The Fron Male Voice Choir

Pusser · The Fron Male Voice Choir

Been hearing the odd track on the radio, and listening to some of the adulation in the introductions of same, from “Voices of the Valley” – the Fron Male Voice Choir. I thought I would buy a copy and see for myself what all the fuss was about after all, it is seldom one hears of new male choir recordings. Maybe these wonderful traditional institutions, whose world leaders have always been from Wales, have lessened in their popularity as well as falling foul of world economies. By this I mean they have perhaps gone the same way as Brass Bands – as the big industrial names have become extinct so too have passed their factory bands.

Their nominal lists sixty six names and the recording provides a good mix of ‘traditional’ and modern songs with accompaniment ranging from small combinations to a large orchestra. I am no music critic but I know what I like and this like has developed from some experience performing with choirs – a shared experience with many members of this forum. This choir is clearly remarkable and has produced a performance of wonderful balance, crystal intonation and crisp diction blended with lovely warmth always associated with those welcoming hillsides. Having played it through a few times, though, I get the distinct impression they were being held back or, maybe, not being pushed enough. Sixty six men should be able to produce a huge sound as well as some magnificent pianissimos with strong tenderness.

“I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.” – Abide With Me (Track 2)

To me there was little fearlessness in this and I fancy, when the questions “Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?” are asked, they should be asked in no uncertain terms and delivered with the pointy finger in the chest! Forceful and loud. Instead I heard a beautiful hymn, beautifully sung which reflected all the enthusiasm of a chapel congregation intent on maintaining their volume below the pain barrier marking the excesses of the night before.

Their “Land Of My Fathers” failed to float my boat. I have sat on stages in front of Welsh Male Voice Choirs when they have sung this and been caught up in the moment of glory, hope and what really amounts to a musical representation of nationalism placed a shade right of Genghis Khan. Audience on its feet, hair on the neck up, unrestrained emotion and more than anything else – song! I always had this vision of blackened faces of men coming from ‘The Pit’ having risked their lives digging the coal that fuelled the steel works, the coal that drove the railways across the world, the coal that powered the great Dreadnoughts into battle and Merchantmen across the oceans, the men who stood their ground at Rorke’s Drift and their even more courageous women, who waited for them. Fanciful? Politically incorrect? Probably.

For me the recording is a victory but fails to raise a musical monument to the Land Of Their Fathers. No passion.

Anyone else heard it?

Siegfried

Well said Pusser - and a very fair critique,of the Sound of the Valleys today.
Having sung in several MVC's - and with a good collection - to boot - I must say that I agree with your conclusion.
My favourite copies in my Collection,are all of earlier Choirs - the fire ,passion and volume are all there - but diction was not (!!!) 'crystal clear intonation' was somewhat awry also...!
Some people,ever the purists,have criticised these failings over the years,and have probably had an effect on the current crop of Choirs, striving to reach that nirvana, the public seemed to want.
From the inside,I can say that the Conductors I served under,were forever banging on about it - forgetting that to many of us - English was our SECOND language...so although being a polyglot,the Welsh frequently stumble,when explanations (in detail) were required in English - a bit like being pi$$ed,and saying one thing but meaning another !!!
This state of affairs is not helped when at work you speak English - but at home you speak Welsh !! (This was my case..) Consider also that pronounciation of English words,inevitably came out as seen thru Welsh eyes...interesting to say the least,giving rise to many ribald remarks,and peradventure,causing much anger in a very Proud Nations breast...
There is also the consideration of - why do they Sing? May I suggest - to clear the lungs of that infernal coaldust - and to learn the 'language' of music (Sol-Fa was the saving of many an uneducated Welshman..) as the Welsh,have long been proponents of the Art of Oratory and EDUCATION.
So you can see that the Greeks,and later the Romans,had some effect on the Welsh National psyche (Oratory and Rhetoric..) thinking of Nye Bevan et al...
The other overlooked benefit of a Welsh Male Voice Choir Member,is that in the early days,membership produced an income to that particular Choir thru Dues and also thru Concerts and later on Recordings - which became an unofficial charity, to many needy people - thus today - the production of any Recording, is looked upon as a much needed input to the Choirs coffers,as practice Halls became scarcer - and no longer Free - and quality Conductors had to travel miles in some cases,and, correctly,needed their expenses covered.The individual member having to supply his own 'uniform',and in some hard pressed Choirs,his sheet Music, due to overzealous Copyright owners,refusing to allow copies of ONE set of sheet music to be made,thus covering the whole Choir...adding yet more costs to the non-grant-aided Choir.
Not wishing to bore you further,dear Reader,all of the above,combine to produce the anodyne performance of Cor-y-Fron - and Pussers excellent observation - painful tho it be, to admit,cos I'm Welsh,see.

