Rydym yn falch iawn bod Gosber, darn a gomisiynwyd gan y côr, wedi’i gyhoeddi’n ddiweddar gan Curiad.

Gosodiad gan Andrew Cusworth o englyn o’r un enw gan Dafydd John Pritchard yw Gosber. Fe’i perfformiwyd am y tro cyntaf gan Gôr ABC o dan arweiniad Gwennan Williams yn Eglwys Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, ar 30 Tachwedd 2014. Gallwch glywed recordiad o’r perfformiad hwnnw ar waelod y dudalen.

Yn ôl y cyfansoddwr, ’Mae’r englyn yn cyfuno delweddau o fyd natur a’r traddodiad catholig i greu ymdeimlad o lonyddwch disgwylgar a myfyrgar, a darlun teimladwy o hanfod gweddi. O ran y gerddoriaeth, mae’r alaw a’r cordiau sy’n pendilio fel sain clychau, ynghyd â’r lliwiau harmonig cyfyngedig ond amwys, yn adleisio’r rhinweddau hyn. Ar y cyfan, mae’n ddarn synfyfyriol sy’n codi, am ennyd, i uchafbwynt angerddol, cyn dychwelyd at naws y weddi a’r ddefod dawel a bortreadir yn yr englyn gan ddelwedd y paderau yng nghyrff deri.’

Mae’r côr wedi perfformio’r darn hudolus hwn droeon, ac mae’n agos iawn at galon y côr gan fod Andrew a Dafydd yn aelodau ohono. Llongyfarchiadau i chi’ch dau!

We are very pleased that Gosber, a piece commissioned by the choir, has been published recently by Curiad.

Gosber by Andrew Cusworth is a setting of an englyn of the same name by Dafydd John Pritchard. The first performance of the piece was given by Côr ABC and its conductor Gwennan Williams in St Padarn’s Church, Llanbadarn Fawr, on November 30th 2014. A recording of the first performance is below.

The composer writes, ‘The englyn, the title of which can be rendered as ‘vesper’ in English, combines imagery from the natural world and the catholic tradition to create an atmosphere of expectant stillness and introspection, a poignant quintessence of prayerfulness. Musically, these qualities are echoed by the bell-like, pendulous motion of the chords and melody, and by the restricted but ambiguous harmonic palette. On the whole, the piece is thoughtful, an affect interrupted only momentarily by a passionate outpouring; after this brief catharsis, the piece turns inwards, to the internalised prayer and ritual represented in the englyn by the image of rosaries hidden in the trunks of oaks.’

The choir has performed this haunting piece on numerous occasions, and it is of particular significance to the choir as both the poet and the composer are members. Congratulations to you both!