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Episode 1
The hidden Gaelic melodies behind songs by Beethoven â and why they were kept secret. Na fuinn GhĂ idhlig air cĂčl ĂČrain le Beethoven â agus carson a chaidh an cumail dĂŹomhair.
When piper Allan MacDonald revealed Beethovenâs song Enchantress, Farewell was a reworking of Gaelic song Mnathan ĂĄ Ghlinne Seo, German Gaelic-learner Michael Klevenhaus turned detective. We follow his quest to discover more works by the maestro based on traditional music of Gaeldom. Michael reveals that the melodiesâ origins were deliberately hidden from Beethoven and the public by Edinburgh publisher George Thomson, who commissioned the arrangements from the composer.
With the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion still within living memory, Thomson wanted to strip the Gaelic songs of their titles, lyrics and the âtaintâ of Jacobitism.
Discovering a wealth of Beethovenâs forgotten Gaelic songs, Michael and Allan MacDonald stage a concert featuring both Beethovenâs and the ancient Gaelic versions.
Nuair a thuig am pĂŹobaire Ailean DĂČmhnallach gu robhâm fonn a chuir Beethoven ris an ĂČran Enchantress, Farewell, cĂ irdeach dhan ĂČran GhĂ idhlig Mnathan aâGhlinne Seo, thug sin air Gearmailteach a dhâionnsaich GĂ idhlig, MĂŹcheal Klevenhaus, dhol an sĂ s ann an rannsachadh fadâis farsaing. Tha sinn ga leantail is e aâlorg obair eile an fhir-ciĂčil, stĂšidhichte air fuinn Ghaidhealach.
Tha MĂŹcheal aâdearbhadh gun deach freumh nam fonn aâchleith air Beethoven: bha am foillsichear SeĂČras MacThĂČmais a DĂčn Ăideann, a dhâiarr air Beethoven dreach a chuir orra, aâcumail sin aige fhĂšin. Le Bliadhna TheĂ rlaich fhathast an cuimhne dhaoine, bha MacThĂČmais deĂČnach faclan nan ĂČran a sguabadh as, mus biodh blas Seumasach orra.
Nuair a lorg MĂŹcheal is Ailean stĂČras ĂČran GhĂ idhlig san robh Beethoven an sĂ s, chuir iad cuirm air chois, an dĂ chuid le dreach Beethoven orra, agus anns an t-seann nĂČs GhĂ idhlig.
In Gaelic with English subtitles
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Credit
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Narrator | Michael Klevenhaus |
Broadcasts
- Wed 16 Dec 2020 21:00
- Sun 20 Dec 2020 21:00
- Fri 17 Dec 2021 21:00
- Fri 16 Dec 2022 21:00
- Fri 1 Dec 2023 21:35
- Sat 2 Dec 2023 23:20
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