Music for the Book of Deer:
RICHARD INGHAM feat. Strangeness and Charm
Officially launched, Friday 16th October at the Big Lit Festival:
https://www.biglit.org - See the video, hear the music!
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- Strangeness & Charm
- Richard Ingham - saxophones, wind synthesiser, whistles, bass clarinet
- Maarten Verbraeken - trumpet, flugelhorn
- Fraser Burke - keyboard, piano accordion
- Kenny Irons - basses, acoustic guitar, percussion
- Andy James - drums, percussion
Recorded 1st - 3rd February 2020
Watercolour Studios, Ardgour, Scotland
- Sound Engineer - Nick Turner
- Production - Margaret Douglass, Richard Ingham
- Photography - Kenneth Wilkinson, Margaret Douglass
- Graphic design - Calum Hadden at Birnam CD
With grateful thanks to:
Derek Jennings, Book of Deer Project, Friends of Aden, Discover Buchan, Big Lit 2020, Cambridge University Library, Katherine Forsyth, Watercolour Music, Birnam CD Ltd, Tim Griffith, Justin Brook, Creative Scotland, George Duncan, James Freeman, Kenneth Boyd, Chris Walters, Foss Foster, Erik van der Kam.Music for the Book of Deer was commissioned by the Book of Deer Project.
The Book of Deer is one of Scotland's most important manuscripts, equally famous for its gospel extracts and for the Gaelic insertions written two centuries later. These insertions give an insight into land grants and the workings of society in North East Scotland at the time, and are the earliest surviving examples of Gaelic literature in Scotland. The book is housed in the library of the University of Cambridge.
Richard Ingham's Music for The Book of Deer is in twelve sections inspired by the book itself, the monastery which is believed to have been based in the area, and the local working community.
1 The Light of Columba
The Gaelic text tells us that St Columba and St Drostan founded a monastery at nearby Aberdour, before moving to Deer shortly after. Bells and pipes herald the arrival of the religious community, and high trumpet and saxophone shine in reference to the legendary presence of Columba himself.
2 Cathal's Banquet
This gentle refined gigue opens on harp and whistle. In one of the Gaelic texts, local nobleman Cathal 'gave a banquet for one hundred every Christmas and Easter'.
3 St Drostan at Deer
On arrival at the new land, legend has it that Columba gave the monastery to Drostan. Drostan's tears (déra) came as he was parting from Columba. Columba said, 'Let Deer be its name from now on'. We hear plainsong on the saxophone, later joined by the others.
4 This Splendid Little Book
The book itself closes with a personal message from one of the scribes, 'Be it on the conscience of anyone who reads this splendid little book that they say a prayer for the soul of the wretch who wrote it'. This movement is a tour de force for saxophone: a slow air, with decorative jig and reel variations.
5 Marginalia 1 - a little extra
6 Song of the River-bend
The original monastery is thought to have been situated at the present village of Old Deer, close to the striking bend in the River South Ugie. The river bend is mentioned in the Gaelic texts. The uplifting plainsong melody involving all the players is inspired by the gospel texts, with percussion commentary.
7 Marginalia 2 - another bonus
8 Charlie's Rant
This is imagined Pictish village music, for a dance or some celebration. A reel, with some tight corners. Infectious stuff.
9 Aikey Brae
The well-known recumbent stone circle was constructed on a hill west of Deer more than three thousand years before the 'ancient' monastery arrived. Did the villagers in the tenth century use it for anything? What did the original inhabitants create it for? Musical food for thought. Some free sounds, and some groove.
10 A Prayer for the Soul of the Wretch Who Wrote it
Our scribe returns. We hear the sounds of the hillside, the sounds of ancient instruments, and the sounds in his head as he worked long hours in a silent room. Trumpet and drums have the last word.
11 A Monastery Among the People
A trumpet-led plainsong melody leads into an unexpected call and response pattern, based on Gaelic tweed waulking songs, with rhythm section. The tweed finished, the trumpet regains control.
12 As Far as the Birch Tree
The phrase is part of the description of a parcel of land from the twelfth century Gaelic additions to the book. Elegant lines from the harp turn into a jazz waltz featuring the keyboard.
13 Dancing in the Margin
The Book of Deer marginalia include some astonishing images which appear to be random cartoons but in fact carefully highlight important phrases in the gospels. Just like the cartoons, the dance takes a little while to focus, but then we're away. This is an energetic jig, with stomps and stabs, some jazz solos, then back to the jig. And just when you think the dancers have run out of energy, the band find a higher gear.
14 Marginalia 3 - bonus extra
15 Still Shining
St Columba's presence survives the frenetic activity of everyday life. The relaxed finale features the trumpet, before the bells make one last appearance.
news, press:
Music for the Book of Deer:
Inspired by the extraordinary tenth century Aberdeenshire portable gospel book, Richard Ingham leads an evening of plainsong, reels and electronic soundscapes: a sonic rollercoaster, with bells. The performance features the band Strangeness & Charm, with Richard Ingham (saxophone, whistles, bass clarinet, wind synthesiser), Maarten Verbraeken (trumpet, flugelhorn), Fraser Burke (keyboards, accordion), Kenny Irons (bass) and Andy James (percussion). The twelve part suite creates musical images of the book itself, the early monastery in Deer, and the local working community. Movements include The Light of Columba, Cathal’s Banquet, St Drostan at Deer, This Splendid Little Book, Dancing in the Margin and Still Shining.
The Book of Deer is one of Scotland's most important manuscripts, equally famous for its gospel extracts and for the Gaelic insertions written two centuries later. These insertions give an insight into land grants and the workings of society in North East Scotland at the time, and are the earliest surviving examples of Gaelic literature in Scotland.
‘...composer Richard Ingham’s rumbustious take on Scottish traditional music, Mrs Malcolm, Her Reel.' (Scotsman).
‘...Ingham’s potent saxophone, intensifying the poignancy of this species of Highland lament to searing effect.' (Herald).
'...Richard Ingham’s Traditions Old and New, the pipes’ plangent lament joined by fiddle and accordion, then by a stirring heterophony of reed voicings.’ (Scotsman).
Official launch Friday October 16th on Big Lit website