Wales, Our Land was composed during late summer 2002 in response to a commission from the Welsh Heritage Program at Green Mountain College, Vermont. This lilting, beautiful choral work sets text by an unknown Welsh-American slate quarryman which speaks of the poet's love of his country of origin, perhaps, even, his longing to return. It is this sense of longing for the homeland (in Welsh, hiraeth) which infuses the composition. The work is sung in English but the words "Wales, our land," may be substituted for the three recurring Welsh words, "Cymru, ein gwlad." |
