Mareel (comp. Tom Anderson; Shetland)
For the Sailors (comp. Bernadette Kellermann)

A lovely recording session on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Glasgow! Featuring my lovely friend and ace harpist Lucie Hendry. 

Mareel / For the Sailors

The Crew-Tune (Strathspey)
The Tune-Crew (Jig) 

A set of tunes in honour of all musicians that bring a composer’s work to life. I always feel extremely privileged if my own music is being performed in any way and I’m very grateful to all the musicians that are going on that journey with me. They themselves are definitely the best part of the journey ! 

In this particular set I’m lucky enough to be joined by 

Sally Simpson: fiddle
Aidan Moodie: guitar
Charlie Stewart: double bass

Recorded by Bob Whitney 
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Composed by Bernadette Kellermann

Tunes for the Crew

A tune dedicated to the decision making process of ants. Very interesting, that’s all I’m saying. Google it! 

I’m playing all three fiddles parts myself. 

Recorded by Bob Whitney 
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Composed by Bernadette Kellermann

The Big Vote

A beautiful tune written by Phil Cunningham, performed and arranged by

Conal McDonagh: Whistle
Bernadette Kellermann: Fiddle
Ryan MacKenzie: Piano

Recorded by Bob Whitney
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Lightly Swims The Swan

An overdose on Scottishness. 

The tunes: 
Bodaich Bheag Abriatheachain (trad.)
Hogtie's (Phil Cunningham)
Frank's Reel (John McCusker)
Jenna Reid of Quarff (Kevin Henderson)

The musicians:
Bernadette Kellermann: Fiddle
Ryan MacKenzie: Piano

Recorded by Bob Whitney
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Strathspey and Reels

A tune that merged out of improvising over a beautiful guitar riff by Steph. 

Easy Oasy 
composed by Bernadette Kellermann
arranged by Stephen Baxter (guitar) and Bernadette Kellermann (fiddle)

Recorded by Bob Whitney
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

Easy Oasy

1. Begin

All performed by Bernadette Kellermann (Violin and Viola)


2. The Waking

Bernadette Kellermann: fiddle

Leona Evans: voice 

The Brodick Quartet 
Ben Norris: Violin 1 
Katrina Lee: Violin 2
Liam Brolly: Viola
Alice Allen: Cello


3. The Wild Iris / Oblivion

Bernadette Kellermann: Violin
Ian Dunnett: Piano


All pieces composed by Bernadette Kellermann, inspired by poems by Brendan Kennelly (‘Begin’), Theodore Roethke (‘The Waking’) and Louise Glück (‘The Wild Iris’).

Recorded, mixed and mastered by the amazing Luigi Pasquini (HowToMakeSushi Recording) @ Electric Squirrel Studios, Glasgow. 

A huge thank you to Leona, Ben, Katrina, Liam, Alice, Ian and Luigi for being part of this project!

Copyright PRS 2017 Bernadette Kellermann.

Begin - The Waking - The Wild Iris / Oblivion

The Wild Iris / Oblivion 

Composed by Bernadette Kellermann

Inspired by the following poem by Luise Glueck:
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The Wild Iris 

At the end of my suffering 
There was a door. 

Hear my out: that which you can call death 
I remember. 

Overhead, noises, branches of the pine shifting. 
Then nothing. The weak sun
 Flickered over the dry surface. 

It is terrible to survive 
As consciousness 
Buried in the dark earth. 

Then it was over: that which you fear, being 
A soul and unable 
To speak, ending abruptly, the stiff earth 
Bending a little. And what I took to be 
Birds darting in low shrubs. 

You who do not remember
 Passage from the other world 
I tell you I could speak again: whatever 
Returns from oblivion returns 
To find a voice: 

From the center of my life came 
A great fountain, deep blue 
Shadows on azure seawater. 
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Performed by 

Bernadette Kellermann: Violin
Ian Dunnett: Piano

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Luigi Pasquini (HowToMakeSushi Recording) @ Electric Squirrel Studios, Glasgow.

The Wild Iris / Oblivion

The Waking

Composed by Bernadette Kellermann


Inspired by the following poem by Theodore Roethke:
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The Waking

I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. 
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear. 
I learn by going where I have to go. 

We think by feeling. What is there to know? 
I hear my being dance from ear to ear. 
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. 

Of those so close beside me, which are you? 
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there, 
And learn by going where I have to go. 

Light takes the Trees; but who can tell us how? 
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
 I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. 

Great Nature has another thing to do 
To you and me; so take the lively air, 
And, lovely, learn by going where to go. 

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know. 
What falls away is always. And is near.
 I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. 
I learn by going where I have to go. 
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Performed by 

Bernadette Kellermann: fiddle
Leona Evans: voice
The Brodick Quartet 
…Ben Norris: Violin 1 
…Katrina Lee: Violin 2
…Liam Brolly: Viola
…Alice Allen: Cello


Recorded, mixed and mastered by Luigi Pasquini (HowToMakeSushi Recording) @ Electric Squirrel Studios, Glasgow.

The Waking

Begin

Composed and performed by Bernadette Kellermann

Inspired by the following poem by Brendan Kennelly:
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Begin

Begin again to the summoning birds 
To the sight of light at the window, 
Begin to the roar of the morning traffic 
All along Pembroke Road. 
Every beginning is a promise Born in light and dying in dark 
Determination and exaltation of springtime 
Flowering the way to work. Begin to the pageant of queuing girls 
The arrogant loneliness of swans in the canal 
Bridges linking the past and future
 Old friends passing though with us still. 
Begin to the loneliness that cannot end
 Since it perhaps is what makes us begin, 
Begin to wonder at unknown faces 
At crying birds in the sudden rain
 At branches stark in the willing sunlight 
At seagulls foraging for bread 
At couples sharing a sunny secret 
Alone together while making good.
 Though we live in a world that dreams of ending 
That always seems about to give in 
Something that will not acknowledge conclusion 
Insists that we forever begin. 
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Recorded, mixed and mastered by Luigi Pasquini (HowToMakeSushi Recording) @ Electric Squirrel Studios, Glasgow.

Begin

My interpretation of a traditional Irish Slow Air

Recorded and mixed by Bob Whitney, Studio A (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)

An Buachaill Caol Dubh (The Dark Slender Boy)

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Equality and Diversity Forum commissioned new pieces of traditional music to acknowledge Glasgow’s role in the slave trade of the late 1700s.

The new music was performed and recorded during Black History Month (October) 2017.

'Unsettled' is one of five new works and composed by Bernadette Kellermann. 

Performed by:

Bernadette Kellermann: fiddle
Lori Watson: fiddle
Chris Gray: piano, whistle
Lucie Hendry: clàrsach

Recorded by Bob Whitney, Studio A (RCS)
Mastered by Duncan Lyall

Unsettled

Violin player and composer based in Glasgow, Scotland

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