Kimiad – (note: this was misspelled on the CD)
The beautiful place of my childhood, my country. Beautiful Lower Brittany.
To me, this song feels like the eternal lap of ocean waves against the coasts of the seven Celtic nations. I often use it for calming the mood in the room when I begin playing at the hospital. I first found the melody in a collection of international tunes, Whistle Around the World, by Larry McCullough, on Oak Publications. The full name is Kimiad ar soudart yaouank (Farewell of the young soldier). This 19th century song is an anti-war song, sung from the perspective of a young soldier dying on the battlefield, reminiscing over his home in Brittany. You can find several wonderful versions of the Breton harper, Alan Stivell, singing it on youtube. Here's a lovely one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yEZL3kZF2M