ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Caroline Lavelle - Cellist; singer-songwriter
Equally talented on cello and vocals, Caroline Lavelle has created a performance style all her own. Her expansive talents, channeling the best of both classical and contemporary influences, have earned her comparisons to both Kate Bush and Jacqueline du Pré.

Why you should listen

Connecting the best of British chamber folk and folk rock to modern electronic music, Caroline Lavelle is frequently sought out for both her vocals and her cello playing. The genre-bridging cellist has collaborated with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Laurie Anderson, Radiohead, the Cranberries, BT, Massive Attack and William Orbit, among others (she reportedly inspired Madonna to pursue her own successful collaboration with Orbit).

In her TED performance of "Further than the Sun," Lavelle plays the cello like a sorceress casting a spell, occasionally hiding behind her wild mane of blond hair as she sings of pastoral themes. She's produced three solo albums -- A Distant Bell (2004), Brilliant Midnight (2001) and Spirit (1995) -- and is a touring member of the Chieftains.

More profile about the speaker
Caroline Lavelle | Speaker | TED.com
TED2005

Caroline Lavelle: Casting a spell on the cello

Le violoncelle ensorcelant de Caroline Lavelle

Filmed:
477,656 views

Caroline Lavelle joue du violoncelle comme une enchanteresse jetant un sort, se cachant parfois derrière la crinière blonde de ses cheveux quand elle chante des thèmes bucoliques. Elle interprète "Plus loin que le Soleil", accompagnée par Thomas Dolby aux claviers.
- Cellist; singer-songwriter
Equally talented on cello and vocals, Caroline Lavelle has created a performance style all her own. Her expansive talents, channeling the best of both classical and contemporary influences, have earned her comparisons to both Kate Bush and Jacqueline du Pré. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:28
Thank you very much.
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Merci beaucoup.
00:30
Now, I've got a storyrécit for you.
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Voilà, j'aimerais vous raconter une histoire.
00:33
When I arrivedarrivée off the planeavion,
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Lorsque j'ai débarqué de l'avion,
00:36
after a very long journeypériple from the WestOuest of EnglandL’Angleterre,
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après un long voyage depuis l'ouest de l'Angleterre,
00:39
my computerordinateur, my belovedaimé laptopportable,
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mon ordinateur, mon bien-aimé ordinateur portable,
00:42
had gonedisparu madfurieux,
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était devenu incontrôlable,
00:45
and had -- oh! -- a bitbit like that! --
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et il avait -- oh! -- un peu comme cela! --
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and the displayafficher on it --
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et l'affichage --
00:51
anywayen tous cas, the wholeentier thing had burstéclater.
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bref, il était complètement planté.
00:54
And I wentest allé to the IT guys here
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Et je suis allé voir les informaticiens d'ici
00:58
and a gentlemangentilhomme mendedmandé my computerordinateur,
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et un type sympa a réparé mon ordinateur,
01:02
and then he said, "What are you doing here?"
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et puis il m'a demandé, "Que faites-vous ici?"
01:05
and I said "I'm playingen jouant the cellovioloncelle and I'm doing a bitbit of singingen chantant,"
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et je lui ai répondu "Je joue du violoncelle et je chante aussi un peu,"
01:08
and he said, "Oh, I sortTrier of playjouer the cellovioloncelle as well."
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et il m'a dit "Oh! Il m'arrive aussi de jouer du violoncelle."
01:11
And I said, "Do you really?"
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Et je lui ai dit, "Ah oui, vraiment?"
01:14
AnywayEn tout cas, so you're in for a treattraiter,
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Quoi qu'il en soit, vous allez vous régaler,
01:16
because he's fantasticfantastique, and his name'sde nom MarkMark.
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parce qu'il est fantastique, et il se nomme Mark.
01:18
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
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(Applaudissements)
01:21
I am alsoaussi joinedrejoint by my partnerpartenaire in crimela criminalité, ThomasThomas DolbyDolby.
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Je suis aussi accompagnée par mon complice, Thomas Dolby.
01:26
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
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(Applaudissements)
01:29
This songchant is calledappelé "FartherPlus loin than the SunSun."
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Cette chanson s'appelle "Plus loin que le Soleil."
01:35
(MusicMusique)
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(Musique)
02:04
StrungEnfilées in the windvent I calledappelé you ♫
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♫ Piégée par le vent je t'appelais ♫
02:08
♫ but you did not hearentendre ... ♫
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♫ mais tu n'entendais pas ... ♫
02:15
♫ And you're a plantplante that needsBesoins poorpauvre soilsol
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♫ Et tu es une plante qui se contente d'une terre pauvre ♫
02:21
♫ and I have treatedtraité you too well ♫
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♫ et je t'ai traité trop bien ♫
02:24
♫ to give up flowersfleurs ... ♫
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♫ pour renoncer aux fleurs ... ♫
02:27
♫ Oh, I have been too richriches for you ... ♫
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♫ Oh, j'ai été trop généreuse avec toi ... ♫
02:39
FartherPlus loin than the sunSoleil from me ♫
