie doobie doo New York! New York!"
'Shoobie doobie doo "
The Eurovision Song Contest is crap par excellence. Complaining that the
Eurovision entries do not contain entries other than Euro-pop is like
complaining no one took 'Jeaux Sans Frontier" seriously!
"...and here come the BELGIANS!"
It's mindless rubbish and that's its appeal. God forbid that anyone should
ever treat it as a *serious* music competition.
Grettir inn sterki
Can anyone give me any more information about the French entry? I wasn't
able to watch the contest personally, but I understand that Karen
Matheson from Capercaillie featured extensively in it.
I totally agree that a British entry need not mean an English song.
Perhaps if the selection commitee had chosen a gaelic song to represent
us, Karen might have employed her not inconsiderable talents on our
behalf instead!
David.
--
D.R. Hathaway, drh...@tower.york.ac.uk, http://www.york.ac.uk/~drh101
E-mail (vacation) hath...@almanzor.demon.co.uk
Michael Rutan
>whistle, fiddle and 'sean-nos'-influenced singing featured in
>Ireland's entry. The BBC commentator (Irishman Terry Wogan)
>speculated that the large number of Irish pubs in Europe has made
>Irish music popular throughout the continent and this has helped the
>Irish victory.
>Sean Moran
I'm happy to see that Ireland won the contest. My family is from
Longford, Ireland and I understand that is where the folks are from
that won the contest. Any information regarding their names etc.
would be appreciated.
Michael Rutan
Pete McClelland
>
>Who CARES about the Eurovsision Song contest anyway. It is such
>utter crap I wonder why anyone bothers especially our fellow
>europeans.
>
>Stuart
definitely started to have an influence on the Eurovision, and I am sure
that interest in our kind of music is now being kindled in a new
audience by this competition.
I was very happy to see my old pal Niall on stage with the bouzouki for
the winning song. Several other entries had a folky bias, and the
French/Breton entry was pure celtic music.
I concur with Craig Cockburn completely for once! I think we should give
Jonathan King the push, and show Europe that the UK is rich in
traditional music too next year.
--
Pete McClelland
Ron Lowe
In article <QShVqGAi...@mcmail.demon.co.uk>,
Pete McClelland <Pe...@mcmail.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>Who CARES about the Eurovsision Song contest anyway. It is such
>>utter crap I wonder why anyone bothers especially our fellow
>>europeans.
>>
>>Stuart
>This used to be true, but after Riverdance, Celtic influences have
>definitely started to have an influence on the Eurovision, and I am sure
>that interest in our kind of music is now being kindled in a new
>audience by this competition.
Riverdance wasn't the first time traditional music appeared on Eurovision when
staged in Ireland. Planxty once filled the same slot as Riverdance did. I
believe ( or maybe it's one of those myths ) someone tried to vote for them.
Ron.
Pete Hughes
Craig Cockburn wrote:
> Morag MacLeod, the world's foremost authority on Gaelic song said on the
> national news yesterday that she is disappointed that in the Eurovision
> song contest, British entries seem to mean "English" entries and says
> that she'd like to see a traditional entry.
I'm inclined to agree, but don't like the suggestion that the British
entry was particularly English. I think the singer was Austrailian,
the song was (IMHO) dance scene inspired techo-rubbish performed in a
very US style. I thought it was terrible. Liked the Irish and French
entries though. I only watched the event because I was at home feeling ill.
Felt even worse afterwards!!
Peter
Colm K. Mulcahy
In article <4nuvcu$abn@io> AIS...@news.salford.ac.uk (Ron Lowe) writes:
>
>Riverdance wasn't the first time traditional music appeared on Eurovision when
>staged in Ireland. Planxty once filled the same slot as Riverdance did.
doing Timedance. only on a rare 12" and the odd compilation. a later
version is on the Tara CD of Riverdance composer Bill Whelan's Seville Suite.
this was in 1981. whelan was in planxty at that point, and cowrote Timedance
with Donal Lunny.
the reason the 1981 contest was in Ireland at all was because of the 1980
win of "What's Another Year?" sung by Johny Logan. Like this year's winner,
this too was arranged by Bill Whelan. The 1996 singer is Eimear Quinn, who
is a member of Anuna, the choral group who perform as part of Riverdance.
Conspiracy? You be the judge.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In a world of mega-stores, mega-stars, mega-sales and mega-hype, there is little
room left for the individual with a megaphone. Everything is being brought in
line with everything else. ERIC GOULDEN, 1990
Nicholas Latheron
As I only heard two songs, the winning Irish one because of
curiosity, and the British one because I couldn't avoid it, the Irish
song gets my vote, nice voice, but not very "original". Never mind,
if you have to watch the Eurovision Song Contest then may I suggest
my favoured approach (call it damage limitation), turn the sound off;
Gina G looked alright!
P.S. Nice to hear a bodhran on mainstream T.V.
Donald M. Mackay
On Wed, 22 May 1996, Pete Hughes wrote:
>
> I'm inclined to agree, but don't like the suggestion that the British
> entry was particularly English. I think the singer was Austrailian,
> the song was (IMHO) dance scene inspired techo-rubbish performed in a
> very US style. I thought it was terrible. Liked the Irish and French
> entries though. I only watched the event because I was at home feeling ill.
