Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)

Subject: Lyr Add: BETHLEHEM / HOSANNA FAWR (Welsh carol)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 11:14 AM

I happened across a clip of a nice Welsh carol, but had some difficulty tracking it down. The singers call it "Hosanna[h] fawr" ("Great Hosanna"). I was only able to find it in one place: at Google Books in Emyniadur yr Eglwys yng Nghymru (? Hymnal of the Church of Wales, p.32, #89 (133), with score) ed. by Daniel Lewis Lloyd; Bangor, 1901. Since Google's plain-text feature doesn't render the text, I've transcribed it here, to save you the trouble. My notes and attempted translations are in brackets; voicing indications have been omitted.


BETHLEHEM.        M.C.                Hen Alaw. [Old tune]
                                Trefn. H. S. Irons. [Arranged by...]

[score placed here]

89.(133)
Pa beth yw'r mawl a'r canu mwyn
Cyn toriad gwawr y dydd?
Newyddion da sy'n cael eu dwyn
Fod dyn yn awr yn rhydd;

        [Chorus]*
  Ymunwn ninnau yma'n awr
  Ar gyhoedd yn y gân
  A seiniwn fwyn Hosanna fawr
  O glod i'r Baban glân

Dros lawer blwydd bu disgwyl blin
Am wel'd y Dwyfol Air;
Wel daew'r Baban bach ar lin
Y fwynaidd Forwyn Fair.

Efe yw'r Prophwyd, Ef yw'r Sant,
Gogoniant Israel Duw;
Efe yw Prynwr mawr Ei blant,
A Christ yr Arglwydd yw.

Gadwodd wlad y nefol wledd,
Yr ardal brydferth fry,
A daeth i boen, a'i daith i'r bedd
I'n dwyn yn ol i'w dŷ.

Tywyna Seren uwch y dref,
Fel lamp yn nheml Duw,
I ddadgan geni Brenin nef
Yn Geidwad dynol ryw.

Ehedai Engyl disglaer Ion
I lawr at Bethlem dref;
A chanent ar soniarus dôn
Fawl Ei Nadolig Ef.

Gogoniant yn yr uchel Sedd
I Enw mawr ein Duw,
Ac ar y ddaiar hyfryd hedd
O ras i ddynol ryw. Amen.
                J.W. ab L

* Caner y geiriau hyn ar ol pob un o'r peuillion dilynol.
[? Repeat these words after each of the subsequent verses.]

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: sian, west wales
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 04:13 PM

Just one small correction in the second verse: Wel dacw'r Baban bach ar lin.

Nice carol, this one; bit of swing to it. It's from a collection of T Cilwern Davies, Llanymawddwy, 1882. Words by Ab Ithel. There are a total of 10 verses and these days they tend to be sung 2-verses-chorus-2-verses-etc. Moves it along faster. And in a 'real' Plygain service, where everyone has very long carols, moving along is a blessing. Parti Fronheulog has cut it down to five 4-line verses but I wouldn't be surprised if they go the full distance in a service.

The best collection of Plygain carols currently available is "Hen Carolau Cymru" (60 carols) published by Gwynn publishing. ISBN 0-900426-95-0. Hosanna Fawr is in it.

sian

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 05:22 PM

Thanks for catching that. I'd be surprised if that's my only transcription error—I was too lazy to proof carefully, and not knowing Welsh... For instance, I just noticed, based on what you wrote, that at the bottom it's actually "J.W. ab I." (John Williams [aka.] ab Ithel, 1811-1862).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 04 Dec 09 - 05:56 PM

I went to a Plygain carol service last year - amazing. Dunno where you're based, Artful Codger, but if you ever have the chance to experience the carols live I would highly recommend it. The harmonies are hair-raising, and the small groups of friends or family who get up to sing their songs are all so different. Above all, it's very much a community event. A unique and lovely experience all round.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: sian, west wales
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 12:54 PM

AC, I think you did a crackin' good job. Left a few ^s out but they're problematic at best (typing-wise).

