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The Squid's Ear Magazine
Squidco Cost Sale — 150+ albums on sale at OUR COST! Sep 12-14


Davies, Rhodri
Telyn Wrachiod

Davies, Rhodri: Telyn Wrachiod (Amgen Records)

Continuing his investigations into ancient Welsh Harps, the Telyn Wrachïod (which translates to the Witches Harp) used pegs or brags emerging from the string-holes, in Welsh called gwrachïod, which could be adjusted to press on the strings to create a buzzing percussive sound used for dancing, here in improvisations by Rhodri Davies using a Urquhart bray harp.
 

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Rhodri Davies-harp


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UPC: 5904224873196

Label: Amgen Records
Catalog ID: AMGEN 009
Squidco Product Code: 35098

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2024
Country: UK
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold 3 Panels
Recorded at Mwnci Studios, in Dolwilymm UK, on August 24th, 2023, by Jethro Chaplin.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

This is the eighth solo release by the harpist Rhodri Davies. Bray harp (Telyn Wrachiod) recorded by Jethro Chaplin on the 24th of

This is the eighth solo release by the harpist Rhodri Davies. Bray harp (Telyn Wrachiod) recorded by Jethro Chaplin on the 24th of August 2023, at Mwnci Studios, Dolwilym.



"It appears that on the old Welsh harps of the sixteenth century there were pegs or brays emerging from the string-holes, in Welsh called gwrachïod, (Mersenne called them harpions), which could be adjusted to press on the strings. In later times these brays caused a buzzing effect which added a percussive sound for dancing..." Osian Ellis, The Story of the Harp in Wales



'Precise, angled brays / Speaking every profound feeling.' 'Ceimion Wrachiod cymmwys / Yn siarad pob teimlad dwys.' (From a cywydd requesting a harp by Huw Machno FL. 1560-1637



"Intense clusters of notes bore into the brain, strings scrape in inner-ear-vibrating drones, and precise pointillist drops of sound fall like rain tapping on a tympanic membrane"-Stewart Lee IDLER

2023, at Mwnci Studios, Dolwilym.

"It appears that on the old Welsh harps of the sixteenth century there were pegs or brays emerging from the string-holes, in Welsh called gwrachïod, (Mersenne called them harpions), which could be adjusted to press on the strings. In later times these brays caused a buzzing effect which added a percussive sound for dancing..." Osian Ellis, The Story of the Harp in Wales

'Precise, angled brays / Speaking every profound feeling.' 'Ceimion Wrachiod cymmwys / Yn siarad pob teimlad dwys.' (From a cywydd requesting a harp by Huw Machno FL. 1560-1637

"Intense clusters of notes bore into the brain, strings scrape in inner-ear-vibrating drones, and precise pointillist drops of sound fall like rain tapping on a tympanic membrane" Stewart Lee IDLER


Artist Biographies

"Rhodri Davies was born in 1971 in Aberystwyth, Wales and now lives in Gateshead in the northeast of England.

He plays harp, electric harp, live-electronics and builds wind, water, ice and fire harp installations. He has released four solo albums: Trem, Over Shadows, Wound Response and An Air Swept Clean of All Distance.

His regular groups include: a duo with John Butcher, Common Objects, HEN OGLEDD: Dawson - Davies, a trio with David Toop and Lee Patterson, Cranc, The Sealed Knot and a trio with John Tilbury and Michael Duch.

In 2008 he collaborated with the visual artist Gustav Metzger on 'Self-cancellation', a large-scale audio-visual collaboration in London and Glasgow.

New pieces for solo harp have been composed for him by: Eliane Radigue, Phill Niblock, Christian Wolff, Ben Patterson, Alison Knowles, Mieko Shiomi and Yasunao Tone.

In 2012 he was the recipient of the Foundation for Contemporary Arts, Grants to Artists Award."

-Rhodri Davies Website (http://www.rhodridavies.com/words/)
9/10/2025

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Agoriad Y Cywair 3:56

2. Cildraeth Sienco 2:33

3. Hanner Dyrned O'r Wermod Lwyd 3:42

4. Asswynaw Rhisiart 1:54

5. Ar Lafar Gynt 2:19

6. Un Dydd 2:16

7. Dygan Gwent 2:50

8. Pe Cawn I Glasfedd 2:34

9. Yr Hen Don 3:27

10. Triban Y Gwyddon 5:52

11. Gardd A Thy 2:54

12. Erddigan Dannau 2:28

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
London & UK Improv & Related Scenes
Stringed Instruments
Solo Artist Recordings
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