Welsh Choir of Southern California

“the most significant recording of Welsh music in many years”

A Review by Dafydd T. EvansManhattan Beach, CA

It is amazing that a choir that has been in existence for only four years should undertake and support as ambitious, complex and visionary a project as the recording of “Hearts Afire” (“Calonnau Ar Dân”). One can only be very grateful that The Welsh Choir of Southern California put their hearts, resources and souls into getting this new CD made under circumstances that would have daunted any other choir. The Welsh Choir of Southern California is made up of people of many ethnic backgrounds, some with direct Welsh ancestry, some with Welsh somewhere in their backgrounds and others who have no Welsh connections in their family history. All have an insatiable appetite for singing Welsh music.

“Calonnau Ar Dân” sets my heart afire

During my sixty plus years of passion for classical and Welsh music, I can remember the records from Wales that truly thrilled me. Among the handful that have given me joy are the early “hi-fi” releases in the late 1950’s of the Rhos and Treorchy Male Voice choirs. Also, “A Nation Sings”, recorded live at the Albert Hall, London, featuring five thousand Welsh people gathered to sing great Welsh hymns, Thomas L. Thomas’ recording of Welsh folk songs made late in his life and released by Decca in the early 1960’s, the first recordings in the Albert Hall of concerts by the massed Welsh Male Voice Choirs, and finally, the recording of the very young Bryn Terfel released by Sain Records. “Hearts Afire” now joins this group. The recording includes traditional hymns, folk songs and, importantly, new hymns and ballads. For this writer it is the most significant recording of Welsh music in many years. It is hard to believe that another recording of Welsh music of this magnitude will be made again. “Calonnau Ar Dân” sets my heart afire.

“recording expertise”

The recording techniques and complexities in making this excellent CD are mind-boggling. The recording not only includes The Welsh Choir of Southern California, but the Welsh children’s choirs of Côr Ysgol Cymraeg and Côr Ysgol Penglais Aberystwyth, Wales, Côr Ysgol Castell Nedd/Neath, Wales, Cantorion Cwm Rhymni Singers from South Wales, selected singers from the Baptist Children’s Choir, Granada Hills, California and St. John Eudes Catholic Church Children’s Choir, Chatsworth, California. The wonder of it is that none of these groups recorded the music together; some were recorded in various locations in California, others in various locations in Wales. The choirs, individual singers and instrumentalists have all had to be expertly blended into the performances. The quality of the musicianship and recording expertise makes this CD quite seamless and it would be hard to tell, if one didn’t know, that it was made at such disparate locations.

“beautifully performed”

The soloists are outstanding. Of particular note are the young Welsh sopranos, Catherine Ayers, Rhian Mair Lewis, Jill Padfield, Rhiannon Pugh and Fflur Wyn (the sensational winner of many events at this year’s National Eisteddfod) and Judy Hur, an American-Korean from Los Angeles. Also featured is the well-known Welsh baritone Aled Edwards. Newly arranged solo instrumental pieces are beautifully performed. “Bells of Aberdyfi” is played on the harp by Sally Pryce and “Men of Harlech” on the world’s largest church pipe organ, at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, by organist Kemp L. Smeal. If this arrangement of the “Men of Harlech” doesn’t get your Welsh blood flowing then nothing will.

“wonderfully refreshing, different and surprising”

All the music is Welsh, sung both in Welsh and English. It is music produced on a grand scale with full instrumental backing, multi-layered choral arrangements and delightful descants provided by the children’s choirs and adult descant sopranos. The instrumental accompaniments are wonderfully refreshing, different and surprising.

“tears unashamedly flow”

As well as a good number of the old favorite hymns and folk songs, there are four new hymns and two new ballads on this recording. The new hymns are “Cenarth”, words by well-known Welsh poet Eluned Phillips, “Iesu Annwyl” (Kate), Welsh translation provided by J.D. Evans, from the original English by Walter J. Mathams, “Gorwelion” (Horizons) and “Nantyrarian”, words by Huw Dafydd Jones of North Wales, “Susannah”, words by J. R. Jones, “Heaven is My Home”, words by Thomas Rawson Taylor (1835). Director Michael J. Lewis composed all the music to these new compositions. Of these hymns this writer is most moved by “Heaven is My Home”, though the arrangement of “Aberystwyth” moves me to the very center of my soul and tears unashamedly flow.

“Rhamant Dau” (An Affair for Two) is a new lovely love duet with words by Eluned Phillips and music by Michael J. Lewis. “True Love” is another new duet that has been performed in California to great acclaim, again words by Eluned Phillips and music by Michael J. Lewis.

“No lover of Welsh music should be without this CD”

It is impossible in an article to give full justice and praise to the over two hundred artists on this recording. My hat goes off to all of them. Michael J. Lewis is said to be a very demanding and often difficult conductor. Well so be it. The results bear fruit when one hears the performances on this recording. No lover of Welsh music should be without this CD. This writer’s Christmas presents will be easy this year; friends and relatives will be listening to some wonderful Welsh music.

Recording the CD

Late into the night on the last Friday of January, 2001, the concrete valleys of downtown Los Angeles reverberated with the noble sounds of great Welsh music. The largest church pipe organ in the universe, at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, was thundering away with the likes of Aberystwyth, Rachie, Blaenwern, Tresalem and March of the Men of Harlech. The uplifting works of Joseph Parry, William Penfro Pritchard and Caradog Roberts, to mention a few, were very much alive in the city that also rocks on a Friday night with salsa, rap and a hundred other varieties of indigenous rhythms.

Oganist Kemp L. Smeal, recording engineer David Williams and editing associate Art Kaufmann, along with a dazzling array of state-of-the-art digital recording equipment, were capturing the majestic tones of this massive instrument for Calonnau ar Dan/ Hearts Afire, the debut CD of The Welsh Choir of Southern California. This spectacular CD has been in the making for two years and was released in the late summer of 2001.

The joyous, vital singing of Côr Cymraeg De Califfornia is being accompanied by this 360 rank five manual instrument in addition to brass, woodwind, harp and percussion. The CD is devoted entirely to the music of Welsh composers. The words are in Welsh and English. New hymns by Welsh poets are included on the album. Prifbard, Eluned Phillips from Cenarth, Ceredigion, J.R. Jones from Aberystwyth, Ceredigion and Huw Dafydd Jones from Dyffryn Ardudwy, Gwynedd are having their recording debut on this collection.

The Welsh Choir of Southern California is a multiethnic choir and has invited outstanding young artists from Wales to make guest appearances on its debut recording. Blue ribbon winners Aled Edwards and Jill Padfield are joined by award-winning sopranos Catherine Ayers, Rhian Mair Lewis and Fflyr Wyn. Children’s choirs from Ceredigion , Carmarthen and Gwent also join Côr Cymraeg De Califfornia.