Faetrad is the study and performance of aspects of music of mystical
beings as related in folklore world-wide. The broad categories of this,
with some overlap, include:
* Music, musical techniques, and instruments attributed to
Otherworld origins.
* Music used for rituals related to the Otherworld.
* Choreography of Otherworld sources and rituals
* Sung epics, ballads, and other forms of narrative music which
serve as primary sources for a culture's Otherworld beliefs.
Worldwide, 85% of cultures studied have indicated some degree of
traditional folk-belief in "little people" or what falls under the
broader definitions of "faerie" in English. The purpose of the Faetrad
Project is to document and compare examples of the musical aspects of
this folklore.
Some examples:
*In Ireland, Donegal fiddle tunes, sean nos songs and
airs
attributed to interactions with the Sidhe
*In the Gaelic speaking Scottish highlands and western islands,
songs in Gaelic learned from faeries, selkies, and the eich-uisge,
and
the
early
melodies
of
the
pìobaireachd, the classical
music of the Highland bagpipes, taught by banshees
*In lowland Scotland, England, and Appalachia, many old ballads,
particularly "Riddle Songs" are remnants of older faerie belief
*In the Shetland Isles, Trow töns forming an
important part of the fiddling repertoire
*The roots of Flamenco and other Spanish music, which developed
from Andalusian maqamat
(musical modes) the composer Ziryab
learned from the djinn in the Middle Ages
*In Norway, tunings used for the langeleik zither and hardingfele
fiddle as learned from Huldres and Trolls, and the huldreslåtten
played in these tunings which can make listeners receptive to the
Otherworld
*In New Zealand, Maori chants learned from the Patupaiarehe
*In the United States, songs from the Elf-lore of the Picuris
Pueblo
*In Ghana, the gong-playing and singing of the Mmoetia
*In Gambia, techniques of the nyanyeru
fiddle learned by Fula youth entranced by the djinn.>
*Nicaraguan and Colombian traditions for dispelling a duende
by leaving a guitar out of place.
*In the Nevada Desert, curing songs the Shoshones learned from the
“mountain-man”
*In Romania, the Sânziene dance rituals performed on
Midsummer Night to honor and embody the Sânziene (sg. Sânziană),
the fairies after whom the ritual is named
*In Peru and Ecuador, songs given to the Shuar by Nungui, the
Earth Mother, to find game and to keep pots from cracking during firing
Although many cultures have terms to describe these phenomenae
within their own traditional music (e.g. Gaelic Orain Sidhe,
Maori Waiata Patupaiarehe,) we have lacked, in English, a term
to
describe this across cultures. Furthermore, using periphrasis in search
engines does not yield much information: When searching using
"Traditional Faerie Music," regardless of the spelling chosen for
"faerie", the search results usually return pop-tunes, video game
music, and classical music based on literary sources.
In order for academics, musicians and inidviduals fascinated by
faerie
music across cultures to better find information, I propose the use of
the single-word designation of Faetrad. I have derived this from "Fae,"
meaning "otherworldly" and "trad," a term used in Ireland and elsewhere
to designate the living repertoire of traditional music.
Historically, the broadest categories in the study of music have
been
the religious and the secular, with often very distinct differences
between the two in their structure, technique, and transmission. As
faerie-lore co-exists with official religious belief, and often
outdates it, we need the study of Faetrad as a classification of music
to get a fuller picture of the traditional music of a culture.
Information about older cultures is often preserved in Faetrad as
examples of tribes and cultures (albeit, with mystical attributes) that
preceded the culture whose musical repertoire preserves it. For
example, both Trow music of the Shetland Isles and songs attributed the
Daoine Síth in Scotland can give us clues about the
culture of
the Picts, who preceeded the Gaels, and later united with them to form
the nation of Scotland. In stories about "Winyadepla," a
well-known tune in the Shetland fiddle repertoire, the designations of
the small, hairy night dwelling beings, from whom the tune was learned,
include "trows," "fairies," or
"Picts" depending on the story-teller.
Those desiring an encompassing and global approach to
ethnomusicology must pose the fundamental question: "What are the
boundaries of
human music-making?" We can better understand the extent of human
music when we study Faetrad- music which is, according to folklore, not
human in the strictest sense.
