Shipwreck Story

For a couple of hours 31 choristers and the music team and some family extras were part of Australian footage for a new documentary about the ill-fated ship The Royal Charter. Lorna our accompanist took off her shoes and set about taming the organ; Lyn warmed us up and Faleiry took us through a few repetitions of Calon Lân and then countless renditions of the final choruses of her and Lorna’s arrangement of Waltzing Matilda, with its surprise Welsh twist.

Andrea Ulbrick, the producer organized everybody then the director Amanda Rees arrived with a cameraman and a sound recordist. Various camera angles were tried, including some forensic close-ups, before it was announced that Gwen the presenter would come down the aisle as we sang Waltzing Matilda and then would speak to camera. When we finished with a great flourish with plenty of hwyl, we naturally turned to the presenter who, probably contrary to her contract, was in no position to speak at all – the music had cast its spell on her and she was totally overcome! For our part I guess we couldn’t help but feel pride that we had had such an emotional effect on her.

After she had partially collected herself, and between snuffles and scarves, she tried to explain in Welsh to Amanda and Faleiry what had happened to her. One part we did understand was hiraeth mawr, that is a huge sense of longing and nostalgia had hit her.

All the while the camera kept rolling so it will be interesting to see how much of that exchange – and indeed how much of us – will make it to the final cut.

For more about the Royal Charter see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIVBiF4S8bI