Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

The Maritimes - a Prince Edward Island Kitchen Party

Mary Ann Kennedy visits Prince Edward Island, introducing music from Francophone band Vishten and Anglophone group Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.

A week of programmes from across Canada, marking Canada's 150th birthday. Tonight, a Prince Edward Island Kitchen Party: from the island where French, English, Scottish and Irish traditions meet, Mary Ann Kennedy witnesses a battle of the bands featuring Francophone band Vishten versus Anglophones Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys. Also including a Radio 3-commissioned collaboration exploring historical links between Nova Scotia and Scotland though a sound composition created by Amanda Christie, a Canadian with Scottish ancestry - it features Gaelic psalm-singing from the Isle of Lewis mixed with nature sounds from around eastern Canada. Plus a session with Teresa Doyle, a singer with Scots and Irish roots.

Programme note for 麻豆官网首页入口 Radio Commissioned piece by Amanda Christie: Uisgeachan Ci霉in (Quiet Waters)

Taking inspiration from the Psalms and from nature, this sound art work spans the Atlantic using archival recordings of psalm singing from the Western Isles of Scotland and voices from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, interwoven with field recordings made in the natural landscape of Cape Breton. The piece progresses chronologically through the archival recordings, from 1964, to 1994, to 2017. The psalm singing from the Western Isles alternates with psalms being read and sung by Gaelic speakers in Cape Breton. The natural sounds in the work progress in three movements, from birds at sunrise, to a rainy mid-afternoon, to frogs at sunset. I structured the field recordings of natural sounds after the psalm singing from Scotland, so that when the Precentor is singing, only one sound from nature (usually water) is present, and then several other tracks of nature recordings swell up alongside the congregation when they sing, so that birds, wind, trees, frogs, and crickets are also singing the Psalms and the praises alongside the humans. This approach to the composition was inspired by Psalm 96: 11-12 which speaks of nature singing praises to God. As such, in this composition, all of nature joins in song with the congregation, following the same antiphonal and heterophonic structure as the traditional psalm singing.

Field recording and Composition: Amanda Dawn Christie

Male Gaelic Voice from Cape Breton: Rod C. MacNeil
Female Gaelic Voice from Cape Breton: Mary Jane Lamond

Archival Recordings of Psalm Singing from Scotland: Courtesy of the 麻豆官网首页入口
In order of appearance:

1964: Psalm 72: v. 17 & 19
Location: High Church Stornoway, Isle of Lewis
Precentor: Angus MacLeod

1994: Psalm 23: v. 1-2
Location: Stornoway Free Church (Seminary), Isle of Lewis
Precentor: Finlay MacDonald

2017: Psalm 34: v. 17-19
Location: Tong Mission Hall, Isle of Lewis
featuring singers from congregations in the islands of Lewis, Harris, and Scalpay
Precentor: Iain Morrison.

2 hours

Last on

Fri 30 Jun 2017 23:00
麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

Indie music from Ontario and Quebec

See all episodes from Canada 150

Clip

Music Played

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Back 40 Rip-off

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Song to a Young Seagull

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Pickle King Polka

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Said Too Much

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Maritime Lullaby

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Goodbye City Lights

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Black Mountain Rag

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Trad

    Stomochroi

    Performer: Teresa Doyle & Patrick Brennan.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Teresa Soyle

    Jimmy's Jig

    Performer: Teresa Doyle & Patrick Brennan.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Trad

    Cape Breton Lullaby

    Performer: Teresa Doyle & Patrick Brennan.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍

    Mass Pike Flat

    Performer: 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍

    Joe Feraille

    Performer: 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍

    Trois Blizzards

    Performer: 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍

    Joli Coeur

    Performer: 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Trad

    Psalm 57v.1-3 to tune 'Martyrdom'

    Performer: Singers from congregations in the islands of Lewis, Harris, and Scalpay.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, May 2017.

  • Trad

    Psalm 72 v.17-19 to tune 'Stornoway'

    Performer: Singers from congregations in the islands of Lewis, Harris, and Scalpay.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, May 2017.

  • Amanda Christie

    Uisgeachan Ci霉in (Quiet Waters)

    Performer: Amanda Christie. Performer: Tong Mission Hall Congregation. Performer: Rod C. MacNeil. Performer: Mary Jane Lamond.

  • 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍

    La Miracule

    Performer: 痴颈蝉丑迟猫苍.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys with Vishten

    Bring my Clothes Back Home

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys with Vishten.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys with Vishten

    Sweet Georgia Brown

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys with Vishten.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

  • Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys with Vishten

    Joys of Quebec

    Performer: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys with Vishten.
    • 麻豆官网首页入口 Recording, June 2017.

Broadcast

  • Fri 30 Jun 2017 23:00
    麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 3

Featured in...

Canada 150 on Radio 3

Canada 150 on Radio 3

A series of programmes celebrating the wonderful range and diversity of Canadian culture.