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Subject: Bells of Rhymney From: GUEST,Henryp Date: 03 Jun 07 - 11:04 AM The Sad Bells Of Rhymney BBC RADIO 4, Tuesday 12 June 2007, 11.30am-12.00 noon This year marks the 50th anniversary of the seminal folk ballad, The Bells Of Rhymney. It was first recorded by iconic protest singer Pete Seeger, live at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1957, but the origins of the song can be traced back to the 1926 General Strike, when budding poet Idris Davies, then a miner living in Rhymney in Wales, vowed to educate himself and leave behind the life of toil and grime. Folk musician Huw Williams travels from St David's Church in Rhymney to upstate New York to meet the iconic 88-year-old Seeger. Huw also meets Roger McGuinn of The Byrds, and witnesses renditions of both the poem by Seeger and the song by McGuinn. The programme concludes with a new version of the song from inside St David's Church itself, as Williams enlists the help of Wales' foremost young poet, Patrick Jones, and Mike Peters of The Alarm, for this rendition. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: sian, west wales Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:29 AM I'm really looking forward to this one. Huw does some excellent programmes. Another of his was recently re-broadcast - titled something like "Travels with a Hat Box" about a Welsh folk dance team touring in Europe in ... the 1960s? Hysterical! Non-Brits should remember that this will be online at the BBC Radio 4 website, 'live' during the broadcast and on 'Listen Again' for some time (6 days?) thereafter. No excuse to miss it! sian |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: sian, west wales Date: 04 Jun 07 - 08:03 AM There's an interview with Huw Williams about the show on Frank Hennessy's Celtic Heartbeat online until this Saturday (9th June). Very interesting! sian |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Mick Tems Date: 04 Jun 07 - 08:45 AM Davies wrote Gwalia Deserta, of which The Bells Of Rhymney was the seminal part. America altered Davis's words, by the way; in my opinion, Davies's The Bells Of Rhumney was still the best. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: sian, west wales Date: 04 Jun 07 - 10:23 AM So, Mick, the original poem differed from the song we now know? sian |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,ifor Date: 04 Jun 07 - 11:20 AM I think Idris teacher was a teacher! There is a lovely reference to Bells of Rhymney in the song "Going Back to Harlan" by Kate and Anna McGarrigle on the album Matapaedia. ifor |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,ifor Date: 04 Jun 07 - 04:57 PM I think the above should read that Idris Dvies was a teacher.Did nt the Oyster Band do a version of Bells of Rhymney on their album Deserters? ifor |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Splott Man Date: 06 Jun 07 - 05:56 AM I had this forwarded to me today, originally from Darren Broome, Producer, BBC Radio Wales : There's a programme being broadcast next week that I thought you might be interested in. It's called The Sad Bells Of Rhymney and it's the story of the Idris Davies poem, The Bells Of Rhymney became an internationally famous folk song. In the feature folk singer Huw Williams interviews Pete Seeger, Roger McGuinn, Dick Gaughan, Mari Griffith, Mike Peters, Heather Jones and John Jones of the Oyster band. The programme features unique recordings and a specially recorded new version of the song, performed by Mike Peters in the actual church that was inspiration to Davies himself, St David's Church Rhymney. The Sad Bells Of Rhymney is being transmitted first on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 12th of June at 11:30 am. It then has a repeat on BBC Radio Wales on Sunday 17th June at midday. If you can circulate this information to anyone you feel would benefit from hearing the programme I'd be extremely thankful. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Henryp Date: 11 Jun 07 - 09:24 AM Broadcast tomorrow, Tuesday 12 June, on BBC Radio 2 at 11:30 BST (one hour ahead of GMT). Repeated on Sunday on Radio Wales at 13:30. Other music programmes on Radio Wales; Sunday 10:00 Aled Jones Aled Jones continues his series with special guest Ralph McTell. Sunday 20:00 I'll Show You Mine; Frank Hennessy and Amy Wadge exchange ideas and enthusiasms about their personal musical tastes. Saturday 19:00-22:00 Celtic Heartbeat Frank Hennessy presents the very best in folk-roots and acoustic music from the Celtic nations and the world, with studio guests, occasional live sessions and reviews of the latest releases. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: sian, west wales Date: 12 Jun 07 - 05:27 AM Just a reminder that today is the day (or any day thereafter for a while, on "Listen Again". sian |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Mick Tems Date: 12 Jun 07 - 06:37 AM It's on at moment - 11.30am, Tuesday. Good on you, Huw bach! |
