Welsh Ballad site now online.

Subject: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: richd
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 06:07 AM

This looks interesting:

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/insrv/libraries/scolar/digital/welshballads/welshballadswebsite.html

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: sian, west wales
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 05:20 PM

Yes, it was just launched ... yesterday? Day before? After a few days at the Eisteddfod, they all kindofblendtogether ....

I think there will be more bells and whistles added to the site in the New Year. Just glad to see it up at last. I know a lot of people have worked very hard to get it this far.

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 12:26 AM

Apparently the project is just starting, is that right?

I look forward to the day I can see or play the melodies, because so many Welsh melodies are beautiful and interesting.

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: GUEST,richd
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 08:00 AM

I think it has been going on for a while- my former next door but one neigbour has been working on it for years. It's great to see it accessable. I never new Troedyrhiw was important in Welsh musical history. All those songs I can't understand- I fear that I shall now have to learn the Language forthwith. Hope everyone have a good Eisteddfod- I saw the the programme- Trac stuff looked really good. was going to go but my wife was working on a stall most of the time, so I was with the kids at home.

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 01:48 PM

Thanks for the link. Much appreciated.

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 05:56 PM

Do the Welsh have ballads as such? (This is a genuine question, not disparaging in any way)

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 08 Aug 10 - 07:18 PM

They have ballads, just as the English do. There are even Welsh versions of ballads found throughout the Western world, such as Lord Ronald.

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 05:58 PM

Sorry, Mary, I should have been more specific. I should have said, are there such things as ballads in the Welsh language? I'm aware of English ballads collected in Wales. I rather assumed that like Irish and Scottish Gaelic the ballad as we know it wasn't part of their culture.

Subject: RE: Welsh Ballad site now online.
From: sian, west wales
Date: 10 Aug 10 - 04:52 AM

Tons and tons of Welsh language ballads about. With a strong bardic and narrative tradition, it would be weird if there weren't! And it is an ongoing, living tradition. We've just had the National Eisteddfod where the two main competitions ('Crown' and 'Chair') are for poetry, and the Pabell Llen (Literary Tent) is always full to overflowing for the poetry team competitions.

These team competitions (Ymryson y Beirdd) also take place throughout the year and have their own radio programme: one of Radio Cymru's most popular. Many of the poets are also songwriters or singer/ songwriters so often produce work in the balledic tradition.

One of the people involved in the Welsh Ballad site travels internationally lecturing about ballads and their 'process' - which, IIRC, was in three stages: author, printer and distributor (singer/salesman). He told me about sitting through a presentation by a reknowned English authority who showed a UK map of 19th (18th?) century centres of ballad printers. The lecturer mused that Wales showed next to no activity which he thought was odd. "Our" expert then pointed out that the Englishman hadn't thought to look for Welsh language activity; given the level of Welsh-speaking population at the time, it was an extremely stupid mistake for an academic to make, but (sorry guys) all too common among English monoglots. Taking the Welsh-language press into the equation, Wales claimed its place on the map, big time.

The International Ballad Conference was held in Cardiff last year and I attended a couple of sessions. Interesting stuff. Lecturers in Aberystwyth are currently looking into Welsh ballads connected with the French Revolution. Should be interesting.

sian