Pontypridd - 29th May

[roger]

From BBC News...

Concert marks anthem anniversary

James and Evan James composed the Welsh national anthem
A concert to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Welsh national anthem will be held in Pontypridd later this month, it has been announced.
Max Boyce and Aled Jones are among the performers at the Big Anthem Fawr free event at Ynysangharad Park on 29 May - the Whitsun bank holiday.

The anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, was composed in 1856 by Pontypridd brothers Evan and James James.

Parts of the event will be broadcast on BBC Radio Wales and on BBC television.

The concert will feature music, comedy and readings from entertainers including Carmarthen comedian Rhod Gilbert, Mike Peters from 80s pop band The Alarm and opera singers Sian Cothi and Hayley Westenra.

"We were determined to do something really spectacular to celebrate the Welsh National Anthem, which was composed in Pontypridd, by two sons of Rhondda Cynon Taf," said RCT council leader Russell Roberts.

"We want to put Rhondda Cynon Taf on the international map once again and ensure residents get the chance to join in the celebrations for free.


Max Boyce will headline the concert at Ynysangharad Park

"It has taken a lot of work, but we are delighted to finally be able to unveil the concert plans."

Max Boyce, who will be headlining the concert, said he was proud to be taking part in the event.

"My family originally hailed from nearby Ynyshir, so I probably identify with the birthplace of the anthem more than most, and I'm thrilled to be asked to perform at such a prestigious event," he said.

"The national anthem is something all Welshman carry in their hearts to all corners of the world, and now we're bringing it home to Pontypridd where it all started," he added.

The event is being supported by the Welsh Assembly Government.

Culture Minister Alun Pugh said: "It's only right we throw a party to celebrate our National Anthem's big birthday."

Tickets are available either by phoning 08700 100 120 or at: Aberdare Coliseum - 01685 881188

Pontypridd Muni Arts Centre - 01685 485934

The Parc and Dare Theatre, Treorchy - 01443 773112

Until such times as this appears on the official site, or can varify it by some other means, we have to treat it as unconfirmed.

Roger

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

There is more on this event at icWales.co.uk.

Wales best for summer festivals
May 10 2006
Paul Rowland, Western Mail

WALES is becoming a nation of festival-goers as more and more events are added to the list of summer music events.

The nature of Welsh people as a "hardy bunch" who love all shapes and forms of music is fuelling a huge boom in the outdoor festivals, it was claimed yesterday.

The nation's natural appreciation of music, combined with a willingness to withstand extreme weather conditions, mean that open-air festivals like Faenol and Brecon Jazz thrive in Wales.

It started with the Eisteddfod, perhaps the original music festival, involving the essential ingredients of music, tents, and a big field.

And now a whole spate of musical events is due to take place this summer, with more being added on a regular basis.

Yesterday saw the latest to be added to the roster of events when it was announced Max Boyce would headline a concert in Pontypridd's Ynysangharad Park, to celebrate the 150th birthday of the Welsh national anthem.

Other major events in Wales include the Brecon Jazz Festival, Y Sesiwn Fawr in Dolgellau, Wakestock in Abersoch, The Full Ponty, in Pontypridd, and the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen, while the past few years have seen several large concerts such as the Stereophonics at Morfa Stadium, Catatonia at Margam Park, and Tom Jones at Ynysangharad.

Music publicist Joe O'Neil, who promotes several Welsh festivals, said such events were ideally suited to the average Welsh person's nature.

"I think it comes down to the old adage that Wales is a land of song. Welsh people are very interested in all forms of music and that's why there are so many different types.

"Welsh people like to sing, and they like gathering to sing. Festivals are gatherings, and people really enjoy them.

"People love to get out and about, and not even the weather can stop them. It's fairly well-known that our weather is not always appropriate for being outside, but it doesn't stop the Welsh people from coming along.

"Faenol is particularly amazing for that - we've had a couple of wet years, and people have still come in their droves.

"The Welsh are a hardy bunch, and are more up for it than most."

But Mr O'Neil said that Katherine Jenkins' inaugural festival, dubbed Katfest and scheduled for next summer, was likely to set new standards.

He added, "Next year is going to be huge."

Ceri Sherlock, music commissioning editor at S4C, said music continued to play a big part in pulling the country together.

"We must be a bizarre nation in that we love tents and rain and mud, but it's really about coming together and binding people with things we can do together.

"On the really positive side, pop and rock goes in cycles, and we are in a really good section at the moment, whether it's Welsh language music or just Welsh bands, and they feed on each other. There's always been that tradition, and we're proud of them at the moment, and like to see them.

