a spring with voices
February 15, 2020 6:37 AM Subscribe
Mairi McFayden, an ethnologist and writer in the Highlands, writes about ecological crisis through the lens of the birds of the Scottish highlands, while digging into Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches, archives of Gaelic and Scots recordings from the 1930s onwards. “I’ll tell ye a thing, that I would never like tae let a spring pass withoot hearin the dawn chorus, because onybody that’s never heard that, they dinna ken whit they’re missin. Fir, it’s life tae me…” John’s words are simple, yet profound: birdsong is an unselfconscious and effortless celebration of affirming presence, of life, of aliveness.
Links to the recordings McFayden refers to in her essay - you can search for others at the archive, which has about 50,000 recordings (!):
- Oran Bràigh Rùsgaich, composed by John MacDougal, sung by Angus Nicolson and recorded in 1952.
- Calum Johnston sings a Gaelic caoine, recorded in 1965
- Annie Johnston sings Cànan nan Eun, a series of rhymes imitating bird song, recorded in 1950.
- Brucie Henderson explains how the rain goose (red throated diver) predict the weather in Shetland, recorded in 1970
Links to the recordings McFayden refers to in her essay - you can search for others at the archive, which has about 50,000 recordings (!):
- Oran Bràigh Rùsgaich, composed by John MacDougal, sung by Angus Nicolson and recorded in 1952.
- Calum Johnston sings a Gaelic caoine, recorded in 1965
- Annie Johnston sings Cànan nan Eun, a series of rhymes imitating bird song, recorded in 1950.
- Brucie Henderson explains how the rain goose (red throated diver) predict the weather in Shetland, recorded in 1970
The dialect is specious, the quiet interviewer has great style, taking understatement to new depths. The birds are my constant, right now the captive conyers across the street whistle out. I love the mocking birds in season. His discussion of the three carrion crows who meet in a tree each morning, that marks the corners of three Lairds lands, who fly a message and then croverse for a certain amount of time then adjourn, this is the remarkable side of a life well attended. Thanks for this.
posted by Oyéah at 2:40 PM on February 15, 2020
posted by Oyéah at 2:40 PM on February 15, 2020
What he said, about the dawn chorus.
Half the singers are gone since I was a child.
posted by hank at 8:14 PM on February 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Half the singers are gone since I was a child.
posted by hank at 8:14 PM on February 15, 2020 [1 favorite]
Sort of related:
https://emergencemagazine.org/story/the-voices-of-birds-and-the-language-of-belonging/
posted by sneebler at 7:16 PM on February 16, 2020
https://emergencemagazine.org/story/the-voices-of-birds-and-the-language-of-belonging/
posted by sneebler at 7:16 PM on February 16, 2020
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A grand.iose collection! This will be an enjoyable treat.
posted by mightshould at 7:52 AM on February 15, 2020