The Burry Port Town Band are set to give the official premiere of Tom Davoren’s latest work, ‘Pure of Heart’, commissioned to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the town of Kidwelly.
The work, which is a vibrant exploration of the Welsh favourite ‘Calon Lan’, will also be performed as part of the band’s entertainment programme at the National Eisteddfod of Wales Brass Band Competition on Sunday 2nd August, televised on S4C from 12.30pm.
‘Pure of Heart’ was commissioned for the Burry Port Town Band by the organisers of Cydweli 900, a community initiative set up to commemorate the history of the town in it’s 900th anniversary year. Generous support for the commission was given thanks to legacy funding from the now disbanded Mynyddygarreg Silver Prize Band, based in a neighbouring village to Kidwelly.
The piece itself is popular in style and celebrates the long established connection between Kidwelly and Mynyddygarreg, whose rail linked coal mining and tin plate works were symbiotic during their industrial heyday. Sounds of the industrial works and their connecting railway are evoked in the piece using an array of special percussive effects (including metal bars, piping and anvils), whilst the hymn tune ‘Calon Lan’, by West Wales composer John Hughes (1872 19-14), binds the piece together as a reference to the important historical connection between community music making in Wales and heavy industry, and indeed Hughes’ own past as a steel worker.
“Jumping out of my seat mid performance to perform on Anvil is certainly a new one on me, but I have thoroughly enjoyed working with everyone to bring this piece to life.”
Aled Nicholas, Second Cornet
‘Pure of Heart’ will be performed in St Mary’s Church Kidwelly on Saturday 8th August as part of the Cydweli 900 Festival celebrations.
For further information, including how to get tickets, please visit our calendar page.