Hanes Taliesin Taliesin's Tale Christopher Painter

Home , Ceridwen, Hanes Taliesin, Morfran, Taliesin

CHRISTOPHER PAINTER

HANES TALIESIN TALIESIN’S TALE

ORIANA DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

ORIANA PUBLICATIONS LIMITED CWMNI CYHOEDDI ORIANA Commissioned by Sioned Eleri Roberts with funds made available by the Arts Council of Wales, National Assembly for Wales and the National Lottery

First performance:

Pair Dadeni - Powis Hall, Bangor - October 6th 2011 (The Cauldron of Rebirth)

Gwion yn hedfan a genidigaeth Taliesin - Theatr Cymru, Mold - February 7th 2012 (Gwion's Flight and the Birth of Taliesin)

Mordaith Taliesin - Riverfront Centre, Newport - March 3rd 2012 (The Voyage of Taliesin)

Myfi, Taliesin - Riverfront Centre, Newport - March 3rd 2012 (I, Taliesin)

Hanes Taliesin - Riverfront Centre, Newport - March 3rd 2012 (Taliesin's Tale)

Duration: 15' 30"

With thanks to the following: Gyda diolch i'r canlynol: Arts Council of Wales Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru The National Lottery Y Loteri Genedlaethol Welsh Assembly Government Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru European Social Fund Cronfa Gymdeithasol Ewrop Knowledge Economi Skills Scholarship Sgiliau ar gyfer yr Economi Wybodaeth Ensemble Cymru Ensemble Cymru Bangor University Prifysgol Bangor Welsh Music Guild Cymdeithas Cerddoriaeth Cymru

HANES TALIESIN TALIESIN’S TALE

Taliesin’s Tale is a work for solo clarinet which may be performed as a solo concert item, as a work with improvisatory dance elements for the performer or as a work for clarinettist and dancer, either choreographed (by the performers) or improvised by the dancer – it is intended that when performed as a duo, the dance element should be organic and should flow from the performers and not be pre- defined by the score.

The work may be performed either in its entirety or as individual, distinct, movements.

The four movements of the work derive from tales from the Mabinogion and reflect elements of the birth and early life of Taliesin, the great Welsh visionary poet and mythical hero , companion of Bran the Blessed and of King Arthur.

PAIR DADENI THE CAULDRON OF REBIRTH

Taliesin began life as Gwion Bach, a servant to the enchantress Ceridwen. Ceridwen had a beautiful daughter and an ugly son named Morfran, whose appearance no magic could cure. Ceridwen sought to give him the gift of wisdom as compensation and cooked a potion granting inspiration, which had to be constantly stirred and cooked for a year and a day. A blind man named Morda tended the fire beneath the cauldron, while Gwion Bach stirred. Th e first three drops of liquid from this cauldron would give wisdom; the rest was a fatal poison. Three hot drops spilled onto Gwion's thumb as he stirred, and he instinctively put his thumb in his mouth, instantly gaining wisdom and knowledge. The first thought that occurred to him was that Ceridwen would kill him, so he ran away.

GWION YN HEDFAN A GENIDIGAETH TALIESIN GWION'S FLIGHT AND THE BIRTH OF TALIESIN

All too soon he heard her fury and the sound of her pursuit. He turned himself into a hare on the land and she became a greyhound. He turned himself into a fish and jumped into a river: she then turned into an otter. He turned into a bird in the air, and in response she became a hawk.

Exhausted, he turned into a single grain of corn and she became a hen and ate him. She became pregnant. She resolved to k ill the child, knowing it was Gwion, but when he was born he was so beautiful that she couldn't, so she threw him in the ocean in a leather bag.

MORDAITH TALIESIN THE VOYAGE OF TALIESIN

Sewn into the leather bag and cast adrift in the ocean, the baby floated endlessly and without purpose. Riding aimlessly on the waves, in calm and in storm, it finally drifted towards the shore.

MYFI, TALIESIN I, TALIESIN

The baby was found by Elffin, the son of Gwyddn o Garanhir, 'Lord of Ceredigion', while fishing for salmon. Surprised at the whiteness of the boy's brow, he exclaimed "dyma Dal Iesin", meaning "this is a radiant brow." Taliesin, thus named, began to recite beautiful poetry and to display the gift of prophesy. for Sioned HANES TALIESIN TALIESIN'S TALE CHRISTOPHER PAINTER

PAIR DADENI THE CAULDRON OF REBIRTH

Andante moderato q=72 2 9 1  1      Clarinet in Bb                                   pp mp pp mp f mp pp

9 1 9 4                                pp mp f p pp

6   9                                 9      9 9   mp mf ff

2 9 1 9 9 7  3                                                  p pp mf mp mp pp mp f rit. 3 10   3 3        3                                  5 5  3         ff fp f mf  ff a tempo q=72 9 9 13                                                   5       pp mp f ff sfz sfz mf f

1 - slow trill becoming faster

2 - fast trill becoming slower