Monday, January 25, 2016
Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe, Tobias Menzies, Golden Globes red carpet
The interview of all 3 cast members from the Golden Globes red carpet. Tobias Menzies answer is cheeky//
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Burns Night: A Scottish tradition Honoring the Bard.
Who was Robert Burns?
By the BBC
Early life
Robert Burns was born on 25 January 1759 in the village of Alloway, two miles south of Ayr. His parents, Willian Burnes[s] and Agnes Broun, were tenant farmers but they ensured their son received a relatively good education and he began to read avidly. The works of Alexander Pope, Henry Mackenzie and Laurence Sterne fired Burns's poetic impulse and relationships with the opposite sex provided his inspiration. Handsome Nell, for Nellie Kilpatrick, was his first song.
Hard physical labour on the family farm took its toll on the young Burns, who increasingly turned his attentions towards the passions of poetry, nature, drink and women which would characterise the rest of his life. He fathered twins with eventual wife Jean Armour, but a rift in their relationship nearly led to Burns emigrating to the West Indies with lover Mary Campbell (his Highland Mary). Mary's sudden death and the sensational success of his first published collection of verse kept him in Scotland. At just 27, Burns had already become famous across the country with poems such as To a Louse, To a Mouse and The Cotter's Saturday Night.
Late twenties
Newly hailed as the Ploughman Poet because his poems complemented the growing literary taste for romanticism and pastoral pleasures, Burns arrived in Edinburgh, where he was welcomed by a circle of wealthy and important friends.
Illicit relationships and fathering illegitimate children ran parallel to a productive period in his working life. His correspondence with Agnes 'Nancy' McLehose resulted in the classic Ae Fond Kiss. A collaboration with James Johnson led to a long-term involvement in The Scots Musical Museum, which included the likes of Auld Lang Syne.
Later life
In just 18 short months, Burns had spent most of the wealth from his published poetry, so in 1789 he began work as an Excise Officer in Dumfries (an irony not lost on him) and resumed his relationship with wife Jean. His increasingly radical political views influenced many of the phenomenal number of poems, songs and letters he continued to pen, including such famous works as For a' that and a' that.
The hard work this new job entailed, combined with the toil of his earlier life and dissolute lifestyle began to take their toll on Burns's health. He died on 21 July 1796 aged just 37 and was buried with full civil and military honours on the very day his son Maxwell was born. A memorial edition of his poems was published to raise money for his wife and children.
Burns Night Supper
For our Outlander fans who celebrate Burns night, and for those who would like to for the first time. We found a comprehensive guide to follow, so your Burns night may be as authentic as old traditions demand,
by the BBC.
by the BBC.
The long held traditions of Burns night broken down for you, in order.
Right down to the type of food to eat...
The Burns Supper is an institution of Scottish life: a night to celebrate the life and works of the national Bard. Suppers can range from an informal gathering of friends to a huge, formal dinner full of pomp and circumstance. This running order covers all the key elements you need to plan and structure a Burns Supper that suits your intentions.
Piping in the guests
A big-time Burns Night calls for a piper to welcome guests. If you don't want all that baggage, some traditional music will do nicely. For more formal events, the audience should stand to welcome arriving guests: the piper plays until the high table is ready to be seated, at which point a round of applause is due. At a more egalitarian gathering - with no high table - the chair can simply bang on the table to draw attention to the start of the evening's proceedings.
Chairman's welcome
The Chair (host/organiser) warmly welcomes and introduces the assembled guests and the evening's entertainment.
The Selkirk Grace
A short but important prayer read to usher in the meal, The Selkirk Grace is also known as Burns's Grace at Kirkcudbright. Although the text is often printed in English, it is usually recited in Scots. Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, And sae the Lord be thankit.
Piping in the haggis
Guests should normally stand to welcome the dinner's star attraction, which should be delivered on a silver platter by a procession comprising the chef, the piper and the person who will address the Haggis. A whisky-bearer should also arrive to ensure the toasts are well lubricated.
During the procession, guests clap in time to the music until the Haggis reaches its destination at the table. The music stops and everyone is seated in anticipation of the address To a Haggis.
Address to the haggis
The honoured reader now seizes their moment of glory by offering a fluent and entertaining rendition of To a Haggis. The reader should have his knife poised at the ready. On cue (His knife see Rustic-labour dight), he cuts the casing along its length, making sure to spill out some of the tasty gore within (trenching its gushing entrails).
Warning: it is wise to have a small cut made in the haggis skin before it is piped in. Instances are recorded of top table guests being scalded by flying pieces of haggis when enthusiastic reciters omitted this precaution! Alternatively, the distribution of bits of haggis about the assembled company is regarded in some quarters as a part of the fun...
The recital ends with the reader raising the haggis in triumph during the final line Gie her a haggis!, which the guests greet with rapturous applause.
Toast to the haggis
Prompted by the speaker, the audience now joins in the toast to the haggis. Raise a glass and shout: The haggis! Then it's time to serve the main course with its traditional companions, neeps and tatties. In larger events, the piper leads a procession carrying the opened haggis out to the kitchen for serving; audience members should clap as the procession departs.
The meal
Served with some suitable background music, the sumptuous Bill o' Fare includes:-
Starter
Traditional cock-a-leekie soup;
Main course
Haggis, neeps & tatties (Haggis wi' bashit neeps an' champit tatties);
Sweet
Clootie Dumpling (a pudding prepared in a linen cloth or cloot) or Typsy Laird (a Scottish sherry trifle);
Cheeseboard with bannocks (oatcakes) and tea/coffee.
Variations do exist: beef lovers can serve the haggis, neeps & tatties as a starter with roast beef or steak pie as the main dish. Vegetarians can of course choose vegetarian haggis, while pescatarians could opt for a seafood main course such as Cullen Skink.
For more detailed information about the food on Burns Night, read How to host a Burns Night supper over on the BBC Food blog.
The drink
Liberal lashings of wine or ale should be served with dinner and it's often customary to douse the haggis with a splash of whisky sauce, which, with true Scots understatement, is neat whisky.
After the meal, it's time for connoisseurs to compare notes on the wonderful selection of malts served by the generous chair.
The first entertainment
The nervous first entertainer follows immediately after the meal. Often it will be a singer or musician performing Burns songs such as:-
My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose;
Rantin', Rovin' Robin;
John Anderson, my jo; or
Ae Fond Kiss, and Then We Sever.
Alternatively it could be a moving recital of a Burns poem, with perennial preference for:-
Tam o' Shanter;
Holy Willie's Prayer;
To a Louse;
Address to the Unco Guid; or
For a' that and a' that.
The immortal memory
The keynote speaker takes the stage to deliver a spell-binding oratoration on the life of Robert Burns: his literary genius, his politics, his highs and lows, his human frailty and - most importantly - his nationalism. The speech must bridge the dangerous chasm between serious intent and sparkling wit, painting a colourful picture of Scotland's beloved Bard.
