Welsh Music

Subject: Welsh Music
From: GUEST,John T. M
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 07:09 PM

St. David;s Day, March 1, fast approaches. Are there Welsh musical events planned around it?

John T. M.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Splott Man
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 02:41 AM

Cwlwm Celtaidd is great Celtic music festival at Trecco Bay caravan park (honestly) in Porthcawl, all the Celtic nations are represented including Shooglenifty, Last Night's Fun. Welsh acts include the storming Mabon, Toreth, Tracy Curtis, Crochan.

25-27th Feb. Not quite St David's Day but near enough.

Splott man

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 21 Feb 05 - 08:20 AM

Yeh, Cwlwm Celtaidd is great ... with that slight surreal edge of being in a major seaside caravan park! Great fun.

Splotty, I thought Cardiff City Council and Brains do a big celebration thing? I have a note somewhere that Pete Gregory (don't know him, though) is in charge of booking acts? I imagine there'll be some lunchtime stuff and early evening in the Millenium Centre foyer.

Rural Wales towns will be doing their usual cawl-a-chân (soup and song) community events, I would think. Gary Northeast's Tune Club in Dolannog is doing something at a local noson lawen but I can't find the details. The next Tune Club meet after that is at 7pm in the Community Centre, Dolanog on March 3rd. (To quote Gary: "Tune Club is open to anybody wishing to learn and play Welsh folk tunes on folk styled instruments. Participants should have their own instrument.
More details are available from Gary Northeast on 01938 810626 or [e-mail]")

I imagine that a lot of the established clubs will be doing something.

BTW ... at work, we're doing research into mapping 'trad' music activity in Wales (whether Welsh or not). Our resources are limited so our phone researcher will probably NOT contact everyone who needs to be contacted. THEREFORE if you have any details on where things happen at a 'community' level, please PM me, or send to [e-mail]. Many thanks!

siân

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 07:06 AM

Another which has just been sent to me from Gwynedd:

* this coming Tuesday, February 22nd at the Cadwgan, Dyffryn Ardudwy - 7.30 onwards or earlier if you are eating there or want to practise.

siân

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Splott Man
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 07:36 AM

Sian,

Cardiff Council may well be doing something, but they have a habit of keeping these things secret until the last minute. At this late stage I would say they aren't.
Danny KilBride or Sian Fiddle may know something.

Llantrisant have Blake's 3 on Wednesday 2nd, not parrrticularly Welsh but a great band.

I do know that there is going to be a Celtic Festival in Cardiff in early September. No acts booked yet, but there are rumours of some pretty big names.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Skipper Jack
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 08:37 AM

Let's not forget that Cardiff has a Harbour festival, which is usually on the August Bank Holiday Weekend. I have been involved with that for the past two years. But, because of this year's special anniversary and city centenary celebrations, it's not exactly clear what's happening event-wise?

Dave R.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: greg stephens
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 11:09 AM

Anbody know anything about this Cardiff Celtic fest in early September? I'm travelling to Cork around for a bit of a "Celtic fusion" sort of performance(it's Euro Capital of Culture" this year and the Folk Festival is a bit Bigger and Better than usual). A gig in Cardiff on the way there or back might fit in rather well.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 01:48 PM

Always difficult finding anything from Cardiff City Council, but I did find a brief mention:

Sept 10-16
Cardiff Inter-Celtic Folk Festival - A festival to celebrate the diversity of Folk music - Coal Exchange. For more information contact Derek Smith on 01656 766 667.

Nigel

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 22 Feb 05 - 02:03 PM

My Chairman (at work) is one of the organizers. Have I got your email, greg? I'll try to get some details. I know they've had some funding, but not as much as they had hoped for ...

siân

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 10:25 AM

Hmm. According to Danny KilBride, the dates for the 2005 CIC Fest are 2 - 11 Sept. Greg, phone Derek. He'll know.

Danny won't be doing anything in Cardiff this St. D's Day as he's got a gig with Wales Trade International ... in Dubai (or however that's spelt). Jammy.

Cardiff's plans for the day are here . And if you want to support the march and Official-Day-Off campaign the details are here .

siân

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Splott Man
Date: 24 Feb 05 - 10:56 AM

Dubai?

There's a coincidence!

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 06 May 10 - 02:43 PM

Are there any artists that you recommend who sing in Welsh?
I was youtubing, and found instrumental Welsh music, and some vocal
music, but I was wondering about singer-songwriters that you would
recommend.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 06 May 10 - 03:30 PM

I can't recommend individuals...but I can sure recommend those thousands of male voices from the 1950s or so assembling to sing the old songs in Welsh..I just love them. mg

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Tangledwood
Date: 06 May 10 - 05:17 PM

Welsh folk music is something I've been wondering about for a while. There are thousands of English, Scottish and Irish folk songs in circulation but comparatively few Welsh ones. Yet the "Welsh identity" claims a strong singing tradition. Are they hiding their songs from us or is that tradition mainly restricted to large choral works?

