2 May: The Prophecy Of Merlin: A Cornish Tale set to Music
Welcome to an hour of fast-moving oral storytelling and achingly beautiful music; an epic adventure story by Mike O’Connor and Barbara Griggs. After the story there will be a break followed by a 45 minute talk on the history and folklore behind it.
The original Prophecy of Merlin was a Cornish-language document of the 11th century or earlier, now lost. It was the basis of the Prophetia Merlini of about 1153 written by John of Cornwall, a priest from St Germans in Cornwall. In cryptic language, John criticised Saxon and Norman incomers and advocated British rule. The main historical sources for the tale are Merlin in Cornwall, a Ph.D. thesis by Michael A. Faletra, and Julyan Holmes’ An Dhargan a Verdhin: The Prophecy of Merlin. Athelstan’s ‘cleansing’ of the Cornish from Devon was recorded by William of Malmesbury in his De Gestis Regum Anglorum of 1125.
Music is integral to the tale and is exquisitely dovetailed into the performance. Melodies are linked with principal characters and events. Music supports action, mood, and emotion. An Dhargan, Yn Termyn eus Passyes, Dons Rys an Kam, Kan Pibough Sagh, Kri Bran, Ilow Kosk, and An Dasserghyans are by Barbara. Kynvan Bran and Medhel an Gwyns are by Mike. Kan an Alwedh is a unique tune from the time of John of Cornwall, possibly from St Germans.
Since the bronze-age, bards have declaimed battle honours, genealogies, histories, and stories, both to entertain and also to endorse the positions of their rulers. By camp-fires and hearths, families told tales to entertain and educate both adults and children. As late as the 19th century, travelling storytellers in Cornwall told tales in return for bed and board.
Mike O’Connor OBE is a well-known storyteller, with a deep knowledge of legend and folk tale, and great skill with language. A bard of Gorsedh Kernow, he is respected as a violinist, songwriter, and musicologist, and known to many for his music for TV’s Poldark. He is responsible for the musicology, folklore and history behind this tale.
Barbara Griggs is a skilled and sensitive musician, and a fine storyteller. She too is a bard as well as being a Gorsedh harpist. Her music has been described as having ‘breath-taking beauty.’ She is the expert on costume and custom, and with Mike, has worked to integrate words, sound effects and music to high praise.
Mike and Barbara’s Return to Lyonesse won a British Award for Storytelling Excellence and Odysseus Dreaming was an acclaimed retelling of Homer.