Ruth, where did you catch a service? Some of the 'new' ones are just carol services - which is a tremendous pity - but it sounds like you went to a 'proper' old fashioned one. Those are really thrilling, as you say.

sian

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 05 Dec 09 - 03:20 PM

It was a proper old fashioned one, Sian. I can't remember the name of the village, but I will check. Rhiannon Ifans took us there - do you know her? She's an expert on Plygain and she took us to this particular service because it is very representative of the tradition, and because Ian Russell was looking for guests to attend last year's Festival of Village Carols in Sheffield. So we drove out to this tiny chapel in the Welsh countryside, and attended the service, and afterwards we were invited to the supper in the school next door, where everyone was very kind and welcoming. I was particularly impressed by one old chap, a farmer with fantastic whiskers, who sang with his two teenage grandchildren. It was brilliant.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: sian, west wales
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 09:27 AM

Yes, I know Rhiannon very well. I've used her on a number of occasions to run Plygain workshops. If she took you, it was a bona fide Plygain!

sian

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 11:36 AM

Typing in the circumflexes is not a problem; I put in all of them that were in my source. If you can point out the missing ones, or supply the other three verses, by all means...

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: Ruth Archer
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 12:05 PM

I should add, Sian, that she was actually taking Ian to the service - I was really only along for the ride, as my partner was doing the driving! But it felt like a real privilege.

The group Rhiannon sings with then came along to the Sheffield Carols festival last year, so lots of English carolling enthusiasts got to hear the lovely songs from your tradition. :)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol
From: Genie
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:11 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol
From: Genie
Date: 07 Dec 09 - 02:12 PM

Sorry 'bout that blank post. I meant to hit "Add To Tracer."

Subject: Tune Add: BETHLEHEM / HOSANNA FAWR (Welsh carol)
From: Artful Codger
Date: 08 Nov 10 - 03:56 AM

The "Bethlehem" score gives an entirely different tune than is sung in the YouTube clip I linked to at the top of this thread, so I've transcribed them both to ABC below; MIDIs to follow.

  X:1
  T:Hosanna Fawr (Great Hosanna)
  S:From the singing of Parti Bronheulog (choral group)
  Z:Transcribed by Robert Wahl
  M:none   % (6 or 9) / 8
  L:1/8
  Q:1/3=84
  K:A
   C | B,2C D2D | C2D E2E | ^D2E FB A | (G2A B3-B) z G |
  w: Pa beth yw'r mawl a'r ca-nu mwyn  Cyn tor-iad gwawr* y dydd?___  New-
   A2B c^B c | A2G F2F | G2F Gc B | A3 "^Chorus"z2 G AB c |
  w: ydd-ion da* sy'n cael eu dwyn  Fod dyn yn awr* yn rhydd;  Ym-yn-*wn
   F3-F2 d c2^B | c3-cz c BcB | A3-Az B c2d |
  w: nin-_nau ym-a'n awr_  Ar gyh-oedd yn_ y g\^an, y
   B3-Bz A Gc B | A3-A2 B c2 c | d6-|
  w: g\^an,_  A sein-*iwn fwyn_ Ho-san-na fawr_
   d Hz d  cd c | B3 G2 G Gc B | A6 z2 ||
  w: * O glod* i'r Ba-ban, i'r Ba-*ban gl\^an.
  
  
  X:2
  T:Hosanna Fawr (tune: Bethlehem)
  C:arr. H.S. irons.
  S:Emyniadur yr Eglwys yng Nghymru (Hymnal for the Church of Wales)
  M:C
  L:1/4
  Q:1/4=144
  K:G
   G2 G/A/ B/d/ | d2 G2 | (F/G/ A/B/ c) B | A3 A | d3 G | F2 E2 |
  w: Pa beth* yw'r* mawl a'r can-____u mwyn, Cyn tor-iad gwawr y
   D3 || B/c/ |: d d d c | B/A/ B/c/ B d | G G G F |
  w: dydd?  New-*ydd-ion da sy'n cael* ei* dwyn, New-ydd-ion da sy'n
  w: * (Ym\-)*un-wn nin-nau ym-*a'n* awr, Ym- un-wn nin-nau
   E/D/ E/F/ E d | e d c B | A3 A | d d d c |
  w: cael* ei* dwyn,  Fod dyn yn awr yn rhydd; New-*ydd-ion da sy'n
  w: ym-a'n awr  Ar gyh-oedd yn* y* g\^an, A sein-iwn fwyn Ho-
   B/A/ B/c/ B c/d/ | e3 d/c/ | B2 A2 |1 G3 B/c/ :|2 G4 ||
  w: cael* ei* dwyn Fod* dyn yn* awr yn rhydd;  Ym-_
  w: san-*na* fawr O* glod i'r* Ba-ban*** gl\^an.
  

