Paul Corfield Godfrey

Mr. Corfield Godfrey was born in London (1950) and after a period of residence in Ireland now lives in Wales, studying composition and conducting at various times with Alan Bush and David Wynne. His compositions include four symphonies: various orchestral, chamber and instrumental works: songs and choral works: operas, including The Dialogues of Óisin and Saint Patric and Arcturus, both performed in Cardiff and elsewhere: and a cycle of epic scenes based on J R R Tolkien’s posthumous novel The Silmarillion, the largest work written in Wales in the twentieth century, excerpts from which have been performed in Oxford and which is currently in the process of recording and release by Prima Facie Records in association with Volante Opera. Other works have been performed in London and elsewhere throughout the UK, Hungary, America, Australia and New Zealand. His manuscript scores are lodged at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. He has appeared as a performer both on radio and television, and also reviews live performances and recordings for MusicWeb International. Akallabêth, the first CD entirely devoted to his music, was released in 2017 to international acclaim, Chris Seeman on the Tolkien Music website stating that “in the annals of Tolkien-inspired music, Paul Corfield Godfrey is the proverbial oliphaunt in the closet.” Reviewing the recording of Beren and Lúthien, the same writer remarked that the music constituted “hands-down the most potent actualization of Tolkien’s writing I have heard to date.” Comments from other quarters have been equally enthusiastic.