Annwn:
"The 'Otherworld' in Welsh mythology, and a key place in the tales of
the Mabinogion. Ruled by Arawn, it was essentially a world of delights
and eternal youth, where disease is absent and food is ever-abundant..."
I have always had a great interest in Welsh mythology, and
traditional Welsh music which comes from and evokes these ancient
times.
Inspired by the fabulous stories of the Mabinogion, I have called my
latest musical journey Annwn, which conjures up images of worlds
created by authors such as Tolkien and CS Lewis. The journey starts with this CD, a new collection of traditional Welsh music, all
my own arrangements, some accompanied, some solo, in what is a very
modern and up to date style. I hope you will enjoy it.
The CD is available here, at the pre-release price of £10 ($15). It will be on general release later in 2011.
Tracks:
1: Cwyn Mam Yng Nghyfraith* (Mother-in-law's complaint)
2: Wrth Fynd Hefo Deio i Dywyn (Walking with Deio to Tywyn - an
amusing journey across Wales with friend Deio to Tywyn)
3: Pontypridd* (a celebration of the old town of Pontypridd from it's
quiet rural pre-industrial days)
4: Tra Bo Dau (While there are two - a gentle love song from a Welsh
boy in a faraway land for his love back home in Wales)
5: Ar Lan Y Mor (Soprano - Rhian Lois) (The joy of being beside the
sea, with love in the air)
6: Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn (Watching the wheat - a shepherd's tale)
7: Mil Harddach (A traditional Welsh lullaby)
8: Beth Yw'r Haf i Mi* (What is Summer to me? - a lament for a lost
love)
9: Lisa Lan* (Fair Lisa, a lover's lament for a dead sweetheart)
10: Llongau Caernarfon (The Ships of Caernarfon - a song by a young
boy sitting with his mother by the quayside, wanting to go to sea)
To complement the music we had two days of filming at my studio, Acapela, with 'Gingenious'. Short videos of four of the tracks (marked*)
will be available on youtube soon. The first is
here:
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