The 31 songs on this album make up almost a full hour of traditional Welsh folk music, performed by young musicians and singers who have won a range of musical competitions. The music is mostly a capella solos, interspersed with some triple harp, recorder and guitar pieces and two spoken ones. The performers are Welsh, and the songs are sung entirely in that language.

A number of the songs have a strong nonsensical component, from a sheep smoking a pipe by a fire to a heron selling apples in the market. The oddest of these may be the "Comely Louse," in which a louse of heroic proportions is shot, skinned and butchered, with the meat sold and the hide tanned to make several pairs of pants.

Another favorite theme is love songs, which are beautiful and touching. The 26th through 31st songs are a selection of lullabies, one performed both as a harp solo and a vocal one. I enjoyed comparing these with each other, and with lullabies from other traditions.

Also of note is the second song on the album, "Nos Galan (New Year's Eve)." I've known that our "Deck the Halls" is a Welsh carol, but had never heard the original. I was intrigued to learn that it's a patriotic song, and one for New Year's rather than Christmas.

The liner gives us both the Welsh lyrics to the songs and a literal translation that focuses on an accurate rendition of the meanings rather than interpreting them into rhymed or metered form. I wish it had also included translations of the spoken pieces, in addition to information about them. I also wish the songs had something of their history and context in addition to the lyrics.

In the Language of Heaven is a lovely compilation of traditional Welsh music. The young performers are directed by Michael J. Lewis and do an excellent job, and I expect we'll hear more of all of them. This album would be a welcome addition to the libraries of traditional Celtic music fans, particularly those interested in supplementing the more easily found Irish and Scottish music with a different and equally Celtic music. It's a wonderful introduction to this rich cultural tradition.

[ by Amanda Fisher ]