Tair Cerdd Sanctaidd
Tair Cerdd Sanctaidd was the centrepiece of the premiere Electric Brass performance. A groundbreaking new work for brass band, harp, male choir and baritone soloist, Tair Cerdd was based upon the poetry of literary icons Dafydd ap Gwilym (Englynion Yr Offeren), Gwenallt (Pechod) and William Williams Pantycelyn (Os Yw Tegwch). The piece was commissioned by Craig and the Welsh Brass Arts Festival in conjunction with the PRS Foundation and Arts Council of Wales.
Uncompromising in terms of both its musical language and requirements upon the performers, Tair Cerdd is described by the composer as follows:
"The original idea behind Tair Cerdd Sanctaidd, apart from the desire to write a work in praise of God, came from the wish to combine several aspects of Welsh culture from various periods in Welsh history: the Welsh language, the solo voice with harp, the male voice choir, the brass band, hymn-singing and indeed “praise” - Canon Allchin’s excellent book Praise Above All was an important catalyst in this work’s creation.
The work starts with a brief Agorawd (Overture) which starts in the depths, slowly rising upwards, and includes foretastes of some of the music for the three Cerddi.
The first Cerdd, Os Yw Tegwch, text by William Williams (Pantecelyn), is scored for choir, band and harp: as this was written as a “hymn” the music follows a verse/chorus scheme, with a harp solo in between each chorus and the succeeding verse.
The second, Pechod, text by Gwenallt, is written for the baritone soloist with harp, and occasional colourings from the percussion section of the band, underlining its extraordinarily strong imagery - but no brass, and no choir.
In the text of the final Cerdd, Englynion Yr Offeren, by Dafydd ap Gwilym, the poet takes a Latin prayer (Anima Christi -which itself apparently dates from the 14th Century, so would have been a contemporary poem to the poet!) and after each line of the poem has an englyn commenting on the Latin line. This immediately gave me the idea of having the baritone soloist singing the Latin line (like a priest in a service), and the choir (the congregation) answering him with the Englyn.
The piece was commissioned by Craig Roberts and the Welsh Brass Arts Festival and is dedicated to my Mother."
Further information on Andrew Powell can be found in the collaborators section of this site.
Uncompromising in terms of both its musical language and requirements upon the performers, Tair Cerdd is described by the composer as follows:
"The original idea behind Tair Cerdd Sanctaidd, apart from the desire to write a work in praise of God, came from the wish to combine several aspects of Welsh culture from various periods in Welsh history: the Welsh language, the solo voice with harp, the male voice choir, the brass band, hymn-singing and indeed “praise” - Canon Allchin’s excellent book Praise Above All was an important catalyst in this work’s creation.
The work starts with a brief Agorawd (Overture) which starts in the depths, slowly rising upwards, and includes foretastes of some of the music for the three Cerddi.
The first Cerdd, Os Yw Tegwch, text by William Williams (Pantecelyn), is scored for choir, band and harp: as this was written as a “hymn” the music follows a verse/chorus scheme, with a harp solo in between each chorus and the succeeding verse.
The second, Pechod, text by Gwenallt, is written for the baritone soloist with harp, and occasional colourings from the percussion section of the band, underlining its extraordinarily strong imagery - but no brass, and no choir.
In the text of the final Cerdd, Englynion Yr Offeren, by Dafydd ap Gwilym, the poet takes a Latin prayer (Anima Christi -which itself apparently dates from the 14th Century, so would have been a contemporary poem to the poet!) and after each line of the poem has an englyn commenting on the Latin line. This immediately gave me the idea of having the baritone soloist singing the Latin line (like a priest in a service), and the choir (the congregation) answering him with the Englyn.
The piece was commissioned by Craig Roberts and the Welsh Brass Arts Festival and is dedicated to my Mother."
Further information on Andrew Powell can be found in the collaborators section of this site.