Sharpy

In my younger(ish) days I used to play for a Brass Band called Porthywaen Silver Band based on the Shropshire border. We always used to do joint concerts with male voice choirs and one of them was the Fron choir.

It maybe over 15 years ago since I did one of these concerts but if I remember rightly they weren't one of the better ones we did concerts with!! The Orthapaedic Hospital MVC were always better IMHO. Although to be honest my knowledge of choirs is limited to singing in the boys choir at school!!

As for the CD, I've not heard it, but its the old gag of being in the right place at the right ime it seems. Good luck to them!!

bootybandy

As a lad that hails from a little town called Dowlais in Merthyr Tydfil, I had the the benefit of a music teacher that was the accompianist for the Dowlais Male Voice Choir, who in the late sixties and early seventies were one of the permier MVC's in Wales, along with Treorchy and Morriston et al. Indeed in 1973 they won the National Eisteddfod in Ruthin.

Mr Granville Lewis was a brilliant teacher and a superb musician. Traditional songs such as Calon Lan and Myfanwy would be sung in his music classes.

I enclose a link to the Dowlais MVC website. ( which I am surprised does not even mention his name!!! I think I will drop them a little line.)

http://www.dowlaismalechoir.co.uk/

Hornblower

I've just seen the amount of words I have to read above...

Is it worth it anyone?

I'm not gonna read 'em until I've got an answer and I'll take no answers as a 'not worth it...'

Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

eastneyslapper

General Melchett

Good Lord Sharpy, you never told me you were Welsh!

greenfairy

Don't hold it against him Melchy, he can't help it!

windypipes

Cant help feeling im going to need a hard hat soon.......

eastneyslapper

bootybandy

Say as little or as much as you need Windy. That's the whole point of a forum. Sarcastic comments come easily to some. Others just try harder at it.

Just posting an answer to any topic is what Forums are all about, even if the replies are very vague or of a tangible nature.

Sharpy

Not quite Melch!! Although where I was brought up is spitting distance from the Welsh border, I was born in Shrewsbury, which to the best of my knowledge has never been welsh in my lifetime!!!!!

Hornblower

OK - I found some time and read the words as they seemed to evoke some feelings in some. I thought I might have an opinion of my own and surprise surprise, I do!

It is of course my own opinion and you may not concur with it - but I'm not a fan of any type of choir be it MVC or otherwise. You may however be slightly surprised at why...

Well, it's simple really - we (the BPSO) used to have a different choir sing with us at our annual Birmingham Symphony Hall concert and found that all they tried to do was take over the whole shebang. they were told how much time they had but routinely ignored this and just kept singing.

Not content with this, we all went back to the hotel and they did it all again!!!! All we wanted was a pint (or two) and a chat etc - all they wanted to do was sing.

Now, I have to say I have every respect for their abilities - but I also have to say that I didn't like it, especially in the bar afterwards.

And now - having said all of that - there was one MVC that we played with that were absolutely brilliant. They were Welsh and they wore blue jackets (that should narrow it down a bit!) but best of all, they stuck to their time-slot.

So, what have we learned? If they're mediocre I don't like them. If they sing in the bar after, I don't like them. If they overstay their welcome, I don't like them.

It's now a moot point however, as we no longer invite choirs to our concerts - and for me, on balance, that's a good thing.

No offence meant to anyone, but it's the same with all types of music - you either likes it or you don't.

Siegfried

Siegfried

Hornblower said...

No offence meant to anyone, but it's the same with all types of music - you either likes it or you don't.

You mate, have nothing to worry or fret about -

....cos you plays the French Horn matey...

........excuse boots and anything you want boyo...

Just play that beautiful Horn.

RAB

Pusser...An extremely well written post as usual mate. You certainly have a way with words.

As far as MVC's are concerned, I'm in the opposite corner to HB for a change. I do, however, agree that once they get started they take a bit of stopping. When the Welsh fans invade Scotland for the Rugby 6 Nations Tourney, they are a refreshing injection of myrth and music to our local pubs. In all the years they have visited, I have never seen one of them create any trouble or cause offence to the locals. They plough an immense amount of money into the local economy, and ask for little in return. Very few of them actually attend the match, but they do create an extremely colourful decoration to an otherwise traditionally dark and dingey month of February.

I'm even going to agree with Brian here for a change..

..as Myfanwy is one of the most beautiful tunes (don't understand the words I'm afraid) I have ever heard. When you hear them fire up Land Of My Fathers in any Stadium, I think even the opposition's fans feel the hair stick up on the back of their head. I know mine does..

(probably because that's about the only head hair I have left...

townsergeant

My favourite Welsh tune is 'Can I have my saucepan back?'

(It's actually 'Sospan Fach' and does translate as little saucepan!

For me, MVC's are the same as Brass Bands, Barbershop Quartets, String Quartets etc. etc.
OK for 15 mins or so, but a tad boring after that...

It's a personal taste thing, innit.