In the past several decades preceding this writing, science has
quantified what musicians have known for ages: Music changes
consciousness and perception. Furthermore, period performance practices
demonstrate how details such as tuning methods, instrument
construction, language, and architecture all effect how this music
influences consciousness far beyond the effect that the same notes
set outside of this context might have. For instance, the "Mozart
Effect"- the tendency of listening to certain music has on increasing
specific cognitive functions, is most often cited with the use of
baroque pieces (from
several generations before Mozart.) The effect of Pachelbel or
Handel played on a period harpsichord using quarter-mean tone tunings
and baroque techniques of trills and improvisation can have a more
profound impact than the same piece as written played on a modern
instrument, lacking such context, may have. Many pieces of Faetrad are
believed to have profound impact on consciousness. The
huldreslåtten of Norway, often played on the Hardinger
fiddle and
other instruments that take advantage of rich overtones and tunings
using "blue" notes, can put a
listener in a state to be more receptive to perceiving huldres
themselves.
The effects of a given music are not entirely dependent on the
listener's cultural relationship to it. People of many religions and
backgrounds experience healing and ecstasy through hearing Gregorian
plainchant, and as such it is used by Music Therapists and
Practicioners in The Music for Healing and Transition programs. Faetrad
represents a largely untapped repertoire of music that performers and
listeners alike can use to expand consciousness and modes of healing.
As in the examples above of Early Music, these pieces can be most
effective when the context of the music is studied and applied
accordingly, though the listeners who benefit may themselves not be
aware.
For the large number of people worldwide who love faerie-lore,
Faetrad-
hearing, playing, dancing- is the most direct means to experience
connection to the Otherworld apart from direct mystic experiences.
Incorporating Faetrad into storytelling and celebrations enriches the
experience by demonstrating the multicultural and emotionally complex
nature of faerie-lore which most pop, classical, and new age music
based on literary portrayals of faeries can not.
The broader goals of the Faetrad Project, which extends the research
I have done to network with scholars and musicians with other areas of
expertise concerning traditional music and folklore:
*to increase awareness of the role of Faetrad within traditional
music
*to record and catalogue known examples of Faetrad
*to serve as a resource for interested scholars, performers, and
the general public
*to promote the preservation and reproduction of source materials
*to promote those who perform and teach this repertoire
This can be done through the following methods, among others:
*creating and maintaining publicly accessible databases of known
repertoire
*creating a network of scholars worldwide with expertise in
various cultures' ethnomusicology
*encouraging re-release of relevant publications and recordings
*creating and maintaining online bibliographies and discographies
of source material on Faetrad specific websites, commercial sites
(e.g., amazon.com,) and non-commercial sites (e.g., worldcat.org.)
*contributing collected materials to libraries and archives of
music and folklore worldwide
A variety of skills will help extend the reach of the Faetrad
Project:
Do you have a relevant website or a page on a social-networking
site?
You can help spread the word about Faetrad by using the term on your
site, and linking to Faetrad-specific sites, and promoting performers
who include Faetrad in their repertoire.
Are you a musician or dancer?
Learn Faetrad pieces and incorporate them in your repertoire. In fact,
you may find that you already know some pieces of Faetrad if you play
traditional music. A balladeer singing "Scarborough Faire", or a
fiddler playing "The Pretty Girl Milking Her Cow" can bring more to
each piece by knowing the Faerie-lore behind it. If a portion of your
performed or recorded repertoire includes traditional Otherworld music,
include the term Faetrad when listing the genres you play.
Are you a scholar or enthusiast of Faerie-Lore?
Incorporate the traditional musical aspects of Faerie-Lore in your
research, presentations, and festivals. Share your research with other
folklorists and interested members of the public on forums discussing
Faetrad. Contribute to online bibliographies and discographies of
Faetrad source materials.
Do you have web and/or database skills?
The Faetrad Project needs individuals who can format an online database
which incorporates multiple file types, and to create a very
user-friendly hub site for its varied foci.
Are you multilingual/multicultural?
As The Faetrad Project attempts to gather information from all cultures
in which Faetrad is present, we need people who can both translate and
explain works in Less Commonly Taught Languages to other cultures, but
also translate information gathered by the Faetrad Project into
multiple languages.