The speaker concludes with a heart-felt toast: To the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns!
The second entertainment
The chair introduces more celebration of Burns' work, preferably a poem or song to complement the earlier entertainment.
Toast to the Lassies
The humorous highlight of any Burns Night comes in this toast, which is designed to praise the role of women in the world today. This should be done by selective quotation from Burns's works and should build towards a positive note. Particular reference to those present makes for a more meaningful toast.
The toast concludes: To the Lassies!
The final entertainment
The final course of the evening's entertainment comprises more Burns readings.
Reply to the Toast to the Lassies
Revenge for the women present as they get their chance to reply.
Vote of thanks
The chair now climbs to his potentially unsteady feet to thank everyone who has contributed to a wonderful evening and to suggest that taxis will arrive shortly.
Auld Lang Syne
The chair closes the proceedings by inviting guests to stand and belt out a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne. The company joins hands and sings as one, having made sure to brush up on those difficult later lines.
Optional extras
These can slot into any part of the evening.
Lost Burns manuscripts
Some Burns Night suppers include a lost manuscript reading, where a participant with literary aspirations recites from a fictitious long-lost musing of the great man on a new subject.
Quizzes and/or recitation competitions
Involving the guests - instead of having them sit passively - is key to a fun and successful Burns night. Make up your own activities for best effect.
Right down to the type of food to eat...
The Burns Supper is an institution of Scottish life: a night to celebrate the life and works of the national Bard. Suppers can range from an informal gathering of friends to a huge, formal dinner full of pomp and circumstance. This running order covers all the key elements you need to plan and structure a Burns Supper that suits your intentions.
Piping in the guests
A big-time Burns Night calls for a piper to welcome guests. If you don't want all that baggage, some traditional music will do nicely. For more formal events, the audience should stand to welcome arriving guests: the piper plays until the high table is ready to be seated, at which point a round of applause is due. At a more egalitarian gathering - with no high table - the chair can simply bang on the table to draw attention to the start of the evening's proceedings.
Chairman's welcome
The Chair (host/organiser) warmly welcomes and introduces the assembled guests and the evening's entertainment.
The Selkirk Grace
A short but important prayer read to usher in the meal, The Selkirk Grace is also known as Burns's Grace at Kirkcudbright. Although the text is often printed in English, it is usually recited in Scots. Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, And sae the Lord be thankit.
Piping in the haggis
Guests should normally stand to welcome the dinner's star attraction, which should be delivered on a silver platter by a procession comprising the chef, the piper and the person who will address the Haggis. A whisky-bearer should also arrive to ensure the toasts are well lubricated.
During the procession, guests clap in time to the music until the Haggis reaches its destination at the table. The music stops and everyone is seated in anticipation of the address To a Haggis.
Address to the haggis
The honoured reader now seizes their moment of glory by offering a fluent and entertaining rendition of To a Haggis. The reader should have his knife poised at the ready. On cue (His knife see Rustic-labour dight), he cuts the casing along its length, making sure to spill out some of the tasty gore within (trenching its gushing entrails).
Warning: it is wise to have a small cut made in the haggis skin before it is piped in. Instances are recorded of top table guests being scalded by flying pieces of haggis when enthusiastic reciters omitted this precaution! Alternatively, the distribution of bits of haggis about the assembled company is regarded in some quarters as a part of the fun...
The recital ends with the reader raising the haggis in triumph during the final line Gie her a haggis!, which the guests greet with rapturous applause.
Toast to the haggis
Prompted by the speaker, the audience now joins in the toast to the haggis. Raise a glass and shout: The haggis! Then it's time to serve the main course with its traditional companions, neeps and tatties. In larger events, the piper leads a procession carrying the opened haggis out to the kitchen for serving; audience members should clap as the procession departs.
The meal
Served with some suitable background music, the sumptuous Bill o' Fare includes:-
Starter
Traditional cock-a-leekie soup;
Main course
Haggis, neeps & tatties (Haggis wi' bashit neeps an' champit tatties);
Sweet
Clootie Dumpling (a pudding prepared in a linen cloth or cloot) or Typsy Laird (a Scottish sherry trifle);
Cheeseboard with bannocks (oatcakes) and tea/coffee.
Variations do exist: beef lovers can serve the haggis, neeps & tatties as a starter with roast beef or steak pie as the main dish. Vegetarians can of course choose vegetarian haggis, while pescatarians could opt for a seafood main course such as Cullen Skink.
For more detailed information about the food on Burns Night, read How to host a Burns Night supper over on the BBC Food blog.
The drink
Liberal lashings of wine or ale should be served with dinner and it's often customary to douse the haggis with a splash of whisky sauce, which, with true Scots understatement, is neat whisky.
After the meal, it's time for connoisseurs to compare notes on the wonderful selection of malts served by the generous chair.
The first entertainment
The nervous first entertainer follows immediately after the meal. Often it will be a singer or musician performing Burns songs such as:-
My Luve is Like a Red Red Rose;
Rantin', Rovin' Robin;
John Anderson, my jo; or
Ae Fond Kiss, and Then We Sever.
Alternatively it could be a moving recital of a Burns poem, with perennial preference for:-
Tam o' Shanter;
Holy Willie's Prayer;
To a Louse;
Address to the Unco Guid; or
For a' that and a' that.
The immortal memory
The keynote speaker takes the stage to deliver a spell-binding oratoration on the life of Robert Burns: his literary genius, his politics, his highs and lows, his human frailty and - most importantly - his nationalism. The speech must bridge the dangerous chasm between serious intent and sparkling wit, painting a colourful picture of Scotland's beloved Bard.
The speaker concludes with a heart-felt toast: To the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns!
The second entertainment
The chair introduces more celebration of Burns' work, preferably a poem or song to complement the earlier entertainment.
Toast to the Lassies
The humorous highlight of any Burns Night comes in this toast, which is designed to praise the role of women in the world today. This should be done by selective quotation from Burns's works and should build towards a positive note. Particular reference to those present makes for a more meaningful toast.
The toast concludes: To the Lassies!
The final entertainment
The final course of the evening's entertainment comprises more Burns readings.
Reply to the Toast to the Lassies
Revenge for the women present as they get their chance to reply.
Vote of thanks
The chair now climbs to his potentially unsteady feet to thank everyone who has contributed to a wonderful evening and to suggest that taxis will arrive shortly.
Auld Lang Syne
The chair closes the proceedings by inviting guests to stand and belt out a rousing rendition of Auld Lang Syne. The company joins hands and sings as one, having made sure to brush up on those difficult later lines.
Optional extras
These can slot into any part of the evening.
