Tim Britton: Scottish chanting with audience drone • Sondheim Center in Fairfield, Iowa

Sondheim Center in Fairfield, Iowa • November 2, 2017:
Tim Britton: Scottish chanting with audience drone
Canntaireachd (Scottish Gaelic: literally, "chanting") is the ancient Scottish Highland method of notating Piobaireachd, also spelt Pibroch, referred to more, referred to more generally as Ceol Mòr (literally the "big music"), an art music genre primarily played on the Great Highland Bagpipes. These long and complex theme and variation tunes were traditionally transmitted orally by a combination of definite vocable syllables.
This performance was part of the
'Sing Your Heart Out' concert at the Fairfield Sondheim Center
Link to playlist with full concert and all individual song videos: • Playlist
Fairfield, Iowa celebrated their talented community through song with more than 50 vocalists from the Fairfield area on the Sondheim stage Thursday November 2, 2017. The long list of singers included the ‘Everybody Sings’ choir directed by Carol Negro, Prairie Harmony Shape Note Singers, Steve and Michaela McLain, Tim Britton, Eva De Roovere, Frankie Cenatori, Marina McKay, Keith DeBoer, Jeffrey Hedquist, Jonas Magram, Ulrike Selleck, Torie Hollingsworth and Allison Metcalf.
The MC was Jeffrey Hedquist.
The human voice is considered the supreme instrument, capable of expressing the most refined sentiments of the heart as well as the highest spiritual aspirations. Early humans sang out their feelings long before they were able to speak their thoughts. There is no human culture, no matter how remote or isolated, that does not sing. Any activity that involves singing, including both performing and listening, is important to keep your heart healthy. The body produces 'feel good' hormones called endorphins that rush through your body when you sing or listen to singing.
Main producer: Werner Elmker
Concept development: Werner Elmker and Tim Britton
Assistant producers: Tim Britton, Paulina Sinaga, Ulrike Selleck, Rustin Lippincott, Brian McQueen
Graphic design: Werner Elmker
Camera work: Werner Elmker, Steve Thulander
Additional cameras from: Fairfield Media Center
Videos produced by Werner Elmker Audio-Visual Studio • elmker.com

[@robertlee8042]

I’ve known this kid since he was 14! He’s a bit of a genius. Really nice person too.

[@alisonrogerson3143]

He seems so lovely. Imagine all of this happening in Iowa! I’m from Scotland but the Lowlands. I visited a church in the Island of Skye & I heard this type of singing but it was the audience singing too. It was beautiful scenery all around us

[@jel517]

as a piper, the "heavy stuff' is my favorite to play

[@deanscott6904]

this is absolutely incredible

[@sfvintageracing9313]

Great! Surprised how well the audience was able to keep the drone about on tune. Had I not known what this was (and not knowing Gaelic at all) and just heard it I might have thought it was an indigenous chant from North America.

[@fionnmcnessa]

Beautiful

[@bw6138]

Thank you for teaching me the music of my ancestors. I have Scottish and Welsh heritages.

[@perrypiobaireachd]

Great performance from the old woman lullaby! Loved it 😍

[@lauriekotfer9155]

This was awsome :)

[@ramakisoradasa5814]

Excellent and mesmerizing!

[@judydavis3344]

what a treasure

[@RichardDCook]

Or "the Croon of the Hag"... funny how the English versions of titles make the Gaelic more proper/elegant/nice!

[@sgtted8225]

The Old Womans Lullaby. Its a very moving piob.

[@patrickcoyne8624]

Huppppp

[@scottbartell9875]

Actually his flatting of many notes is a bit too much--a better translation is " Hymn to the Deer Goddess of Speckled Mountain" who ruled hunting and winter and people left offerings of milk in the indentation of a rock. But very brave of him!

[@piedpiperprod]

and which notes exactly would they be? I sing it as it is played and written. Are you a piper? And are you a gaelic speaker? Your background may be accurate but your translation is not.

[@giuseppelogiurato5718]

​@@piedpiperprodhmmm... the only contentious notes in Piobaireachd that I'm aware of are "c" and "high G", and it's more of a fingering thing, at least that's what I remember from Logan's Tutor... not sure what Scottbartell is on about.. As far I can understand the Gaelic, "The Old Woman's Lullaby" is an adequate translation.