The Three Welsh Tenors
Album: Tarantella
Label: Sain
Tracks: 12
Website: http://www.harlequin-agency.co.uk/index.php?page=12&action=details&id=82

Wales is the land of song. You only have to listen to the anthem at the Welsh Rugby games to understand the love of music there. Land of my Fathers (Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau) is, in my opinion at least, one of the greatest anthems you will hear anywhere. Passionate and moving, much like this new album from The Three Welsh Tenors.

Over the last few years, classical music has undergone a major transformation in terms of popularity. Where it was once considered "naff" to like this so called highbrow stuff, it is now almost accepted as main stream music. In part this is due perhaps to the original three tenors. Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras. Since then Il Divo have also popularised the idea of a classical group. Katherine Jenkins has since introduced others to classical music that may well not have listened to it before and of course she is Welsh too.

So what of this new album? The three tenors, Rhys Meirion, Aled Hall and Alun Rhys Jenkins all have superb tenor voices and have enjoyed professional solo careers. Their voices complement each other beautifully. This is their second album, the first making it into the top 30 of the classical album charts.

This album contains a number of what would be regarded as standards for a classical album. The title track, Tarantella, will be known to almost everyone, as will O Sole Mio. The duet from the Pearl Fishers is probably the best known of all operatic duets. Here it is sung with a new arrangement by all three voices. It is simply quite stunning and one of my all-time favourite pieces of operatic music.

There are a few surprises here too. Bridge Over Troubled Water is not a track you would expect to find on a classical album. Here it is sung quite beautifully. Totally different to the original as you would expect but still as moving as the original. Paul Anka's "My Way" is included although he only wrote the words to the original French tune. The final track is an acapella version of "Busy doing nothing" which I now cannot get out of my head. Not only surprising but very clever too.

Overall, this is a fabulous album. Full of surprises, beautiful but simple arrangements and of course, three stunning voices. If you are not sure about classical music, give this a try. I cannot guarantee that you will be converted but I will be surprised if you do not like most of the tracks on it. The website link above contains four tracks to give you a feel for the quality of these three quite superb tenors.

Rory M Stanbridge