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Bethlehem / Hosanna fawr (Welsh carol)
From: GUEST,Jason Green
Date: 18 Dec 15 - 03:25 PM

Building on Robert's work and lots of listening, I've transcribed the other three parts of the Parti Bronheulog tune.

X:1
T:Hosanna Fawr (Great Hosanna)
Z:Transcribed by Robert Wahl (S) and Jason Green (ATB)
%%score ( 1 2 ) ( 3 4 )
L:1/8
Q:1/4=112
M:none
I:linebreak $
K:Amaj
V:1 treble
V:2 treble
V:3 bass
%%MIDI program 0
V:4 bass
%%MIDI program 0
V:1
C |[M:6/8] B,2 C D2 D | C2 D E2 E | ^D2 E (FB) A |$[M:9/8] (G2 A B3- B) z G | %5
w: Pa|beth yw'r mawl a'r|ca- nu mwyn Cyn|tor- iad gwawr * y|dydd? * * * New-|
[M:6/8] A2 B (c^B) c | A2 G F2 F |$ G2 F (Gc) B |[M:9/8] A3"^Chorus" z2 E (BB) z | %9
w: ydd- ion da * sy'n|cael eu dwyn Fod|dyn yn awr * yn|rhydd; Ym- yn- *|
F3- F2 d c2 ^B |$ c3- c z c (Bc)B | A3- A2 B c2 d | B3- B z A (Gc) B |$ A3- A2 B c2 c | %14
w: nin- * nau ym- a'n|awr * Ar gyh _ oedd|yn * y g�n y|g�n * A sein- * iwn|fwyn * Ho- san- na|
[M:6/8] d6- | d z d (cd) c |$[M:9/8] B3 G2 G (Gc) B | A6 z2 x || %18
w: fawr|* O glod * i'r|Ba- ban, i'r Ba- * ban|gl�n|
V:2
A, |[M:6/8] G,2 A, B,2 B, | A,2 B, C2 C | C2 C =D2 D |$[M:9/8] E6- E z E |[M:6/8] E2 G (AG)A | %6
F2 E D2 D |$ E2 E E2 E |[M:9/8] E3 z2 E A2 [Ac] | F3 F2 B A2 G |$ A3- A z A GAG | F3- F2 G A2 F | %12
G3- G z E E2 E |$ E3- E2 G A2 A |[M:6/8] A6- | A z A A2 A |$[M:9/8] G3 G2 G EGG | E6 z2 z || %18
V:3
E, |[M:6/8] E,2 E, E,2 E, | E,2 E, A,2 A, | A,2 A, (A,D)C |$[M:9/8] (B,2 C D3- D) z B, | %5
[M:6/8] C2 D (E^D)E | A,2 A, A,2 A, |$ B,2 A, (B,E)D |[M:9/8] C3 z2 E CDE | A,3- A,2 F E2 ^D |$ %10
E3- E z E DED | C3- C2 E E2 D | E3- E z C B,ED |$ C3- C2 E E2 E |[M:6/8] F6- | F z F (EF)E |$ %16
[M:9/8] D3 D2 C (B,E)D | C6 z2 x || %18
V:4
A,, |[M:6/8] E,2 E, E,2 E, | A,,2 A,, A,,2 A,, | A,,2 A,, D,2 D, |$[M:9/8] E,6- E, z E, | %5
w: |||||
[M:6/8] A,,2 A,, (A,,B,,)C, | D,2 D, D,2 D, |$ E,2 E, E,2 E, |[M:9/8] A,,3 z2 A,, A,,2 A,, | %9
w: |||* Ym- yn- wn|
D,2 D, D,2 D, z2 z |$ A,2 A, A,2 z z2 E, | F,2 F, F,2 E, A,2 D, | E,3- E, z z z z E, |$ %13
w: nin wn nin- nau|ym- a'n awr Ar|gy- hoedd yn * * *|* * A|
A,,2 A,, A,,2 z z2 A,, |[M:6/8] D,2 D, D,3- | D, z z z z D, |$[M:9/8] E,3 E,3 E,2 E, | %17
w: sein- iwn fwyn Ho-|san- nah fawr|* O|glod i'r Ba- ban|
A,,6 z2 x || %18
w: gl�n|