Lost Burns manuscripts
Some Burns Night suppers include a lost manuscript reading, where a participant with literary aspirations recites from a fictitious long-lost musing of the great man on a new subject.
Quizzes and/or recitation competitions
Involving the guests - instead of having them sit passively - is key to a fun and successful Burns night. Make up your own activities for best effect.
Ae Fond Kiss, A poem by Robert Burnes. Performed by Sam Heughan
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Who shall say that Fortune grieves him,
While the star of hope she leaves him?
Me, nae cheerful twinkle lights me;
Dark despair around benights me.
I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy,
Naething could resist my Nancy:
But to see her was to love her;
Love but her, and love for ever.
Had we never lov'd sae kindly,
Had we never lov'd sae blindly,
Never met-or never parted,
We had ne'er been broken-hearted.
Fare-thee-weel, thou first and fairest!
Fare-thee-weel, thou best and dearest!
Thine be ilka joy and treasure,
Peace, Enjoyment, Love and Pleasure!
Ae fond kiss, and then we sever!
Ae fareweeli alas, for ever!
Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee,
Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee.
Check back after Burns night for Nancy M Guillory's post of her very own BATON ROUGE Burns night, with all the authenticity of Scotland. .
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
France and the unique fixations of the times.
By Kim Murphy-Winslow
Dragonfly in Amber, Chapter 9 - The Splendour of Versailles
It was neither the gown or the prospect it revealed that rattled me, though. The breasts of "Nesle," while reasonably adequate in size, pleasant in proportion, and tipped with large brownish aureole, were further adorned with a pair of nipple jewels that caused their setting to recede into insignificance. A pair of diamond encrusted swans with ruby eyes stretched their necks toward each other, swinging precariously in their gold hooped perches. The workmanship was superb and the materials stunning, but it was the fact that each gold hoop passed THROUGH her nipple that made me feel rather faint. The nipples themselves were rather seriously inverted, but this fact was disguised by a large pearl that covered each one, dangling on a thin gold chain that looped from side to side of the main hoop.
18th Century Paris
It was Queen Isabeau of Bavaria that introduced nipple piercing to the upper class society. At that time the style of dress, for the upper class, was VERY low cut, and some necklines were so low as to show the navel, thus showing a LOT of cleavage. Soon women were baring their nipples freely and enhancing them with nipple rouge and jewelry.
In the Victorian period nipple piercing became very fashionable. The women in France loved the way the piercing made their nipples stay erect, as a result they found that having constantly erect nipples made them more sexually appealing to their husbands and lovers. Women also would pierce their nipples to make their nipples look bigger or to keep them from inverting.
In the Victorian period nipple piercing became very fashionable. The women in France loved the way the piercing made their nipples stay erect, as a result they found that having constantly erect nipples made them more sexually appealing to their husbands and lovers. Women also would pierce their nipples to make their nipples look bigger or to keep them from inverting.
Honestly, when I think of nipple piercing I think....OUCH!! It's funny how we look at the past as being old fashion, but times change...people don't.
People will always love fashion and trends, even in the 18th century, fashionista's were setting trends and being amazing.
I can't wait to see Diana Gabaldon's vision of Versailles brought to life by Ron D Moore in the upcoming season of Outlander.
I myself do not plan on following the nipple piercing trend, but C'est la vie!
Nipple piercing became a fashion trend among society women during the Victorian period around 1890. Reports about nipple piercings were featured in magazines such as Vogue at the end of the 19th century:
For a long time I could not understand why I should consent to such a painful operation without sufficient reason. I soon, however came to the conclusion that many ladies are ready to bear the passing pain for the sake of love. I found that the breasts of those who wore rings were incomparably rounder and fuller developed than those who did not. My doubts were now at an end...so I had my nipples pierced, and when the wounds were healed, I had rings inserted...with regard to the experience of wearing these rings, I can only say that they are not in the least uncomfortable or painful. On the contrary, the slight rubbing and slipping of the rings causes in me an extremely titillating feeling, and all my colleagues I have spoken to on this subject have confirmed my opinion.
— – London socialite writing in Vogue, 1890
In the late 1970s, the practice was revived again by Jim Ward and gained foothold in gay BDSM and leather subcultures. During the 1980s and early 1990s, theModern primitive movement embraced nipple piercings among other forms of body modification. With its roots at the United States west coast, modern primitives were intrigued by indigenous, so-called "primitive" cultures and adopted various forms of body modification.[7][8] The mainstream popularity of the practice is partly due to celebrities who publicly displayed their piercings or confessed to have one in the 1990s, such as Tommy Lee, Corey Taylor and Lenny Kravitz.
Nipple piercing has gained much popularity in recent years with many celebrities and fashion models having this type of piercing. Despite this, many are motivated to get a nipple piercing for personal reasons including for self-expression and to feel unique. Furthermore, at least one study has shown people take, on average, 1–2 years to make a decision to get pierced.
The Naughty Side Of 18th Century French Fashions.
By Evelyn Kennedy Duncan
Above is a French fashion plate from the 1780's showing just how low fashionable
bodices had come. There is no question that the ladies nipple is indeed exposed.
This is not a solo fashion plate. I have several that show exposed nipples from this same time period and others where a majority of the breast is exposed even if the nipple is not obvious to see.
This extreme fashion was not only in France but to some extent in England and other progressive European countries. Not all women went as far as to expose their nipple(s), others chose only to allow the areolae to be visible and those more modest, would allow the bodice to come just to but not quite expose the that much of their charms.
Any way you look at it, showing cleavage or one's décolletage was an acceptable fashion statement of the day. The question was not would you show cleavage but "how low will you go"?
*****
I thought it would be interesting to post about some of the more daring fashions from this time of Marie Antoinette (the late 1770's through the late 1780's) that show how low the bodices could be. Some do not blatantly expose the nipple(s) as seen in the above engraving; however in many of them on closer inspection you realize just how exposed they really are.
For an in depth look at naughty Couture in the 18th century, go to EKDuncan blog:
http://www.ekduncan.com/2012/03/naughty-side-of-18th-century-french.html
Also see The Bare Bossom of the 17th & 18th Century:
http://isiswardrobe.blogspot.dk/2013/05/the-bared-bosom-in-17th-and-18th.html
Also see The Bare Bossom of the 17th & 18th Century:
http://isiswardrobe.blogspot.dk/2013/05/the-bared-bosom-in-17th-and-18th.html
Monday, January 18, 2016
Voyager and Laoghaire MacKenzie
By OutlanderHomepage Originals
Major spoilers.
Outlander
Book:
For everyone who read the first Outlanderbook, we know Leery has a fixation with Jamie and feels betrayed by his Marriage to Claire. We know about the ill wish placed under Claire's bed.
As we last saw Leery, she writes the note for Claire to go to Geillis, at her home in the Village, pretending Geillis is sick. Leery knowing full well that she was about to be arrested and tried as a witch by the locals.
