Hyfrydol is my second orchestration of a work originally for organ. The famous Welsh hymn tune by Rowland Prichard literally translates as ‘Cheerful’. My aim has been to emphasize the exultant nature of the melody by allowing its tonal nature full reign in a texture that is, nevertheless, often very dissonant; the one aspect helps to reinforce the other. It also continues my wider preoccupation with finding ways to incorporate as wide a tonal range into my music as possible. To me the emotional possibilities that tonal music allows are no more to be denied than those of any other system, but moving convincingly between them within a short space can be difficult to achieve. This piece, I hope, presents one possible solution.
Orchestra :
3 Flutes (Flute 3 doubling piccolo)
3 Oboes
2 Clarinets in Bb
Clarinet in Eb/Bass Clarinet
3 Bassoons (Bassoon 3 doubling Contrabassoon)
4 Horns in F
3 Trumpets in C
2 Tenor Trombones
1 Bass Trombone
Tuba
Percussion Player 1: Whip (W), Pair of Crash Cymbals (CC), Triangle (Tr)
Percussion Player 2: Suspended Cymbal (SS), Tam Tam (TT), Vibraslap (V)
Percussion Player 3: Suspended Crash Cymbal (SCC), Snare Drum (SD), Pair of Crash Cymbals (CC). The first two need to be played
at the same time in a small ‘kit’.
Harp
Celesta
Timpani
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Performance Duration: c. 6½ minutes