Traditional music
The harp is the national instrument of Wales. The "triple harp" is played with three rows of strings. A passion for the instrument is deeply rooted since the oldest harp scores ever found are Welsh. They are the manuscripts of Robert Ap Huw, five centuries old. A precious document, as it lists some medieval pieces of Celtic bards. The country obviously has some prodigies of the instrument, including Catrin Finch, the "Queen of the Harp", famous for having been Prince Charles' royal harpist in the early 2000s. Let us also mention Rachel Ann Morgan and Robin Huw Bowen, two other Welsh stars of the instrument. Naturally, the harp is omnipresent in the country's traditional music. Called "penillion" (or "Cerdd Dant"), this sung poetry is accompanied by the national instrument and sees singer and harpist following and superimposing different melodies. Gwenan Gibard is one of the main representatives of the tradition. Often improvised, the penillion is regularly the subject of competitions during traditional festivals, the famous eisteddfodau. An unmissable event for Welsh people (and visitors to the country), these Eisteddfodau (Eisteddfod in the singular) embody the oldest Welsh tradition, which dates back to the 12th century. These competitions of music, poetry, literature and drama in the Welsh language take place throughout the year and in almost every town and small village in the country. The winners of the local Eisteddfodau will then compete at national level at the very popular National Eisteddfod of Wales (Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru in Welsh), Europe's largest poetry festival. Each year, a different Welsh town, alternately in the south of the country and then in the north, hosts this important cultural event, unique in Europe. The other great Eisteddfod is called the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and takes place every first week of July in Llangollen.
During the Eisteddfod, one also often has the opportunity to see and hear male choirs, the other great Welsh tradition. Almost every village has its own men's choir, whose rehearsals are open to the public. Welsh choirs performing in pubs and theatres are highly respected social organisations. And every member takes music very seriously! The result can be heard. Among the most popular, the Treorchy Male Voice Choir is probably the most prestigious ensemble. Also, less traditional but more pop, Only Men Aloud has enjoyed considerable success in recent years in modernising the Welsh choir. A good way to get an overview of traditional Welsh music is to visit the Fishguard Folk Festival. For three days, the concerts take place in the old Fishguard harbour and its pubs, calling for a lot of traditional dancing and singing.Classical music
Given the country's lyrical tradition - and its famous men's choirs - Wales has seen the birth of two great international opera voices: Geraint Evans and Bryn Terfel. The former was a leading baritone in the 1960s and 1970s; the latter, also a baritone, is the current operatic star. He is renowned for his interpretations of Mozart's roles and has appeared on all the great stages of the world. The Welsh National Opera (WNO) has a very good reputation in the UK - as well as in the rest of the world - which explains why it performs more often outside Wales than on its stage, housed in the imposing Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. His productions, often imposing and cheeky, are widely acclaimed by critics. The same is true of the orchestra conducted by the Czech Tomáš Hanus, which is regularly praised.
Surprisingly little known, Guto Puw is a classical and contemporary music composer as surprising as he is prolific, whose symphonic and lyrical works are full of questions about Welsh identity. The other great Welshman of classical composition is undoubtedly the pioneer Alun Hoddinott, author of an incredibly dense body of work. Let us also mention the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by the Dane Thomas Søndergård, a local institution renowned for its interpretations that are less refined than frank and effective, to be seen at St. David's Hall (also a contemporary art gallery). Otherwise, throughout the summer, Wales is very well endowed with classical music festivals. The Faenol Festival founded by Bryn Terfel is often well-programmed, the Beaumaris Festival offers concerts, recitals and choirs throughout the week, and St. David's Cathedral Festival programmes ten days of classical music in the sumptuous setting of St. David's Cathedral (one of the oldest in the country).Folk, pop and rock
Welsh folk, the cousin of the American version, refers to a singer accompanied by his guitar (and often with very committed lyrics such as the famous Dafydd Iwan, also a politician) as well as a folk group such as Ar Log (also illustrious) drawing deeply on the country's Celtic roots. A genre with a double face, adored in the country in both of its meanings and whose style has been constantly refreshed generation after generation in the hands of artists such as Fernhill, Carreg Lafar (who modernise tradition), Rag Foundation (very American-style folk), Bob Delyn A'r Ebillion (a sharply flayed folk-rock sometimes also sung in Breton) or Gwerinos (folk in all senses of the word). Lleuwen Steffan is one of the names to remember from the last generation.
Funnily enough many popular artists are Welsh without the public really knowing it. On the pop side, Tom Jones, Bonnie Tyler or Shirley Bassey are Welsh. Same in rock with John Cale or the band Stereophonics. There is no doubt that the proximity to neighbouring England has an influence, but Wales is a very fertile ground for rock bands. It has been since the early days of the genre. Long unknown, the Welsh rock scene of the 1970s is full of nuggets that are now accessible thanks to Welsh Rare Beat
, a superb compilation by Gruff Rhys, the leader of the rock band Super Furry Animals. The latter is more than just a Welsh band, it's THE Welsh band to know. Author of one of the few albums in the Welsh language to have triumphed in UK sales, Super Furry Animals is also the emblem of an important moment in Welsh pop culture, "Cool Cymru". A local response to English britpop's conquest of the world, this movement of the 1990s placed Wales at the forefront of the world rock scene with bands such as Stereophonics and Manic Street Preachers. Today, local pop and rock are still going strong with internationally renowned artists such as Cate Le Bon or Marina & The Diamonds. To see them on stage, an excellent address is Tramshed, a former tramway depot converted into a space dedicated to arts and music. For larger concerts it is often necessary to go to the huge Cardiff International Arena (over 7,000 seats) or the Wales Millennium Centre. Otherwise, when summer comes, the Inside Out festival is very popular for its international programming and its large outdoor area. And in September, jazz lovers will find something for them at the Abersoch Jazz Weekend.The dance
Banned by religious authorities during the 18th and 19th centuries because they were perceived as sinful, traditional Welsh dances almost disappeared. Noted on paper by some cautious people, some of them have survived and are still regularly danced (especially during the eisteddfodau competitions). Among them, the most singular to be seen are undoubtedly Y Gaseg Eira, a scarf dance with lots of hand undulations, Hela'r Sgwarnog which is danced on bagpipes, Ty Coch Caerdydd and Y Derwydd, stick dances and Nos Galan a processional dance which sails from one place to another, generally practised during the end of year festivities. Also worth mentioning is the welsh reel performed by three dancers, usually one man and two women. One can see at the Fishguard Folk Festival mentioned above, at the Conwy Feast, a very beautiful concentrate of Welsh culture (gastronomy, crafts, music, dances and legends read by storytellers...) and one also crosses some at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod although the event is mainly devoted to music.
Built to become one of the largest stages in Europe, the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff is a high point in Welsh artistic life. Since its opening in November 2004, the National Dance Company has been holding rehearsals there and offers excellent contemporary dance performances on its stage. Since the appointment of choreographer Caroline Finn as Artistic Director in 2015, the company has taken on a new dimension with bold proposals such as Folk, a contemporary reinterpretation of Welsh traditions, and a revival of Parade, Diaghilev's famous (and scandalous) ballet, which has been eternally modern since its creation in 1917. A must see!
