Knighted composer & wartime cabaret at the Tabernacle
SOME of the world’s finest musicians, from countries as diverse as China, Bulgaria, Sweden and Ireland, as well as Wales, England and Scotland, will be performing at Machynlleth Festival this month.
The festival runs from August 19-26, and the first three days, curated by Dennis Jones, present a feast of the very best of Welsh music.
The festival continues with its tradition, by opening on the Sunday with a Cymanfa Ganu (an evening of sacred songs sung by the congregation), conducted by Alwyn Evans, with Tudur Jones as organist.
Monday and Tuesday’s offerings include a free family concert (targeting the under-7 age group) with S4C children’s TV characters pirate Ben Dant and his assistant Cadi, and concerts with prominent Welsh singers Robyn Lyn Evans, Rhian Lois, Elgan Llyr Thomas, Eirian Owen, Gwyn Hughes Jones and Cantorion Gogledd Cymru.
The concerts that come after include Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata, Dvorak’s Dumky Trio, Poulenc’s heart-wrenching drama La Voix Humaine, Brahms’ second String Sextet, Schumann’s Piano Quartet and lunchtime programmes devoted to Beethoven and Rachmaninov.
The Masterclass this year will be led by one of the superb singers of our time, the Irish mezzo Ann Murray, DBE, whose wit and passion for music will inspire the talented young singers who take part.
Other highlights include a concert featuring the legendary percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie, Welsh soprano Elin Manahan Thomas celebrating composer Dilys ElwynEdwards’ centenary, and the return by popular demand of dazzling string players, Alexander Sitkovetsky and Maxim Rysanov.
This year is the centenary of the end of the First World War, and a cabaret with Jessica Walker and Joseph Atkins on the Saturday takes the audience on a tour of the cabaret repertoire on both sides of the Atlantic, including recruitment numbers, American pacifist songs and the biting satire of the Berlin cabaret scene.
On Friday, August 24, at 1pm, there will be a chance to hear about Welsh musician and composer Sir Karl Jenkins, who is this year’s recipient of the Glyndŵr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales. He originally made his mark as a jazz musician in the 1960s and 1970s before turning to composing. In the 2015 Birthday Honours list, he became the first Welsh-born composer to receive a knighthood. Sir Karl may not be present in person, in which case a film will be shown.
Pre-concert talks, interviews and exhibitions are other attractions of the week.