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 Flowinglass Music http://www.broceliande.org/ Broceliande is an American band that plays flawless Celtic and Renaissance music. Their specialty is British Isles courtyard and European court music of the Middle Ages. Musically speaking, they are the Renaissance equivalent to both rock legends Fleetwood Mac and country sensation Little Big Town in the sense that most of their songs are structured around four-part harmonies and intricate guitar/mandolin work. Broceliande are Margaret Davis (vocals, Celtic harp, flute), Karl Franzen (octave mandolin, guitar, vocals, whistle, melodian), Kristoph Klover (vocals, 12 and 6 string guitars, octave mandolin, oboe) and Kris Yenney (cello, viol, vocals and percussion). On their sixth CD, “Jig of Life”, they hit their stride with the best album of their careers. Their repertoire ranges from Irish jigs and British folk tunes to acapella Medieval French and Portuguese language madrigals. From traditional tunes such as “Wild Mountain Thyme” and “Star of the County Down” to the moving “Rosebuds in June” Jig of Life bustles with melodious perfection. “Oak, Ash, and Thorn,” is the Ren Faire equivalent of “Parsley, Sage Rosemary and Thyme,” while the bawdy “The Pretty Maid Milking Her Cow” will make you blush or smile, or both. One of the most interesting songs on “Jig of Life” is “The Last Words of Copernicus” – an ode dedicated to the great Middle Ages astronomer and founder of the scientific movement known as Copernicanism, who continually challenged Church doctrine with his scientific findings and publications. In the past, Broceliande have previously experimented with Cornish, Scottish, Manx and other British Isles traditional songs. They have even recorded music written by 16th century composers Pierre Passereau and Orlando di Lasso as well as recorded 12th century music originally composed for the Court of King Alfonso X of Castile. But on “Jig of Life”, they experimented with a new avenue of music by delving into the sizable catalog of ancient Scandinavian music for the first time and in doing so have enriched their overall sound. Songs like the two-part epic “I Denna Ljuva Sommartid/Midsommer Vals” exemplify and validate this new direction. I hope they do more Nordic folk music in the future. If you like the music of Solas, Falsobordone or Sherwood Consort you will very much enjoy Broceliande. You Tube Videos: Cambric Shirt – Brocelïande Broceliande performs "Carol of the Birds" |
