@ Bara Menyn Bakehouse

The Christmas Variations @ Bara Menyn

/ Jacob Whittaker / Leave a comment

2019-11-21 10.21.50
A collection of vinyl first shown in Oriel Blodau Bach earlier this year.

Born near Llandysul at Christmas in 1766, Christmas Evans grew up in Bwlchog, in the parish of Llanfihangel-ar-Arth and went on to become one of the most well known and influential preachers in Wales.

“Christmas Evans (1766-1838) was described by D. M. Lloyd-Jones as ‘the greatest preacher that the Baptists have ever had in Great Britain’. This remarkable one-eyed Welshman came from humble beginnings to exercise powerful preaching ministries throughout Wales..”(1)

The collection of sleeves with their different designs attest to his status and continued popularity as a preacher, receiving several re-issues on the Qualiton label.  The sermon itself was first delivered on July 1st 1835 in Bangor and the recording is of Rev. Jubilee Young some 118 years after Christmas Evans’ death.

As well as the covers on display there are a number of audio/video works using the records

 

(1) ‘Christmas Evans – No Ordinary Preacher’

https://www.dayone.co.uk/products/christmas-evans-no-ordinary-preacher

Wales Land of Song

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Dechreuodd casgliad newydd yn Bara Menyn wythnos hwn i ddathlu Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant.  A new selection of records started in Bara Menyn this week to celebrate St David’s Day.

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Folk Songs of England Scotland and Wales

Cymanfa Ganu 1969

Tom Jones - Green Green grass of Home

A short film documenting a St Davids day excursion to the woods with a Decca Junior and “Hen Wlad fy Nhadau” and a Dulcetto playing “We’ll Keep a Welcome” amongst the daffodils in the ruins and grounds of the Holy Cross Church Llechryd. (2007)

Last Christmas Vinyl

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Heres the the final selection of vinyl in Bara Menyn Bakehouse until Saturday when they close for a well deserved Christmas holiday.

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I have so many more Christmas records that didn’t make the show, many are photographed and up here in my Flickr set including this fab Partridge Family Christmas album.

The Partridge Family Christmas Album

I couldn’t resist trying it up in a pear tree on a portable player some years ago..what could be more Christmassy!

For something a bit more experimental you could try this…

nothing like a nice Christmas jingle!

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

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The sound of Christmas can often be heard in shops from early Autumn with Christmas rock anthems like Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ and Wizzard’s ‘I wish it Could be Christmas Everyday’ combining with Christmas pop songs, carols and charity singles to saturate our public spaces.

The similarity of songs within the genres and their familiarity through repetition year after year, both annoys and entertains in equal measure – much like a traditional family Christmas.

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Last week Bara Menyn Bakehouse saw the transition completed from the Halloween themed vinyl to Christmas, with a new display of 7inch records connected to Christmas in Wales.

This week sees an increasingly Christmassy selection with new 12inch records, some with a Welsh connection.

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The collection will continue to change as the festive season continues.

For some alternative Christmas listening you could try –

XmasCD

Last Christmas (or was it the one before..?) – An MP3 collection of improvised vinyl mixes with found record players

I really enjoyed this analytical Christmas ditty by Jake Yapp