I was there, the whole concert was amazing, but after this piece there was a moment of complete silence, as if no one wanted to break the spell that had been woven. World class, thank you.
I associate this song with my grandmother who died last year, I woke up one night worrying that she'd gone, put the radio and this song came on and helped me to sleep, the next morning she died :(
Dave Pengelly Me too. Probably my most favourite composition. I'm going to the Classical Spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall next month and this is being played. I know I'll start blubbing.
What a wonderful example of Welsh talent - from the memorable song Benedictus composed by Karl Jenkins to the stunning and amazing voice of Rhydian and expressive playing by the young cellist Steffan Morris. Its worth mentioning that Rhydian's voice has matured and developed since this recording, and his attaining a No.1 position for his Album "One day like this" for ten consecutive weeks in the Classical Charts was well deserved.
the most beautiful thing I've ever heard if heaven exists this is what's playing as you approach the gates with your most wonderful memories of your life washing over you
The Armed Man is indeed Christ in Judgement. The work is in descent from Dufay's original L'Homme Armé cantus firmus mass, as the musical and arithmetical expression, alongside van Eyck's Fountain of Life and Mystic Lamb as the geometric and musical expressions, of Jan van Ruusbroek's Spiritual Tabernacle, which consolidated the doctrines of Resurrection. The latter work was given to their boss Cardinal Pierre d'Ailly as a thesis to reconstitute the Roman Church in the Council of Constance by his former mentor Jean Gerson in the wake of the Western Schism of 1383-1417, and although a stop-gap Roman Pope was elected to keep the traditionalists happy, the real consolidation came under Eugenius IV, who in 1432-5 established the first foundations of what would become in the 19th Century the ArchiAssociation of the Eucharist in an almost forgotten chapel in Brussels, connected physically with Ruusbroec's Groenendael. The two paintings and music are from exactly the same period, although over 70 other similar compositions have so far followed. Sir Karl actually composed the work as a commission for the Royal Armouries, however his choice followed the mainstream guidelines of the work.
This was also a highlight of the 9/11 memorial concert that I and around 320 other Brits were privileged to sing at, on that poignant anniversary in New York recently. It is one of the most ethereal pieces ever to be written and was made all the more special as Karl again was conducting - one regret though was that this once off special emotional day was not recorded for posterity for all to expereince the power and majesty of this beautifully crafted and sung piece of music.
ryan777 This always makes me emotional and your comments have done the same. The scene you describe brings make very special memories. A truly perfect composition, possibly my favourite.
This is the best cello piece I have ever herd; played with such felling and passion; Rydian's singing puts him into a whole new musical sphere as a classical singer to match the very best..........so young he has a wonderful career ahead. This piece moved me to tears especially the video playing in the background of mans inhumanity to man.
This brings back memories of a wonderful evening at the WMC Cardiff. Young Steffan Morris was superb as the cellist and Rhydian as the soloist. He sang this as a duet with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on his album O Fortuna. For anyone interested, his voice has matured wonderfully as you can hear on his latest album "One Day Like This" which went straight to number one in the classic charts April this year. Steffan has also continued to hone his prodigious talent, Wales must be proud of her sons.
Creo estar oyendo el sonido del Universo condensado en este chello...........El sonido de la sensibilidad,la esperanza,la virtud,.........en fin,todo lo bueno que se supone a la Humanidad.Y bravo por Rhydian.
Proof that a simple inspired tune can work its magic, deserving of repeated listening to enhance the human condition and lift it beyond the misery that can exist in life.
Wait for 5 minutes playing this piece with orchestra, and then we have just a pedal D. I think it's a great moment to enjoy music being one of those musicians.
This is jaw droppingly good and so emotional ,wich was probably the point of this passage, that it brings tears to the eyes....for a modern classical piece this stands up with the old masters !
To all fellow GCSE students : Like if you are currently doing the entire listening booklet this term. I am in year 10 so I will be doing mock examinations in 2017. Also who finds the new number system annoying?
Emma Goodwin I had to move from England to Wales and on my new school I'm having to do the real exams this year on year 10. If there's anything we fail at, for example English, we would have tho resist the entire course year all over again in year 11
I had to find this on RU-vid having just seen the cellist play at Llangollen Eisteddford. What a wonderful sound! It was part of Carl Jenkins' "The Peacemakers" - a glorious work. The young cellist also conducted the orchestra & choirs during the eisteddford. I love Carl Jenkins' work.
Angelical maravilloso como solo el chelo lo sabe hacer y su complemento que le ejecuta con gran belleza de un ser, que nos transportan a esferas celestiales y su belleza ver nacer agradando al oido n todo su ser . .
Nice work. There seems to me to be a rather small amount of musical material here. It's very good, however, and the repetition of it and handing it back and forth among choir, soloists, and orchestra is effective. I particularly like the sustained aspect of the orchestra accompaniment for most of the piece. The percussion is effective when called on. The soloist is suitably understated and quite capable. Thanks for introducing me to this piece.
Oh this is where I picture this song played. Over a fight scene in Lord of the Rings with the action scene muted or something. Yep I feel like one of them saga nerds.
