Caneuon Meirion Williams / The Songs of Meirion Williams

The Welsh bass-baritone sings 16 songs by his favourite Welsh composer Meirion Williams, including the first-ever recording of the adlewch song-cycle. This recording brings together the musicianship of two outstanding talents – the singer Bryn Terfel and the composer Meirion Williams – and linking both are the words of Wales’ best lyric poets. This is the first ever recording of the “Adlewych” song cycle, and the first time the best work of Meirion Williams has been compiled on one recording. Williams’ sensitive interpretations of the poems bring out the whole range of Bryn Terfel’s vocal abilities, sometimes tender and gentle as a mountain breeze and other times fierce and powerful as a raging storm. Another interesting aspect of the recording is the way in which a bas-baritone copes with the four songs originally composed for tenor or soprano voice – Awelon y Mynydd, Rhosyn yr Haf, Pan Ddaw’r nos, and ffarwel iti, Gymru fach. Meirion Williams’ choice of lyrics proves that he was a romantic at heart, with a great love for Wales and a great yearning for nature and his native countryside. In Bryn Terfel he has not only a worthy and intelligent interpreter of his songs, but what is more, a perfect soul-mate.