Poet James Macpherson & OSSIAN

I read of the Ossian poems and their effect on Robert Burns. When I went to research this blog I was astonished at his story!  The author of the epic poems of Ossian - supposedly about the Celtic hero Fingal (more later). At this time in the late 18th century there was a rebirth in romantic thinking which led to the Romantic movement which has a big impact on all the arts in Europe.  

(1736 – 1796) was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector and politician, known for his interpretations of  the Ossian poems. He was the first Scottish poet to gain an international reputation.

Macpherson's work - The Highlander (1758); 1760 as Fragments of Ancient Poetry collected in the Highlands of Scotland; 1761 Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six Books, together with Several Other Poems composed by Ossian, the Son of Fingal, translated from the Gaelic Language and written in musical measured prose. 1765 Temora, The Works of Ossian in 1765

When the epic Ossian poems were published by the Scottish poet James MacPherson  in 1760  - a fantasy of a third century Gaelic bard who wrote of a Celtic hero named Fingal - they achieved success  internationally. The general consensus today is that Macpherson was the author and had based them on ancient Gaelic folk tales. According to the clan Donald site Fingal of the Ossian poems was based on the Greatest Hero of the Celtic Race -  (Somerled) Somhairlidh mac Gillebride mhic Gilledomnan.  and not an ancient Irish hero as some made out at all. 

Did Macpherson equate the Scottish hero to Irish legend, in order to have his works published at all? At this time, after the Jacobite 45 wars, Highland culture was being severely repressed (the punishment was Transportation). Poetic license in other words and one of the beauties of poetry - that we can express ideas, concepts and beliefs we cannot so clearly in prose. The Scottish Highlands then became "a place of great beauty and romance - rather than one of wild warriors and hardships." (Tom  Devine).

The Clan Donald site believes Fingal was based on the renowned Celtic warrior king (Somerled) Somhairlidh mac Gillebride mhic Gilledomnan -  who died in Renfrew 1160 fighting the Scots. He was king of Argyle and the Western Isles. They believe the works were poor translations and that Macpherson deliberately wrote under the Ossian name  - as a fantasy to associate the ancient Gaelic poems to Ireland. They believe he did so to protect himself, as after the Jacobite 45 wars the English decided to repress the Highland culture and way of life.  

Herder, Goethe, Napoleon, Diderot, Burns, Scott and Voltaire were great admirers of the poems. Thomas Jefferson thought Ossian "the greatest Poet that has ever existed". They were proclaimed as the Celtic equivalent of the classical writers such as Homer.  Painters and composers chose Ossianic subjects.  The poems also influenced the composers Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn who expressed the freedom of Romanticism. Schubert composed Lieder set to many of Ossian's poems. Mendelssohn was inspired to visit the Hebrides and composed the Hebrides overture, Fingal's Cave.  Poets, Byron, Coleridge, Wordsworth and Yeats were also influenced. Lady Jane Wild named her son Oscar Fingal Wilde (the Irish poet and playwright) after the writer of the romantic Ossian poems....

Robert Burns mentioned Ossian in the footnotes of his first book of poems. He too wished to be a national bard (Poems in mostly in the Scots Dialect 1786). After the success of Burns poems, other nations such as England wished to have their own national bard too.  The Ossian poems were part of the glorification of heroic individuals and artists. By contrast Burns social democratic background was of the people and nature with quite modern and environmental views (like Tolstoy) he understood the importance of valuing all life - from the smallest creature to the highest lord. 

The Clan Donald site believes Fingal was based on the renowned Celtic warrior king (Somerled) Somhairlidh mac Gillebride mhic Gilledomnan -  who died in Renfrew 1160 fighting the Scots. He was King of Argyle and the Western Isles. They believe the works were poor translations and that Macpherson deliberately wrote under the Ossian name  - as a fantasy to associate the ancient Gaelic poems to Ireland. They believe he did so to protect himself from Transportation as after the Jacobite 45 wars, the English repressed the Highland culture and way of life.  

