Gregynog Festival 2014 takes War as its curatorial theme and draws an arc between the English Civil War and the First World War to highlight the experience of musicians and other creative artists in the Festival’s Wales and Borders catchment. The early music pioneers Jordi Savall and Hesperion XXI present The Teares of the Muses, a fascinating programme of rare repertoire for viol consort and chamber organ.
Other concerts between 13 and 29 June are also given by some of the world's finest artists for the chosen repertoire, including viol consort Phantasm (13 June), The Brabant Ensemble (14 June), leading American lutenist Paul O'Dette (15 June), Sirinu (19 June), early music star Jordi Savall (20 June), vocal group Alamire (22 June), folk trio Coope, Boyes and Simpson (24 June), baritone Christopher Maltman (25 June), distinguished Belgian violinist Yossif Ivanov (26 June), BBC National Orchestra of Wales with harpist Sioned Williams (27 June), The Nash Ensemble (28 June) and the Flemish Radio Choir (29 June).
Day programming highlights the Battle of Montgomery (21 June) and the poet Hedd Wyn at his former home Yr Ysgwrn, near Trawsfynydd (23 June).
Repertoire is reunited with the performance spaces for which it was originally written, and revivals include music by a group of distinguished Belgian composers who came to live in Mid Wales as refugees in 1914, thanks to the philanthropy of Gregynog Festival’s founders Gwendoline and Margaret Davies and their stepmother Elizabeth. See individual Concert Diary listings and the Festival website www.gregynogfestival.org for full details.
Founded in 1933, Gregynog Festival is Wales’ oldest extant classical music festival and brings the world’s finest musicians to the heart of rural Montgomeryshire. Gregynog Festival is a Signature Event of the Welsh Government and the only Welsh member of REMA, the European Early Music Network.