''We'll Keep a Welcome'' is a 2000 album by singer

Bryn Terfel Sir Bryn Terfel Jones, (; born 9 November 1965) (known professionally as Bryn Terfel) is a Welsh bass-baritone opera and concert singer. Terfel was initially associated with the roles of Mozart, particularly '' Figaro'', ''Leporello'' and ''D ...

of traditional hymns and folk songs associated with

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. Terfel was accompanied on the album by the Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera, the Risca Male Choir and The Black Mountain Chorus. The majority of the songs are sung in the

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...

Reception

The '' Gramophone'' magazine review by Adrian Mitchell felt that the album was a "finely sung and unashamedly patriotic collection of songs" and that with its large number of musicians it is "...impossible to prevent the occasional jolt to the ear". Edwards praised Chris Hazell's arrangements for oboe of "Ar Lan y Mor (On the Seashore)", an "Suo-Gan (Lullaby)". Edwards highlighted Terfel's vocal sensitivity on "Dafydd y Garreg Wen (David of the White Rock)" and felt that the performance of the choirs and harpists "...provide the best possible advertisement for repertoire too long neglected by the major record companies". The

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

review of ''We'll Keep a Welcome'' described the album as a "no-holds-barred celebration of Welsh song" with "...gentle lullabies and nostalgic songs of a missed homeland as well as rip-roaring patriotic numbers"; concluding that it was "...a welcome selection indeed, with songs of unabashedly warm emotions made all the more irresistible by Terfel's obvious sincerity and vocal charisma".

Track listing

# " Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers)" ( Evan James,

James James James James (also known by the bardic name ''Iago ap Ieuan'') (1832–1902) was a harpist and musician from Hollybush, Blackwood, Wales. He composed the tune of the Welsh national anthem ''Hen Wlad fy Nhadau'' (also known as ''Land of my Fathe ...

) – 2:19 # " Ar Lan y Môr (On the Seashore)" (

Traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

) – 3:20 # " Dafydd y Garreg Wen (David of the White Rock)" (Traditional;

David Owen David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen, (born 2 July 1938) is a British politician and physician who served as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs as a Labour Party (UK), Labour Party MP under James Callaghan from 1977 t ...

John Ceiriog Hughes John Ceiriog Hughes (25 September 1832 – 23 April 1887) was a Welsh poet and collector of Welsh folk tunes, sometimes termed a Robert Burns of Wales. He was born at Penybryn Farm, overlooking the village of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog in the Ce ...

) – 3:00 # " Ymdaith Gwyr Harlech (Men of Harlech)" (Traditional;

John Oxenford John Oxenford (12 August 1812 – 21 February 1877) was an English dramatist, critic and translator. Life Oxenford was born in Camberwell, London, his father a prosperous merchant. Whilst he was privately educated, it is reported that he was m ...

, Hughes) – 2:48 # "My Little Welsh Home" (

W. S. Gwynn Williams William Sidney Gwynn Williams (April 4, 1896 – 13 November 1978Welsh Biography Online
accessed 27 Oc ...

) – 2:55 # " Calon Lân (A Pure Heart)" (

Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) Daniel James (23 January 1848 – 16 March 1920), also known by his bardic name of Gwyrosydd, was a Welsh poet and hymn-writer, best known for writing the words of the popular hymn, "Calon Lân" (published in 1892). Early life Daniel James ca ...

, John Hughes) – 2:35 # " Suo Gân (Lullaby)" (Traditional; Robert Bryan) – 5:06 # " Sosban Fach (Little Saucepan)" (Traditional;

Richard Davies (Mynyddog) Richard Davies (Mynyddog) (10 January 1833 – 14 July 1877) was a popular Welsh language, Welsh-language poet, singer, and Eisteddfod conductor. The original source of the name Mynyddog is from Newydd Fynyddog, a hill near his home. Another sub ...

) – 2:52 # "Bugail Aberdyfi (The Shepherd of Aberdovey)" (Hughes,

Idris Lewis Idris Lewis (21 November 1889 – 15 April 1952) was a Welsh conducting, conductor and composer. He worked on the film scores of a number of productions during the 1930s, when he was employed by British International Pictures. He was the Direc ...

