A Look through the Viewfinder:
On a freezing, February 3rd, Friday evening, the choir descended from the coach into the bustling, Duke Street commuter traffic of Cardiff City centre. On passing through the flag bedecked Cardiff Castle Gate, we were transported into another world of tranquil, medieval history by the magnificent, illuminated vista of the Norman Keep. To the left, we were faced with the opulent Victorian grandeur of the Apartment Buildings built by the 2nd and 3rd Marquesses of Bute in the 19th century.
We passed through the Library to a high ceilinged, chandeliered state-room, adorned with oil painted portraits of the Bute family, where we entertained, in lavish luxury, about fifty executives of TATA STEEL who had travelled from far-flung places such as India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada to meet in Cardiff. We were delighted to provide them with a pre-dinner portfolio composed entirely of traditional and modern Welsh pieces, opening with Rachie and including Lleucu Lloyd, Ty a dy Ddoniau, Llanfair, Yfory, O Gymru, Llef and of course, Myfanwy, finishing with our glorious, resounding National Anthem, Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadau. The Choir was thrilled and proud that this was the first time since 1995 that it had given a performance entirely composed of Welsh music.
From initial amazement at the close-up sound of some fifty voices in controlled harmony, (since many had never heard a Welsh Male Voice Choir, nor even heard of the Welsh language), the awe-struck audience were spellbound for about forty minutes by our varying renditions of traditional hymns to ballad love-songs. We were greeted afterwards with many tributes and thanks and for our part we were pleased to have passed on some of our Welsh culture, which we hope will live in their memories for many years to come.
After refreshments gratefully provided by TATA, many of the choir braved the freezing Cardiff air to gather in the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Wetherspoons in Westgate Street where, in another cultural exchange of a different kind, we entertained a younger element of Cardiff nightlife to the delights of a Choir afterglow. Educational or what?
Footnote: By pure coincidence the film ‘An Englishman climbed up a hill……..’ referred to in Jeff’s Press Release was shown on Film 4, Sunday 5th February at 5-10pm.
Photos by Lyn and Tim Rutter of Tata Steel