Sleeve Notes

Prelude III - Marcel Tournier was a very renowned harpist and composer of the 1900's. This piece has a very Romantic style to it.

Ffarwel y Telynor - This original Welsh melody was first published in 1862 by the very famous harpist and composer John Thomas, who in his was professor of harp at the Royal Academy of Music for many years as well as harpist to Queen Victoria and Edward VII. As a professional harpist he also toured many parts of Europe with his harp, and this piece actually became so popular that it was even improvised on by other composers, including Franz Liszt.

Bugielior Gwenith Gwyn -This is another well known traditional Welsh piece that tells the story of a young maiden locked in a tower by her father for loving the wrong man, a simple farmer. She was left to watch the wheat grow as she waited for her lover to rescue her, but never came.

Scherzetto - Or 'little joke' is a fun and charming piece taken from this French composers' 'Six Pieces pour Harpe' of 1917, who was thought of as the time as being stylistically diverse, especially as he wished to be free from compulsive influences.

Sarabanda and Toccata - This was written in 1945 at the end of World War II . Nino Rota was known most famously for his film music,writing over 150 titles in total, including the spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood such as A Few Dollars More and A Fist Full of Dollars.

Notturno - Written in 1954, this is a tranquil piece reflecting the sounds and nature of the night.

Hiraeth - This piece has a haunting melody that perfectly evokes a feeling of yearning and sorrow.It is Grace Williams's only surviving work for solo harp, written in 1957 and dedicated to the Welsh harpist Ann Griffiths.

Around the Clock Suite - The harpist and composer Pearl Chertok taught many up and coming harpists of the day and arranged many well known tunes. Her compositions tend to have a jazz influence and use unusual timbral effects taken from her teacher Carlos Salzedo from S. America; such as tapping on the soundboard, using your nails and pedal glissandi.

Each movement is prefaced with the following words:
Ten Past Two- early afternoon and you are walking along the avenue. You look in the shop windows and are fascinated by the glitter and the new styles. You stop at one window and a gown- shimmering with sequins- makes you tingle with delight. Then you walk again - taking in the displays made just for you.
Beige Nocturne - Evening You are at your vanity-choosing your perfume from the array of bottles. There is a faint suggestion of a waltz but only for a fleeting instant.
The beige melody brings you back to the fragrance of the evening mood.
Harpicide at Midnight- The dance begins and the rhythm grows more and more insistent. The melody is lost and finally there is only the pulse of dancing feet.
The Morning After - The alarm clock . You stretch and wish it could be ignored. Then you see the sun striking through the windows and the day begins in clear melody.

Credits

All tracks recorded, edited and mastered by Luke Jones
Sound engineer of Warwick Hall Studios, Cardiff, 2005.
Cover Design & Photography - Laurence Hughes (id2 design / 01989 563332)
Studio Assistant - Sarah Edmonds