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Subject: The Sad Bells of Rhymney From: TheSnail Date: 12 Jun 07 - 06:48 AM Programme about Pete Seeger's The Sad Bells of Rhymney on BBC R4 now. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: greg stephens Date: 12 Jun 07 - 07:05 AM Only heard the last chunk. Was that Judy Collins at one point? |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: sian, west wales Date: 12 Jun 07 - 08:10 AM Yep, Judy Collins, Cher, Roger McGuinn, Pete Seeger, The Alarm, et al. Very very interesting little programme. sian |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Carol D Date: 12 Jun 07 - 08:35 AM whats the name of the show so i can listen again. just missed it! |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 12 Jun 07 - 08:59 AM http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/pip/o1qaw/ Press the "listen again" button. Enjoy, Keith. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 12 Jun 07 - 09:00 AM http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/history/pip/o1qaw/ Sorry, proper link now. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: theleveller Date: 12 Jun 07 - 09:18 AM Listen to Oysterband's version - that'll make the hairs on your neck stand up. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: BanjoRay Date: 12 Jun 07 - 11:48 AM The best version on the programme was Pete Seeger reading the poem - brought tears out. It's a fine song, but a much better poem. Ray (from a 4 generation South Wales mining family) |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: John MacKenzie Date: 12 Jun 07 - 03:10 PM Little gem of a programme albeit oddly edited! Giok |
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Subject: sad bellsof rhmney From: The Sandman Date: 12 Jun 07 - 03:47 PM this was on radio4 today,an excellent programme available on listen again.Dick Miles |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Keith A of Hertford Date: 13 Jun 07 - 01:57 AM My only criticism would be that we did not get a full rendition of any version of the original song. It is only 3 verses. We did get the new song, but it lacks the power of the original. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Anglo Date: 13 Jun 07 - 02:10 AM Well, I agree with you Keith, though given my age I'm bound to prefer the original over the rewrite. Isn't that the definition on 'old fart'? But we did get a nice reading of the whole of the original from Pete. And if it hadn't been for him, the poem would likely have disappeared from public view, I'm afraid. (I do happen to have a copy of Idris Davies' poetry on my shelves _somewhere_, but I only bought it after hearing Pete do the song, and I'm damned if I can put my hand on it at the moment.) :-( |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,in York Date: 13 Jun 07 - 03:13 AM It was a really nice programme. Terrific in fact. But coming at the time when local BBC Folk shows have been/are being axed, it suggests that overall BBC Folk programming is more willing to treat Folk as a cultural and historical artifact than lively current entertainment--a bit like the way beautiful things made by nonwestern peoples used to be consigned to ethnography museums instead of being treated like art in their own right. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: John MacKenzie Date: 13 Jun 07 - 03:51 AM I approve of the historical aspect of folk song being used as an explanatory background in a wider piece of work. All I ask is that it is kept in context. I learned quite a lot of my history through and via folk song: we have discussed this before. Giok History and Folk Music |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: KeithofChester Date: 13 Jun 07 - 08:30 AM I find that Roger McGuinn played me The Bells of Rhymney before he played for Pete Seeger, but Roger didn't come to my house to give me a personal performance like he did Pete! Roger also gets many letters about his pronunciation of the name too. That was an excellent programme. There is still no link on the BBC Radio 2 Folk & Acoustic website. Maintenance of that site is contracted out to Smooth Operations, who couldn't give a toss if it is something they didn't get paid to make. There again, they rarely link through to any of the superior folk programmes on Radio Three either. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Dr Price Date: 17 Jun 07 - 08:06 AM The Sad Bells Of Rhymney is being repeated on BBC Radio Wales at 1.30pm, in exactly 25 minutes from now! |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Dr Price Date: 17 Jun 07 - 09:41 AM The Bells Of Rhymney has recorded by artists from all over the world, but here is a little-known gem by Idris Davies which Pat and I recorded on our debut album, "Songs and Tunes from South Wales": When April came to Rhymney In shower and sun and shower The green hills and the brown hills Could sport some simple flower And sweet it was to fancy That even the blackest mound Was proud of its single daisy Rooted in bitter ground And old men would remember Young men would be vain And the hawthorn by the pithead Would blossom in the rain And the blackest streets of evening They had the finest hour When April came to Rhymney In shower and sun and shower. Idris Davies was a great poet, and his name lives on in anthologies - but his untitled piece, which is part of the work Gwalia Deserta, fired the imagination of Pete Seeger and prominent artists everywhere. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Dame Pattie Smith EPNS Date: 17 Jun 07 - 10:23 AM Yea that was a brilliant song we used to sing wasn't it Mick? We took it all over the world. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Dr Price Date: 17 Jun 07 - 02:01 PM Yes, Pat. I composed the tune for When April Came To Rhymney, and I love that song. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Nigel Parsons Date: 17 Jun 07 - 02:17 PM Having been on Radio Wales at lunchtime today, that extends the 'Listen Again' option for a further 7 days if you log in via Radio Wales Listen Again CHEERS Nigel |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Leadfingers Date: 17 Jun 07 - 02:59 PM And a little bit was on Pick of the Week tonight too ! |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Dr Price Date: 17 Jun 07 - 03:05 PM Sorry - in When April Came To Rhymney, there was just one word I couldn't remember. And I have remembered it! ...And the blackest streets of evening They had their finest hour... should be ...And the blackest streets of evening They had their magic hour... It's been worrying me for half a day, has that one! |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Chris in Portland Date: 17 Jun 07 - 04:40 PM Dr. P - is "Songs and Tunes from South Wales" still available? Are there any songs on it in Welsh and are the lyrics in the liner notes? If so, how best to contact you to order it from the US? I am learning Welsh songs (in both languages) to sing for Welsh events here in Oregon and would like to learn more. Thanks, Chris in Portland ps listened to the program and enjoyed it greatly, will have to try playing Patrick's version. pss - on other Welsh songs, Joe Hickerson has a bit on Miner's Life in the Summer 2007 Sing Out! (p. 91) - noting Ry Cooder's re-write for his recent cd, Buddy - good cd, but I'll take the original. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Mick Tems Date: 18 Jun 07 - 04:11 PM Only from CM Distribution as a CD (GVRCD 214). Our second album, You Can Take A White Horse Anywhere, is available as as CD, but Trade Winds (Sain), Dwr Glan (Sain) and Dyddiau Gwynion Ionawr (Snowy Days of January, Sain) are only available as casettes now. A Gower Garland (Wild Goose) and Live At Wanaka (Gin And Raspberry) are available as CDs. Thanks very much - Olly's about to come round to use my computer, so I'll post a message tomorrow. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: GUEST,Henryp Date: 18 Jun 07 - 04:38 PM Rhymney Hill (January 1952) If I should die before I'm old, Before I'm old and grey, Bury my heart on Rhymney Hill That I loved in childhood's day. Bury my heart in that hour When the curlew cries and cries, And all the moor is brooding Beneath the fading skies. In that hour when the finite And the infinite are one, One mystery, one glory Of earth and setting sun. Idris Davies |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Dame Pattie Smith EPNS Date: 19 Jun 07 - 03:11 PM Please does anyone know the lyrics to the one by Idris Davies. Let's go to Barry Island Maggie Fach? I would like to have them and it's not in the book I've got. |
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Subject: RE: Bells of Rhymney - BBC, 12 June 2007 From: Mick Tems Date: 20 Jun 07 - 07:36 AM That's the one I quoted in the post about Llantrisant FC going to Barry! "...down to the holiday sea..." Unfortunately, I've moved twice and the Idris Davies anthology is missing. Please bear with me! |
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