Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Bryn Terfel

St. David’s Day Welsh Harp Music on The Lost Chord

St. David’s Day (March 1st) has been a national day of celebration in Wales since the Middle Ages. This week on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll honor the country’s patron saint, with an hour of Welsh music – interestingly, all of it in some way connected to the harp.

Structurally, Grace Williams’ “Penillion” (1955) draws on the ancient Welsh practice of improvising vocal counterpoint to a traditional melody played on the harp. However, in this instance, the role of the harp is assigned to the trumpet, so as not to be swallowed up by the rest of the orchestra.

We’ll also hear a set of variations on “Megan’s Daughter,” by the 19th century harpist John Thomas. In 1861, Thomas was given the bardic title, “Chief Musician of Wales.” In 1872, he became official harpist to Queen Victoria.

Then bass-baritone Bryn Terfel will be heard, in his first ever commercial recording, in a Welsh song employing a text by Caradog Pritchard, extolling the virtues of the Ogwen River. “The River’s Song” is sung to the accompaniment of a harp, in this setting by Elsbeth M. Jones. Terfel will be joined by his former schoolmate, the tenor John Eifion.

We’ll conclude with a personal favorite, the Harp Concerto (1970) by William Mathias. According to the composer, the first movement is connected with the land and seascapes of South West Wales, where the music was composed. The slow movement is a landscape of the mind, reflective of the great elegies of early Welsh poetry. The third movement is a spritely jig, which brings the piece to a rhythmic and joyful conclusion.

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

There’s a giant leek in the fridge. Yes, you heard correctly, and no, it’s not broken.

I hope you’ll join me in celebrating St. David’s Day. That’s “And God Created Great Wales,” on “The Lost Chord,” now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Clip and save the start times for all three of my recorded shows:

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday at 8:00 PM EST/5:00 PM PST

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – Saturday at 11:00 AM EST/8:00 AM PST

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST

Stream them, wherever you are, at the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

March 1, 2025
Coleridge-Taylor Rediscovered on KWAX

Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) achieved much in his comparatively short life, attracting the attention and advocacy of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir Edward Elgar, and Sir Malcolm Sargent.

His cantata “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast” became a cultural phenomenon between the wars. Sargent conducted the piece annually, from 1928 to 1939, in a costumed, semi-ballet version, featuring close to a thousand performers. Unfortunately, this was among the works the composer had sold outright, his heirs thereby missing out on the royalties. By the time of Sargent’s advocacy, the short-lived Coleridge-Taylor had already been dead for 16 years.

This week on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll hear selections from a complete recording of “Scenes from ‘The Song of Hiawatha,’” one of the earliest to feature rising star Bryn Terfel, released on the Argo label back in 1991. We’ll also hear Sargent’s 1932 recording of Coleridge-Taylor’s “Othello Suite.” The hour will conclude with one of the composer’s musical explorations of his African heritage, the “Symphonic Variations on an African Air,” in a performance conducted by Grant Llewellyn, released on Argo in 1993.

I hope you’ll join me for “Taylor-Made,” music of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, on “The Lost Chord,” now in syndication on KWAX, the radio station of the University of Oregon!

Remember, KWAX is on the West Coast, so there’s a three-hour difference for those of you listening in the East. Here are the respective air-times for all three of my recorded shows (with East Coast conversions in parentheses):

PICTURE PERFECT, the movie music show – Friday on KWAX at 5:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (8:00 PM EST)

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, the light music program – ALL NEW! – Saturday on KWAX at 8:00 AM PACIFIC TIME (11:00 AM EST)

THE LOST CHORD, unusual and neglected rep – Saturday on KWAX at 4:00 PM PACIFIC TIME (7:00 PM EST)

Stream all three, at the times indicated, by following the link!

https://kwax.uoregon.edu/

February 17, 2024
Charles’ Coronation Music Composers & Highlights

Anything catch your ear during Charles’ coronation? Here’s a user-friendly itemization of composers, compositions, commissions, and clips. However, to hear how it all actually came off, you will have to employ your Google skills. Good luck finding video without someone blathering over the music.

Performers include Bryn Terfel, Pretty Yende, Roderick Williams, John Eliot Gardiner, the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, Antonio Pappano and musicians of the Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic, and Royal Opera House Orchestras, and Royal Harpist Alis Huws.

New works by Patrick Doyle, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Master of the King’s Music Judith Weir join old favorites by George Frideric Handel and William Walton. In all, twelve new works were commissioned for the ceremony.

According to the article, in a historic first, the complete coronation will be recorded and released as an album on the very day of the ceremony.

Tomorrow looks to be all pop pap for the populace. You can learn more about the longhair stuff here.

https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/king-coronation-full-order-of-service/

May 6, 2023
Welsh Music for St. David’s Day Harp Concerto

I’m sitting here thinking I could really use some William Mathias Harp Concerto. This webcast of “The Lost Chord” from a few years back is the very thing. Mathias’ concerto is the centerpiece of an hour of Welsh music. March 1st, St. David’s Day, has been celebrated in Wales since the Middle Ages. I honor the country’s patron saint with a playlist also featuring Grace Williams’ “Penillion” and John Thomas’ work for solo harp “Megan’s Daughter.” You’ll also hear Bryn Terfel sing a Welsh song with his former school mate, tenor John Eifion.

There’s a giant leek in the fridge. Yes, you heard that correctly, and no, it’s not broken. Listen to “And God Created Great Wales” here:

https://www.wwfm.org/webcasts/2020-02-27/the-lost-chord-march-1-and-god-created-great-wales

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

March 1, 2023
Coleridge-Taylor’s Hiawatha on The Lost Chord

Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) achieved much in a comparatively short life, attracting the attention and advocacy of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir Edward Elgar, and Sir Malcolm Sargent.

His cantata “Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast” became a cultural phenomenon between the wars. Sargent led performances of the piece annually, from 1928 to 1939, in a costumed, semi-ballet version, featuring close to a thousand performers. Unfortunately, the composer never lived to see it, and his widow received none of the proceeds. Always in need of cash, he had already sold the rights for a mere 15 guineas. By the time of Sargent’s advocacy, Coleridge-Taylor had already been dead for 16 years.

This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll hear selections from a complete recording – one of the earliest to feature rising star Bryn Terfel – of “Scenes from ‘The Song of Hiawatha,’” released on the Argo label back in 1991. The hour will begin with Sargent’s 1932 recording of Coleridge-Taylor’s “Othello Suite,” and conclude with one of the composer’s musical explorations of his African heritage, “Symphonic Variations on an African Air,” in a performance conducted by Grant Llewellyn, also on Argo, released in 1993.

It’s a program well-suited to your enjoyment. I hope you’ll join me for “Taylor-Made” – music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor – this Sunday night at 10:00 EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

February 27, 2022

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