Land of Song

On St David’s Day, Aled Jones is in Penarth, just a few miles south of Cardiff, to celebrate Wales’s rich hymn-singing heritage.

Aled visits St Augustine’s – a church of great personal significance to him, as it is where he recorded most of his albums as a boy treble in the 1980s. There, he meets Tim Rhys-Evans of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. Tim has championed the Welsh musical tradition for decades and discusses with Aled why Wales is worthy of its fond nickname, the Land of Song. Their conversation also pays respect to Welsh composer Joseph Parry, who is buried in the churchyard.

In Hopkinstown, Pontypridd, local resident Rhian Hopkins tells us about a remarkable victory for community spirit. The small village is home to Capel Rhondda, the place where the iconic hymn tune Cwm Rhondda was first sung in 1907. Today, it is heard around the world, from weddings to rugby stadiums, with its unforgettable Bread of Heaven refrain. When the chapel was closed in 2024, Rhian launched a campaign to save this part of Welsh musical heritage and was amazed to receive support from all over the globe.

On Penarth’s beautiful pier, Aled meets singer Camille Meskill, whose cancer diagnosis threatened her ability to sing. She shares with him how her faith sustained her through that time and how it continues to inspire her songwriting and worship.

Aled also announces the launch of BBC Young Chorister of the Year for 2026, with details of how young singers can enter.

With classic hymns for St David’s Day from Penarth and beyond.

1. I Will Sing the Wondrous Story – St Augustine's Church, Penarth
2. Jesu, Lover of My Soul – St Augustine's Church, Penarth
3. Tydi A Wnaeth Y Wyrth – Eglwys Sant Tudclud, Penmachno
4. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer – St Augustine's Church, Penarth
5. How Great Thou Art – Aled Jones and BBC Young Chorister Finalists 2025
6. Carried – Camille Meskill in Neath Mission Hall
7. For All the Saints – St Davids Cathedral