We don't see her again, but hear about her from the point of view of Claire, feeling resentment and fury. Jamie (weirdly enough) isn't told about any of this. He only knows, he told Claire to stay away from Geillis but had to come back from a boar hunt with the Duke of Sandringham to save her because she didn't.
Show:
We see the same scenario with Leery, but she is more directly involved in the aftermath of the arrest and is seen at Geillis' house to ensure that Claire had indeed been arrested. To drive the point home, (Thanks Ron) she testifies at the Witch trial. Argues with Ned Gowan about her love for Jamie and when Claire is found guilty, Leery says the infamous line: I will dance upon your ashes....
There isn't a big difference from Book to show. In cinema, we need visuals to show the story. Great job so far...
Dragonfly in Amber
Book:
Leery is absent from this book, though her deed is analysed though out the story by Claire, while she is trying to come to terms with the events that lead the Fraser's to leave Castle Leoch, go to Lallybroch, and eventually to Jamie's arrest and rape at the hands of Black Jack Randall, and their escape to France.
With the one exception, after the Fraser's come back to Scotland, when Colum MacKenzie comes to see them during the Jacobite rising, right before the battle of Culloden, to figure out his clans participation with Charles Edward Stuart in regaining his throne. This is where Colum learns about Leery's deception, and offers to punish her for Claire, while asking her for an elixir to end his own life. Being that Claire worked through what had taken place, (in Leery's eyes about Jamie having married her) she considers this offer but declines.
Ron D Moore, may have written a version of this, but we don't know until the series airs what his ultimate story will contain. What we do know is that the Fraser's are in France, but come back to Scotland, which ends with Scottish rising of 1745. This is like the book story, as far as we know it.
This is what Diana Gabaldon wrote to a fan about this:
Voyager
Book:
We read about Claire trying to get back to Jamie, after Roger Wakefield, learning he did not die on the battlefield of Culloden, finds him.
We get to know Brianna, Roger falls in love with her pretty hard.
We are told what becoming a Doctor cost Claire, about her relationship with Frank, and what took place between them after she returns to her own time. We learn about Frank's love for his daughter, and the changing dynamics of Claire and Franks marriage, and his passing.
Jamie has his own more tragic story. Years of hiding in a cave after returning to Lallybroch a wanted man, self-sacrifice to save his family and tenants, years in prison, and meeting Lord John Grey. Being indentured at Helwater and the life he tried to make there to be with his son, William. Coming home to Lallybroch, realizing he has nothing holding him there, he moves to 'Edinburgh', where Claire finds him thanks to his A. Malcom Printer persona, among other aliases used for his new line of work, smuggling.
But as the story unfolds, we are betrayed along with Claire (because we know what Leery had done) when we find out about Jamie's marriage to Leery, at Jenny's provoking. We then find forgiveness right along with Claire, to get the chance to love Jamie again through Claire, and hate Leery even more for shooting Jamie.
But no matter how they stay together its okay, we want them together!
Their time is but momentary. They find themselves sailing across the ocean to find young Ian, kidnapped by none other than Geillis Duncan, in her bid for a chest of jewels to go back through the stones.
In their current circumstances this far into the book, Jamie loses Claire again, to an English Ship Captain, whose crew is killed off by an epidemic, so Claire trying to save lives, is pressed into service. Obviously they find each other again, they rescue young Ian, and all is well after they manage (in a hurricane and a sea chase) to wash ashore in the Colonies. But for most of Voyager, Claire and Jamie are recounting times when they are apart, or are physically apart due to the situations they become entangled in. Not to mention that Claire almost drowns.
Show:
I'm not sure after Ron D Moore spent two seasons setting up Jaime and Claire's story, that season three as a stand alone book could be adapted well, in a sense that the shows two main characters are not in each others stories for a greater part of season three. It's hard to write an adaptation about two people thinking about each other. Do we really want to watch every episode with Jamie and Claire seperated except for a few? It's even harder to adapt what is needed visually to continue the Jamie and Claire story flow and include key information of their lives apart so the story unfolds naturally and is understood by none readers.
Thoughts:
Laoghaire and why she's in season two.
If Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager were one long story for Ron to adapt, in part changing some of the flash back sequences into real time, to keep Jamie in Claire's storyline through out, perhaps season two and season three will have all of the nuances of Diana's story, told by Ron in a way made for television, and be one story told in two seasons.
Would it bother fans, or ruin the story?
For me the second half of Outlander is where Frasers Ridge starts, book 4 and that would be a clean slate of where to begin their story.
What are your thoughts?
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Outlander' Q&A: Duncan Lacroix On Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser
In honor of our cast follow by actor Duncan Lacroix, we dug up an interview by Access Hollywood, all about Duncan, the gaelic and what getting into character means when playing Murtagh...
By Jolie Lash
Duncan Lacroix as Murtagh and Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser (Sony Pictures Television/Starz)
Duncan Lacroix has delighted "Outlander" fans all season long with his portrayal of Jamie Fraser's right hand man, Murtagh Fitzgibbons Fraser.
As a surrogate dad for the all-grown-up lad, Murtagh has not only had Jamie's back, but he's offered him support and guidance (memorably sharing a special moment ahead of Jamie's wedding to Claire).
Duncan told Access Hollywood he originally auditioned for a different role in the show, one that "wasn't a good fit." But the people behind the show liked what they saw because they came back to Duncan and asked him to read for Murtagh.
"I kind of read the description of the character as 'dark, kind of brooding, hawk-like.' I thought, 'Yeah I can do that,'" Duncan laughed, as he spoke with Access over the phone from Scotland.
"I did the self-tape in my flat with a friend of mine on his iPhone and sent it away. I didn’t really expect to hear anything back, or if I did, I thought, you know, there'd be kind of rounds of interviews. But yeah, a week later, I got offered the role, which was huge, and [I was] whisked off to Scotland that very week."
With Duncan's Murtagh about to join Claire (Caitriona Balfe) and Jenny (Laura Donnelly) in the search for the missing Jamie Fraser, Access decided it was about time we spoke with the actor playing the marvelous Murtagh.
AccessHollywood.com: Apparently you had a small little role in 'Game of Thrones'?
Duncan Lacroix: That was – small is an overstatement, I think. Yeah, it was just a day job, I think. I can't remember – was it Season 2, when Jaime Lannister's being hauled through the mud... and I think I was in the background somewhere. If you pause it for about one minute, I think you might see my face. That was the extent of that.
Access: It's a really big show, and you get to say that you were a part of it, just like Tobias Menzies.
Duncan: It was, yeah. It was my first big job when I finally arrived in Dublin and got an agent. It was a great laugh.
Access: What did they have you audition with for Murtagh? Because obviously your character doesn't actually speak a lot. That's part of his charm.
