BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,

Subject: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:10 PM

Watched this tonight, probably "no comment" is the fairest comment as far as the production and casting is concerned.

BUT, I would love to know who the singer was who provided the background vocals. I feel I should know who it was, but I just can't put a name to the voice.

Anybody know ? Or can anybody provide a link to where I might be able to find out? I have tried the BBC N.I. site but no luck.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Larkin
Date: 14 Mar 04 - 06:50 PM

I watched it and thought it to be of Jimmy McGoverns usual high standard. And the actress who played Mary QofS was not only very good but also gorgeous!

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 15 Mar 04 - 08:13 AM

She was certainly gorgeous, I agree.

So who was the singer ?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,Diva
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 03:22 AM

I was wondering about the music too. From the female perspective......Bothwell was a babe *********BG*******

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 03:28 AM

Once again, I preferred the dark haired baddie, step brother James. Story of my life really!

Also thought the newborn prince looked a lot like Fu Man Chu without the moustache, but that's just me.

Looking forward to the next episodes with Robert Carlyle in.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,Me..
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 06:29 AM

I enjoyed this programme very much as people keep telling me I look just like her! Looking forward to the next one..;-)

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 09:08 AM

I emailed the BBC asking about the music but have had no reply yet.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 04:04 PM

I emailed too, Manitas, and have received the following reply from an extremely helpful lady by the name of Jacqui Barr.

This is what she says.

All music was composed by John Keane specifically for the show, with exception to the 'folk' music, which is by a Romanian artist called Grigore Lese. We obtained music rights from his CD directly from him/his agent in Romania and to my knowledge it is not for sale in the UK.

The album is called Cantece de Catanie. The tracks from his CD were 2, 14 and 17.


I did a google search on Grigore Lese (of whom I had never heard) and the following is an amalgam of material from a couple of websites.



Grigore Lese hails from Tara Lapusului, in Northern Transylvania. He and Maria Lese were trained at the Gheorghe Dima Academy of Music in Cluj-Napoca. Described by critics as the finest performer of authentic folk music in Romania today, Grigore Lese, who often performs solo, possesses a genuine folk voice and plays myriad instruments, including the bassoon, the shepherd's pipe, the flute, and the Romanian three-tiered toaca. He has produced many compact discs, including his latest, Cantecul Pastoral, and he played the musical protagonist in director Elise Stan's 1996 folklore film Obirsi.

If you wish to listen to a folk song from a particularly rich folklore area, sung in a genuine manner, than listen to Grigore Lese. It is easy to recognize the man in the street by his folk costume he has never parted from since he has dedicated his life to singing original folk songs from his home county. He was born in Stoiceni, near Targu Lapus. After graduation from the Baia Mare music school, he returned in his native village and got involved in teaching and interpreting folk music. His craftsmanship makes him a virtuoso.
His interests have deepened after graduation from the Gheorghe Dima Music Academy in Cluj.
His voice has a particular tune, not altered by any scholarly intervention. This voice is particularly suited for his kind of music, a sometimes rough way of singing characteristic for the region. Instead of using an entire orchestra as many singers do, Grigore Lese is usually accompanied only by three people playing traditional instruments. This has become as a Transylvanian Trio. Some of the tne he sings with no accompanying instrument at all. Every presence on stage is turned by Grigore Lese into an event.
He has performed in Budapest, Vienna, Bern, Strassbourg, Paris, Lausanne, Rome, Trento, Camerino, Chisinau, Zurich, Sarajevo, Venice, Marseille, Barcelona, Madrid, Washington, New York, Cleveland, Bloomington, Lexington. He has represented his country during the Smithsonian festival in 1999. He has always been an ambassador of the best of Romanian tradition. Listen to him an you will listen to Romanian foklore at its best

Quite what possessed the producers to include Romanian music in a drama about Mary Queen of Scots eludes me somewhat, but it certainly was an inspired choice. I have never heard a voice that impressed me more.

As luck would have it, a couple of Romanian girls are coming to work at our hotel this weekend, so I have arranged for them to bring over the CD Cantece de Catanie.

I believe it is possible to download tracks from his website, but my sound card is kaput, so I don't know if they work or not.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: greg stephens
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 04:11 PM

I can't say that I've seen the programme, but I'll make a point of it know. it sounds to me a very wonderful idea to use hard line Romanian trad for 1600 Scotland. My impression of what mary Queen of Scots social mileu was like would not be reinforced by any modern Scottish trad folkies I have heard, Whereas music from Transylvania, the Balkans, or Kurdistan, for example, might generate a much more appropriate feeling. (I think it was Bert Lloyd who equated the world of the Scottish border ballads with Afghanistan).

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 16 Mar 04 - 06:22 PM

The Romanian trad is a bit of a bonus, due to the fact that it seems to have been filmed in Romania and has a large selection of Romanian extras.

There are a lot of historical programmes being made in that sort of middle European area, cheap labour, lots of untouched landscape and some pretty good actors.

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,Sheila Ann Cartwright
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 05:09 AM

The cd of the music from Gunpowder.....by Grigore Lese cannot be bought in the UK, but I have contacted a friend who runs a cd import business and he has written to the Romanian company who put out the cd in Romania. Will get back to this thread if my friend is able to import the cd to the UK....fingers crossed.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 07:45 AM

I too have been frantically chasing up that song by Grigore Lese (the last one sung in the Mary Queen of Scots section, with violin that sounds like bagpipes).

What is Grigore Lese's website called? I'd do anything to get hold of that track, or buy the Cantece de catanie CD if only I could. Please help!
Thanks.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 04 Apr 04 - 08:10 AM

Grigore Lese's Website with song downloads

Unfortunately, the Romanians were unable to source the CD in time ...

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,Sheila Ann Cartwright
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 12:22 PM

You can buy Grigore Lese cd used in the above drama and his new cd from:
www.decorated-eggs.ro. I did try a blue clicky link but it did not work.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 07 Apr 04 - 12:31 PM

Allow me ... click here

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,A historical drama lover
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 05:28 AM

Jimmy McGovern-the usual load of shite! Why is this man so highly rated?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 08 Apr 04 - 12:24 PM

Why did this get bumped to BS?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,Another historical drama lover
Date: 06 May 04 - 05:24 AM

this probably the best thing thats been on the bbc in ages, it had real style and atmosphere, McGovern has done a fantstic job it was really gripping and very well cast, aswell as having fantastic fights and costumes, does anyone know if it will be released on BBC video?

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,A historical drama lover
Date: 06 May 04 - 03:15 PM

Christ, I hope it never gets released.

Subject: RE: BS: BBC2 Mary Queen of Scots drama,
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 06:23 PM

I thought it was fantastic! Kevin Mckidd stole the show from all the others! The chemistry between him and co star Clemence Poesy was electric! She was good too!