"In a way, Wales is quite regional, and we are very committed to wherever we came from, and you can see that with Tom Jones doing the Full Ponty, Katherine Jenkins going back to her roots in the Swansea Valley, and of course Bryn at Faenol.

"It's really important because it's about sharing what they do with where they came from. That's their bedrock.

"The topography of Wales means that everywhere has its own different and distinctive landscape.

"At Faenol, you have Snowdonia behind you, likewise you have lovely market towns like Brecon or Dolgellau. Hilly country gives you natural amphitheatres."

Max Boyce said Wales was "at the forefront" of the boom in open-air events.

"I think people have had enough of watching TV and they want to see something live," he said. "These festivals have diversified from the pop world to become the in-thing. It's a trend, and Wales is at the forefront of it."

Anthem celebration

The latest addition to this summer's programme of Welsh music festivals is the Big Anthem Fawr Concert celebrating 150 years of the Welsh anthem.

Max Boyce heads a line-up featuring Aled Jones, New Zealander Hayley Westenra, Mike Peters from The Alarm and many other acts.

The event celebrates the fact that the anthem was composed in 1856 by Evan and James James in Pontypridd. The festival will be held in the town's Ynysangharad Park.

Boyce said, 'My family originally hailed from nearby Ynys Hir, so I probably identify with the birthplace of the anthem more than most.

'I'm thrilled to be asked to perform at such a prestigious event.'

The concert, to be held on Monday May 29, will be free entry.

---

Gosh, that's an article and a half!

Richard

[roger]

And another article from icWales.co.uk

Anthem date today for Westenra
May 29 2006
Western Mail


Hayley Westenra will be performing in Wales today - the first of three Welsh appearances she has lined up this summer.

The New Zealand teenager will feature at the Big Anthem Fawr event at Ynysangharad Park in Pontypridd, which will celebrate the Welsh national anthem.

Next month she will be performing a concert at St David's Hall in Cardiff and in July she will return to the Welsh capital to support Il Divo when they appear at Coopers Field on the Summer Nights bill.

Hayley has become one of the world's most famous classical performers since she was picked out of her class as a six-year-old to take the lead singing part in her school Christmas play.

Within 10 years, she had a crateful of platinum discs and was singing duets with heroes like Andrea Bocelli, Jose Carreras and Bryn Terfel and performing in front of everyone from the Queen, Tony Blair and George Bush to fans at the Sydney Opera House, Wembley Stadium, Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall.

Hayley will be at St David's Hall on June 17 and at Coopers Field with Il Divo on July 15.


Roger

[Dave]

roger said:

And another article from icWales.co.uk

Anthem date today for Westenra
May 29 2006
Western Mail

Hayley Westenra will be performing in Wales today - the first of three Welsh appearances she has lined up this summer...

Within 10 years, she had a crateful of platinum discs
Roger

Thanks Roger.

When I read this I thought "Pah, there go the press again, exaggerating as usual. So I counted up Hayley's platinum discs.

Well there's 1 in Oz and 2 in the UK so that makes 3, hardly a crateful. Oh, I forgot about NZ so that's a few more! 12 for Pure, 3 for Odyssey, 4 for "Hayley Westenra", 1 for "My Gift To You" and 1 for the DVD, making a grand total of... 24 so yes, a veritable crateful, especially when they are all in their presentation cases.

I can't quite believe that so I want to say it again.. Hayley has...

[glow=blue,5,1500]twenty four platinum discs![/glow]

Cheers, Dave

[postscript]

dave said:

roger said:

And another article from icWales.co.uk

Anthem date today for Westenra
May 29 2006
Western Mail

Hayley Westenra will be performing in Wales today - the first of three Welsh appearances she has lined up this summer...

Within 10 years, she had a crateful of platinum discs
Roger

Thanks Roger.
When I read this I thought "Pah, there go the press again, exaggerating as usual. So I counted up Hayley's platinum discs.
Well there's 1 in Oz and 2 in the UK so that makes 3, hardly a crateful. Oh, I forgot about NZ so that's a few more! 12 for Pure, 3 for Odyssey, 4 for "Hayley Westenra", 1 for "My Gift To You" and 1 for the DVD, making a grand total of... 24 so yes, a veritable crateful, especially when they are all in their presentation cases.
I can't quite believe that so I want to say it again.. Hayley has...

[glow=blue,5,1500]twenty four platinum discs![/glow]

Cheers, Dave

AND SHE'S STILL A TEENAGER!

Hayley, you really are absolutely great. Well done, girl, jolly well done!

