OGHAM

 

OGHAM . BOKED EURED

Keltia 3,  1976, KEL 02

This Breton band was built around two families, the Sicard and the Molard. The four Molard brothers started to play together some Breton and Irish music when they were still living in Saint-Malo where they come from. The best-known of the four brothers is Patrick Molard who started by studying the Scottish bagpipe and its music including what is called piobaireachd. Then he played the Breton bagpipe, the binioù. At the same time he discovered the uilleann pipes and was one the first uilleann pipers in France. His brother Jacky on guitar here became a renowned fiddle player in Breton and Irish music. Dominique Molard is now a drummer but he plays the bouzouki on this album. The fourth brother Claude has since passed away and played bodhran and guitar. The other family is represented by Padrig on fiddle and whistle,  and Ronan on keyboards.
They wanted to play Breton music with Irish instruments (uilleann pipes, fiddle, flute, whistle, bodhran, bouzouki) or aesthetics, influenced by the Irish folk revival (Planxty, Bothy Band, Na Fili, the Chieftains ...). They were not the first ones to have this idea; the band called Satanazet recorded in 1973 but without any bagpipe. Dominique Molard was there also.   It is interesting to note that Keltia 3 was a label founded by Alan Stivell who wrote part of the notes in French.
So only two tracks out of eight are Irish and Scottish sets; Gloire ui Rodnaich (Rodney's Glory) is a set dance followed by a reel, the Hunter's Purse. The Scottish set is led  by the Scottish bagpipe. The six tracks left are Breton dance tunes and songs played on the instruments.
Ogham was an ancient writing system used by the Celts in Ireland between the IVth and the IXth centuries. This is what is on the cover.
Boked eured is a song sung at weddings and means ''the wedding bouquet''.

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