The photo shoot for Homeward Bound actually took place in the rocky landscape of Antelope Island, the largest of the islands that lie in the Great Salt Lake in the US state of Utah, and Sir Bryn got there by helicopter. That was really his only transport option, as travelling along the remote and winding roads to this isolated location would have taken too long.
In May 2013, Terfel was making recordings for a mammoth project with one of the biggest choruses in the world: the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Known since 2018 as The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, the ensemble is based at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the religious building with which it is so closely associated, in the heart of Salt Lake City.
The city on the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake was founded by the Mormon pioneers on 24 July 1847. The Choir was established just 29 days later. When a large group of music-loving Welsh immigrants arrived in Utah in 1849, its numbers were considerably boosted. Today it has 360 members, all volunteers.
The Choir’s immigrant spirit lives on. No fewer than 213 of the singers involved in the Homeward Bound recordings were of Welsh descent. Bryn Terfel was therefore keen for his album to celebrate their shared history, and cultural and musical heritage. One theme connects his chosen programme of classical, sacred and both Welsh and American folk songs: that of home, whether in a geographical, earthly sense, or a (non-denominational) spiritual, religious sense.
© Adam Barker / DG
This recording project with the music ensembles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints enabled Terfel to build on previous collaborations: he had already sung at their Christmas concert in 2003 and had returned four years later to appear in the Gala Rededication Concert series for the Salt Lake Tabernacle. He had also worked closely with the Choir’s Director, Mack Wilberg, who had written arrangements for some of the singer’s earlier albums.
Seasoned DG producer Sid McLauchlan, the man behind all Bryn Terfel’s recordings, ensured that Homeward Bound had all the necessary sonic brilliance. He was impressed by the Choir’s dedicated and professional attitude.
Everyone involved worked intensively for a whole week. This trailer captures the atmosphere of the city, the surrounding landscape and the sense of artistic cooperation. Watch closely, and you’ll spot two scenes from the cover shoot:
The tight production schedule only allowed a narrow window for the photos. Terfel flew directly from the recording sessions to the chosen location late one afternoon. The Great Salt Lake lies at a remarkable elevation of around 1280m (seasonal fluctuations mean this can vary by several metres) and is surrounded by majestic mountains, whose peaks soar up to 2000m above the water level.
These were special circumstances for the photo team. Normally DG works with a global roster of photographers with whom the label has established good working relationships. But Utah was uncharted territory even for DG, so the Choir management helped supply recommendations of local professionals. The choice fell on Adam Barker, a photographer from nearby Cottonwood Heights. His excellent local knowledge proved to be hugely advantageous.
With a passion for hiking and winter sports, Barker knew the terrain well and, after careful preparation, worked out exactly which spot had the best light for the shot in question at which time of day. In a firm but friendly manner, he guided the team from crag to crag, always on schedule, thereby ensuring he was able to operate in conditions that were perfect for the compositions he had worked out in advance. The soft, warm light of the photos is due, therefore, not to any subsequent computer processing, but to meticulous planning on the part of the photographer, in partnership with the greatest artist of all: nature.
What you can’t see in these idyllic shots, however, are the clouds of mosquitoes that descended on the team as dusk fell. So overwhelming was the swarm that everyone on the expedition had to wear clothing with long sleeves and trouser legs and put on face and hand mosquito nets – all this in the heat of summer! The fact that Bryn Terfel appears so relaxed in all the pictures says much for his good humour and willingness to take part in this adventure, thereby helping set Homeward Bound – a project so close to his heart – on the path to success.
