"Hymns and Arias: Great Welsh Voices is both a celebration and an assessment of the singers of Wales - those individuals and groups who have given real substance to the idea of Wales as a musical nation and to its description as 'The Land of Song'. It may not be a comprehensive appraisal of all great Welsh voices, but this lively and informative collection of essays certainly provides a broad and striking profile of the rich diversity of the Welsh singing tradition. This approach leads to an intriguing mix where opera divas rub shoulders with Valleys' choristers and international pop-stars." "A book such as this would be sadly lacking if it did not include chapters on Bryn Terfel, Stuart Burrows, Geraint Evans, Gwyneth Jones, Margaret Price, Robert Tear, Dennis O'Neill, Gwynne Howell, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. It would also fall short if it contained nothing on Cerys Matthews, James Dean Bradfield and Kelly Jones and their contribution to the recent history of Welsh pop music. Other chapters on topics seemed to choose themselves, and so the popular Welsh singers who kept millions at home in the radio days and the solo and choral champions of the eisteddfodau are also celebrated here." "Hymns and Arias: Great Welsh Voices will appeal to all those who relish the role of song in their culture."--BOOK JACKET.