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 06 May 10 - 05:21 PM

I think there are some beautiful songs but they are just so darn good at the group singing that it is probably overshadowed...mg

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: maple_leaf_boy
Date: 06 May 10 - 07:51 PM

All that I found on you tube was the choirs singing the anthem, and
a couple of hymns.
I've been learning the Welsh language on-line, and have been translating
songs into Welsh for me to sing.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 10 - 10:16 PM

If you search youtube using "Welsh folk songs" ther are a bunch, starting with a fabulous interview with songs in the background of Meredydd Evans: Welsh Folk Songs from Smithsonian Folkways. There are many more that show up there not all choruses.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 10 - 11:16 PM

Here's another song sung by him: MEREDYDD EVANS - DACW 'NGHARIAD I LAWR YN Y BERLLAN.

Here's another by him...I love his voice! Mab Annwyl Dy Fam by Meredydd Evans

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Tangledwood
Date: 07 May 10 - 02:58 AM

Thanks Kat, very enjoyable.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: GUEST,Two of a Hind
Date: 07 May 10 - 06:23 AM

And of course there will be Welsh musicians playing at the Tredegar House Festival this weekend

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 19 May 10 - 04:45 AM

Just saw this - I've been away in Canada, and slightly longer than expected due to the Ash Cloud. (Where's Nigel? I feel we need a parody on "The Ash Grove".)

Of course the Welsh Male Voice tradition carries on as strong as ever, but I think maple leaf boy isn't looking for that sort of thing.

You can start by looking at the Musicians list on the trac site . Another port of call could be the trac myspace page where you can trawl through the 'Friends'.

There are actually a number of good threads on Welsh music and related topics here on the Mudcat as well and we're always open to new enquiries.

If you're interested in learning the music, you should consider coming to our 3-day retreat, "The Big Experiment" in October. This year we're in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantisiliogogogoch. Honest. We are.

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 07 Apr 11 - 08:16 AM

I've mentioned before that we've been awaiting the publication of "Welsh Traditional Music" by Phyllis Kinney, the first book on the subject in English since the 1930s. Well, it's out as of this week. Here are the details from the publisher:

£24.99 | HB| 9780708323571 | 246x189 mm

Includes musical examples

"A handsomely illustrated volume tracing the emergence of Welsh traditional music through the ages, complemented with musical examples."

Written by an acknowledged authority in the field.

Enables non-Welsh speakers to access the rich traditional musical heritage of Wales.
Provides a historical and social framework/context for the genre.
Written to appeal to both general and specialist readerships.
Includes over 200 musical examples.

Author Details:

Phyllis Kinney is an acknowledged authority on Welsh traditional music. She has both performed and published extensively in the field of welsh traditional music.

UK Distribution (ex Wales):

NBN International| [e-mail]| Tel: [phone]| Fax: [phone]

Wales Distribution:
Welsh Books Council| [e-mail]| Tel: [phone] | Fax: [phone]

University of Wales Press
10 Columbus Walk, Brigantine Place, Cardiff, CF10 4UP
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]

www.uwp.co.uk

Chpt
1, The Oral Tradition
2, The Watershed
3, Manuscript to Print
4, Edward Jones and Traditional Airs
5, Seasonal Festivities
6, Carols, Ballads and the Anterliwt
7, The Early Collectors: Iolo Morganwg and Ifor Ceri
8, The Great Change
9, The Momentum Continues
10,J. Lloyd Williams and the Welsh Folk-Song Society
Appendix 1: Cerdd Dant         
Appendix 2: Printed Music Collections by publication date         


If you want it but don't need it right away we hope to have it available through the revamped trac website (pending) which will have it in the Shop.

We (trac) are also in the process of working with Sain records to do a companion Pack of songs and 'dots' relevant to this book and Meredith Evans' "Hela'r Hen Ganeuon" which came out in December 2009. It might be out by the end of the year; otherwise, early next year. Triple harpist Robin Huw Bowen is doing the research for us as I type!

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 07 Apr 11 - 09:06 AM

just hoping someone can help identify a Welsh LP ?

About 10 years ago me and the mrs were sorting through a job lot of Welsh language 'folk' EPs
in a music collectors used record shop.
when we noticed a 12" LP displayed on the wall with a price tag of £30.

The shop owner played a few tracks and it was brilliant
but we couldn't afford it.

When we went back a few weeks later the shop had closed down
and we lost the chance to even offer to pay a fiver or so for a tape copy.

So, if we remember correctly it was an LP by a Welsh language female singer;
approx late 1960s/early 70s,
slightly acid rock sound with, if we remember correctly, prominent electric organ.

She had a fantastic soulful voice.

anyone remember her ????

