2020 Programme
Gregynog Festival 2020: Generosity
Season events
Wednesday 17 June, 1.00pm
National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, SY23 3BU
Dr Rhian Davies
‘Communicating loveliness to others’: Patronesses of music in Wales
Gregynog Festival 2020 celebrates 100 years since Gwendoline and Margaret Davies purchased Gregynog Hall on 31 July 1920. The Festival’s Artistic Director discusses the season which considers the sisters as part of the tradition of musical patronage by women at Welsh country houses.
Friday 19 June, 7.30pm
St Michael and All Angels Church, Kerry, SY16 4NX
VRȉ (Patrick Rimes, Jordan Price Williams & Aneirin Jones)
Peter Lord
Rhian Davies
The dynamic chamber-folk band VRï, winners of Best Album at the 2019 Wales Folk Awards, are joined by historians Peter Lord and Rhian Davies to explore classical and folk music from the collections of Elizabeth Jenkins (Eos y Bele, d.1854) and her husband Rev. John Jenkins (Ifor Ceri, 1770-1829). This repertoire would have been performed in Kerry Church when Mr Jenkins was Vicar, 1807-29, and the couple lived at The Moat.
Saturday 20 June, 4.30pm
Gregynog, Tregynon, SY16 3PW
Dr Shaun Evans
Property, payments and patronage: The account book of Elizabeth Giffard of Nerquis Hall
The Director of the Institute for the Study of Welsh Estates at Bangor University draws on the account book of Nerquis Hall, near Mold, to introduce the fascinating life of Elizabeth Giffard (1766-1842), a female estate owner in nineteenth-century Wales.
Saturday 20 June, 7.30pm
Gregynog, Tregynon, SY16 3PW
Maximilian Ehrhardt
‘Forgive, blest shade’: Music for a Welsh patroness
The brilliant German harpist who specialises in playing historic instruments recreates the sound world of Elizabeth Giffard by performing selections from her manuscript music book on a historic single-action harp. Maximilian’s recital includes repertoire by Welsh and European composers represented in the manuscript, including Benjamin Cunnah (1775-1840) who worked at Nerquis Hall, Wynnstay and Erddig.
Sunday 21 June, 4.30pm
Gregynog, Tregynon, SY16 3PW
Dr Rhian Davies
Another opportunity to hear the Artistic Director speak about patronesses of music in Wales, including Mariamne Johnes (1784-1811) of Hafod, and her Italian music master Giuseppe Viganoni (1753-1822), who have inspired tonight’s concert.
Sunday 21 June, 7.30pm
Gregynog, Tregynon, SY16 3PW
Lea Desandre & Ensemble Jupiter
We are thrilled to welcome Ensemble Jupiter, the multi-award-winning early music group directed by the lutenist Thomas Dunford and featuring the dazzling mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre, to make their UK début in the Music Room with a joyful programme of virtuosic showpieces by Vivaldi.
www.leadesandre.com
https://en.jupiter-ensemble.com
Images courtesy of:
Rhian Davies © Iestyn Hughes
Maximilian Ehrhardt © Sabine Delafon
Thomas Dunford et Lea Desandre © Julien Benhamou