Details: |
What materials were used in making this project?
Materials included computers for internet research and file storage during the Covid pandemic shutdown; programs included Word, Powerpoint, Noteworthy, Zoom and GoogleMeets. Traditional materials included books, paper, pen and ink, a binder to keep the papers together, and a five-string lyre to pluck out melodies.
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What are the project's measurements?
Indeterminate since I’m not sure it will ever be finished. At the moment the body of work is more than a dozen research note files, five song translations from French to English with assistance, three shortened versions of longer songs, one resetting of a translation/paraphrase to a different tune, one filk, one class and a revised version of the class, several long poems, a spoof paper and song for a Boreal Master symposium, and multiple unfinished projects. (Summary: 5 translations, 1 contrafacta, 2 new songs, 2 new poems, 1 new spoof paper, 1 class taught; 1 serious class/paper in process). I have no idea how to convert this to metric dimensions.
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What kind of construction methods or techniques were used?
For the most part, Word, Powerpoint, and the music writing program Noteworthy were used to collect, learn, and reshape the information. Google translate and a person with high school level French helped with translations.
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Was the project based on a specific time or culture?
The project is focused on Breton history and culture from roughly the pre-Roman to modern eras where it intersects with the content of the Barzaz Breiz.
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Were any modern materials or methods used? If so, what led to that decision?
The internet, computers, and electronic media were used due to the inaccessibility of more traditional materials.
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Was there a specific reaction or emotional response you wanted to cause in the viewer/audience? If so, how did you hope to achieve it?
Depending on the piece: curiosity, satisfaction, bemusement or just being generally entertained. Nearly all the finished pieces presented to others have been well received.
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Describe the process you went through in making the project.
After finding a copy of the Barzaz Breiz on the internet, I started translations with An Alarc’h which had been on my to-do list for ages. Generally, I paced myself with one writing or research topic per week, wrapping up on Fridays whenever possible.
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What did you learn while working on this project?
While working on this project, I picked up a few words and phrases in Breton, experienced just how goofy Google Translate can be, and expanded my folklore and history research. In doing the poetry, I became reacquainted with various poetic forms and terminology.
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If you were to make this project again, what would you do differently?
I would probably get in contact with dance groups in the US who still perform music and dances from Brittany, and continue working through the Barzaz Breiz.
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Were there any surprises?
Often. As a process of discovery, the journey did not disappoint.
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Were there differences between what you set out to do and what you eventually did? How and why did the plan change?
The simple premise of finding out what the verses meant for the portion of the song An Alarc’h that I was familiar with, turned into a fine pandemic project occupying more than half a year. When I started, I assumed something would send me wandering to other projects long before finishing anything with this project set.
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What inspired you to create this project?
Having the time and the means to pursue projects that have long been on the back burner (really, a few have been knocking around for years and years), and then allowing myself to chase tangents.
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How would you sum up this project and your experiences in making this?
A few of the items that popped up surprised me, and I appreciate that the reception for the majority of the finished pieces has been positive and encouraging.
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Links: |
Ballads and Songs of Brittany: Translated from the “Barsaz-Breiz” of Vicompte Hersart de la Villemar
https://books.google.com/books?id=SAVjM_80kuEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0
Taylor, Tom. Ballads and Songs of Brittany Translated from the "Barsaz-Breiz" of Vicomte Hersart de la Villemarqué. With some original melodies harmonized by Mrs. Tom Taylor. London and Cambridge, Macmillan and Co. 1865.
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Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany, 1883 ed.
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL13787769W/Barzaz-Breiz
LA VILLEMARQUÉ Théodore Hersart (de), Barzaz-Breiz. Chants populaires de la Bretagne, Paris, Didier, 1883.
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Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany, vol. 1
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Barzaz_Breiz/UvsFAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=barzaz&pg=PR3&printse
LA VILLEMARQUÉ Theodore Hersart (de), Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany collected and published
with French translation, arguments, notes and original melodies by Th. Hersart de La
Villemarqué , vol 1., Paris, A. Frank, Rue Richelieu, 69, and Leipzig, Meme Maison, Koenigs-strasse. 1846.
