Memories of Pavarotti at the eisteddfod

* Hafwen Ryder with her mementos of the

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

  

Organisers of an exhibition to celebrate the links of superstar tenor Luciano Pavarotti to a top festival have been delighted with the ‘fantastic’ response.

Among those who got in touch was retired nurse Hafwen Ryder who has vivid memories of Pavarotti at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

She was still a teenager and a volunteer usher in the marquee where the Chorus Rossini from Modena in Italy performed to win the Male Voice Choir competition in 1955.

Hafwen, 75,who now lives in Chirk, said: “I remember the choir performing and that they were very good but of course no-one knew who Pavarotti was then.



* Llangollen Children’s Choir in the 1950s,
 Hafwen Ryder is second from the right.

“I do have a limited edition picture of Pavarotti when he came back to the Eisteddfod in 1995 and I’m happy to loan that to the Pavarotti exhibition being staged at this year’s event in July.”

The Eisteddfod starts on Tuesday, July 7, and runs until Sunday night, July 12, and the Pavarotti exhibition will commemorate the 60^th anniversary of the Italian maestro’s 1955 appearance and the 20^th of his return.

Hafwen’s own connections with the annual festival go back even further. She said: “I was a volunteer from my school days and I recited the Peace Message in 1953 – I remember I was coached and tested to make sure I could do it by W S Gwyn Williams, the musical director, because it was broadcast live in those days.

“I was also there in 1953 when the Obernkirchen Choir sang The Happy Wanderer and I have so many happy memories of the Eisteddfod.”

Hafwen became friends with one of the Obernkirchen girls, Erika Fisher, and they were penfriends for over 50 years until Erika’s death in 2004 and met up when she and her husband returned to Llangollen.

Her own family’s connections with the event are also strong – her brother, Delwyn Lewis, now retired, was a policeman who used to direct the traffic during Eisteddfod week and his wife, Eira, is still an active volunteer.

Hafwen, whose daughter, Helen, is an occupational therapist in Dundee, went on to train as a nurse in Liverpool and later returned to nurse in Llangollen and Chirk, and she said: “The Eisteddfod is a wonderful event and that’s shown that you can make friends with people who come there to perform and that friendship lasts for years.

“I was an usher for many years and used to sell programmes – we used to get a penny for each one we sold

“I still love to go to the Eisteddfod, especially to the Choir of the World competition on Saturdays and to the concert on Sunday if it’s a good one.”

* Luciano Pavarotti.

She also remembers the Eisteddfod Chairman, Gethin Davies, as an usher back in the 1950s and he remembers her too though he doesn’t remember the choir from Modena which launched Pavarotti’s glittering career.

“I was probably thinking about my girlfriend,” he said: “But I remember Hafwen very well and her reciting the Peace Message, she was only the second person to do it.

“I remember Pavarotti coming in 1995 and I actually introduced him onto the stage – the concert is still shown quite regularly on the Sky Arts channel.

“I was chairman and I remember he came on waving his handkerchief and he was great and sang some marvellous stuff, including one of his own composition.

"He even conducted the audience and we were all la-la-la-ing along in accompaniment.
 

“He was backed by the Modena choir which was a mixed choir by then – in 1955 it was a male voice choir.

“It was actually Pavarotti himself who initiated his return. He said it was something he had always wanted to do because of the part Llangollen had played in his career.

“He always said that it was winning at Llangollen in 1955 that convinced him that he could make singing his career and he wasn’t wrong, was he?”

Robin Argent, from Dalar Wen, Denbigh, also has fond memories of the Eisteddfod and of seeing Pavarotti in 1995.

He said: “I’ve still got the tickets my late wife, Del, and I had, £85 each. A group of us used to go to the Sunday concert every year, have a picnic on the field and go down to the concert and I particularly remember this one.

“I took a photo of Pavarotti and had it enlarged and I’ve got the actual tickets framed as well.

“It was absolutely fantastic. I’ve seen it since on TV and it was very impressive.”

It is another tenor that will be one of the stars of this year’s Eisteddfod, Alfie Boe, who will sing songs from the Musicals at the Thursday evening concert, one of the highlights of another packed week which will begin on Tuesday with Children’s Day and the Parade of Nations, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite before the evening Heart of Llangollen concert featuring a galaxy of international talent.

 

Wednesday’s programme will include a new competition for the International Young Musician of the Year as well as the Children’s Choir of the World while Thursday’s competitions will see another first, the International Voice of Musical Theatre Trophy.

 

Friday’s Open Category for choirs will showcase styles like gospel, barbershop, jazz, pop and glee styles and will also see the International Voice of the Future decided with the prize including the chance to sing at one of the evening concerts the following year.

 

The Blue Riband event, the Choir of the World for the Pavarotti Trophy, is decided on Saturday night as well as the Open Dance competition and Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert.

 

The feelgood atmosphere spreads out to the Eisteddfod field through the week as hundreds of competitors and thousands of visitors mingle with spontaneous performances breaking out.