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♫ Plus loin de moi que le soleil ♫
02:45
FartherPlus loin than I'd have you be ♫
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♫ Plus loin que je ne le voudrais ♫
02:51
♫ And I go northNord, I get so colddu froid
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♫ Lorsque je vais au nord j'ai si froid ♫
02:54
♫ My heartcœur is lavalave underen dessous de stonepierre
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♫ Mon cœur est de la lave sous la pierre ♫
02:58
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas ♫
03:01
♫ You are not worthydigne ... ♫
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas ... ♫
03:06
♫ With your calculatingcalcul eyesles yeux
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♫ Dans tes yeux calculateurs ♫
03:10
spinningfilage figureschiffres
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♫ Les chiffres défilent ♫
03:13
♫ you cannotne peux pas see me ♫
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♫ tu ne peux pas me voir. ♫
03:16
♫ You cannotne peux pas see me ... ♫
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♫ tu ne peux pas me voir... ♫
03:19
♫ And if I tell myselfmoi même enoughassez
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♫ Et si je me le répète assez ♫
03:25
♫ I'll believe it ♫
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♫ Je finirais par le croire. ♫
03:28
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas. ♫
03:38
♫ The seamer, it freezesgèle over ... ♫
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♫ La mer, elle se couvre de glace ... ♫
03:42
♫ to trapTrap the lightlumière
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♫ pour piéger la lumière ♫
03:50
♫ And I'm in love with beingétant in love ♫
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♫ Et j'aime être amoureuse ♫
03:55
♫ and you were never quiteassez the one ♫
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♫ et tu n'as jamais vraiment été l'élu ♫
04:00
♫ In Gerda'sDe Gerda eyesles yeux
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♫ aux yeux de Gerda ♫
04:03
FragmentsFragments of what you've becomedevenir
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♫ Des éclats de ce que tu es devenu ♫
04:25
♫ And all the mothspapillons de nuit that flymouche at night ♫
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♫ Et tous les papillons de nuit ♫
04:29
♫ believe electricélectrique lightlumière is brightbrillant
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♫ se laissent éblouir par la lumière électrique ♫
04:32
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas ♫
04:35
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas ♫
04:40
♫ With your calculatingcalcul eyesles yeux
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♫ Dans tes yeux calculateurs ♫
04:44
SpinningFilature figureschiffres
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♫ Les chiffres défilent ♫
04:47
♫ You cannotne peux pas see me, no ♫
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♫ Tu ne peux pas me voir, non ♫
04:53
♫ And if I tell myselfmoi même enoughassez
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♫ Et si je me le répète assez ♫
04:58
♫ I'll believe it ♫
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♫ Je finirais par le croire. ♫
05:02
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas. ♫
05:33
FartherPlus loin than the sunSoleil from me ♫
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♫ Plus loin de moi que le soleil ♫
05:40
FartherPlus loin than I'd have you be ♫
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♫ Plus loin que je ne le voudrais ♫
05:46
♫ And I go northNord, I get so colddu froid
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♫ Lorsque je vais au nord j'ai si froid ♫
05:50
♫ My heartcœur is lavalave underen dessous de stonepierre
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♫ Mon cœur est de la lave sous la pierre ♫
05:53
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas. ♫
05:56
♫ You are not worthydigne
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♫ Tu ne le mérites pas. ♫
06:02
♫ With your calculatingcalcul eyesles yeux
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♫ Dans tes yeux calculateurs ♫
06:05
SpinningFilature figureschiffres
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♫ Les chiffres défilent ♫
06:08
♫ You cannotne peux pas see me, no ... ♫
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♫ tu ne peux pas me voir, non ... ♫
06:15
♫ And if I tell myselfmoi même enoughassez, I'll believe it ♫
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♫ Et si je me le répète assez, je finirais par le croire. ♫
07:40
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
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(Applaudissements)
07:43
Thank you very much.
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Merci beaucoup.
Translated by Sven Vulliamy
Reviewed by Etienne Denis

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Caroline Lavelle - Cellist; singer-songwriter
Equally talented on cello and vocals, Caroline Lavelle has created a performance style all her own. Her expansive talents, channeling the best of both classical and contemporary influences, have earned her comparisons to both Kate Bush and Jacqueline du Pré.

Why you should listen

Connecting the best of British chamber folk and folk rock to modern electronic music, Caroline Lavelle is frequently sought out for both her vocals and her cello playing. The genre-bridging cellist has collaborated with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Laurie Anderson, Radiohead, the Cranberries, BT, Massive Attack and William Orbit, among others (she reportedly inspired Madonna to pursue her own successful collaboration with Orbit).

In her TED performance of "Further than the Sun," Lavelle plays the cello like a sorceress casting a spell, occasionally hiding behind her wild mane of blond hair as she sings of pastoral themes. She's produced three solo albums -- A Distant Bell (2004), Brilliant Midnight (2001) and Spirit (1995) -- and is a touring member of the Chieftains.

More profile about the speaker
Caroline Lavelle | Speaker | TED.com

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