Gŵyl Gregynog Festival
Mehefin 25-26 June 2022
Gregynog Festival, the oldest classical music festival in Wales, returns with a feast of Midsummer music in the handsome setting of Gregynog Hall near Newtown in north Powys.
Highlights in the historic Music Room include recitals by the harpist Maximilian Ehrhardt on Saturday afternoon, 25 June, and the pianist Llŷr Williams on Sunday afternoon, 26 June.
Maximilian Ehrhardt is based in Berlin and specialises in playing historic harps including the Welsh triple harp. His pioneering CD None But the Brave (2020) combines traditional Welsh folk melodies with works by famous composers including Handel, Vivaldi and Corelli – music sourced from three manuscripts at the National Library of Wales which are associated with John Parry, the blind musician who worked as domestic harper to Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn of Wynnstay. Parry and other eighteenth-century Welsh harpers performed at prestigious and fashionable locations all over the UK, and Maximilian makes his Gregynog Festival début by playing some of the repertoire that demonstrates their skill.
Born in Pentrebychan, pianist Llŷr Williams is widely admired for his profound musical intelligence, and for the expressive and communicative nature of his interpretations. An acclaimed performer of Beethoven, he makes a welcome return to Gregynog’s Music Room for the first time in ten years with a programme that begins with the ‘Pathétique’ Sonata before exploring compositions influenced by folksong by Tchaikovsky, Béla Bartók and Peter Warlock. Bartók visited Warlock at his family home, Cefnbryntalch Hall between Llandyssil and Montgomery, after making his UK public recital début at Aberystwyth on 16 March 1922, and Llŷr’s recital marks the centenary of these remarkable events.
Launching the 2022 Gregynog Festival season, Artistic Director Dr Rhian Davies said: “We would like to express our thanks to the Wales Cultural Recovery Fund for enabling us to safeguard the future of the Gregynog Festival during and beyond the pandemic. Many regular Festivalgoers have kept in close touch with us during this challenging time, and I know how much we have all missed the annual treat of hearing some of the world’s finest musicians perform for us here in mid Wales.”
“Now that live events are able to resume, everybody is really looking forward to meeting at Gregynog once more for the Festival. The day programmes are designed to include a pre-concert talk and an opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea before each performance, so there will be plenty of time to catch up with friends as well as to enjoy the music.”
Gregynog Festival’s Box Office is now open and tickets and full information are available from www.gregynogfestival.org and 01686 207100.
For the latest news, you can join the mailing list via the Festival website and follow Gregynog Festival’s Facebook page and Twitter account @gregynogfest.
All tickets/events are subject to change dependent upon Government Covid guidelines. In the event of postponement or cancellation, all ticket holders will be contacted and offered a full refund.
Mae Gŵyl Gregynog, yr ŵyl gerddoriaeth glasurol hynaf yng Nghymru, yn dychwelyd i leoliad hyfryd Neuadd Gregynog, ger y Drenewydd yng ngogledd Powys, gyda gwledd o gerddoriaeth Canol Haf.
Ymhlith yr uchafbwyntiau fydd i’w clywed yn Ystafell Gerdd hanesyddol Gregynog bydd datganiadau gan y telynor Maximilian Ehrhardt brynhawn Sadwrn, 25 Mehefin, a’r pianydd Llŷr Williams brynhawn Sul, 26 Mehefin.
Mae Maximilian Ehrhardt yn gweithio o Berlin ac mae’n arbenigo ar ganu telynau hanesyddol, gan gynnwys y delyn deires Gymreig. Mae ei CD arloesol None But the Brave (2020) yn cyfuno alawon gwerin traddodiadol Cymreig gyda gweithiau gan gyfansoddwyr enwog, gan gynnwys Handel, Vivaldi a Corelli – cerddoriaeth o dair llawysgrif yn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru sy’n gysylltiedig â John Parry, y cerddor dall a fu’n delynor teuluol i Syr Watkin Williams-Wynn o Wynnstay. Perfformiodd John Parry a thelynorion Cymreig eraill y ddeunawfed ganrif mewn lleoliadau ffasiynol, uchel eu statws, ledled y DU, a bydd Maximilian yn perfformio am y tro cyntaf yng Ngŵyl Gregynog drwy chwarae peth o’r repertoire sy’n arddangos eu sgiliau hwy.
