Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'

Subject: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From:
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 02:02 AM

This may be a bit like trying to find snowballs in hell, but is there anyone out there who owns and can play the harp? I need a recording of Dafydd Y Gareg Wen (David and the White Rock), an old Welsh Tune, to use as background for a workshop project I have undertaken. I've got a midi file but a real harp properly played would be so very much better - just 2-3 minutes long, that's all.

Fingers crossed...........................

Frank

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: ciarili
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 03:06 AM

go to a site called audiogalaxy - you can download a teeny little software program that'll let you hunt for music. i don't want to rip any artists off, but when you just want to hear a tune or find out if you like a singer or look for out-of-print stuff, it's very handy! I turned to it for some tunes myself recently.

ciarili

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: ciarili
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 03:07 AM

i should mention, they are mp3s on that site, so unless you are able to convert them to regular audio files or have an mp3 player, you'll only be able to play them on your computer!

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: sian, west wales
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:03 AM

Frank, where are you in N. Wales? I would think we could find you a harper somewhere close to just teach it to you ... I'm at work at present but I can check my recordings tonight - I would think that Elinor Bennet or Robin Huw Bowen would have Dafydd y Garreg Wen on one of their recordings.

sian

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: GUEST,Hello again folks..........
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:31 AM

Ciarili: Thanks for that, Ill go right away and do just that. I should be able to do the file change OK but I would HAVE to get the author's permission to use it - it will be on a national website and very likely on TV ! Thanks for the input

Sian: I am in Gorsedd, near Holywell, North Wales, so I may be a long way from you. If you can locate a recording I would be in your debt for ever, just a 2-3 minute snatch would be fine complete with the musician's info so I can try to get permission to use it! I doubt if I could learn the harp in the three weeks I have left to complete the project I am working on, but you never know!

My email address is the best way of getting hold of me, I'm a guest on here and I don't know how long I am allowed to prattle on! Frank

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: GUEST,ciarili
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 11:40 AM

Hello yet again Ciarili, Can you recall which prog you have been using? There are dozens on audiogalaxy which look promising but I'm not sure which to choose. Thanks Frank

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: sian, west wales
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:09 PM

Dafydd y Garreg Wen is on Robin Huw Bowen's "Hen Aelwyd / Old Hearth", Sain SCD2232 (track 5 along with Ysgubor y Barwn / The Baron's Barn), 5:03. It's also on Elinor Bennett: Telynau a Chan / Folk Songs and Harps, Sain SCD4041, 4:25. Is that what you wanted?

sian

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From:
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 04:41 PM

Thanks Sian.

I'm after the simplest possible rendering of D y G W, no singing, little other accompaniment, just gentle harp, harp and more harp ! Do you know if either of these recordings qualify?

Guess I could do with hearing them really, perhaps I'll have to bob into a record store in Chester and see if they are available to check before buying.

Thanks so much for going to all this trouble for me.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: Helen
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 06:42 PM

Hi Frank,

Another way of finding & listening to the track on CD's is to go to an online music store where quite often they will have audio sample to listen to.

You can search for the song title and it will show you the names of all the CD's they have with that song on it. Look for the English title as well: David of the White Rock.

I have used
CDNow http://www.cdnow.com

and
CD Universe

http://www.cduniverse.com/asp/cdu_main.asp

but there are lots of other online music shops.

That way you can listen to the two tracks Sian recommended and any others you can find in a very short time.

Helen (amateur harper, but not yet clever enough to play solo, although this is one of my very favourite songs in all the world.)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: Helen
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 06:48 PM

It is probably worthwhile to go to The Contemplator's site because Lesley would have (I'm betting because it's a very high probability) one of Barry Taylor's wonderful midi arrangements of the song. Even though you are looking for a real-live harp Barry's arrangements are beautifully simple and yet very special.

Click here

http://www.contemplator.com/

Go to Barry Taylor's Tunebook and look in the Welsh section.

Helen

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: masato sakurai
Date: 09 Apr 02 - 07:40 PM

Harp playing version is on Voyager Series: Celtic Harp. Your can hear the sound clip.

~Masato

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 12:48 AM

Guest Frank, I've just had a listen to the CD Masato suggested (thanks for the heads-up Masato!) and it sounds like it's exactly what you're looking for - good clear playing, nothing extraneous - and is amazingly cheap. I notice that Amazon only has one left in stock though they say they can get more (I'll order it another time...)

There are a couple of other Welsh tracks on it too, and an alternative title for the Lamb's-Fold Hollow is "Let Now The Harp" if that's any use to you - not sure what your project entails.

Best of luck, Bonnie

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From:
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 02:55 AM

While I've been sleeping the night through it would seem that I've been getting a little assistance world-wide ! So - thanks so very much, Sian, Ciarili, Bonnie, Masato and Helen. The information which you all contributed to has helped me no end. I have been to CD now and have ordered both the Robin Huw Bowen and the Voyageur CDs. I just hope they get to me in time for me to complete the project using the music. I am actually doing a project with a 'well known broadcasting company' and the result of all this may be shown on TV or be on theinternet. I'll post details here if all this happens. Thanks so much everyone. If ever I can help any of you just email me - I am pretty nifty with CorelDraw vector hgraphics or with image manipulation in a 'Paint' program, no problem. If you have a Welsh interest please visit one of my websites at: http://members.tripod.co.uk/WebFlint/timepast/home.html where you will find a whole load of images from old postacrds from North Wales. In the URL the 'W' and 'F' have to be capitals or the url won't work. best wishes from sunny North Wales, and thanks again folks. Frank

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Harp help! 'Dafydd y Gareg Wen'
From: sian, west wales
Date: 10 Apr 02 - 05:52 AM

Guess it's a bit late to add another suggestion but Sain published a collection by THE greatest triple harp player, Nancy Richards, some years ago ('in memorium') and I'd be surprised if Dafydd y Garreg Wen wasn't on it. That would be the definitive version. Can't find my copy ...

sian