> Felt even worse afterwards!!
>
> Peter
>
I thought that our entry ( UK's ) was excellent stuff, a nice harmless,
Euro./charty boppy, dancably, sing when your drunk, kind of tune. Far
better (IMHO ) than those tiresome, boring and depressing dirges that we
got from France and Ireland.....
Donald
Voz de Galicia
La Coruña (Spain), 24th May, 1996
Hello, Sean
I´m agree with you. In Madrid, everybody wants to go to THE IRISH ROVER,
a fantastic Irish Pub in which you learn to love Irish Music and irish
Culture. The same in La coruña: DUBLIN IRISH PUB is where every young
men wants to go. There works an irish man called Eamon, from Limerick
who know which music choose for people´s comfort.
Please, sorry for my horrible English
Greetings from the Celtic part of Spain
NACHO SAAVEDRA
AVENIDA ALFONSO MOLINA, 6-B
15005 LA CORUÑA
SPAIN
Telephone number: 34-81-23 97 45
Fax number: 34-81-18 03 48
(If you call from another country)
Craig Cockburn
Ann an sgriobhainn <31A21A...@europe.shiva.com>, sgriobh Stuart
Dawson <stu...@europe.shiva.com>
>
>Who CARES about the Eurovsision Song contest anyway. It is such
>utter crap I wonder why anyone bothers especially our fellow
>europeans.
>
I think many new acts would jump at the chance of performing to 400
people, the chance of performing to 400 million in the world's most
watched singing competition is probably beyond their wildest dreams
They probably care
It's what you make it - if trashy songs are entered then that's rather a
wasted opportunity IMHO, but the signs are that there's an increasing
Celtic content and hopefully other countries may start to take the lead
from Ireland and have a song with a bit more substance and content.
How many other times do 400 million people watch Celtic music?
Charles Mcgregor
In message <v6Q+OTAa...@scot.demon.co.uk>
Craig Cockburn <cr...@scot.demon.co.uk> writes:
> Ann an sgriobhainn <31A21A...@europe.shiva.com>, sgriobh Stuart
> Dawson <stu...@europe.shiva.com>
> >
> >Who CARES about the Eurovsision Song contest anyway. It is such
> >utter crap I wonder why anyone bothers especially our fellow
> >europeans.
> >
> Who cares?
> I think many new acts would jump at the chance of performing to 400
> people, the chance of performing to 400 million in the world's most
> watched singing competition is probably beyond their wildest dreams
> They probably care
> It's what you make it - if trashy songs are entered then that's rather a
> wasted opportunity IMHO, but the signs are that there's an increasing
> Celtic content and hopefully other countries may start to take the lead
> from Ireland and have a song with a bit more substance and content.
> How many other times do 400 million people watch Celtic music?
Err..every new year?
And probably every Burn's birthday, mostly in Eastern Europe.
And there was Celtic music in Braveheart and RobRoy and Restless Natives
and Local Hero and so on.
--
Chic McGregor......Semiconductor Engineer. chi...@zetnet.co.uk //
cch...@tevm2.nsc.com / ////
///
"We have catcht Scotland and will hold her fast!" ///
Colm K. Mulcahy
In article <4o5n9i$p...@roch.zetnet.co.uk> chi...@zetnet.co.uk (Charles Mcgregor) writes:
>> How many other times do 400 million people watch Celtic music?
>
>Err..every new year?
>And probably every Burn's birthday, mostly in Eastern Europe.
funny, Andy M. Stewart made a similar point last weekend here in Atlanta
at a forum on the bardic tradition during the 10th Atlanta Celtic Festival.
(he also performed three times - once a Burns set - with Gerry O'Beirne)
Having put behind him his earlier meeting with (and I assume performance for)
the local Burns Society, he was talking about how misinterpreted Burns was,
and how radical he was. Andy said that Burns despised middle class values
and the very petty bourgoise professionals who now make up such a large part
of his audience of the "let's rediscover our Scots heritage" brigade in America.
He mentioned how these people always brag about how Burns is so universal in
his appeal that he has been translated into dozens of languages - without
realizing that most of thos languages are ones spoken in (former and present
day) communist countries.
Janet Penelope Gunn
In <4o73f5$5...@cssun.mathcs.emory.edu> co...@mathcs.emory.edu (Colm K.
Mulcahy) writes:
>
>Having put behind him his earlier meeting with (and I assume
performance for)
>the local Burns Society, he was talking about how misinterpreted Burns
was,
>and how radical he was. Andy said that Burns despised middle class
values
>and the very petty bourgoise professionals who now make up such a
large part
>of his audience of the "let's rediscover our Scots heritage" brigade
in America.
>
>He mentioned how these people always brag about how Burns is so
universal in
>his appeal that he has been translated into dozens of languages -
without
>realizing that most of thos languages are ones spoken in (former and
present
>day) communist countries.
The looong poem, "A Drunk Man Looks at a Thistle" by Hugh McDiarmid,
has several pages on this subject.
Janet Gunn