Wedi’i eni ym Mhentrebychan, edmygir Llŷr Williams ymhell ac agos am ei ddeallusrwydd cerddorol dwys, ac am natur fynegiannol a chyfathrebol ei ddeongliadau. Ac yntau’n berfformiwr Beethoven sydd wrth fodd calon pawb, fe’i croesewir yn ôl i Ystafell Gerdd Gregynog am y tro cyntaf ers deng mlynedd, i berfformio rhaglen sy’n agor gyda’r Sonata ‘Pathétique’. Yna bydd yn rhoi sylw manwl i gyfansoddiadau sydd â dylanwad caneuon gwerin arnynt, darnau gan Tchaikovsky, Béla Bartók a Peter Warlock. Ymwelodd Bartók â Warlock yn ei gartref teuluol, Neuadd Cefn Bryntalch rhwng Llandysul (Powys) a Threfaldwyn, yn dilyn ei ddatganiad cyhoeddus cyntaf yn y DU, sef yn Aberystwyth ar 16 Mawrth 1922, ac mae datganiad Llŷr yn nodi canmlwyddiant y digwyddiadau hynod hyn.
Wrth lansio tymor Gŵyl Gregynog 2022 dywedodd y Cyfarwyddwr Artistig, Dr Rhian Davies: ‘Fe hoffem ddiolch i Gronfa Adferiad Diwylliannol Cymru am ein galluogi i ddiogelu dyfodol Gŵyl Gregynog yn ystod a thu hwnt i’r pandemig. Mae llawer o fynychwyr rheolaidd yr Ŵyl wedi cadw mewn cysylltiad agos â ni yn ystod y cyfnod heriol hwn, ac rwy’n gwybod ein bod i gyd wedi’i gweld hi’n chwith gorfod gwneud heb y wledd flynyddol o glywed rhai o gerddorion gorau’r byd yn perfformio i ni yma yn y Canolbarth.
‘Yn awr fod digwyddiadau byw yn gallu ailddechrau, mae pawb yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at gael cyfarfod yng Ngregynog unwaith eto ar gyfer yr Ŵyl. Mae rhaglen pob diwrnod wedi’i chynllunio i gynnwys sgwrs o flaen y cyngerdd, a chyfle i fwynhau te prynhawn cyn pob perfformiad, felly bydd digon o amser i sgwrsio â ffrindiau yn ogystal â mwynhau’r gerddoriaeth.’
Mae Swyddfa Docynnau Gŵyl Gregynog bellach ar agor ac mae tocynnau a gwybodaeth lawn ar gael ar y wefan www.gregynogfestival.org neu ffoniwch 01686 207100.
Am y newyddion diweddaraf, gallwch ymuno â’r rhestr bostio, a thrwy ddilyn tudalen Facebook a chyfrif Twitter Gŵyl Gregynog @gregynogfest.
Gall caffaeliad pob tocyn/digwyddiad gael ei newid i gydymffurfio â chanllawiau Covid y Llywodraeth. Os bydd angen gohirio neu ganslo, cysylltir â’r holl ddeiliaid tocynnau a chynigir ad-daliad llawn iddynt.
Newyddion | News:
Yr Eneth Ddisglair Annwyl | Never So Pure A Sight – Life in Pictures of Morfydd Owen by Dr Rhian Davies £12
01686 207100
Gregynog Festival Company Ltd.
Gregynog, Tregynon, Y Drenewydd | Newtown, Powys SY16 3PW