Newsletter - 2002

Trust Catalogues - Online

We are pleased to announce that all eight Trust catalogues are now available in detail; this will enable worldwide study of all the music titles in print by Mansel Thomas. Enquiries and orders for retail, inspection and/or hire copies can now be made instantly and with ease. Catalogues in hard copy continue to be available free from the Trust address and a 'sampler' sheet-music booklet to accompany each of the catalogues is also available upon request.

It is our hope and ambition that the new developments on our website will encourage ever greater interest in this fine Welsh composer, leading to more frequent performances of his music. UK choirs travelling abroad continue to be amongst his most valuable ambassadors, and last year we were delighted to hear that his works are being performed regularly in USA, Canada and Australia, as well as in the UK. It is encouraging to know that several of Mansel Thomas's songs are currently included in the Singing Syllabus of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examinations.

Further Trust Publications

The recent arrival of our Arts Council of Wales' Lottery Grant has enabled the Editor and Copyists to begin the last stage of the Trust's publications project.

Much of Mansel Thomas's huge corpus of vocal, instrumental, choral and chamber compositions have already been brought into print. Remaining are a number of short choral works, all the orchestral works and band music, as well as the orchestral/band accompaniments to his vocal and choral pieces - essential ingredients for the proper performance of so much of this vast output.

Our Copyists have already made significant inroads into the orchestral accompaniments to the TTBB Hymn-Tunes repertoire and also the orchestral works; the library of hire copies, previously only available in manuscript, will soon be replaced completely with computer-generated scores and parts.

We hope, as funds become available, to add an audio dimension to our website so that a varied element of the composer's large output can be enjoyed in sound, whilst the website is being viewed.

Commercial Recordings (as available in UK)

Items by Mansel Thomas are included in the CD / cassette recordings listed below.

One CD / cassette (Sain SCD2208 and Sain C2208 [cassette]) is devoted entirely to the composer's large output of solo songs, as performed by Jeremy Huw Williams (baritone).