 

Visitors can enjoy live music at the 200-seat S4C Stage, join in with dance workshops or just soak up the heady atmosphere throughout the week world-class competitors perform in a spectacular celebration of cultures with stunning choral music and lively traditional dance, especially on Folk Friday when the outdoor stages will feature world-class music and dance.

 

* To book tickets and for more details on the 2015 festival, go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Councillor gives update on Abbey Road speeding

DESPITE residents’ concerns about vehicles speeding along Abbey Road in Llangollen, police say they have no record of any motorist being booked for exceeding the limit there.

That’s the latest information from the area’s county councillor, Stuart Davies.

Residents expressed their worries over speeding on the road at a meeting late last year and Cllr Davies promised to make a Freedom of Information request to North Wales Police to see how many tickets might have been issued.

He says he has now had the official answer back which shows nobody has been booked.

Cllr Davies said: “I’ve just had a report back from Sergeant Paul Hughes which says that no tickets have been issued on Abbey Road for speeding and, despite several visits by the police with hand-held radar guns, no offences have been reported.

“Sgt Hughes also told me that roads policing unit had also been down there on numerous occasions to provide local police with assistance and that they continue to do so.”

Cllr Davies added: “The offer I originally made last year to facilitate the setting up of a community group to use a hand-held radar gun to deter speeding on Abbey Road is still open. Inspector Gareth Jones is willing to help with this.

“Nobody has come forward so far but the offer is still there.”

Cllr Davies says that if anyone in Abbey Rd is interested in helping with a community-led speed deterrence group they should contact him on 01978 860832 or 07967313792 or by email at: stuart.a.davies@denbighshire.gov.uk

 

 

Party's novel approach to funding elections

An innovative approach to involve the wider community in funding elections has been started by Plaid Cymru in Clwyd South.

 

The party has set up a crowd-funding site, attracting support from ordinary people who would not otherwise be engaged in party politics.

 

Plaid Cymru candidate for the constituency, Mabon ap Gwynfor, set up the crowd funding campaign a few days ago and has already attracted pledges of more than £800.

 

He says most of the money pledged so far has come from people outside of party politics.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, a health campaigner from Corwen, said: “We don’t have multi-millionaires with vested interests or trade unions bankrolling our campaigns.

 

"We depend entirely on small donations by local members and supporters to take our message out to the wider public. Therefore online crowd funding is essential for a community-based party like Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales.

 

"This is an online equivalent of our other community fundraisers such as raffles, social evenings and other events."

 

He added: “Plaid Cymru has seen a growing number of people join us locally in recent months because of our campaigning – whether for maintaining local services, or for an alternative to austerity, which hits the poorest and most vulnerable.

 

"So far, this online crowdfunding initiative has resulted in dozens of people who are not affiliated to the party donating their money to our campaigns because they believe we can make a difference.

 

"What is interesting is that it has also resulted in people donating by cheque or cash as well, and maybe more importantly with people offering to help during the campaign."

* The crowd funding page can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/elect-ethol-mabon-ap-gwynfor/.

 

Cricket Club quiz night planned

Llangollen Cricket Club has asked us to display the poster below giving details of a forthcoming local event ...

Councillor slams government for "financial illiteracy"

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has sent the following letter to llanblogger:

"I am appalled by this latest example of financial illiteracy by the Labour-led Welsh Government (see note below).

"They have chopped our budgets forcing us to make savage cuts in our services and yet, when we have gone through the pain of this year's budget process, they mock us by offering £1.5 million to spend on play equipment. Oh and we have to spend it before the end of March!

"They obviously have not budgeted well, have monies left over, and are desperate to spend it before years end!

"It beggars belief that they cannot manage monies properly when we see the NHS cutting midwife services in our hospitals and overspending by £78 million this year."

Securing  Sufficient Play Opportunities Grant 2014-2015

Local Authority	Allocation
Isle of Anglesey	£                                       36,026
Gwynedd	£                                       63,108
Conwy	£                                       53,496
Denbighshire	£                                       48,204
Flintshire	£                                       77,561
Wrexham	£                                       70,301
Ceredigion	£                                       33,268
Pembrokeshire	£                                       64,246
Carmarthenshire	£                                       94,814
Swansea	£                                     106,138
Neath Port Talbot	£                                       64,308
Bridgend	£                                       66,575
Vale of Glamorgan	£                                       63,103
Cardiff	£                                     155,770
Rhondda Cynon Taf	£                                     119,835
Caerphilly	£                                       92,755
Blaenau Gwent	£                                       33,539
Torfaen	£                                       43,841
Monmouthshire	£                                       43,547
Newport	£                                       73,120
Powys	£                                       67,518
Merthyr Tydfil	£                                       28,927
Wales	£                                 1,500,000

 

Burt Bacharach signed for eisteddfod spot

 

* Music legend Burt Bacharach.

 

Organisers of a top festival are celebrating after signing up Oscar-winning music legend Burt Bacharach to perform at this year's event.

 

Bacharach, described by many as the greatest songwriter of the 20^th century, will open the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod, with an extra concert on Monday, July 6.

The festival was originally due to start the following day but the Monday night was the only time he was available during Eisteddfod week.

