Paul Corfield Godfrey's "Epic Scenes from The Silmarillion, Part Five: The War of Wrath" Demo Recording
The cycle of “epic scenes from The Silmarillion” by Paul Corfield Godfrey, drawn from the posthumous writings of J R R Tolkien, was already the largest-scale work of classical music written in Wales in the twentieth century, and has already been recorded by Prima Facie over the course of the last five years.
We are now pleased to release the concluding section of this work, written as recently as 2019-20, to bring to an end Tolkien’s description of the history of Middle-Earth in the First Age. The text, as before, employs a wide variety of posthumously published texts by the author with the permission of the Tolkien Estate. It not only features the return of roles and singers familiar from earlier parts of the cycle, but also introduces new characters such as Elrond, Galadriel and the great mariner Eärendil who will be familiar to readers of The Lord of the Rings.
All the singers are professional artists from Welsh National Opera.
Reviewing last year’s recording of Fëanor, Marc Medwin in Fanfare magazine commented “Heretofore I have been entirely ignorant of Paul Corfield Godfrey’s work. More’s the pity. This is an operatic recording whose singers and the music they perform are completely in tune with the nature of the story and its themes, making me want to hear the other instalments as soon as possible.”
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For reviews of the recording please visit the composer's website (link at the bottom of this page)
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Trailers for this work and for the Complete Silmarillion
The Piece
"The Silmarillion Part Five: The War of Wrath" is composed for seventeen characters, full chorus and orchestra.
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The characters are as follows (in order of singing):
Elbereth, Lady of the Stars and spouse of the Elder King (Vala): Emma Mary Llewellyn
Círdan, a mariner (Elf): Julian Boyce
Ulmo, Lord of the Waters (Vala): Martin Lloyd
Melian, Queen of Doriath (Maia): Helen Jarmany
Galadriel, sister of King Finrod Felagund (Elf): Angharard Morgan
Thingol Greycloak, King of Doriath (Elf): Martin Lloyd
Maglor, son of Feanor (Elf): Michael Clifton-Thompson
Curufin, son of Feanor (Elf): Huw Llywelyn
Elwing, great grand-daughter of Thingol and Melian (Half-Elf): Sophie Yelland
Eärendil, son of Tuor and Idril (Half-Elf): Simon Crosby Buttle
Maedhros, son of Feanor (Elf): Stephen Wells
Eönwë, Herald of the Valar (Maia): Philip Lloyd-Evans
Mandos, Lord of Death (Vala): Julian Boyce
The Elder King (Vala): George Newton-Fitzgerald
Sauron, Servant of Morgoth (Maia): Jasey Hall
Morgoth, the Enemy (Vala): Laurence Cole
Elrond, son of Eärendil and Elwing: Simon Crosby Buttle
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Chorus of unseen voices:
Rosie Hay/Emma Mary Llewellyn/Stella Woodman/Helen Greenaway/Huw Llywelyn/Michael Clifton-Thomspon/Simon Crosby Buttle/Philip Lloyd-Evans/Julian Boyce/Stephen Wells/Jasey Hall/George Newton-Fitzgerald
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For more information and analysis please visit the composer's website (link at the bottom of this page.
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Demo Recording Information
The recording is being produced using Reaper software and is utilising the Eastwest Software/Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra sampled instruments.
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The solo parts will all be recorded using different professional singers with some doubling.
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The Chorus will be recorded two per voice part, except in Scene Seven where the male chorus will be four per part.
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