Duncan: It was the scene, I think, where I'm explaining to Claire in Castle Leoch when Jamie's coming in for The Gathering, and I'm explaining kind of the ins and outs to Claire. And I think Ira [Steven Behr], one of the producers -- I think he said I got it from my eyebrows within about two seconds apparently, so I didn't even have to do much acting.
Access: You know what though, the expressions are as important, I think, to every character, as how they say their words. I've got to ask though, kind of a funny question – was one of the requirements, 'must be able to grow giant mountain man beard'?
Duncan: Yeah… I'd already had one kind of on the go because I'd had a small part in 'Vikings' as well, so I had one on the go from that, and yeah, who knew. I was able to grow a massive, bushy beard within about a month, so that was a big bonus.
Access: Was there a brief that they gave you guys on the Scottish accent for those of you that aren't Scottish?
Duncan: Yeah, well, we got a dialect coach --- Carol Ann [Crawford], who's brilliant -- and we kind of sat down, well I did, sat down intensively with her, when we had a bootcamp, before [Season] 1 and like a lot of my time was spent with her and Àdhamh [Ó Broin], the Gaelic coach. Yeah, I mean, the Highland accent's kind of, you know, when an Englishman tries to do a Scottish accent, it's usually the broad Glaswegian accent, but the Highland accent is a lot more mellower. It's kind of nice. [I spent] lots of time with [Carol Ann] and she's always there on set as well to pick me up when I'm mucking it all up.
Access: Tell me about the Gaelic though – a lot of people are very interested in it. Was it tough for you?
Duncan: The Gaelic, I mean, originally, Àdhamh was – he's just one of the most enthusiastic people you ever want to meet, and he was trying to teach us the whole language, which was obviously too much, so it's just a question of breaking it down phonetically. Actually, the very first take I did I think, was when we went into the cottage with Claire... I was kind of so nervous 'cause I think it was one of my first scenes that I [gobbled] the Gaelic, but apparently, what I was saying actually made sense anyway.
Access: That's awesome.
Duncan: Yeah, I was kind of improvising in Gaelic without even knowing it.
Access: I spoke with Sam [Heughan] last year and one of the things he said to me is that you guys -- in order to sort of make that Jamie/Murtagh connection -- you guys always try and either see each other in scenes or speak Gaelic to each other. Is that right?
Duncan: Yeah, yeah. Well there's a lot of kind of I think non-verbal communication we kind of get in, in the scenes. … Yeah, it just kind of adds to that bond we've got as characters.
Access: On screen, you guys have a lot of chemistry and you feel the history between these two characters. Did you kind of have an instant chemistry with Sam when you met him? Because you really feel that between the two of you as actors when you're watching it and that doesn't happen all the time.
Duncan: That's great to hear. I think it's just very hard not to have an affinity with Sam. He's just such a lovely guy, you know what I mean? Same as Caitriona, they're very easy actors to work with. … There actually was a scene that we did quite early on, which I think got cut out in one of the episodes, which kind of set up a nice intimacy between us, [which] is when we got back to Castle Leoch after the 'Rent' episode, and because we filmed those out of sequence, it was one the first kind of big scenes we had together. … He's a very good actor at listening, and yeah, I think it just comes along naturally in those moments. I can't really explain it. There's nothing we really work on, I think it was just natural.
-- Jolie Lash... Outlander Homepage would like to thank Jolie, we follow her on twitter, and she is a funny lady... Great inspiration
Friday, January 15, 2016
OutlanderHomepage Originals: Interview with Elena Vas, Outlander Fan Videographer
Elena Vas - A pretty amazing Outlander Fan, & Video Creator.
Co- blogging by Susie Brown,
A children’s author, teacher-librarian and Outlander fan who lives in Australia.
OHP: Elena, we know that there are many Outlander fans all over the world. Which country do you come from?
Elena: I'm from a small country called Israel.
OHP: What made you start your video career?
Elena: Well, it's really more of a hobby, rather than a career. I had dreamed about making videos ever since I was a teenager, but I actually started making them in 2004, while I was a fan of the television series, "Lost".
OHP: How long have you been making the Outlander fan videos?
Elena: Since the start of the show. I have a habit, whenever I like the romance in a show or a movie, to start making videos about it. My Outlander videos are my personal ode to this beautiful show and its beautiful leading couple.
OHP: What inspired you to make them?
Elena: So many things! Firstly, I loved the chemistry that Cait and Sam share. I also loved the show’s cinematography. I was affected by the colors and the imagery, as well as the romantic and historical aspects. Outlander is kind of a perfect show for me, and when I love something that much, I put it into a music video.
OHP: How long does it take you to make each video?
Elena: It varies. Sometimes it's couple of days; sometimes a week or two; sometimes even more. It depends on how inspired I am and how much time I have on my hands. Often I will sit through the night making a video, not even noticing how much time has passed!
OHP: Each of your videos tells a story and creates a mood. Is that intentional on your part, or has it just happened?
Elena: Wow, thanks for saying this! It's wonderful to think that my videos have an impact. It’s not always a conscious decision on my part to tell a story; mostly it happens during the process of making the video. And even when I do have a plan for a particular plot from the get go, the story can change and ends up being entirely different from my original idea.
OHP: Tell us a little bit about the process of making a video. For example: how do you choose the video excerpts and where do you find the music?
Elena: Watching a new episode or even a promo of the show will often inspire me. Then I’ll go and look for the music. Other times, I start with the music. I can hear a song on the radio or on a CD and it hits me. Images start appearing in my head and I feel that I need to put the song into a video.
OHP: We know that Diana Gabaldon commented on one of your videos - how did that feel? Have you ever been contacted by Sam or Caitriona, or anyone else from the show?
Elena: Reading Diana’s comments felt great! It was one of the moments when I felt that what I have been doing for such a long time had paid off. I’ve never been contacted by Sam or Cait, although I’d love to know what they think.
The video we’re talking about, together with a link to Diana’s response:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap_Cqr-gm6E
OHP: Have you read the Outlander books, or did you discover the story via the tv series?
Elena: I have read all the books now, but I discovered the books after watching the show.
OHP: Do you have a favorite Outlander video? Do you still make videos for any other tv shows?
Elena: I have made many videos for other shows such as "New Girl", "Beauty and the Beast" and "Lost", but now I only have my eyes for "Outlander". I don't really have a favorite. I always find faults in them after I finally put them online!
OHP: Will you continue to make videos in season 2?
Elena: As long as I continue enjoying the show, I certainly will!
OHP: How can people see your work? What plans do you have for the future?
Elena: People can watch all of my videos on my YouTube channel:
Go to Elena's page on Youtube....
https://www.youtube.com/user/lenaguffi
I have to admit I don't really have plans for the future; I make them as I go.
We’d like to thank Elena for answering our questions - and if you need some more help to survive “Droughtlander”, we certainly recommend heading to YouTube and watching her many beautiful videos!
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Interview with Kyle Carey, Gaelic Americana
OutlanderHomepage Originals
Kyle Carey, Gaelic Americana....
When you sing like an angel and speak fluent Gaelic, it's not a difficult decision to sing the ancient songs of the Scottish Highlands.
For this beauty (who we met and were drawn to by her charms), The Gatherings at the Scottish and Irish festivals and all their Celtic traditions, is as natural a match, as Jamie and Claire are at Frasers ridge.
On January 24th The Celtic Connections presents, Gaelic meets Gaelic Americana, with Gillebride MacMillan and Kyle Carey among other artists, at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow Scotland, which will be attended by our own administrator Liz Mercado. (also a manager of some of the talent performing) She will be posting a blog of the events from the concert, some time in February, when she gets back to New York City..
For tickets, if you are lucky enough to be in Scotland, click http://www.celticconnections.com/events/Pages/event.aspx?ev=1aaae78a-1e93-40f8-b2c4-a5310144d8fa
Kyle Carey's Biography :
Tomorrow’s First Light
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Kyle Carey has taken folk music traditions she describes as “two branches of the same tree” and grafted them together into something uniquely her own.
“Kyle Carey represents an interesting crossroads of Celtic Americana (which she refers to as Gaelic Americana),” wrote Art Ketchen in Celtic Beat in June, 2013. “In her gentle, modest way she represents both a well-traveled path, but also an innovation.”
Poets, painters, and sculptors also walk paths that bring them to crossroads of tradition and innovation. A folk musician doesn’t necessarily need to go adventuring through those crossroads. The folk tradition itself is beautiful enough, substantial enough, relevant enough to bear repeating as it is. You choose your genre and just ride it.
But the best and most adventurous—like Kyle Carey, for example—assume the weight of that tradition and make it new all over again. Ketchen notes that some Celtic purists find this upsetting. “But that is what makes her such a valuable artist,” he continues. Carey stands at a crossroads, and from there sings old songs that are entirely Celtic, completely American, wholly something else besides—and as new as tomorrow’s first light.
And who could be more comfortable in that crossroads than one of those rare Americans who actually speaks the language of her Gaelic ancestors, and is fluent in it? The daughter of schoolteacher parents, she spent her early years in the Yupik Eskimo villages of the Alaskan Bush, immersed in that other northern language. While at Skidmore College, she waited tables at the legendary Caffé Lena in Saratoga, NY, and earned a Fulbright Fellowship to study Gaelic and traditional fiddle styles on Cape Breton.
That was followed by a two-year sojourn on the Isle of Skye, where she cemented her command of Gaelic. There she also fell under the tutelage of Christine Primrose—a native of Lewis and one of Scotland’s most respected traditional singers—from whom she learned the secrets of pronunciation and tone that distinguish singers like Primrose in their performances of the old songs.
Carey’s 2011 debut CD, “Monongah,” was recorded in western Ireland and produced by Donogh Hennessy of the Irish acoustic super-group Lùnasa. She was backed by Pauline Scanlon (Lumiere) and Aoife Clancy (Cherish the Ladies) on harmony vocals; Brendan O’Sullivan (Gràda) and Cape Breton’s Rosie MacKenzie (the Cottars) on fiddle; Appalachian expert John Kirk (Quickstep) on mandolin and banjo; and Trevor Hutchinson (the Waterboys, Lùnasa) on double bass.
The album shot to #8 on American Folk DJ charts, and made too many best-of-the-year lists to mention here. Most of its songs are original and in English, their subject matter ranging on one level through the present and the history of rural America, Canada, the British Isles; on another level through the busy crossroads and winding byways of the human heart.
“Drawing from both the American and British folk traditions, the songs, including some very fine originals, are beautifully crafted and performed,” wrote Jeremy Searle in R2 UK. “Her voice is soft and gentle without ever descending into tweeness, and the sparse backing, largely acoustic guitars and fiddles, is haunting and moving. ‘Magical’ is the mot juste for this album. Assured, confident, charming, and irresistible, it sticks to the CD player like glue, as does the finger on the ‘repeat’ button.”
“Though many of my songs contain themes of longing and immigration,” says Carey herself, “the most important thing about my music is its mix of Celtic and American Appalachian styles—which in the end are really just branches of the same tree. I think the most exciting music comes from the crossing of cultural and artistic boundaries.” The World Music Network is among the many who agree: “Kyle Carey,” said a label spokesman, “represents the true vision of a transatlantic artist.”
Carey’s eagerly anticipated forthcoming CD, “North Star,” has been produced by Seamus Egan, a founding member of the Irish-American folk super-group Solas, and is supported by a cast of musicians (Dirk Powell, Natalie Haas, Chris Stout, Josienne Clarke, Ben Walker) no less brilliant than those on “Monongah”. And what to expect on this one?
“I think what makes this album most different from ‘Monongah’ is the subject matter of the songs,” Carey says. “I’ve introduced some love songs—some fictitious, and one in particular that’s highly personal. I think, too, the Gaelic/Celtic and American mix of this album is more fully realized—through the musicians we chose to bring on board, the various recording locations (Scotland, Ireland, New England, and Louisiana), and the careful thought we put into each song’s arrangement. Seamus Egan, being Irish-American himself and with a background working with both singer/songwriter and Celtic musicians, was the perfect fit for my sound.”
It’s a sound composed of equal parts of what’s tried-and-true and the unprecedented results of reformulating the old in new and imaginative ways. Kyle Carey represents an interesting crossroads indeed—one that spans the Atlantic, and has already commanded a hundred stages on both sides of that pond.
Among those stages, of course, is that of the Caffé Lena, where once she was hired help—but listening carefully, soaking it all in, and now making it new again.
On January 24th The Celtic Connections presents, Gaelic meets Gaelic Americana, with Gillebride MacMillan and Kyle Carey among other artists, at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow Scotland, which will be attended by our own administrator Liz Mercado. (also a manager of some of the talent performing) She will be posting a blog of the events from the concert, some time in February, when she gets back to New York City..
For tickets, if you are lucky enough to be in Scotland, click http://www.celticconnections.com/events/Pages/event.aspx?ev=1aaae78a-1e93-40f8-b2c4-a5310144d8fa
Kyle Carey's Biography :
Tomorrow’s First Light
Acclaimed singer/songwriter Kyle Carey has taken folk music traditions she describes as “two branches of the same tree” and grafted them together into something uniquely her own.
“Kyle Carey represents an interesting crossroads of Celtic Americana (which she refers to as Gaelic Americana),” wrote Art Ketchen in Celtic Beat in June, 2013. “In her gentle, modest way she represents both a well-traveled path, but also an innovation.”
Poets, painters, and sculptors also walk paths that bring them to crossroads of tradition and innovation. A folk musician doesn’t necessarily need to go adventuring through those crossroads. The folk tradition itself is beautiful enough, substantial enough, relevant enough to bear repeating as it is. You choose your genre and just ride it.
But the best and most adventurous—like Kyle Carey, for example—assume the weight of that tradition and make it new all over again. Ketchen notes that some Celtic purists find this upsetting. “But that is what makes her such a valuable artist,” he continues. Carey stands at a crossroads, and from there sings old songs that are entirely Celtic, completely American, wholly something else besides—and as new as tomorrow’s first light.
And who could be more comfortable in that crossroads than one of those rare Americans who actually speaks the language of her Gaelic ancestors, and is fluent in it? The daughter of schoolteacher parents, she spent her early years in the Yupik Eskimo villages of the Alaskan Bush, immersed in that other northern language. While at Skidmore College, she waited tables at the legendary Caffé Lena in Saratoga, NY, and earned a Fulbright Fellowship to study Gaelic and traditional fiddle styles on Cape Breton.That was followed by a two-year sojourn on the Isle of Skye, where she cemented her command of Gaelic. There she also fell under the tutelage of Christine Primrose—a native of Lewis and one of Scotland’s most respected traditional singers—from whom she learned the secrets of pronunciation and tone that distinguish singers like Primrose in their performances of the old songs.
Carey’s 2011 debut CD, “Monongah,” was recorded in western Ireland and produced by Donogh Hennessy of the Irish acoustic super-group Lùnasa. She was backed by Pauline Scanlon (Lumiere) and Aoife Clancy (Cherish the Ladies) on harmony vocals; Brendan O’Sullivan (Gràda) and Cape Breton’s Rosie MacKenzie (the Cottars) on fiddle; Appalachian expert John Kirk (Quickstep) on mandolin and banjo; and Trevor Hutchinson (the Waterboys, Lùnasa) on double bass.
The album shot to #8 on American Folk DJ charts, and made too many best-of-the-year lists to mention here. Most of its songs are original and in English, their subject matter ranging on one level through the present and the history of rural America, Canada, the British Isles; on another level through the busy crossroads and winding byways of the human heart.
“Drawing from both the American and British folk traditions, the songs, including some very fine originals, are beautifully crafted and performed,” wrote Jeremy Searle in R2 UK. “Her voice is soft and gentle without ever descending into tweeness, and the sparse backing, largely acoustic guitars and fiddles, is haunting and moving. ‘Magical’ is the mot juste for this album. Assured, confident, charming, and irresistible, it sticks to the CD player like glue, as does the finger on the ‘repeat’ button.”“Though many of my songs contain themes of longing and immigration,” says Carey herself, “the most important thing about my music is its mix of Celtic and American Appalachian styles—which in the end are really just branches of the same tree. I think the most exciting music comes from the crossing of cultural and artistic boundaries.” The World Music Network is among the many who agree: “Kyle Carey,” said a label spokesman, “represents the true vision of a transatlantic artist.”
Carey’s eagerly anticipated forthcoming CD, “North Star,” has been produced by Seamus Egan, a founding member of the Irish-American folk super-group Solas, and is supported by a cast of musicians (Dirk Powell, Natalie Haas, Chris Stout, Josienne Clarke, Ben Walker) no less brilliant than those on “Monongah”. And what to expect on this one?
“I think what makes this album most different from ‘Monongah’ is the subject matter of the songs,” Carey says. “I’ve introduced some love songs—some fictitious, and one in particular that’s highly personal. I think, too, the Gaelic/Celtic and American mix of this album is more fully realized—through the musicians we chose to bring on board, the various recording locations (Scotland, Ireland, New England, and Louisiana), and the careful thought we put into each song’s arrangement. Seamus Egan, being Irish-American himself and with a background working with both singer/songwriter and Celtic musicians, was the perfect fit for my sound.”
It’s a sound composed of equal parts of what’s tried-and-true and the unprecedented results of reformulating the old in new and imaginative ways. Kyle Carey represents an interesting crossroads indeed—one that spans the Atlantic, and has already commanded a hundred stages on both sides of that pond.
Among those stages, of course, is that of the Caffé Lena, where once she was hired help—but listening carefully, soaking it all in, and now making it new again.
http://www.kyleannecarey.com Website and listing of future appearances and for Newsletter.
Interview:
OutlanderHomepage spoke to Kyle, asking her about what makes the Celtic Music so alluring for her. With her CD's as popular to the Celtic fans as Bear McCreary's scores are to television audiences, we had to find out how this lady was drawn to the Scottish Highlands, Ireland, and to the festivals we all dream of attending for our love of Outlander..
OutlanderHomepage:
Where did you grow up? Was your house hold a Celtic "familiar" one? As
I've told you, my dad is from Ireland, our day to day lives
were very related to how he grew up, so I'm wondering if that was the same
for you, which would explain your vast knowledge of the Celtic ways and
what brought you to learn more of the culture as an adult and love it as you do..
Kyle:
I spent the first seven years of my life in Alaska actually. My parents went up to teach in Yupik villages in the tundra, and I grew up speaking both English and the native Yupik language. I think this later helped me to learn Scottish Gaelic - in the some of the sounds are quite similar. My father in particular has always loved Celtic and folk music, and also plays guitar, so I grew up hearing a lot of that music in the house. I started to sing around the same time I started to talk - and according to my parents, I was always very drawn to music. When I turned seven my family moved to New Hampshire and I spent the rest of my childhood there - in an artistic town up in the mountains where folk music was a big part of the community.
OutlanderHomepage :
When did you become interested in the Gaelic language? As you mentioned
you spent quite a while in Scotland and months learning the language on the
Isle of Skye, can you tell us about that? What was your journey like? You said you'd been to Ireland too, (and pronounced the area my dad is from, perfectly, which I do not.)
Kyle:
I became interested in Gaelic when I traveled to Ireland for the first time during my sophomore year at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. I heard Irish Gaelic being sung at a session and fell in love with the language. A few years earlier, I'd also found one of my father's old folklore texts from his Harvard years - a book called 'The Islandman' by Tomas O' Crohan. The book was originally written in Irish and made me want to visit West Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula - the area where O' Crohan had lived. As luck would have it - the trip I went on also stopped off in Dingle, where I learned of a study abroad program I could take in the village. I subsequently applied and spent eight months of my junior year living in Dingle and learning Irish.
