MASTER SERIE

This collection of all early material serves as an excellent introduction to the music of Stivell for the neophyte. While the tracks are varied - instrumental/vocal, rocked up/reflective, acoustic/electrified, it is all stamped with the mysterious scent of this troubadour. In his 20s he was already a fully formed artist, thanks to his early initiation into Breton music, the harp, their place in the Celtic world, and indeed their role in civilization at large. Stivell is certainly non-traditional, yet faithful to his tradition, recognizing that its survival depends on modernization. Nowhere is this better illustrated than on "Pop Plinn", with its swirling mix of harps, harpsichords, bellowing organ, pipes, and shrill lead guitars, and "Wind of Keltia", boasting Stivell's reverent vocals. "Suite des Montagnes" is indeed a suite in barely 3 minutes, with alternating organs and whistles asserting themselves. There are also a couple of cuts from "Renaissance de La Harpe Celtique" that are wisely placed back to back for their introspective qualities. The relationship to more Andean styles is explored on "Suite SudArmoricain". It's all highly recommended to those whose tastes run to the Celtic but who want an uncompromising edge. Master indeed.