Kornog
Encyclopedia
Kornog is a Breton
folk music
band
formed in the 1980s. They are notable in that they have been perhaps the only Breton band to have had a serious touring presence in the United States, so for many in North America, Kornog defines Breton music. The word ‘kornog’ means “west” in the Breton language
. Unique to Breton groups, the band’s approach is intended for listening and not specifically for the traditional “Fest Noz” dance circuit, and contains the Scots
dialect ballads of bouzouki
and mandolin
player Jamie McMenemy. The group was active from 1982 to 1987, then reunited again in 1999 and in 2000 released a new CD, “Korong”. The group still plays together occasionally, and some of the members play together regularly in duo formats (2010 has seen the first tour of duo Siberil-McMenemy), although for the most part they have been superseded by the offshoot group Pennoù Skoulm. Most of the members of Kornog are in the band Pennoù Skoulm. Like Kornog, Pennoù Skoulm has likewise existed in two separate iterations, first active from 1982 to 1990, releasing their first recording in 1985, and then regrouping in 2008 and releasing their newest recording ‘Trinkañ’ in 2009. Pennoù Skoulm remains active as a performing group, occasionally joined by Irish musician Andy Irvine. Kornog’s final performance (to date) was in 2006.
) had previously toured and recorded with the Battlefield Band. While touring Brittany he encountered a traditional “Fest Noz” dance music performance and was immediately enthralled. He relocated to Brittany in 1979. Two years later, he recorded a solo album “The Road to Kerrigouarch”, joined by guitarist Soïg Siberil and violinist Christian LeMaitre. Shortly thereafter Kornog was formed.
Christian Lemaitre hails from the large Breton expatriate community in Paris. He began playing fiddle in Paris before moving to Brittany, his ancestral home. Following Kornog's initial breakup, Lemaitre also performed and recorded with the noted Fest-Noz group Storvan. He has also toured and recorded several times with fiddlers Kevin Burke and Johnny Cunningham as Celtic Fiddle Festival, mostly reworking material from Kornog and Storvan. The latest Kornog release, Korong, also featured Jacky Molard on violin and octave-violin. Molard is a regular member of Pennoù Skoulm.
Wooden flute
player Jean-Michel Veillon was one of the first musicians to use the wooden flute to play Breton music. Playing the bombard from the age of eleven, he taught himself to play the wooden flute in 1977 and is now considered one of the world’s foremost musicians playing this instrument. Veillon has recorded and performed in a duo with Breton guitarist Yvon Riou and has also continued to record as a soloist. His 1993 album, 'E Koat Nizon’, was the first album devoted to Breton music played on the wooden transverse flute. A similar album, “Er Pasker”, followed in 1999.
Soïg Siberil, already well-known for his work with the group Gwerz, was the original guitarist for Kornog. He left Kornog in 1986 after recording “Ar Seizh Avel” to pursue a highly successful solo career with a number of well received recordings. On “Kornog IV” and on the group’s 1987 tours, guitarist Gilles Le Bigot from the legendary band Skolvan stepped in to ably handle the guitar duties. The newest guitarist to play with the group, and also replacing Siberil in Pennou Skoulm, is Nicolas Quemener. He is also a member of the Fest Noz group Skeduz. Quemener grew up in Angers, France and studied percussion in the National School of Music.
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
formed in the 1980s. They are notable in that they have been perhaps the only Breton band to have had a serious touring presence in the United States, so for many in North America, Kornog defines Breton music. The word ‘kornog’ means “west” in the Breton language
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
. Unique to Breton groups, the band’s approach is intended for listening and not specifically for the traditional “Fest Noz” dance circuit, and contains the Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
dialect ballads of bouzouki
Irish bouzouki
The Irish bouzouki is a development of the octave mandolin adapted for Irish traditional and other folk music from the late 1960s onward.-Adoption for Celtic music:...
and mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
player Jamie McMenemy. The group was active from 1982 to 1987, then reunited again in 1999 and in 2000 released a new CD, “Korong”. The group still plays together occasionally, and some of the members play together regularly in duo formats (2010 has seen the first tour of duo Siberil-McMenemy), although for the most part they have been superseded by the offshoot group Pennoù Skoulm. Most of the members of Kornog are in the band Pennoù Skoulm. Like Kornog, Pennoù Skoulm has likewise existed in two separate iterations, first active from 1982 to 1990, releasing their first recording in 1985, and then regrouping in 2008 and releasing their newest recording ‘Trinkañ’ in 2009. Pennoù Skoulm remains active as a performing group, occasionally joined by Irish musician Andy Irvine. Kornog’s final performance (to date) was in 2006.
Members
Scotsman Jamie McMenemy (vocals, bouzouki, mandolin, citternCittern
The cittern or cither is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate its exact history, but it is generally accepted that it is descended from the Medieval Citole, or Cytole. It looks much like the modern-day flat-back mandolin and the modern Irish bouzouki and cittern...
) had previously toured and recorded with the Battlefield Band. While touring Brittany he encountered a traditional “Fest Noz” dance music performance and was immediately enthralled. He relocated to Brittany in 1979. Two years later, he recorded a solo album “The Road to Kerrigouarch”, joined by guitarist Soïg Siberil and violinist Christian LeMaitre. Shortly thereafter Kornog was formed.
Christian Lemaitre hails from the large Breton expatriate community in Paris. He began playing fiddle in Paris before moving to Brittany, his ancestral home. Following Kornog's initial breakup, Lemaitre also performed and recorded with the noted Fest-Noz group Storvan. He has also toured and recorded several times with fiddlers Kevin Burke and Johnny Cunningham as Celtic Fiddle Festival, mostly reworking material from Kornog and Storvan. The latest Kornog release, Korong, also featured Jacky Molard on violin and octave-violin. Molard is a regular member of Pennoù Skoulm.
Wooden flute
Irish flute
The term Irish Flute refers to a conical-bore, simple-system wooden flute of the type favored by classical flautists of the early 19th century, or to a flute of modern manufacture derived from this design...
player Jean-Michel Veillon was one of the first musicians to use the wooden flute to play Breton music. Playing the bombard from the age of eleven, he taught himself to play the wooden flute in 1977 and is now considered one of the world’s foremost musicians playing this instrument. Veillon has recorded and performed in a duo with Breton guitarist Yvon Riou and has also continued to record as a soloist. His 1993 album, 'E Koat Nizon’, was the first album devoted to Breton music played on the wooden transverse flute. A similar album, “Er Pasker”, followed in 1999.
Soïg Siberil, already well-known for his work with the group Gwerz, was the original guitarist for Kornog. He left Kornog in 1986 after recording “Ar Seizh Avel” to pursue a highly successful solo career with a number of well received recordings. On “Kornog IV” and on the group’s 1987 tours, guitarist Gilles Le Bigot from the legendary band Skolvan stepped in to ably handle the guitar duties. The newest guitarist to play with the group, and also replacing Siberil in Pennou Skoulm, is Nicolas Quemener. He is also a member of the Fest Noz group Skeduz. Quemener grew up in Angers, France and studied percussion in the National School of Music.
Discography
- 1983: Kornog
- 1984: Premiere: Live in Minneapolis
- 1985: (Pennoù Skoulm): Pennoù Skoulm
- 1985: Ar Seizh Avel
- 1987: Kornog IV
- 2000: Korong
- 2009: (Pennoù Skoulm): Trinkañ