Bryn Terfel Jones was born in Pantglas, North Wales, the son of a farmer (he knew of another Welsh baritone named Delme Bryn-Jones, so Terfel chose Bryn Terfel as his professional name). Terfel had an interest in and talent for music from a very young age. A family friend taught him how to sing, starting with traditional Welsh songs. After winning numerous competitions for his singing, Terfel moved to London in 1984 and entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which he graduated in 1989, winning the Gold Medal. He came in second behind Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the Cardiff BBC Singer of the World Competition the same year, though won the Lieder Prize.
In 1990, Terfel made his operatic début as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte at the Welsh National Opera, and later in the same season he sang the title role in The Marriage of Figaro, a role with which he made his debut with the English National Opera in 1991.
Terfel made his United States début as Figaro at the Santa Fe Opera. In 1992, he made his Royal Opera House, Covent Garden début as Masetto in Don Giovanni, with Thomas Allen in the title role. Terfel's international breakthrough came when he sang Jochanaan in Strauss's Salome at the 1992 Salzburg Festival. Terfel went on to make his début as Figaro at the Vienna State Opera. That year, he also signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and returned to the Welsh National Opera to sing Ford in Falstaff. In 1993, he recorded the role of Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard, by Gilbert and Sullivan. Terfel has said that he would like to record "an album of Gilbert and Sullivan arias."
In 1994, Terfel sang Figaro at Covent Garden, and made his Metropolitan Opera début in the same role. He also sang Mahler's Eighth Symphony at the Ravinia Festival under the baton of James Levine. However, back surgery in 1994 (and again in 2000) prevented him from performing in several scheduled events. In 1996, Terfel expanded his repertoire to include Wagner, singing Wolfram in Tannhäuser at the Metropolitan Opera, and Stravinsky, singing Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress at the Welsh National Opera.
In 1997, Terfel made his La Scala début as Figaro. In 1998, Bryn had a recital at Carnegie Hall which included works by Wolf, Fauré, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, and others. In 1999, Terfel performed in Paris the title role of Don Giovanni for the first time. That year, Terfel also debuted in the title role in Falstaff at the Sydney Opera House for Opera Australia and then performed the same role at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Oh What A Beautiful Morning
Bryn Terfel Lyrics
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There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,
The corn is as high as an elephants eye,
An' it looks like it's climbing clear up in the sky.
Oh, what a beautiful mornin',
Oh, what a beautiful day.
I got a beautiful feelin'
All the cattle are standin' like statues,
All the cattle are standin' like statues,
They don't turn their heads as they see me ride by,
But a little brown mav'rick is winkin' her eye.
Oh, what a beautiful mornin',
Oh, what a beautiful day.
I got a beautiful feelin'
Ev'erything's goin' my way.
All the sounds of the earth are like music
All the sounds of the earth are like music
The breeze is so busy it don't miss a tree
And an old weepin' willer is laughin' at me
Oh, what a beautiful mornin',
Oh, what a beautiful day.
I got a beautiful feelin'
Ev'erything's goin' my way.
Bryn Terfel's Oh What A Beautiful Morning is a vibrant and uplifting song that captures the essence of a beautiful morning, where everything seems to be going one's way. The opening verse establishes the scene of a meadow with a bright golden haze, and the corn is so high that it appears to be touching the sky. The use of natural imagery is prominent in this song, and it is resonant with the idea of new beginnings, growth and potentiality. The singer is delighted by the sight of the cattle standing still as they see him ride by, and he is even more struck by the little brown maverick, who winks at him. The playful tone of the lyrics is amplified by the catchy melody and upbeat rhythm, demonstrating an infectious and buoyant enthusiasm for life.
The third and final verse adds further layers to the song's symbology. Here, the singer observes how all the sounds of the earth interact with each other to create a harmonious symphony, thus suggesting that life is a beautiful and complex tapestry of events and moments. The breeze is personified as being "busy" as it flutters from one tree to another, and an old willow tree is "laughing" at him. The personification and anthropomorphism is used brilliantly to bring about a sense of life and vitality to nature. The lyrics exude joy, optimism, and gratitude for all that life has to offer, making Oh What A Beautiful Morning an infectious tune that connects with people from all walks of life.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a bright golden haze on the meadow,
The meadow is shining with the bright golden rays of the sun.
The corn is as high as an elephants eye,
The height of the corn is similar to that of the eye of an elephant.
An' it looks like it's climbing clear up in the sky.
The corn appears to be stretching towards the sky.
All the cattle are standin' like statues,
The cattle are standing very still and are reminiscent of statues.
They don't turn their heads as they see me ride by,
The cattle are unresponsive to the sight of the singer as he passes by.
But a little brown mav'rick is winkin' her eye.
A little brown calf is acknowledging the singer's presence by winking at him.
All the sounds of the earth are like music
The sounds of nature are like a beautiful orchestral piece.
The breeze is so busy it don't miss a tree
The wind is blowing with such vigor that it touches every single tree.
And an old weepin' willer is laughin' at me
An old willow tree is swaying in the wind and appears to be laughing playfully at the singer.
Oh, what a beautiful mornin',
The singer is overwhelmed with the beauty of the morning.
Oh, what a beautiful day.
The singer's joy is compounded by the beauty of the entire day.
I got a beautiful feelin'
The singer has a pleasant feeling inside of him.
Ev'erything's goin' my way.
The singer is content with the way things are currently happening in his life.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Oscar Ii Hammerstein, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind