Osian Ellis

Songs With Harp (CD)

"Wales is rich in folk songs and the art of singing these songs is very much alive today," writes Osian Ellis in the original note (reprinted in the CD booklet) accompanying this L’Oiseau-Lyre LP. Renowned for his harpistry and to many through his recordings of music by Benjamin Britten (with whom he worked closely), this extremely rare recording, made for L’Oiseau-Lyre in 1961, here receives its first release on CD. What makes it even more of a collector’s item is the fact that Ellis is both singer and harpist on this recording. It ranges from Baroque songs to music from the nineteenth century (Boughton’s once-popular Faery Song) to folk songs from Wales and includes a composition "O mistress mine") by Ellis himself.

TRACK LIST

TRACK LIST 'TRADITIONAL Song of the Birds (Rew di Ranno) A B C Song of the Miller (Cân y Melinydd) Longing (Hiraeth) The Loom (Y Gwŷdd) Song of Gwenny (Gwenni aeth i Ffair Bwllheli) By the Seashore (Ar lan y mor) Where are you going to, my pretty maid? Morning Song (Y bore glas) Where is my love? (Pa le mae nghariad?) As I walked out (Pan oeddwn ar ddydd yn cyd-rodio) The Old Man’s Ballad (Pan oeddwn i gynt yn fachgen) The Slumber Song (Cysga Di) Gee up, little horse (Gee ceffyl bach) PHILIP ROSSETER: What then is love but mourning JOHN DOWLAND: Sweet, stay awhile THOMAS CAMPION: There is a garden in her face FRANCIS PILKINGTON: Rest sweet Nymphs ROBERT JONES: Sweet Kate THOMAS ARNE: Come away, death OSIAN ELLIS: O Mistress Mine ANONYMOUS Blackbird, wilt thou go? (Ei di’ir deryn dur? Penillion Songs – Settings by Ellis Song of the Sea Captain (Cywydd Tomos Prys) Invitation to Dyddgu (I wahodd Dyddgu) A Sunset Poem HENRY DAVID LESLIE: Annabelle Lee RUTLAND BOUGHTON: Faery Song (The Immortal Hour) Osian Ellis, harp & voice FIRST RELEASE ON CD