The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #80896   Message #1478215
Posted By: sian, west wales
04-May-05 - 05:45 PM
Thread Name: Cwm Rhondda Why?
Subject: RE: Cwm Rhondda Why?
Cwm Rhondda: originally called "Rhondda", written for a Baptist Gymanfa Ganu, Pontypridd 1905 ... which is at the bottom end of the Rhondda Valley. It is said that, by the time he died in 1932 the tune had been sung in over 5,000 Cymanfaoedd Canu (singing festivals).

Hyfrydol: by Rowland Hugh Pritchard (1811 - 1887). Published in a number of collections and, in 1914, in The Daily Mail when Lloyd George was at the height of his popularity and there was a demand for singing Welsh tunes in the meetings he was addressing. Pritchard was a tailor in Bala (moving later to Treffynnon) and composed a large number of religious works, although Hyfrydol is the only one that remained popular.

To^n y Botel's real title is Ebenezer, composed by Thomas John Williams (1869- 1944) in 1896 (although this went through a period of dispute) and is considered one of the great tunes of the 1904 Revival.    Published in a number of collections; in "Church Hymnary" to "What a Friend we have in Jesus"! (???)   Our friend, The Daily Mail, published a story that it had been discovered washed to shore in a bottle, hence the name. Williams was from Ynysmeudwy and became an organist in Llanelli. Later moved to Pontardawe and was a member in Ebenezer Chapel - hence the name.

The above, edited and translated from Huw Williams' 2 books on Welsh tunes and their authors.

siân