St David’s Day

The choir was back at the magnificent Melbourne Recital Hall on 2 March for an evening performance laden with stars from Wales.

As befitted this very Welsh concert, Gwŷr Harlech set the linguistic and musical tone as the opening number. After Nigel McGuckian gave the Acknowledgment of Country, Musical Director Faleiry Koczkar OAM showed a Welsh flag given to the choir by the famous Max Boyce and spoke about its importance.

Guest Ilid Anne Jones then came on stage to conduct the choir with the rousing temperance song Rachie before telling the capacity audience something about its provenance, followed by bibliographical information about the next three numbers – Y Tangnefeddwyr, Rhys and the ever-popular Cwm Rhondda. With the final chorus, Ilid invited patrons to join in which they did with considerable force.

Compère Drew Hopkins next introduced Rhys Meirion and Aled Wyn Davies, two of the famous Three Welsh Tenors. The very versatile Ilid moved to the grand piano to accompany their first duet Y Ddau Wladgarwyr (The Two Patriots) by the prolific composer Joseph Parry who also wrote Myfanwy which would be sung later in the program. Their voices took full advantage of the hall’s internationally-renowned acoustics which also resonated with the appreciative applause.

With Lorna on piano and Nigel on flute, Ilid conducted Rhys and the choir on her own arrangement of the beautiful Anfonaf Angel. Aled then came back on to lead the choir on the epic Diolch I’r Iôr, with his high tenor voice reaching every corner of the hall.

With everybody’s appetites whetted for more of this world-class singing, back came Rhys to join Aled as they launched into one of the best-known opera pieces – The Pearl Fishers’ Duet. Understandably, their marvellous rendition ‘brought the house down’. Ilid made a move to exit but had to sit back down at the piano as the two tenors unexpectedly returned to thank everybody with an encore. This took them back to the riches of the Welsh hymnal repertoire with Lausanne sung to the words of William Williams.

The pure Welsh content continued with Aled leading the choir on Yfory (Tomorrow), with wonderfully sensitive accompaniment once again by Nigel on flute and by Lorna on the grand piano. After sustained applause, Rhys came back with the choir, to finish the first half by singing the traditional Eisteddfod welcome to all returning Welsh people – the very emotional Unwaith Eto’n ‘Nghymru Annwyl.

With Faleiry back on the podium, the second half commenced with Land of my Song, a specially commissioned piece which had had its world première last year when we were conducted by the composer Paul Jarman. This fine work also featured excellent solos by bass Bob Ash and tenor Geoff Roberts. Compère Drew then explained the background to Jarman’s iconic song about the Aboriginal guerrilla fighter Pemulwuy, with the choir’s enthusiastic performance equally enthusiastically received.

Not a world première but the first time the choir had performed a very modern and difficult song by leading Welsh composer Karl Jenkins – In These Stones Horizons Sing.

In complete contrast this was followed by an a cappella version of Myfanwy which showcased the choir’s control of soft singing.

Drew alluded to the ways in which Welsh performers had extended their musical horizons around the world. Cardiff-born Ivor Novello was remembered with We’ll Gather Lilacs with the reprise eagerly and tenderly taken up by the audience. Harry Secombe was replaced by our own hugely-talented Rushan Hewawasam on How Great Thou Art and Tom Jones by heartthrob Roger Bartlett on the well-known Green Green Grass of Home, again joined by all of our tuneful patrons.

Back came Ilid to conduct Rhys and the choir in All Through the Night, followed by Aled on the lullaby Suo Gân. Ilid then addressed the wonderful audience, not only to thank them but to give heartfelt thanks to Faleiry and Lorna.

To finish, soloists Drew and Geoff Serpell led the choir in Faleiry and Lorna’s arrangement of a modern version of Waltzing Matilda which craftily segues into the Welsh National Anthem. For that final part we were joined on stage by Ilid, Rhys and Aled who naturally stayed on as Faleiry asked the audience to stand as we more formally sang Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau. With Ilid’s soprano voice and the magnificent two tenors, the hall absolutely resounded with pride, passion and huge appreciation for a truly Welsh concert.