Clan Donald James Macpherson Ossian poems - http://www.clandonald-heritage

``Gaelic Traditions and Culloden

There are false myths of Gaelic traditions and of the battle of Culloden.

 I have been shocked over how much Scottish history is misrepresented and badly taught (if at all actually!) Our true heritage matters greatly for how we feel about our confidence in our country today.

I grew up in Edinburgh and I have always believed that the battle of Culloden 1746 (near Inverness) was a big defeat of the Scots by the English with a great many Scots killed.

It turns out that the battle was part of a civil war and a religious battle between Protestants and Catholics. 

When Queen Ann had no successors to protect the stability of Protestantism and because of concern over the wars with France - the English parliament brought over George of Hanover to succeed her. On the Hanoverian side were English, German and Scottish troops.

On Charles Edward Stuart’s side (Bonnie Prince Charlie) were Scottish, French and English troops. For instance the MacDonalds of Skye were on the Hanoverian side. Considering the importance of the Protestant movement in Scotland much of the Scottish Lowlands did not support the Jacobites (John Knox 1514). There was also an English Civil war of 1642 – 1679, between cavaliers and roundheads.

 Culloden was a marshy moor land and Charles would not listen to advice. This was the last major battle on Scottish soil. After the battle the Highland clans were suppressed. Gaelic culture was suppressed by the UK government after the 45, with the Act of Proscription to break up the clans and prohibit the wearing of tartan. I believe Scott helped to revive Scottish culture with his books. In 1822, Walter Scott, author of Waverley, a story of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, arranged a pageantry of Scottish traditions for the visit of King George IV to Scotland when the monarch dressed in a kilt. The tartan pageantry was popular and the kilt then became Scotland's National Dress.

 

Gaelic speaker Coinneach Maclean The nephews of the great Gaelic poet Sorely Maclean, has been writing up his thesis at Glasgow university and he has been lecturing on Gaeldom. After studying for a tourist guide qualification at Edinburgh university, he was shocked at the total lack of Gaelic history in the course. In fact he claims the tourist course was full of factual errors. Tourism is a big industry for Scotland and it matters greatly that correct and authentic accounts are given to visitors.

According to Tom Devine the Episcopalian church were greatly worried about the Union and many were Jacobites. Religion played a much bigger part then today.  

Has Gaelic culture been written out of Scotland’s Story? David Ross, The Herald.

Coinneach Maclean, former deputy chief executive of the National Trust for Scotland and acedemic, says the country is squandering an irreplaceable heritage while making billions from it

http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/scottish-politics/has-scotland-betrayed-its-gaelic-heritage.130047299

A Bird is not a Stone: Palestinian Voices

Liz Lochhead

Maya Abu al-Hayyat

Liz Lochhead, Scottish maker, Christina De Luca and Maya Abu al-Hayyat, Palestinian poet gave a talk Edinburgh book festival 2014, on their book A Bird is not a Stone, an anthology of Palestinian poetry and is in English, Arabic, Gaelic, Scots and Shetlandic. 

Maya Abu al-Hayyat, who is from Palestine and only got her visa to come to the festival a few days before the event, is an engineer, novelist and poet. There was the shared joy for the writers to be sharing such a cross border event, exchanging ideas and appreciating our similarities. Lochhead enjoyment of Maya’s reading of her poems in Arabic was obvious.

After an introduction from Liz on how the project came about and of their trip to the camps and crowded place that is present day Bethlehem, we were given three very eloquent readings first in English by Lochhead, then in lyrical Shetlander from Christina followed by Maya’s emotive readings. It was interesting the different rhythms and feel of the readings and the depth and beauty of the Arabic voice.

With the Shetlander voice, Christina said she wished to get the right tone and earthiness.

The poems were chosen by the Palestinian poets and then translated by 29 of  top Scottish poets( )

The book contains a foreword by Lochhead on their experiences. She spoke of the lack of water for several days and how everyone wanted to reassure them that they were not terrorists. She said, what else but poetry has the beauty and truth to try to cross boundaries. The last poem was about the many ways to smile.

