Cesair

Dutch band

This article is about the Dutch pagan folk band. For the character from Irish mythology, see Cessair.

Cesair

Cesair in Arnhem (2024)

Background information
Origin| Utrecht, Netherlands
Genres| Pagan folk
World fusion
World music
Years active| 2008–present
Labels| Screaming Banshee, Alive AG, Miroque GmbH
Members| Monique van Deursen, Sophie Zaaijer, Thomas Biesmeijer, Jan de Vries, Faber Horbach, Luka Aubri
Past members| Fieke van den Hurk
Website| www.cesair.nl

Cesair is a Dutch band formed in 2008 who make pagan folk, world fusion and world music. They are the main representatives of the pagan folk music scene in the Netherlands, alongside pagan folk band Omnia. The band refer to their genre as "Epic Folk & Mythic Music".[1] They perform on a variety of modern and traditional instruments, including accordion, hurdy-gurdy, hammered dulcimer, Irish bouzouki, violin, cello, bodhrán and many others.[2] Their songs are performed in a variety of languages ranging from Arabic, medieval Celtic languages, English, Latin, Greek, to Middle Dutch, Old Norse and more.[3]

## History

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The band was founded in 2008 in Utrecht.[4] In 2011, they were joined by drummer Jan de Vries.[5] In the years following, the band have performed at numerous notable alternative, gothic and medieval music festivals in Europe, including Festival-Mediaval, Wave-Gotik-Treffen, Mittelalterlich Phantasie Spectaculum and Trolls et Légendes, and have headlined at Castlefest, the largest pagan/fantasy festival in Europe, for several years. In 2016, the band announced that founding member Fieke van den Hurk would leave the band, which she did in early 2017.[5] End of March 2017, the band announced that Luka Aubri, formerly a member of Omnia, and Faber Horbach would join the band.[6]

### Members

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* Monique van Deursen – vocals, bodhrán, frame drum, zills, hurdy-gurdy
* Sophie Zaaijer – vocals, violin, viola, cello, jew's harp
* Thomas Biesmeijer – vocals, Irish bouzouki, guitars, frame drum
* Luka Aubri – vocals, slideridoo (2017–present)
* Daan van Loon – vocals, piano, accordion (2019–present)

### Former members

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* Fieke van den Hurk – accordion, hammered dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy (2008–2017)
* Faber Horbach – vocals, nyckelharpa, piano (2017–2019)
* Jan de Vries – drums and other percussion instruments (2012–2022)

## Style

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### Music

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Cesair's music is described as "Pagan Folk",[7] as well as "a mixture of folk and ethnic music from the Orient".[8] The band have expressed having some difficulty with the term pagan folk, explaining that "the term 'pagan' implies that the music has a certain spiritual concept, or is aimed against certain religions, which is not what they stand for".[4] Instead, they use the moniker "Epic Folk & Mythic Music".[1]

Cesair's debut album, entitled Dies, Nox et Omnia, was recorded in the Wisseloord Studios in Hilversum and features a guest appearance by Sonja Drakulich from Stellamara / FAUN.[9] In May 2015, a special edition of the band's debut album was released through Miroque GmbH / Alive AG / Screaming Banshee Records, entitled Dies, Nox et Omnia: Sine Fine.[10] This edition was remastered by Grammy Award winner Darcy Proper in the Wisseloord Studios and features remixes by the bands Corvus Corax and Schwarzblut and by Niel Mitra from FAUN.[11]

### Lyrics

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The band's lyrics are written and sung in various languages, including Arabic, medieval Celtic languages, Spanish, Romance, Swedish, Occitan, Old English, Latin, Greek, to Middle Dutch, Old Norse and more.[3] Besides using original lyrics the band adopts historical, classical and medieval texts such as the Enûma Eliš (Enuma Elish), the Carmina Burana (Dies, Nox et Omnia) and works from Gaston Fébus (Canso), Sappho (Graeica), Aneirin (Y Gododdin) and modern authors such as William Butler Yeats (The Wanderings of Oisín).[12]

### Meaning of the name

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The name Cesair derives from Cessair, a character from the Lebor Gabála Érenn, a medieval Christian pseudo-history of Ireland. According to the band, "the adventures of this heroic woman are in many ways interwoven into their songs, and offer numerous possibilities for exploration, since Cesair herself allegedly explored the entire known world".[4]

The band Cesair (Netherlands)

## Discography

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### Studio albums

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Year | Title

|

2013 | Dies, Nox et Omnia
2015 | Dies, Nox et Omnia: Sine Fine
2017 | Omphalos
2024 | Haven

Band members Sophie Zaaijer and Fieke van den Hurk appear as guest musicians on the Leaves' Eyes' album King of Kings[13]

### Singles

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Year | Title

|

2021 | Aux Pieds Nus

## References

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1. ^ a b Heymann, Peter. "Eine Reise durch Raum und Zeit." Sonic Seducer May 2015: 26. Print.
2. ^ Heymann, Peter. "Freigeister und Legenden." Sonic Seducer June 2015: 28–9. Print.
3. ^ a b Van Muylem, Filip. "Cesair." Peek A Book Magazine Oct.-Dec. 2014: 16–7. Print.
4. ^ a b c Sailer, Peter. "Epische Erkundungen." Zillo Medieval Issue 02/2014: 52–3. Print.
5. ^ a b "CESAIR – interview by Peek-A-Boo magazine". Peek-a-boo-magazine.be. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
6. ^ Blach, Sascha. "Zeiten des Wandels." Miroque Issue 09/2017 March 2017: 75. Print.
7. ^ Heymann, Peter. "Verbunden Durch Musik." Sonic Seducer January 2016: 42–3. Print.
8. ^ "CASTLEFEST 2014 , Rosa Crvx, The Dolmen, Cesair, Irfan, Folk Noir, The Moon And The Nightspirit , Concert review". Peek-a-boo-magazine.be. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
9. ^ "Cesair – Nederlandse folk met een werelds randje!". Rockportaal.nl. 10 November 2013. Archived from the original on 1 December 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
10. ^ AG, ALIVE Vertrieb und Marketing in der Entertainmentbranche. "AL!VE AG – Vertrieb – Entertainmentbranche". Alive-ag.de. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
11. ^ Heymann, Peter. Album review. Sonic Seducer June 2015: 29. Print.
12. ^ Cesair. "Dies, Nox et Omnia." August 2013. CD-booklet.
13. ^ Muylem, Van. "Leaves's Eyes – King of Kings (AFM Records)". Snoozecontrol.be. Retrieved 2 January 2018.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cesair.

* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Germany

Artists|

* MusicBrainz