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Tale of Taliesin

Original Instrumental Music Inspired by the Medieval Welsh Tale.
At a time when bards were poets, historians, seers and magicians, Taliesin was "chief of the bards".

All compositions by Richard Searles

Richard Searles: Classical, Steel String & 12-String Guitars, Soprano, Alto & Tenor Recorders, Hammered Dulcimer, Concertina, Tambourine, Shakers, Clave, Frame Drum, Rainstick, Chimes and Keyboards.

Cover Art by Erin Rado

Track Descriptions

1. In The Days of Arthur
   The story takes place in 6th century Wales at the time of the legendary king, Arthur.
2. The Shores of Llyn Tegid
   Home to nobleman Tegid Foel, his wife Ceridwen and their son Morfran, also known as Afagddu (utter darkness) due to his horrible appearance.
3. Cauldron of Ceridwen
   Determined to give her son a better chance in life, Ceridwen, adept in the ways of magic, devises a potion which will impart knowledge and powers of prophecy to whoever receives the first three drops. Herbs are gathered and boiled in a cauldron over the course of a year and a day, tended by an old blind man and his helper, young Gwion Bach.
4. Three Magic Drops
   At the crucial moment, Gwion Bach shoves Morfran aside and receives the three magic drops himself. Furious, Ceridwen chases after Gwion who, with his new powers, shapeshifts into a hare, then a fish and then a bird. Ceridwen pursues as a greyhound, an otter and a hawk. Finally, Gwion Bach takes the shape of a grain of wheat and is swallowed by Ceridwen, now in the form of a hen
5. Adrift In a Sea of Enchantment
   After nine months, Ceridwen gives birth. While still angry with Gwion Bach, she cannot bring herself to harm the baby and, instead, has him placed in a hide covered basket and cast out into the lake where he drifts for forty years.
6. Elphin's Weir
   Elphin, son of Gwyddno, lives well off of his rich father, spending lavishly on his friends and social life.
   On one All Hallow's Eve, Elphin goes to his father's weir (fish dam) hoping to profit from the catch of salmon. To his great disappointment, there are no salmon in the weir. Instead he finds a hide covered basket. He pulls back the hide and, seeing the head of a baby, declares "behold the radiant brow" ( tal iesin).
7. Song of Taliesin
   Already filled with wisdom, the baby replies "Taliesin he is" and proceeds to amaze all with songs of things past present and future.
   Elphin takes the child home to his wife and they raise him as their own. From then on, Elphin's fortunes increase as Taliesin shows himself to be a master bard.
8. The Court of Maelgwn
   Maelgwn Gwynedd is now king. Holding court at Deganwy Castle, he has surrounded himself with poets who sing his praise.
   When Elphin is caught boasting that he has the better bard, he's thrown in prison. Taliesin goes to the castle where, through magic and inspired poetic skill, he exposes the king's bards as fools, so impressing the king that Elphin is freed.
9. Merlin of the Wild
   Taliesin meets with Merlin who has retreated into the Caledonian Forest after the battle of Arderydd.
10. Cauldron's Pool
    Taliesin has Elphin bet the king that he has the faster horse. A race is set between Elphin's horse and twenty-four of the king's fastest.
    Once again, Taliesin uses magic to win the race for Elphin. At the spot where the race was won, Taliesin honors Elphin with a cauldron of gold in gratitude for taking him from the weir.
    A pool of water now stands in that place and is known as Cauldron's Pool.