) – 4:29 # "

Cwm Rhondda Cwm Rhondda is a popular hymn tune written by John Hughes (1873–1932) in 1907. The name is taken from the Welsh name for the Rhondda Valley. It is usually used in English as a setting for William Williams' text "Guide Me, O Thou Great ...

" ( John Hughes,

William Williams Pantycelyn William Williams, Pantycelyn (c. 11 February 1717 – 11 January 1791), also known as William Williams, Williams Pantycelyn, and Pantycelyn, is generally seen as Wales's premier hymnist. He is also rated among the great literary figures of Wale ...

) – 3:41 # "

Myfanwy ''Myfanwy'' (; a woman's name derived ) is a popular Welsh song, composed by Joseph Parry and first published in 1875. Background Sources differ as to whether Dr. Parry composed the music for an existing poem by Richard Davies (" Mynyddog Mwy ...

" (

Joseph Parry Joseph Parry (21 May 1841 – 17 February 1903) was a Welsh composer and musician. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, he is best known as the composer of "Myfanwy" and the hymn tune "Aberystwyth", on which the African song "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" i ...

, Davies) – 3:30 # "Cymru Fach (Dearest Wales)" (David Richards, Elfed) – 3:56 # " Ar Hyd y Nos (All Through the Night)" (Traditional; Hughes) – 4:50 # " Sunset Poem (Eli Jenkins' Prayer)" (

Dylan Thomas Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" ''Under ...

, A. H. D. Troyte) – 2:41 # "We'll Keep a Welcome" ( Mai Jones, James Harper, Lyn Joshua) – 3:11 # "Tydi A Roddaist" (

Arwel Hughes Arwel Hughes OBE (25 August 1909 – 23 September 1988) was a Welsh orchestral conductor and composer. Life and career Hughes was born in Rhosllannerchrugog near Wrexham and was educated at Ruabon Grammar School and at the Royal College ...

Thomas Rowland Hughes Thomas Rowland Hughes (often referred to as T. Rowland Hughes) (17 April 1903 – 24 October 1949), was a Welsh broadcaster, novelist, dramatist and poet. He was the son of a quarryman from Llanberis, Caernarvonshire ( Gwynedd today), in north Wa ...

) – 3:21 # "Diolch I'r Ior (Thank You My Lord)" ( T. Gwynn Jones) – 3:58 # "Sul y Blodau (Palm Sunday)" (Owen John Williams, Eifion Wyn) – 5:00 # "

Hyfrydol Hyfrydol (, meaning "delightful, agreeable, pleasing, pleasant, beautiful, fair, fine; sweet, melodious") is a Welsh hymn tune that appears in a number of Christian hymnals in various arrangements. Composed by Rowland Prichard, it was originally ...

" (

Rowland Prichard Rowland Huw Prichard (alt Rowland Hugh Pritchard) (14 January 1811 – 25 January 1887) was a Welsh musician. A native of Graienyn, near Bala, he lived most of his life in the area, serving for a time as a loom tender's assistant in Holywell ...

, William Williams) – 3:32 # "Hiraeth (Longing)" (Traditional) – 3:12 # "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of My Fathers)" – 4:17

Personnel

– vocals *Katherine Thomas –

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...

on "Dafydd y Garreg Wen (David of the White Rock)" *Meinir Heulyn – harp on "Dafydd y Garreg Wen (David of the White Rock)" and "Hiraeth (Longing)" *Bryan Davis – piano, organ *Risca Male Choir –

choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...

*The Black Mountain Chorus –

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

* Orchestra of the Welsh National Opera * Gareth Jones – conductor Production *Chris Hazell – producer *Sid McLauchlan, Paul Moseley – associate producer *James Lock, Jonathan Stokes – balance engineer *Mike Evans – choir director *Menai Davies – language coach *Evans Mirages – executive producer *Bryan Davies – musical advisor *Nigel Hughes – photography

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2000 classical albums Bryn Terfel albums Deutsche Grammophon albums Welsh music Welsh-language albums