À l'Olympia (Also called At the Olympia and Olympia Concert) was Stivell's first live album, recording at L'Olympia. It was released by Fontana in 1972.
Background Significance This live concert was divided into two parts: the first acoustic folk, the second part being electric folk in a style then known as Celtic rock. The concert was a musical tour around the Celtic fringe, from Brittany northwards. It was broadcast live on one of the three radio stations in France (seven million listeners live on Radio Europe 1) Frédéric Jambon, « Stivell. Les 40 ans du concert mythique ce soir à l'Olympia », Le Télégramme, 16 février 2012 Alan Stivell was accompanied by Dan Ar Braz on guitar, Michel Santangelli (the future drummer for Jacques Higelin) on percussion, Gabriel Yacoub, René Werneer, Pascal Stive, Gérard Levasseur, Serj Parayre and Michaël Klec’h.
Stivell à l'Olympia has sold over 1.5 million copies.
Context and impact 1972, the year of its release, was one of radical ferment at home and abroad. The widespread revolt of May 1968 had generated a "back to the earth" movement amongst French students and intelligentsia. The entry of Britain and Ireland into the EEC was seen by radicals in Brittany as the long-awaited opportunity to bring the Celtic nations together and make the ancient dream of Celtic unity a reality. Alan Stivell was closely identified with these trends, even at times hailed as a champion of one or the other cause, but he was himself, as he often later claimed, uneasy about taking on the role of a musical freedom fighter. His deep fascination with cutting edge technology, fuelled by his early love of science fiction put him at odds with any "back to the earth" idealism. Despite the hopes he shared with many of his fellow Breton for a Celtic cultural revival and unity, he always sought to avoid being straight-jacketed by a narrow traditionalist outlook.
Track listing
Lyrics and musics are traditionals arranged by Alan Stivell except "The Wind of Keltia" written by Alan Stivell and Steve Waring.
Personnel Musicians Alan Stivell – lead vocal, Celtic harp, tin whistle (Irish flute), bombard Gabriel Yacoub – guitars, dulcimer, banjo, backing vocals René Werneer – fiddle Pascal Stive – organ Gérard Levasseur – bass Henry Delagarde – cello, flute, bombard Dan Ar Braz – electric guitar Michel Santangeli (29 August 1945–30 September 2014) – drums Serj Parayre – percussions Mikael Klec'h – flute, bombard
Recording Producer – Frank Giboni for Fontana Records Engineer – Paul Houdebine Engineer Assistant – Henri Lousteau
Discography Source:Jim Chokey: Discography. Alan Stivell (last accessed 15 May 2013)
Fontana 6399 005 [original French release] Fontana 6325 321 [France, Italy] Disques Dreyfus 834-289-2 [French CD release of 1988]
Certifications
References
Sources Jonathyne Briggs, Sounds French: Globalization, Cultural Communities, and Pop Music in France, 1958–1980, Oxford University Press, 2015, Chapter 4 "Sounds Regional: The World in Breton Folk Music"