Notes and Editorial Reviews
This album was nominated for the 2004 Grammy award for "Best Classical Crossover Album."
Bigger-than-life bass-baritone Bryn Terfel heads a seeming cast of thousands in this no-holds-barred celebration of Welsh song. There are gentle lullabies and nostalgic songs of a missed homeland as well as rip-roaring patriotic numbers. The instrumentation ranges from solo harp, as in the lovely 'Dafydd y Garreg Wen' ('David of the White Rock') to full orchestra and multiple choruses, as in 'Calon lan' ('A Pure Heart') and the hymn 'Cwn Rhondda.'
Terfel sings most of the selections in his native Welsh, including such world favorites as the carol 'Ar hyd y nos' ('All through the Night'), which has a lovely humming male choral introduction, and the
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lullaby 'Suo gan,' popularized by Charlotte Church. This is a welcome selection indeed, with songs of unabashedly warm emotions made all the more irresistable by Terfel's obvious sincerity and vocal charisma. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Men of Harlech by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Written: Wales
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 2 Minutes 46 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
2.
Suo Gan by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 5 Minutes 4 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
3.
Guide me, o thou great Jehovah by John Hughes
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 40 Secs.
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
This selection is sung in English and Welsh.
4.
Myfanwy by Joseph Parry
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 27 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
5.
Cymru Fach by David Richards
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 54 Secs.
Language: Welsh
6.
All through the night by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 4 Minutes 47 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
7.
We'll Keep a Welcome by Mai Jones
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1949; Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 8 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
8.
Hyfrydol by Roland Hugh Prichard
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 30 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
9.
Hiraeth by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone),
Meinir Heulyn (Harp)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 13 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Alwyn Humphreys.
10.
Land of my fathers by James James
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 4 Minutes 18 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
11.
On the seashore by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 18 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
12.
David of the White Rock by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone),
Katherine Thomas (Harp),
Meinir Heulyn (Harp)
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 2 Minutes 58 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
13.
My Little Welsh Home by W. S. Gwynn Williams
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1921; Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 2 Minutes 52 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
14.
A Pure Heart by John Hughes
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 2 Minutes 31 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
15.
Little Saucepan by Traditional
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 2 Minutes 50 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
16.
Shepherd of Aberdovey by Idris Lewis
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone),
Bryan Davies (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 4 Minutes 26 Secs.
Language: Welsh
17.
Sunset Poem by A. H. D. Troyte
Performer:
Bryan Davies (Organ),
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Period: Romantic
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 2 Minutes 39 Secs.
Language: English
Notes: Arranged: Chris Hazell
18.
'Twas thou who gave by Arwel Hughes
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 18 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
19.
Thanks to the Lord by T. Gwynn Jones
Performer:
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1981; Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 3 Minutes 54 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Notes: Arranger: Chris Hazell.
20.
Palm Sunday by Owen Williams
Performer:
Bryan Davies (Piano),
Bryn Terfel (Bass Baritone)
Conductor:
Gareth Jones
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Welsh National Opera Orchestra,
Risca Male Choir,
Black Mountain Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: Wales, UK
Date of Recording: 07/1999
Venue: Brangwyn Hall, Swansea, Wales
Length: 4 Minutes 58 Secs.
Language: Welsh
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 1 Customer Review )
Brings tears to the eye November 11, 2013
By Linda R. (Hastings, Victoria) See All My Reviews
"This cd was played at my mother's funeral. We were bought up listening to Welsh Male Choirs and Classical music. Bryn has an incredible voice, lovely sense of mischief comes through and here is one man on his own who can sound like a Welsh Male Voice Choir. His diction is wonderful and every word can be heard and understood. If you're of Welsh heritage a must have."
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