Page 79 - Pere Anselme Chiasson: Conversation and a Family Album

ISSUE : Issue 56

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/1/1

p Pere Anselme Chiasson continued from pages ...do anything to publish the songs, because he was the mu? sician. And I knew nothing about music. I was more the editor, and preparing the publication and the text and things like that. But for the music, he was the one. But when he came back, we published another book in 1972. And another one in 1979. That was my last one. Because from then on, you see, we were separated. And he has continued to publish-- Fr. Daniel--just to save them for Cheticamp. He has pub? lished 5 more numbers of 15 songs each. The first ones, /- we tried to publish especial? ly folk songs. The last one is more to publish songs from | Cheticamp, even if they are I not really folk songs. I (And by folk songs you meant...?) All those songs--we call folk songs--they*re old songs--that we don't know the author nor the date when they were composed. We had some songs, we knew the author, or coming from Quebec--that's not folklore. Our first songbook--the preface was writ? ten by Marius Barbeau, the big folklorist. He helped us a lot, encouraged us. We saw him, we went to the National Museum in Ot? tawa to see him. He came with us at our vacation camp in the summer. And we sang lots of songs on his (recorder)--the only machine that was in existence at the time --on wax. Rollers. Especially Fr. Daniel. I sang a few songs with him. I sang the songs that Fr. Daniel didn't know. And, from then on, I had contact with Luc Lacourci're, and Monseigneur (F61ix- Antoine) Savard, a big writer, well-known writer and was interested in folklore too, at the University of Laval. And University Laval and the National Museum asked me if I would collect folklore for them. And that's when I started to collect folklore, not only in Cheticamp, but in New Brun? swick, and especially in Madeleine Is? lands. Cheticamp, too. I collected lots of songs in Ch6ticamp afterwards, on tapes. And lots in New Brunswick, and lots in the Madeleine Islands. I was there for the Na? tional Museum. I was paid $1000 a month-- they had to pay my fare, my everything. It's funny. First year, the museum lent me a tape recorder. They were just coming out. It was a good one, though. And, no money. I was going to Cheticamp for a va? cation. .But University Laval, Monseigneur Savard gave me $100 to help me for the 7RMAWVY INN'Ss M The first choice for fine food and lodging on the Cabot Trail The Normaway is proud to be able to share a part of Cape Breton's culture. Enjoy [traditional music by the fire side, nightly films on the area, a choice selection of Cape Breton books and records, traditional and contemporary Cape Breton music or thea- |tre most spring and fall weekends, as well as Elder Hostel travel learning programs. Look for youth concert ceilidh square dances starting in June. For more information write or phone: THE NORMAWAY INN 902-248-2987 Official Home of "Your Pace or Mine?' !'* Ahhass Stadia Ltd. OVER Passport Photographs While You Wait ( ONE HOUR FILM PROCESSmGj o'p'sL'RvrcE 5" X 7" Enlargements or Reprints in Only 20 Minutes! TO CAPE BRETON Weddings • Commercial & Industrial • Family Groups • Graduation ABBASS STUDIO LTD. 170 Townsend St., Sydney * 564-8234 or 564-6491

Cape Breton's Magazine