A Bird Is Not A Stone is taken from George Wiley’s words of the birds that flew over the Berlin Wall. This event about a project begun in 2012 is very timely with all the dreadful killings of present day Gaza

Art and poetry voices may try to carry the silent voices across the world of the ordinary people’s lives and of the mothers who wish to watch their children grow up in a world that is not torn in two.

They thought a Scottish poem we might share would be A Man’s a Man For A That. A thoroughly enjoyable book festival event. 

Capercaillie, Thirty Years On

Their song A Prince Among Islands was the first Gaelic song to chart. Capercaillie developed the Gaelic song tradition through the creative use of modern production techniques. The band, originally called The Etives, was begun by  Donald Shaw and Karen Matheson in 1982. They are from Taynuilt south of Oban, near Loch Etive, where there was a strong tradition of folk music  - both Donald's parents are musicians and his father is also a accordionist.

Their first two albums were recorded traditionally – Crosswinds (1987) and Sidewaulks (1989). 

In the 80s Capercaillie were greatly influenced by Irish folk music of the 80s, with bands like Clannad and Planxty. Irish music was more advanced then and the Irish band Clannad proved the wider appeal that was possible with their chart success for the theme Hurry’s Song.

So for their albums Delirium (1991) and Secret People (1993) Capercaillie added basslines, drum machines and synthesisers and this fusion sound let to chart success in the 1990s. Shaw said that some may feel they sold out from the folk traditions but he feels they would have sold out by making the same record over and over. The  band preferred to move on and try new things. Their sound became contemporary traditional music. The band toured worldwide and continue to tour today.

Now in the 2000s, Capercaillie have returned to a slightly more traditional arrangements and instruments with a more subtle fusion of modern instruments.

Capercaillie are considered folk royalty. Donald Shaw has been the musical director for Glasgow’s highly successful Celtic Connections since 2007. I cover the festival each year and I am well aware of the diversity, quality and musicianship that Donald pulls together to make this highly successful event for the city of Glasgow.

One aspect that makes the band stand out is the clear beauty of Karen Matheson’s subtle expressive voice. She often sings in Gaelic. There are some wonderful clips of her on YouTube singing with the unmatchable quality of the Transatlantic band  - nothing much beats a perfect vocal, beautiful  melody and the TS band!  In a BBC documentary Karen said as a teenager she was dragged around venues to sing by her dad. It was only when she met Donald and realised his drive and creative enthusiasm for the folk music that she was able to see the purpose of it all.  Donald and Karen married ( ) - I notice at Celtic there are several married couples in folk music! 

On this documentary about the bands thirty years together Shaw said that there was no music industry compared to 30 years ago and that it is all about making music for the live experience now.  Donald Shaw is very much the musical driving force of the band. He is also a successful composer and arranger and recently he composed music for the BBCs 'Hebrides; Islands on the Edge.'

The present day line up of the band consists of - Karen Matheson (vocals), Charlie McKerron (fiddle), Michael McGoldrick (flute, whistle, pipes), Manus Lunny (bouzouki, guitar), Donald Shaw (keyboards, accordion), Ewen Vernal (bass), David Robertson (percussion), Che Beresford (drums), James Mackintosh (drums).

Capercaillie are a Scottish folk band, founded in the 1980s by Donald Shaw and fronted by Karen Matheson. They have seen four of their albums placed in the UK Albums Chart, and continue to perform and record to the present day.

'Manran' at Celtic Connections 2012

Mànran entertained us with a fun set of tunes at the Late Sessions stage for the BBC Radio at Celtic Connections 2012 on Thursday 2nd February. Manran is a young Scottish band whose style of playing incorporates Gaelic traditions, Scottish folk music and rock  The members of the band are Norrie MacIver (guitar/vocals), Gary Innes (accordion), Ewen Henderson (fiddle/pipes), Calum Stewart (flutes/uilleann pipes), Ross Saunders (bass) and Scott Mackay (drums). The band made No 6 in the UK indie chart and in the Scottish Singles chart with their first single Latha Math.  http://manran.co.uk/