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0:00:07 > 0:00:09- Welcome to the Essex House Hotel - in New York.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13- This performance - is part of the city's...
0:00:14 > 0:00:16- ..St David's Day celebrations.
0:00:16 > 0:00:22- It features the talented pianist - from Pentre Bychan - Llyr Williams.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28- His performance begins - with a classic by Schubert.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38- Schubert - Impromptu No.4
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- Schubert's Impromptu No.4.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Llyr wants to use the occasion...
0:07:24 > 0:07:28- ..to promote new music - by Welsh composers.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32- After one of his concerts - about two years ago...
0:07:32 > 0:07:37- ..Llyr asked me to compose music - for forthcoming concerts...
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- ..on St David's Day - in London and New York.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- He wanted a Welsh composition - for an encore.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- I had the idea of following - the course of the River Wye.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- From its source in Plynlimon...
0:07:50 > 0:07:55- ..the river flows past many - historic religious landmarks...
0:07:55 > 0:07:57- ..Builth Wells, for example.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01- It flows through England, - passing Hereford Cathedral...
0:08:02 > 0:08:04- ..then back into Wales...
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- ..flowing into the sea in Chepstow.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- I'd read about the River Wye - in Shakespeare's work...
0:08:11 > 0:08:13- ..specifically, Henry V...
0:08:13 > 0:08:15- ..who was born in Monmouth.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19- "The water in Wye cannot wash - your Welsh blood out of your body."
0:08:21 > 0:08:26- Geraint Lewis - All The Water In Wye
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0:14:32 > 0:14:35- Welcome back - to the Essex House Hotel.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40- Next, Llyr has chosen part of - the Estampes collection by Debussy.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43- The first piece is Pagodes.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47- There are massive pagodas - in the Far East...
0:14:47 > 0:14:49- ..in places such as Java, - Indonesia...
0:14:49 > 0:14:52- ..where they play the gamelan.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56- It's a huge musical instrument - played by striking bells.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01- It's something Debussy discovered - at an exhibition in Paris.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05- The final piece - is Jardins Sous La Pluie.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10- In English, - it's called Gardens In The Rain...
0:15:10 > 0:15:12- ..which doesn't sound as good.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- This is set in France.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21- Debussy uses two French folk songs.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25- The piano music is very effective.
0:15:25 > 0:15:31- It depicts the rain - falling in the middle of summer.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35- It's not as depressing - as rain in the middle of winter.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38- It's a sudden shower in summer.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- It starts as a light shower...
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- ..but by the middle - of the composition...
0:15:44 > 0:15:46- ..it's heavy, incessant rain.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50- At the end, the sun reappears.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- It has a triumphant finale.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- APPLAUSE
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0:24:46 > 0:24:50- Ballade No.3 - Chopin
0:32:08 > 0:32:10- APPLAUSE
0:32:13 > 0:32:16- Ballade No.3 by Chopin.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- To end the concert...
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- ..the first performance of - a new composition by Karl Jenkins.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27- It's a piece - that connects America with Wales.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30- Llyr's piece is called Madog.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- It's named after Prince Madog - who was a Welsh explorer.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37- He apparently, - and they say it's well documented...
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- ..went to the States in 1170, quite - a time before Christopher Columbus.
0:32:42 > 0:32:48- He was assimilated by the local - Indians and worked as a trader.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52- He became a thorough - American resident in one sense.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56- The piece was intended - to reflect American culture...
0:32:57 > 0:33:00- ..written by a Welsh composer - for a Welsh pianist.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04- It had to have resonance - of the United States.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08- I used one of the indigenous - American musical forms...
0:33:08 > 0:33:11- ..which are fairly recent, - historically.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- It's a boogie-woogie, - blues kind of structure...
0:33:15 > 0:33:18- ..with a lot of octaves - in the left hand...
0:33:18 > 0:33:21- ..and a bit of panache - in the right hand.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27- The left hand has a repetitive - pastiche - kind of Indian rhythms.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29- That's how it came about.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33- Madog is a two-minute extravaganza - for piano.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41- S4C Subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.
0:36:41 > 0:36:42- .