C'est L'aviron by a native

Subject: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Greg B
Date: 05 Jul 07 - 01:22 AM

Been doing a lot of paddling lately--- inspiring one to learn C'est L'aviron properly.

Can anyone point me to or send me a recording of same sung by a
native Canadienne francophone? I've heard it enough times by
American anglophones. My schoolboy French reads it well enough,
but singing it properly is quite another thing, especially
considering the assortment of contractions which pepper the
various transcriptions.

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Peace
Date: 05 Jul 07 - 01:27 AM

Youtube--quality is poor, but cadence and pronunciation are 'hearable'.

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Peace
Date: 05 Jul 07 - 01:34 AM

"'C'est l'aviron'. These words, taken from the refrain of the voyageur song 'M'en revenant de la joli' Rochelle,' have come to be recognized as the song's surrogate title. Certain phrases in the song have been traced back to 15th-century France, where it originated. It is found in several textual and melodic variants. In Chansons folkloriques francaises au Canada (Quebec City 1956) Marguerite and Raoul d'Harcourt give three versions based on incomplete minor scales. One of these uses a refrain different from that of 'C'est l'aviron'. Still another version with different words is given by Ernest Gagnon in Chansons populaires du Canada (Quebec City 1865), and in a Montreal newspaper, Le Canard, of 13 Nov 1897. François Brassard compares 'C'est l'aviron' to a refrain known in Canada, 'Mon joli champ d'avoine,' and to the French refrain of 'Allons voir nos vignes'. Edith Fowke in Folk Songs of Quebec (Waterloo 1957) and The Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, Eng 1973) presents a version collected by E.-Z. Massicotte in 1927. Charles Marchand and his Bytown Troubadours popularized this song and recorded it on 78 for Victor. Several singers have made LPs of the song, notably Alan Mills (Folk FP 29), and Raoul Roy (RCI/RCA CS 100-7/5-ACM 39 (CD)). Choral arrangements of the song have been prepared by Thomas Legrady and William McCauley."



From Here.

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 05 Jul 07 - 01:36 PM

The Canadien band Tanglefoot do versions of this voyaging song.

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 05 Jul 07 - 01:38 PM

Sound bite here Paddle like hell

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: GUEST,honest Frankie
Date: 06 Jul 07 - 11:55 AM

Hello,

   Just Google C'est L'aviron and you'll get the Great Canadian songbook with lyrics and a midi melody

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Jim Lad
Date: 06 Jul 07 - 12:29 PM

Thanks Peace. I thoroughly enjoyed that. That Tenor voice in the chorus manages to cut right through the poor sound quality and make it a worthwhile listen.

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 06 Jul 07 - 07:27 PM

I'm native French and can record it for you if you email me through Mama Lisa's World en français straight away -leaving on hols on Tuesday morning

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 07 Jul 07 - 03:21 AM

You can also hear it here http://www.objetsparlants.ca/UI/MusiLab/forms/Studios/player.aspx?soundId=117
You'll notice that it's a "modern" version because he sings "j'l'ai fait monter derrière moi sur ma selle" (present perfect tense) older versions go "j'la fis monter..." (preterit tense). Besides, in the line "ell' m' demandit à boire" "boire" is pronounced "bwar" -present French pronunciation- while it was pronounced something that could be transcripted "bwear" rhyming with "swear" and hence with "fontaine, père, verres, mère, frères, aime"

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Greg B
Date: 07 Jul 07 - 10:19 AM

Merci, Monique, that link is extraordinarily useful, in the
manner of instructional recordings! What it lacks in artistry
it more than makes up in clarity.

Am I right in believing that what I'm hearing is more French
in pronunciation than Candian? Virtually all of the Canadienne
speakers I've had the privilege of interacting with have been
high in the Laurentian countryside--- some of them farmers.
That they were not Parisian was quite obvious!

The recording is an excellent antidote to sloppiness of
pronunciation, however. And a great reminder of how French
is sung, as opposed to spoken, with terminal sounds on words
which end softly re-emphasized to fit the meter.

Gotta love that little piano riff at the end of each chorus, eh?

And of course at that speed, it's more of a flailing shanty than
a paddling one, but slowing down is never a challenge.

Seems like just one part of a very nice, useful, site.

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: GUEST,Monique
Date: 07 Jul 07 - 11:44 PM

You're quite right, it's standard France French. Most of the French speaking singers sing in standard France French. If you want it to sound Canadian, you'll need a Canadian to record it for you.

About spoken French, we're glad all of us don't speak standard Fr! you can listen to a very few samples here
http://www.laguinguette.com/snd/about/accents/index.html

Subject: RE: C'est L'aviron by a native
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Jul 07 - 12:21 AM

The Virtual Gramophone is a wonderful resource for French-Canadian (and other Canadian) music.

Click here for C'EST L'AVIRON QUI NOUS MÈNE EN HAUT.