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Description
This arrangement is a bit of a raucous world-music-influenced rendering of the old Burgundian Christmas carol "Guillô, Pran ton Tamborin", also called "Guillaume Prends ton Tambourin" in modern French, "Willie Take your Little Drum" in English, or perhaps best known as "Pat a Pan". The original was written around 1700 by Bernard de La Monnoye (1641-1728) and who is apparently best known for his collection of Burgundian carols. I have only ever heard this one as far as I know.
I thought it would be fun to try some variation on how the tune is presented, since it gets a little repetitious if played straight - to my tastes anyway. Fortunately, the tune seems to happily lend itself to quite a bit of variation when different instruments are used which allows for regional and cultural influences to come washing through parts of the piece in a kind of joyful melange. I don't know if the style of the original would have been danced to, but the lyrics state that there is singing, dancing and jumping to be done, and I certainly feel a strong dance quality to the piece.
I found one rendition of this tune on Narada Christmas CD that amalgamated three French carols into one track. There was an unfamiliar section in that rendition that might have been a bridge or a fourth carol. I used the same melody here as a bridge for a harkening back to the tones of the more traditional instruments used in the introduction that is answered by the tones from instruments from countries further east.
This is another tune like From Shetland to Syria that takes its inspiration from the kind of world sound that Loreena McKennitt brings forth in many of her pieces. I was really fortunate to see her and her band live at Bluesfest in Ottawa this past year and it was a most engaging display of musicianship. I think a little of that concert's atmosphere has lingered in my studio until now.
I'm not fully happy with the mastering but it's time to stop the fiddling and move on.
Comments, constructive or otherwise are always welcome.
Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to shuffle your feet :o)
Dedication:
This piece is dedicated to my children Caitlin and Michael, two of the finest people I've had the pleasure to know. I may be a parent, but still .......
Artwork: Cantigas de Santa Maria
I thought it would be fun to try some variation on how the tune is presented, since it gets a little repetitious if played straight - to my tastes anyway. Fortunately, the tune seems to happily lend itself to quite a bit of variation when different instruments are used which allows for regional and cultural influences to come washing through parts of the piece in a kind of joyful melange. I don't know if the style of the original would have been danced to, but the lyrics state that there is singing, dancing and jumping to be done, and I certainly feel a strong dance quality to the piece.
I found one rendition of this tune on Narada Christmas CD that amalgamated three French carols into one track. There was an unfamiliar section in that rendition that might have been a bridge or a fourth carol. I used the same melody here as a bridge for a harkening back to the tones of the more traditional instruments used in the introduction that is answered by the tones from instruments from countries further east.
This is another tune like From Shetland to Syria that takes its inspiration from the kind of world sound that Loreena McKennitt brings forth in many of her pieces. I was really fortunate to see her and her band live at Bluesfest in Ottawa this past year and it was a most engaging display of musicianship. I think a little of that concert's atmosphere has lingered in my studio until now.
I'm not fully happy with the mastering but it's time to stop the fiddling and move on.
Comments, constructive or otherwise are always welcome.
Hope you enjoy it, and feel free to shuffle your feet :o)
Dedication:
This piece is dedicated to my children Caitlin and Michael, two of the finest people I've had the pleasure to know. I may be a parent, but still .......
Artwork: Cantigas de Santa Maria
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Lyrics
Lyrics (as found in Mama Lisa's World Blog):
Patapan (French)
Guillaume prends ton tambourin
Toi, prends ta flûte, Robin;
Au son de ces instruments
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Au son de ces instruments
Je dirai Noël gaîment.
C’était la mode autrefois
De louer le Roi des rois
Au son de ces instruments
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Au son de ces instruments
Il nous en faut faire autant.
L’homme et Dieu sont plus d’accord
Que la flûte et le tambour;
Au son de ces instruments
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Au son de ces instruments
Chantons, dansons, sautons en!
Willie Take Your Little Drum (English)
Willie take your little drum, Robin take your flute, come!
To the sound of these instruments
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
To the sound of these instruments
I will joyfully sing Merry Christmas!
It was the way of yonder times
To praise the king of kings
To the sound of these instruments
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
To the sound of these instruments
We must do the same.
Man and god agree
About the flute and the little drum…
To the sound of these instruments
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
To the sound of these instruments
Sing! Dance! Jump around!
For aficionados of the old Burgundian dialect:
Guillô, pran ton tamborin (Burgundian Dialect)
Guillô, pran ton tamborin;
Toi, pran tai fleúte, Rôbin!
Au son de cé instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cé instruman
Je diron Noei gaiman
C’ étó lai môde autrefoi
De loüé le Roi dé Roi,
Au son de cés instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cés instruman,
Ai nos an fau faire autan.
Ce jor le Diale at ai cu
Randons an graice ai Jesu
Au son de cés instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cés instruman
, Fezon lai nique ai Satan.
L’homme et Dei son pu d’aicor
Que lai fleúte & le tambor.
Au son de cés instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cés instruman,
Chanton, danson, sautons-an.
Patapan (French)
Guillaume prends ton tambourin
Toi, prends ta flûte, Robin;
Au son de ces instruments
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Au son de ces instruments
Je dirai Noël gaîment.
C’était la mode autrefois
De louer le Roi des rois
Au son de ces instruments
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Au son de ces instruments
Il nous en faut faire autant.
L’homme et Dieu sont plus d’accord
Que la flûte et le tambour;
Au son de ces instruments
Turelurelu, patapatapan
Au son de ces instruments
Chantons, dansons, sautons en!
Willie Take Your Little Drum (English)
Willie take your little drum, Robin take your flute, come!
To the sound of these instruments
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
To the sound of these instruments
I will joyfully sing Merry Christmas!
It was the way of yonder times
To praise the king of kings
To the sound of these instruments
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
To the sound of these instruments
We must do the same.
Man and god agree
About the flute and the little drum…
To the sound of these instruments
Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan,
To the sound of these instruments
Sing! Dance! Jump around!
For aficionados of the old Burgundian dialect:
Guillô, pran ton tamborin (Burgundian Dialect)
Guillô, pran ton tamborin;
Toi, pran tai fleúte, Rôbin!
Au son de cé instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cé instruman
Je diron Noei gaiman
C’ étó lai môde autrefoi
De loüé le Roi dé Roi,
Au son de cés instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cés instruman,
Ai nos an fau faire autan.
Ce jor le Diale at ai cu
Randons an graice ai Jesu
Au son de cés instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cés instruman
, Fezon lai nique ai Satan.
L’homme et Dei son pu d’aicor
Que lai fleúte & le tambor.
Au son de cés instruman,
Turelurelu, patapatapan,
Au son de cés instruman,
Chanton, danson, sautons-an.
drakonis
Yes it does have a bit of her Middle-eastern rhythmic flair (you lucky guy, seeing her in concert!) Having some of the percussion pat-a-panned over in my left ear was a little oud... um, odd (sorry, can't help it)... but other than that, this is really gorgeous. Love the arrangement, instruments, and gentle wafting between melodies. Didn't shuffle my feet, but was swaying my torso like a snake-charmer instead :-) Loved it!
ttfn,
Drakonis