# Aberfan 50 years on



## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

Welsh language TV channel S4C commissioned composer Sir Karl Jenkins to write a piece to mark the anniversary. He was born and raised in Penclawdd, the Gower, Wales about 50 miles west of Aberfan.

Cantata Memoria - For the Children is a work for choir and soloists and has been recorded by two Welsh musicians including bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, harpist Catrin Finch and Côr Caerdydd. The work will be premiered at the Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday October 8, with an album version released the day before.

The concert (and LP) will feature some of Wales' most celebrated artists, including opera singer Bryn Terfel, harpist Catrin Finch, soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, euphonium soloist David Childs, as well as spoken word contributions from actors Michael Sheen and Siân Phillips.

At 55 minutes long, the piece has been written for soloists, adult choir, children's chorus and orchestra - with text in English, Welsh and Latin by multi-lingual Welsh poet and librettist Mererid Hopwood - The Aberfan Memorial Charity Concert will be broadcast on S4C the following evening (Sunday October 9) at 7.30pm.

Classic FM has a piece about this with a sample of the work. There's also a piece  on Wales Online.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I 'like' the fact that they've commissioned music in commemoration. :tiphat:

If anyone, like me, lived through the news & drama of this event - who could forget it? 
What a tragedy.


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