Bacharach has 73 top 40 US and 52 UK hits to his name in a career spanning more than 60 years and shows no signs of slowing down – he is looking forward to his first ever visit to North Wales.

The Eisteddfod's Musical Director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, is "absolutely delighted" to have landed the three times Academy Award winner who also has eight Grammies, including the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award and the 1997 Trustees Award with collaborator Hal David,  to his name.

He said: "Burt Bacharach is one of the biggest names in the pantheon of musical greats.
"When Burt said that he could come on the Monday night it was just too good an opportunity to miss. This will be the first and probably only time he comes to North Wales.

"I am just thrilled at the prospect of hearing his true song-writing genius performing on the pavilion stage. It really is a massive coup for the Eisteddfod."

The stellar line up already this year already includes classical heart-throb Alfie Boe who'll be performing songs from musical theatre and movies a few days later at the glitzy evening concert on Thursday, July 9.

 

Joining the popular tenor will be Welsh singer Sophie Evans, who went onto star as Dorothy in the West End production of The Wizard of Oz having finished runner-up in the TV talent show Over the Rainbow, classical saxophonist Amy Dickson along with Jonathan Antoine, the classically trained tenor who rose to fame on Britain's Got Talent.

According to Bacharach, he can't wait to taste the unique atmosphere of the Llangollen Eisteddfod at first hand.

He said: “I have a band of three singers and eight musicians, although we do play with larger orchestras at some venues. I only play and perform songs I have written, all my concerts are about my music.

“We play for around two hours; I’d rather that than go on stage with a set list of, say, 10 songs. I want people to come out and feel they have connected to my music and I have given them something of myself, something tangible to take away and remember.”

Bacharach’s first hit, written alongside lyricist Hal David, came way back in November 1957. 


Story of My Life reached number 15 for Marty Robbins in the US charts while a Michael Holliday cover version reached number 1 in the UK.

Bacharach and David, began working at New York’s famous Brill Building, which Burt described as a music factory, and the pair collaborated again to write Magic Moments which was a huge hit for Perry Como and landed another UK number 1 hit.

That early success was just the beginning as hit after hit for artists such as The Drifters, Gene Pitney, Andy Williams and Sandie Shaw’s ‘There’s Always Something There to Remind Me’ soon followed.

But it was writing songs for Dionne Warwick that Bacharach and David enjoyed perhaps their most success with songs such as ‘Do You Know The Way to San Jose?’ and ‘ I Say a Little Prayer’ although they also scored big hits for Dusty Springfield, Johnny Mathis, The Stylistics and Gloria Gaynor.

And the Carpenters took Bacharach and David’s ‘(They Long to Be) Close To You’ to the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

On top of writing a string of charts hits, Bacharach has also enjoyed a celebrated Hollywood career too.

In fact he says his 1966 composition, Alfie, which charted for Dionne Warwick, Cher and Cilla Black at various times, remains a personal favourite and the song he takes most personal pride in.

He said: “Alfie was, to me, perfect. The whole shape and form of the music and the lyrics was just right. I can listen to a song a thousand times and wish I’d done something slightly different. But Alfie was just right.

“It was a huge disappointment that we missed out on the Academy Award for Alfie but we were beaten by Born Free.”

But he did go onto win two Academy Awards and a Grammy in 1969 for the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid theme song, ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’ as well as the 1981 Oscar for Best Song for Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do).

As well as touring Bacharach is still writing music and songs and, having already released an album together, Painted from Memory, which won a Grammy for the single ‘I Still Have That Other Girl’, he is currently again working alongside Birkenhead’s Elvis Costello writing a musical.
Bacharach's concert will be one of the highlights of another packed week which will with Children’s Day and the Parade of Nations on the Tuesday, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite before the evening Heart of Llangollen concert featuring a galaxy of international talent.

Highlights of Wednesday will include the debut of the International Young Musician of the Year and the Children’s Choir of the World while Thursday’s competitions will see another first, the International Voice of Musical Theatre Trophy.

Friday’s Open Category for choirs will showcase styles like gospel, barbershop, jazz, pop and glee styles and will also see the International Voice of the Future decided with the prize including the chance to sing at one of the evening concerts the future.

The Blue Riband event, the Choir of the World for the Pavarotti Trophy, is decided on Saturday night as well as the Lucile Armstrong Dance Final and Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert.

To book tickets and for more details on the 2014 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Llan features in new TV series

* John Sergeant puts on the focus on Llangollen in his new series.

Llangollen features in a forthcoming episode of a new TV show in which former BBC political reporter John Sergeant tours Britain’s canal network.

Entitled Barging Around Britain, the eight-part series which begins on ITV tomorrow (Friday) takes him on a rich and colourful voyage along the eight best canal journeys Britain has to offer, exploring their extraordinary stories as he goes.

Episode two, due to be screened next Friday (February 20) at 8pm, brings Sergeant to Llangollen as he arrives in Wales.

Advance publicity says: “He gets his fingers burnt attempting to be a blacksmith, is terrified going over a super high aqueduct and shocked by some saucy artwork in a fellow narrow boat.”

Scenes for the episode were shot at Llangollen Railway and show him on the station with a steam train.