Hello, my friends!
Although it's been fairly quiet here and on my social media platforms I've been very busy over the recent weeks, so I want to catch you up with what's been happening.
Almost as soon as Raise the Flag of Green was released it felt like I had hordes of Gods and Heroes from the Mabinogion immediately hammering on the door of my Inner Grove. I'd kept them waiting since Spring 2020 when I just asked them nicely if I could have a break from the Y Mabinogi albums and write some other songs. I can't say they were too happy, but they did step back and allow the Awen and Mead of Poetry to flow in other directions. It seems like they've now had enough and wanted me to get on with the 4th Branch.
Before I did anything I re-listened to the previous three Branches. I stepped back into the magical Welsh landscape and was taken on that Journey again from beginning to end. I hadn't listened to them for some years, but as soon as I heard those opening notes of The First Branch, I was right there again. What magic is held within these tales! As the final words of The Third Branch ended, I knew how I would bring the Journey back with the opening introductory lines of the final Fourth Branch.
So got to writing the spoken word - the story you will be led through. If you've listened to the previous three Branches you'll know that our narrator has been Pryderi. If you know the story of the 4th Branch already you will also know that this will create some interesting quandaries. Where to begin the actual story? How to sensitively handle the more difficult themes of this particular Branch? How the more well-known end part is handled? All of these I found quite challenging, so I let the tale breathe. It was when I stepped back into the story and saw it unfold through Pryderi's eyes and experiences, that it all fell into place. The starting point became obvious, and everything else followed.
So the spoken word story was written. The next step was to allow the spoken word journey to tell me where the narrative would be best expressed in song. As with the previous three Branches, it felt as if the tale wanted to be written - like my words were being guided by Spirits who wanted their tale to be told. The songs and where they would go were shining like bright beacons within the tale.
The next step was to record the spoken word. So I set up my studio and asked the Spirit of Pyderi to guide me and be with me. It felt so good to step back into the role of storyteller. I will be honest and tell you that my first recorded run-through was okay, but I felt it could be better. So the next day I sat down and recorded it again. And that was the take I have kept.
I could have progressed right on with the songs, but I wanted to feel the album develop, so the next thing was to find the Gregorian chant that you will hear opening the album, as once again our Welsh scribe sits at the seat of the Scriptorium, and begins to write. That then leads into the theme of the album. The three themes so far have been quite different from each other, reflecting the energy of the first three Branches. The 4th Branch felt like it needed an epic orchestral theme once more - like the First Branch.
With a gentle harp opening the piece, leading into violas, cellos, and violins. Then the bass section leads to epic horns. I thoroughly enjoyed creating the orchestral piece - it's so different from what I usually do with stringed acoustic instruments with voice. In a day, it was done.
So that is where I am.
The next stage is to begin to write and record the songs!
There will also be a little 'teaser trailer' coming in the next month or so. It's great to be creating again, even after such a short break.
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