Peter

[Lothar]

Hi all,

Hayley was singing 4 songs:

"The Water is wide", "Both Sides Now", "Pokarekare Ana" and "Across the Universe of Time". It was great to listen Hayley via internet from BBS Radio Wales.

If somebody wants to get the mp3, so please send a private mail to me.

Regards, Lothar

[Dave]

Hi Lothar, hi guys,

More choices!

Hayley's four songs from this concert are available here (four songs, 17 minutes, 48 kbps, 6MB, Windows Media Audio).
(file now switched to hwi.net)

Any distortion that you notice at the very start is, as far as i can tell, confined to the short opening announcement from the studio. I left it in to place it in its proper context.

This concert will feature on BBC TV Wales later in the week (which I can get) and it will be interesting a) to see Hayley and b) to see how much of her performance is left in! Hayley's backing sounded like backing tracks to me.... we shall see!

Cheers, Dave

[roger]

Thanks for making the file available so quickly, Dave. You must have run all the way from Pontypridd!

Now, could it be a trace of distortion throughout or do I detect her voice sounds just a little tired and perhaps even husky? She just didn't sound entirely comfortable throughout 'The Water Is Wide'. Admittedly, her speaking voice sounded fine.

'Both Sides Now' is playing as I type and that sounds fine. Perhaps my ears are tired!

Roger

[alien]

Dave, thank you so much for making the concert available. The recording's quality is very good!

roger said:

Now, could it be a trace of distortion throughout or do I detect her voice sounds just a little tired and perhaps even husky? She just didn't sound entirely comfortable throughout 'The Water Is Wide'. Admittedly, her speaking voice sounded fine.

I noticed that too, it is quite noticible during "Across the Universe of Time". It seems as though she's trying to avoid certain high notes for other songs. May be I'm just tired, it's almost 1am here.... will listen to it again in the morning.

Perhaps it's due to the recent hectic schedule of the Il Divo tour, Hayley's voice does seem a bit tired. Hopefully she'll be able to take some time off and get some much deserved rest.

Allen

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

Special thanks to Dave for posting the audio clips so quickly, and I'm looking forward to the video in due course. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

I thought Hayley sounded fine, but perhaps she wasn't quite singing in top gear. She was a little soft at times, but that could have been the fault of the sound engineers. Remember the Last Night of the Proms in Manchester? I was listening closely through earphones which would normally show any hoarseness, and I couldn't hear any, although I agree that Hayley should take a little break if she gets the chance.

I'm sure she was very pleased with the warm response from the audience, especially as she was singing in Tom Jones's home town. Of course, for Hayley it's not unusual, and the park probably reminded her of the green green grass of home! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Best Wishes,

Richard

[scoobedoo]

hi everyone, The concert at cardiff on the 17th June,is this concert being covered by TV for a possible DVD release? if so,keep me posted re the purchaseof the DVD or VHS, it should be being a fortieth celebration, cheers,

Rodders,

ps would love to be there,let us know how it goes,

Rodders i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[1littlegirl]

Wonderful clips!! I especially enjoyed "Pokarekare Ana" and "Across the Universe of Time"! I think I'm going to go listen to Pure now. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

roger said:

Now, could it be a trace of distortion throughout or do I detect her voice sounds just a little tired and perhaps even husky? She just didn't sound entirely comfortable throughout 'The Water Is Wide'.

I thought she did sound a bit odd at the beginning of "The Water Is Wide," but her voice got better I think.

[Dave]

Hi guys,

If you want to compare the audio quality of my off-air recording with the BBC "listen again" feed, you can do so from here (Listen Again, Chris Needs). But as this is a daily show, weekdays, I don't know if you will be able to listen to it after today. If you are very quick, you can navigate 30 minutes in to the show to catch the start of Hayley's performance.

Recording from a digital satellite radio signal does not necessarily produce a better result than the BBC's Internet feed, once they are both compressed to roughly the same bitrate (40 to 48 kbps) because the BBC start from a "perfect" signal but digital radio is already compressed to about 128/160 kbps before recompressing it to 48kbps.

I leave it to others to decide if there's any difference in quality but I will record the BBC feed anyway, just in case, so i can replace my original by it if necessary. Of course, recompressing from the internet feed would also introduce some loss of quality!!! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Cheers, Dave.

[gareth]

Hi Dave,

I downloaded your other version, so if you feel you like give people a method of comparison, we might put the two versions side by side .

Otherwise, if you yourself already have a definite preference, I'll be happy to host whichever version you prefer.

Gerrit

[Joe]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the link to your file. Well done! I agree w/ others that Hayley's voice seemed to be in a lower register than that of which I've become accostomed to. But, oh, gorgeous as ever.