February 2013 other possible titles: Barditus | Stabreim | War-Charm
Concepts to consider and address in up-coming blog entries:
Of so-called Celtic culture
1) The Druid tradition
2) The Bardic tradition
3) The Augur tradition
4) The Barditus chant in the research of Carla O'Harris
http://dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/voluspa_studies/message/682
5) Sean-nós songs of Ireland
6) Caoineadh Songs of IrelandBACK TO THE CARNYX
I have continued to listen intently to all the tracks on the John Kenny 'The Voice of the Carnyx' and 'Forest ~ River ~ Ocean' CD. I want to buy more of these, many of the compositions are incredible, fascinating, ancient-beyond-words.
As an aide to the further development of this re-exploration of an ancient performance tradition, centered around the ancient Carnyx, this blog with focus on a survey of the current research of trombone /carnyx specialist John Kenny.
Coming soon will be the first of the instruction pod-casts which will include demonstrations on how to create Carnyx like sounds on modern trombones / brass.
CARNYX AS BASIC BRASS TUBULAR RESONATOR
The carnyx, from my observations and listening experience thus far, is a very simple instrument. It is valveless, though large with a long body, it is capable of reproducing but a single harmonic series. As the mouth piece is wide, it seems that the fundamental can be manipulated, this low first partial seem ripe for some resonant and interesting timbrel variation.
Whilst listening to a number of the John Kenny tracks, I began to catalogue the various partials (pitches) and techniques possible of a primitive single fundamental brass instrument.
As a basic list of timbrel variety and technique, the John Kenny vocabulary for the instrument, includes:
- Flutter tonguing
- Ascending and descending harmonic glisses
- Circular breathing
- Partial accentuation
- Multiphonics (harmonic and enharmonic)
- sfortzando attacks
- harmonic trills
- double and triple tonguing attacks
- dynamic swell affects
- instrument shake effects
My aim to limit the written document of this process again was again thwarted by my scribblings at the piano, shown here:
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| The B-harmonic series with notes. All bracket pitches are used as sub-sets in the pitch content of Kenny's 'Voice of the Carnyx'. |
WARRIOR WORDS
I have imagined, of all this talk in my previous entry on the sound of these low brass-beasts and the screaming throngs around them, that there would be a connection between spoken and instrumental voice in an exchange of communication. Perhaps there were those offer a commands to the carnyx army which then amplified them across a wide spanning battle-field or ceremonial plateau.
Some ideas for the voiced vocabulary of commands, here:
ALLU [gaullish] - to go
AWEN [welsh] - to blow
BANATLO [gaullish] - sweep
BATTU [gaullish] - to beat
BOURACH [scots]- mess
BUNDA [gaullish] - base
BRACU [gaullish] - pitch
BRUGE [gaullish] - to roar
CANTIGA [gaullish] - song
CEARR [scots]- left
CEANIM [irish]- to wail
CRION [scots]- to shrink
CLOCH [welsh]- bell
DRULLO [gaullish] - shred
FIANNA [irish]- small band of warriors
GU LEOR [scots]- until enough
GOBE [gaulish]- mouth
HANVAL [breton]- similar
KYBOSH [irish]- to end
MENHIR [cornish]- long foundation
MOD [scots]- assemble
RUSCO [gaullish] - bark
SHINDIG [scots]- skip and jump
SLUAGH GHAIRM [scots]- battle-cry
TAK / TAKA [scots]- take
TOIR [irish]- to persue
TOISEACH [scots]- front
VIRU [gaullish] - to deviate, veer
YCH A FI [welsh]- gross
FINAL THOUGHTS
I look forward to trying out some of the 'basic' sounds of the carnyx as adapted for trombone. It will be my aim to have these recorded and ready to imitate for the full ensemble, so they are able to be re-called at the command of 'warrior-words'.
MARKOLIVERIO