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Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany, vol. 1 of 2
https://archive.org/details/barzazbreizchant01lavi
LA VILLEMARQUÉ Theodore Hersart (de), Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany collected and published
with French translation, arguments, notes and original melodies by Th. Hersart de La
Villemarqué , vol 1., Paris, A. Frank, Rue Richelieu, 69, and Leipzig, Meme Maison, Koenigs-strasse. 1846.
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Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany, vol. 2
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL13787769W/Barzaz-Breiz
LA VILLEMARQUÉ Theodore Hersart (de), Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany collected and published
with French translation, arguments, notes and original melodies by Th. Hersart de La
Villemarqué , vol 2., Paris, A. Frank, Rue Richelieu, 69, and Leipzig, Meme Maison, Koenigs-strasse. 1846.
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Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany, vol. 2 of 2
https://archive.org/details/barzazbreizchant02lavi
LA VILLEMARQUÉ Theodore Hersart (de), Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany collected and published
with French translation, arguments, notes and original melodies by Th. Hersart de La
Villemarqué , vol 2., Paris, A. Frank, Rue Richelieu, 69, and Leipzig, Meme Maison, Koenigs-strasse. 1846.
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Notebook 1: Carnet n°1 de Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué, par Donatien Laurent
https://www.nakala.fr/data/11280/ae037182
Théodore Hersart DE LA VILLEMARQUÉ, Carnet d’enquête n°1 : présentation, transcription, traduction
par Donatien Laurent, avec la collaboration de Nelly Blanchard
Carnet n°1 de Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué, par Donatien Laurent
Novembre 2018
(Available on the Center for Research and Documentation on Oral Literature (CRBC branch) website since 2018)
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Notebook 2: Carnet n°2 de Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué, par Donatien Laurent
https://www.nakala.fr/data/11280/c53e03d3
Théodore Hersart DE LA VILLEMARQUÉ, Carnet d’enquête n°2 : présentation, transcription, traduction
par Donatien Laurent, avec la collaboration de Nelly Blanchard
Carnet n°2 de Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué, par Donatien Laurent
Novembre 2018
(Available on the Center for Research and Documentation on Oral Literature (CRBC branch) website since 2018)
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Notebook 3: Carnet n°3 de Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué, par Donatien Laurent
https://www.nakala.fr/data/11280/ea20f7e6
Théodore Hersart DE LA VILLEMARQUÉ, Carnet d’enquête n°3 : présentation, transcription, traduction
par Donatien Laurent, avec la collaboration de Nelly Blanchard
Carnet n°3 de Théodore Hersart de La Villemarqué, par Donatien Laurent
Novembre 2018
(Available on the Center for Research and Documentation on Oral Literature (CRBC branch) website since 2018)
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Promenade au fil du Barzhaz Breizh
http://chrsouchon.free.fr/barzhazf.htm
(Accessed July 2020) [Contains parallel text in Breton, French and English with midi recordings]
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Sources: |
| - | Donatien Laurent, avec la collaboration de Nelly Blanchard, Théodore Hersart DE LA VILLEMARQUÉ, Carnet d’enquête n°1-3 : présentation, transcription, traduction, departmental domain of Kernault in Mellac: Center for Research and Documentation on Oral Literature (CRBC branch) (2018), trans: French |
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| - | LA VILLEMARQUÉ, Theodore Hersart (de), Barzaz-Breiz. Popular songs of Brittany, vol. 1 and 2, Paris and Leipzig: A. Frank, and Meme Maison (1846), trans: French and Breton |
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| - | Polig Monjarret, and Pierre Jakez Hélias, Tonioù Breizh-Izel: Musique populaire de Basse Bretagne [Folk music of Western-Brittany], Rennes: Embannadurioù Bodadeg ar Sonerion (1984), trans: French |
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| - | Taylor, Tom, Ballads and Songs of Brittany Translated from the Barsaz-Breiz of Vicomte Hersart de la Villemarqué, London and Cambridge: Macmillan and Co (1865) |
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