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Chris in Portland
Date: 07 Apr 11 - 09:13 AM

Sian - I've been looking for US gospel hymns/songs that were translated into Welsh. I've found a lot to research on Google Books. If you're putting a section on Welsh trad music on the website, I'd recommend that Robin, with lots of help I hope, also search Google Books for material.
Sunday at Church, I'm doing a 1908 Welsh version of Softly and Tenderly that I found by a Welsh minister in Wisconsin.
And please take a look at our new website,Bryn Seion Welsh Church
Looking forward to getting the book and the rest!
Chris in Rainy, Unspringlike Portland

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 07 Apr 11 - 09:48 AM

I'll check that out, Chris.

You should get a copy of, "Gemau'r Diwygiad - Gems of the Revival" by Haydn Morris. First printed in 1964, second print in 1982. It has all the biggies, translated into Welsh: I'll be a Sunbeam, What a Friend We Have in Jesus, Count Your Blessings, Trust and Obey, Coming Home, Old Rugged Cross, When the Roll is Called up Yonder, etc. Some 41 of 'em.

Google Books is indeed very good. I use its online version of Edward Jones' Musical and poetical relicks of the Welsh bards. Highly unlikely that I'll ever get a hard copy!

Punkfolkrocker ... could be any of a number of people around them. Even someone like Iris Williams.
Could be Mary Hopkins, or Heather Jones - but there was a lot of 'pop' of that type at the time. And some of those original presses bring in some hefty money. The Welsh group, Yr Hwntws, only recorded one LP in the late '70s (they've just released another last year) and I know that an autographed mint-condition copy can get around £200 on the Continent.

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 07 Apr 11 - 10:16 AM

hi, wish at the we'd thought to write down her name and LP details.

She wasn't a mainstream UK chart artist, and probably recorded for a small Welsh language lable or private LP pressing.

All I can remember is that the LP front cover photo
may have been a close up of her face, against perhaps some kind of rural setting ??? [dark hair ?????]

Anyway from the cover shot we assumed it to be the usual twee pop folk
of the late 60's..

then we heard her voice..

dark smokey sultry soul tones, singing in Welsh, set in an organ prominent rock band arrangement..

She sounded timeless and mysterious..

.. wonder if we'll ever know who she was or be lucky enough to hear her again.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 11 May 11 - 04:57 AM

trac is holding a day of music workshops at the Arad Goch Centre in Aberystwyth on 11 June which some of you might be interested in.

We have two 'streams' flowing at the same time: singing, and guitar.

Singers will have half a day of folk song with Arfon Gwilym and half a day of cerdd dant with Gwenan Gibbard .

There will be separate groups for Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers. Also, the cerdd dant class will be quite basic, but a lot of fun, as you can just about scratch the surface in such a short period of time. The folk song half will also be fun, of course!

The second 'stream' is for guitarists and will be led by Dan KilBride (Yr Hwntws, Taran, The KilBride Brothers, Rag Foundation, et al) with his brother Bernard on fiddle providing a melody line. We know there are a lot of players looking to up-skill from the basic strum in G and Dan's the man to broaden horizons.   

Arad Goch theatre are co-hosting this with trac; their spiffy new centre is on Stryd y Baddon in Aberystwyth – a few minutes walk from the train and bus stations, and block east of the Prom.

Anyone interested in attending should get in touch with trac on 029 2031 8863 by 5 June to reserve a place. Registration is £15.00 in advance, or £20 on the door.

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Sian H
Date: 11 May 11 - 02:56 PM

I think 'Hunting the Hare' is a Welsh song but cant remember the title in Welsh.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Splott Man
Date: 12 May 11 - 04:10 AM

Hela'r Sgwarnog?

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 12 May 11 - 05:16 AM

Yeh, I imagine that's the one Sian H is thinking of, Splotty. There's also another one that Y Glerorfa plays (and is getting popular in sessions) called Hela'r Geinach - another word for 'hare' - but that's only become popular recently. Hela'r Sgwarnog seems to have been popular in the days of Community Songbooks?

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Sian H
Date: 15 May 11 - 09:37 AM

Yes, one of those. The one I'm thinking of goes, in English, 'Oh the yelping of hounds the skelping..' that's the one. Can anyone recomment a recording of either 'Hela'r sgwarnog' or Hela'r Geinach'?

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: sian, west wales
Date: 15 May 11 - 01:18 PM

That's the one Splotty mentioned. It's available on The Session . There seem to be a number of clips of Kate Rusby singing it in English available (google it) too. I only know of one recording of Hela'r Geinach - a completely different tune - done by Y Glerorfa . Unfortunately, the clip on the Sain site only gives you a bit of the first tune in the set and doesn't get as far as Hela'r Geinach.

sian

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Splott Man
Date: 16 May 11 - 03:46 AM

Once you know the name of a tune, you could try JC's tunefinder , I've found it a very useful site.

Subject: RE: Welsh Music
From: Sian H
Date: 18 May 11 - 06:30 PM

thanks for that. I'll try those sites.