This collaboration provides
an opportunity to present a unique, personal and yet wide ranging exploration
of the issues facing these buildings and traditions. While there are
many references to past traditions, the work invites participation and
stimulates dialogue concerning the present and future of the Welsh chapel.
Mae'r cydweithio hwn yn cynnig cyfle i gyflwyno ymchwiliad unigryw
personol, ond eto'n eang, o'r materion sy'n wynebu'r traddodiadau a'r
adeiladau hyn. Serch bod llu o gyfeiriadau at draddodiadau'r gorffennol,
mae'r gwaith yn gwahodd cymryd rhan ac yn symbylu deialog ynglyn â
phresennol a dyfodol y capel Cymreig.
' Memories of chapels, fragments
of the past distilled into film, distorted movement, images of time
passing. The video explores the fragile and unstable role of the chapel
in the environment and community. Created with a found analogue camera
the video is composed from everyday journeys around West Wales, editing
done on camera, incorporating new technical ideas as and when they occur,
creating an abstract, evolving work using process to reflect concept.
The sound of welsh hymns and choirs emerge from the past hissing and
crackling repeating fragments, shifting and merging to create new uncertain
rhythms. Using old record players and old recordings of welsh religious
and choral music, the music is fragmented and reformed. Through this
I hope to create a contemplative work which is both a memorial to the
past role of the music and its associations and a method of transforming
the sounds for a new era.
Clywir sain emynau a chorau Cymreig o'r gorffennol, wedi ei drawsnewid
i greu cerddoriaeth newydd. Trwy ddarnau sio ag ailadrodd, gobeithiaf
greu darn myfyrgar sydd yn goffhâd i'r rhan a chwaraeodd cerddoriaeth
a'i gysylltiadau, ac yn fodd i drawsnewid seiniau ar gyfer cyfnod newydd.'
Welsh born artist Jacob Whittaker graduated from WWSOTA in 2003 and is based in Ceredigion.
'This song-cycle grew out
of my work with Llangrannog Community Choir, my involvement with Canolfan
Crannog, and an idea of buildings retaining, in their silence, a memory
of the ebb and flow of people gathering together to sing and give thanks.
The work aims to develop the sounds that this "full" silence
might contain - local voices singing songs based on traditional musical
forms, such as hymns, while elements such as the echo/canon, shifts
in rhythm, and dissonances or tone-clusters reflect the effect of time
on these floating layers of sounds. The work starts at this point and
moves toward clarity and the present moment.
Listening to spaces, listening to the interaction of voice and space,
of voice and voice, listening as an act of love - these are the key
principles in all my work.
Daeth y gyfres gerdd hon allan o'm gwaith gyda Chor Cymuned Llangrannog,
fy nghysylltiad a Chanolfan Crannog, a'r syniad bod adeiladau, yn eu
tawelwch, yn cadw cof am lanw a thrai pobl yn ynghyd i ganu a rhoi diolch.
Gwrando ar y gwacteroedd, gwrando ar ryngweithio llais a gofod, llais
a llais, gwrando fel gweithred o gariad- dyma'r egwyddorion allweddol
yn fy ngwaith i gyd.'
Lou Laurens holds a BA in Music and Art History, an MA in Sonic Art, and works from Ceredigion as a performer, composer and choir leader.
Our
first presentation of work took place in Capel
Cranog, Llangrannog on 17/04/05.
The evening was ordered as follows -
Harmonium #2 Lou Laurens Pilgrim's Process (video) & Vinyl Altar Jacob Whittaker Lift / For All These Things / Light / Given / For All These Things Lou Laurens with Llangrannog Community Choir Calon Lan Amazing Grace light a candle for Capel Crannog Pilgrim's Process (video) & Vinyl Altar reprise Jacob Whittaker
Click HERE to download mp3 of Vinyl Altar
Images from Capel Crannog 2005
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