After graduating from Skidmore, I went up to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on a Fulbright Fellowship to study traditional music, and started learning Scottish Gaelic when I was there - which I didn't mind as both Irish and Scottish Gaelic are so closely related. I grew to love Gaelic and learned about the Gaelic college on Skye - Sabhal Mòr Ostaig while in Cape Breton, and applied to go there next. I was granted a scholarship and after leaving Cape Breton, I traveled to Skye and spent a year there immersed in Gaelic. It was a wonderful experience - very challenging at times, but I knew that if I wanted to accurately sing in the language - I needed to learn it fluently and make it a part of my life. I also relished the opportunity to study singing with Christine Primrose - a beautiful Gaelic singer from the Isle of Lewis who was very generous in her knowledge and expertise.
OutlanderHomepage :
You teach the Gaelic language now. How did that come about? Do you know
Adhamh O’Broin? (Gaelic advisor for the Series, Outlander.) Please go to her website for details of signing up as a student.
Kyle:
After leaving Skye, I went back to Ireland where I recorded my first album, 'Monongah' in Dingle. That was five years ago, and since then I've tried to find as many ways as I can to make my rather unorthodox lifestyle sustainable. One of the answers has been teaching Gaelic, which allows me to support myself when I'm not touring, and also allows me to share the knowledge of a language I love. The Skype lessons are ideal in that I can teach from anywhere, and have a bit more flexibility in my scheduling. What's more - it keeps the language fresh in my mind, as I'm continually learning from my students as well. I don't know Adhamh but we have lots of mutual friends and acquaintances and I've heard lovely things about him. It warms my heart to hear so much Gaelic on Outlander!
OutlanderHomepage :
You are beautiful singer, which came first for you, the love of music or
the love of Celtic music, which then drew you to your singing career?
Kyle:
That's a great question - I think my love of music first brought me to singing, and then the interest in Celtic and folk came later. Singing has always been very intuitive for me, so much so that I don't actually remember learning how to do it. One thing too I find fascinating is the art that can come from areas where cultures combine. In that sense, exploring the Celtic roots of American folk music, and learning Gaelic, has allowed me to develop a sound that's uniquely my own, a transatlantic mix I call 'Gaelic Americana'.
I so enjoyed these questions Dorianne! Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know/might need and thank you so much again for this - I appreciate the time and thought you've put into this.
Le gràdh.
Kyle Carey's melodic songs, can be purchased on this link..
http://kylecarey.storenvy.com/collections/25280-all-products
 |
| Excerpt of Kyle's Newsletter |
Interview:
OutlanderHomepage spoke to Kyle, asking her about what makes the Celtic Music so alluring for her. With her CD's as popular to the Celtic fans as Bear McCreary's scores are to television audiences, we had to find out how this lady was drawn to the Scottish Highlands, Ireland, and to the festivals we all dream of attending for our love of Outlander..
OutlanderHomepage:
Where did you grow up? Was your house hold a Celtic "familiar" one? As
I've told you, my dad is from Ireland, our day to day lives
were very related to how he grew up, so I'm wondering if that was the same
for you, which would explain your vast knowledge of the Celtic ways and
what brought you to learn more of the culture as an adult and love it as you do..
Kyle:
I spent the first seven years of my life in Alaska actually. My parents went up to teach in Yupik villages in the tundra, and I grew up speaking both English and the native Yupik language. I think this later helped me to learn Scottish Gaelic - in the some of the sounds are quite similar. My father in particular has always loved Celtic and folk music, and also plays guitar, so I grew up hearing a lot of that music in the house. I started to sing around the same time I started to talk - and according to my parents, I was always very drawn to music. When I turned seven my family moved to New Hampshire and I spent the rest of my childhood there - in an artistic town up in the mountains where folk music was a big part of the community.
OutlanderHomepage :
When did you become interested in the Gaelic language? As you mentioned
you spent quite a while in Scotland and months learning the language on the
Isle of Skye, can you tell us about that? What was your journey like? You said you'd been to Ireland too, (and pronounced the area my dad is from, perfectly, which I do not.)
Kyle:
I became interested in Gaelic when I traveled to Ireland for the first time during my sophomore year at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. I heard Irish Gaelic being sung at a session and fell in love with the language. A few years earlier, I'd also found one of my father's old folklore texts from his Harvard years - a book called 'The Islandman' by Tomas O' Crohan. The book was originally written in Irish and made me want to visit West Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula - the area where O' Crohan had lived. As luck would have it - the trip I went on also stopped off in Dingle, where I learned of a study abroad program I could take in the village. I subsequently applied and spent eight months of my junior year living in Dingle and learning Irish.
After graduating from Skidmore, I went up to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia on a Fulbright Fellowship to study traditional music, and started learning Scottish Gaelic when I was there - which I didn't mind as both Irish and Scottish Gaelic are so closely related. I grew to love Gaelic and learned about the Gaelic college on Skye - Sabhal Mòr Ostaig while in Cape Breton, and applied to go there next. I was granted a scholarship and after leaving Cape Breton, I traveled to Skye and spent a year there immersed in Gaelic. It was a wonderful experience - very challenging at times, but I knew that if I wanted to accurately sing in the language - I needed to learn it fluently and make it a part of my life. I also relished the opportunity to study singing with Christine Primrose - a beautiful Gaelic singer from the Isle of Lewis who was very generous in her knowledge and expertise.
OutlanderHomepage :
You teach the Gaelic language now. How did that come about? Do you know
Adhamh O’Broin? (Gaelic advisor for the Series, Outlander.) Please go to her website for details of signing up as a student.
Kyle:
After leaving Skye, I went back to Ireland where I recorded my first album, 'Monongah' in Dingle. That was five years ago, and since then I've tried to find as many ways as I can to make my rather unorthodox lifestyle sustainable. One of the answers has been teaching Gaelic, which allows me to support myself when I'm not touring, and also allows me to share the knowledge of a language I love. The Skype lessons are ideal in that I can teach from anywhere, and have a bit more flexibility in my scheduling. What's more - it keeps the language fresh in my mind, as I'm continually learning from my students as well. I don't know Adhamh but we have lots of mutual friends and acquaintances and I've heard lovely things about him. It warms my heart to hear so much Gaelic on Outlander!
OutlanderHomepage :
You are beautiful singer, which came first for you, the love of music or
the love of Celtic music, which then drew you to your singing career?
Kyle:
That's a great question - I think my love of music first brought me to singing, and then the interest in Celtic and folk came later. Singing has always been very intuitive for me, so much so that I don't actually remember learning how to do it. One thing too I find fascinating is the art that can come from areas where cultures combine. In that sense, exploring the Celtic roots of American folk music, and learning Gaelic, has allowed me to develop a sound that's uniquely my own, a transatlantic mix I call 'Gaelic Americana'.
I so enjoyed these questions Dorianne! Please let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know/might need and thank you so much again for this - I appreciate the time and thought you've put into this.
Le gràdh.
Kyle Carey's melodic songs, can be purchased on this link..
http://kylecarey.storenvy.com/collections/25280-all-products
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