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5.0 out of 5 stars
Breton dance music at its finest!, June 9, 2003
This review is from: Pennou Skoulm (Audio CD)
Back in the late 1980's, I had the opportunity to hear Pennou Skoulm live in Madison, Wisconsin. Up to that point, my only knowledge of Breton folk music was limited to the two albums that Kornog had released in the U.S. The concert completely changed my view of the music of Brittany and left me eternally addicted to this absolutely mesmerizing stream in the Celtic music tradition.
The only recording made during the short time of the band's existence was a single cassette, which I have guarded these many years. Fortunately, after the band broke up, Escalibur decided to do some remixing of the material from the cassette tape and add some additional tracks that the band had recorded but that had not been available. The result is this CD.
The music on this CD is entirely instrumental, with approximately two-thirds of the tune being traditional in origin. The instrumentation is that of the Breton revival - fiddle, uillean pipes, violin, guitar, wooden flute. These are dance tunes, and I expect that you won't be through the second or third track before your body is overcome with a strong urge to start dancing around the room.
Since the night of that concert many years ago, I've had the pleasure of hearing other Breton folk groups. But in my opinion, nothing equals the unbelievably rich, textured, and elaborate musicianship on this recording. Pennou Skoulm clearly represents one of the high points of the modern Breton folk music tradition.
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