Crefft Unigryw Osian Ellis, SAIN SCD2785

HarpTelyn

The Unique Art of Osian EllisCrefft Unigryw Osian Ellis

Osian Ellis is regarded not only as an international harpist of high acclaim but also as one of the most notable musicians of the 20th century. Born in Flintshire and raised in Denbighshire, Osian started playing the harp at a young age, as a pupil of Alwena Roberts, ‘Telynores Iâl’. At the age of seventeen he was awarded the Joseph Parry Scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music, London, and was eventually appointed Professor of Harp there, a post he held for over 30 years. In 1960 he was appointed as Principal Harp of the London Symphony Orchestra, and the next 30 years would see him performing extensively with the orchestra and also as a soloist and chamber harpist with the renowned Melos Ensemble.

Many leading composers, including William Mathias and Alun Hoddinott, composed works especially for Osian, and he also worked closely with Benjamin Britten. Britten composed the harp parts in many of his leading works with Osian in mind to perform, and in 1969 he composed his Suite for Harp for Osian. In his own compositions, Osian draws on his Welsh musical heritage and his works include settings of Welsh folksongs for tenor and harp and settings of medieval Welsh strict metre poems as well as his Diversions for two harps.

Tracks –

01. Introduction et Allegro

02. Trymder

03. Hela'r Sgyfarnog / Fenyw Fwyn

04. Concerto in F Major, Op. 4, No 5: Larghetto

05. Concerto in F Major, Op. 4, No 5: Allegro

06. Concerto in F Major, Op. 4, No 5: Alla Siciliana

07. Concerto in F Major, Op. 4, No 5: Presto

08. Deck the Halls

09. Hiraeth am Batagonia

10. Interlude

11. Cân yr Ychen

12. Lisa Lân

13. Y Sipsi

14. Improvisations for Harp, Op. 10: Allegro Moderato

15. Improvisations for Harp, Op. 10: Lento - Sonore

16. Improvisations for Harp, Op. 10: Allegro non Troppo

17. Clymau Cytgerdd / Diversions: Chwarae Mig / Chasing

18. Clymau Cytgerdd / Diversions: Canu Penillion / Descanting

19. Clymau Cytgerdd / Diversions: Hel Straeon / Gossiping

20. Baled Boddi Cwch Enlli yn 1822

21. Leusa Lân

22. And Death Shall Have No Dominion.

Caiff Osian Ellis, y telynor o fri rhyngwladol, ei gydnabod fel un o gerddorion amlycaf yr 20fed ganrif. Treuliodd dros 70 mlynedd yn perfformio ar hyd a lled y byd a chafodd yrfa lewyrchus, amrywiol a hynod o ddylanwadol. Wedi ei eni yn Ffynnongroyw a’i fagu yn Hen Golwyn, Abergele ac yna yn Ninbych, dechreuodd chwarae’r delyn yn ifanc, gan gael gwersi gan Alwena Roberts, ‘Telynores Iâl’. Yn ddwy ar bymtheg oed enillodd Ysgoloriaeth Joseph Parry i astudio yn yr Academi Gerdd Frenhinol yn Llundain, y coleg a fyddai, maes o law, yn ei benodi’n Athro’r Delyn yno, swydd a gyflawnodd am 30 mlynedd. Yn 1960 cafodd ei benodi’n brif delynor Cerddorfa Symffoni Llundain. Treuliodd dros 30 mlynedd yn perfformio gyda’r gerddorfa, gan gyfuno’r gwaith â gyrfa ddisglair fel unawdydd ac fel telynor siambr gyda’r Melos Ensemble.

Creodd nifer o gyfansoddwyr amlycaf y cyfnod, gan gynnwys William Mathias ac Alun Hoddinott, weithiau ar ei gyfer a bu’n cydweithio llawer hefyd â Benjamin Britten. Ar gyfer Osian y cyfansoddodd Britten y rhannau i’r delyn yn nifer o’i weithiau enwocaf, ac yn 1969, cyflwynodd ei waith nodedig i’r delyn, Suite for Harp, i Osian. Yn ei gyfansoddiadau ei hun, mae Osian yn tynnu’n aml ar ei wreiddiau Cymreig, gan ddefnyddio dylanwadau o’i gefndir ym maes cerdd dant a chanu gwerin i greu cyfansoddiadau newydd a blaengar.

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