North Wales will stage the world premiere of the latest work by Royal composer Paul Mealor.
The Anglesey-born composer was propelled to global fame thanks to the sensational Royal wedding anthem he wrote for Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Now, the North Wales International Music Festival has commissioned him to write a new work for this year’s event at St Asaph Cathedral from September 24 to October 1.
The arts organisation, Tŷ Cerdd – Music Centre Wales, along with Bangor-based Ensemble Cymru, who will perform the work, were also part of the commissioning process.
The powerful seven minute piece will reflect Dr Mealor’s deeply felt religious convictions and is entitled Via Crucis, Latin for Way of The Cross, the 14 “Stations of the Cross”, as Jesus walks to his crucifixion.
So strong is his faith that the 35-year-old revealed that he had wanted to be a priest but felt his calling was not strong enough.
“Festival artistic director Ann Atkinson wanted to feature my music in a composer portrait concert of about one hour in length featuring Ensemble Cymru, the Aberdeen University Chamber Choir and Ann performing, with a talk by myself about the music,” said Paul.
“There are two pieces of music in particular which have had a profound influence on me – one was The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams and the other Gustav Mahler’s piano quartet in A-minor.
“It was the only piano quartet he ever wrote, it is a stunning piece and he only wrote one movement which was about 10 minutes long.
“I thought that for my commission I would write a companion piece for the violin, viola and cello but I am cheating and asking the pianist to also play the cymbals.
Paul, who was born in St Asaph and lived on Deeside before his family moved to Anglesey, was described in the New York Times as of the most important composers to have emerged in Welsh choral music since William Mathias (founder of the North Wales Festival)”
His motet, Ubi Caritas et Amor, at the Royal Wedding in April, was a huge world-wide success.
Artistic Director Ann Atkinson is thrilled at the prospect of the premiere at this year’s festival.
She said: “Paul is a major musical talent of global renown and we are absolutely delighted that we will be unveiling this important new work at the festival.
“We have a fantastic variety of world class musical talent lined up for festival goers this year and Paul is the icing on our cultural cake.”
Paul added: “Via Crucis (or ‘The Way of the Cross’) refers to the journey of the final hours of the life of Jesus Christ as he walks to the crucifixion. This spiritual ‘walk’ is measured in ‘stations’ – moments of deep significance to Christians.
“The Stations of the Cross number fourteen and, in today’s church are intended to help the faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, through meditating upon the chief scenes of Christ’s sufferings and death.
Paul has a strong faith. “Very much so, I am an Anglican and my faith is very important to me. I wanted to be a priest but to take that life you need a deep calling and so music became like a surrogate way of having the spiritual.
“But I think my music can be enjoyed by people who do not have faith. I am in the middle of composing the piece, but I know how it is going to be, I sketched it out beforehand.
“My composition for piano quartet and small cymbals is a meditation on the ‘Stations of the Cross’ and is constructed as a long processional.
“It begins with a powerful explosion of sound, and then develops into an intense aria, punctuated by the sounds of small bells (or cymbals) representing – in my mind – a call to prayer.
“The work is a kind of ‘song without words’ and rises from the lowest notes of the cello to the very highest harmonics of the violin in an attempt to paint an image of the final, powerful hours of Christ’s life.”
Paul, who is music Professor in composition at Aberdeen University, will be arriving in North Wales with the 25 members of the university choir on September 28, ready for the performance in St Asaph Cathedral at 7.30pm, September 29. And he will be doing some work with local children during school visits in the area.
Paul is hoping to start recording some of his choral music with his record label Decca in July, and the newly commissioned work should be part of the album.
He is also currently working on a more complex half hour long piece called Crucifixus, an Easter Oratorio, with words by his friend, the writer Peter Davidson, which he does not contemplate completing until next year.
“I have studied a lot of religions, faith and scriptures and the same messages come through, and my message has always been a reflection of those things.”
Tŷ Cerdd – Music Centre Wales, housed in the Wales Millennium Centre, has a national and international remit to be a “one-stop shop” for information and resources for both amateur and professional music making.
Its director, Keith Griffin, said: “As part of our commissioning policy and support for Welsh composers we have co-funded this new work by Paul with NWIMF and Ensemble Cymru, who are giving the performance. It’s good for musicians to have the opportunity actually to work with the composer.”
Ensemble Cymru’s Artistic Director, Peryn Clement-Evans, said: “We couldn’t think of a better way of starting Ensemble Cymru’s 10th anniversary year than by performing a new work by a major Welsh composer.
“His choice to write a piece inspired by the journey of Christ as an innocent man going to his execution promises quite an inspirational experience especially when combined with the wonderful setting of the Cathedral and the intimacy of a small group of musicians.”
Its musicians had the distinction of reaching the shortlist of the top three ensembles in the UK in the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards in 2006.
The first concert of this year’s festival features the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, who appeared in the very first festival and have returned many times since, and baritone Roderick Williams.
Strings feature strongly in the week’s programme, with artists including Welsh triple harp virtuoso Robin Huw Bowen, classical guitarist Dimitris Dekavallas, the ensemble Blazin’ Fiddles and the Vida Guitar Quartet.
Other highlights include a recital by top pianist Llyr Williams, from Rhos, near Wrexham.
North Wales International Music Festival, September 24-October 1, visit www.nwimf.com or ring 01745 584508 for tickets and information.
