Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath

Subject: Lyr Add: BLODAU'R GRUG
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Mar 11 - 09:46 AM

Musical notation for THE FLOWERS OF THE HEATH, arranged for one voice and piano, with English lyrics, can be found in Songs of Britain, edited by Frank Kidson and Martin Shaw (New York: Boosey & Co., 1913), page 116.

The following text is from Cymru'r Plant, Volume 10, No. 116 (Gwrecsam: Hughes a'i Fab, August, 1901), page 230:


BLODAU'R GRUG.
(BUDDUGOL YN SARON, LLANGELER.)

O mor hael yw Awdwr natur
Gyda'i flodau o bob rhyw,
Maent i ni fel engyl cysur
Ar ein taith ar dir y byw;
Blodau'r grug a'n swyna'n hollol
O dan wên y boreu gwyn,
Mewn dinodedd, mor ddeniadol
Ydyw gwedd y blodau hyn.

Nid ar brif-ffyrdd rhoed eu tegwch
Byw, i swyno llygad dyn,
Ond ar lwybrau yr anialwch
'Nol ewyllys Duw ei hun;
Os yw'r rhos a'r lili geinwedd
Yn rhodfeydd y palas draw,
Blodau'r grug dan wisg o symledd
Garia'r bugail yn ei law.

Dan wrid ysgafn ymddanghosant
Dan belydrau Haf o hyd,
O dan farrug Hydref gwenant
Mewn gogoniant ar y byd;
Rhwng yr eithin maent yn ffurfio
Gwych olygfa dros y wlad,
Dyma'r maes i'r gwenyn sugno
Diliau mel o'u gruddiau mad.

Trem ar flodau'r grug a ddeffry
Hen adgofion dan fy mron,
Mynych maent yn portreadu
Dyddiau dedwydd mebyd lion;
O dan faich pryderon luoedd
Seibiant i fy mynwes ddug,
Unigeddau y mynyddoedd
Yng nghwmpeini blodau'r grug.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 06:14 PM

Sian, I bet those words came from contemplator's site:

http://www.contemplator.com/folk.html

To tell you the truth, I don't think they fit the tune very well. I doubt whether there ever were any Welsh words for it.

By the way, everybody, the Contemplator site is a wonderful source of beautiful tunes, beautifully arranged, suitable for many instruments. (Ask the Easter Bunny to put some MIDI software in your basket in lieu of candy this year.)

Thanks, Lesley and Barry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: RunrigFan
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 03:39 PM

I think Heather Flowers is Blodau'r Grug according to google

Flowers Of The Heath


Blodau o'r gweundir - Flower of the heath - google again

Subject: Lyr Add: FLOWERS OF THE HEATH
From: RunrigFan
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 03:10 PM

words are here

FLOWERS OF THE HEATH

The violet and the primrose too
Beneath a sheltering thorny bough
In bright and lively colours blow
And cast sweet fragrance round.
Where beds of thyme in clusters lay
The heath rose opens its eyes in May
And cowslips, too, their sweets display
Upon the heathy ground.

Here shepherds meet at close of day
To chant their merry roundelay
And chase unhappy thought away
No discord here is found.
Harmonious notes make mountains ring
When minstrels strike the trembling string
And merry shepherds dance and sing
Upon the heathy ground.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: sian, west wales
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 02:23 PM

OK - but where are you finding the words, even the English ones?

sian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 11:05 AM

Here's a page that has the music for the curious (like me) who want to know what it sounds like. It's a charming tune.

blodaur grug

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: sian, west wales
Date: 25 Feb 11 - 05:16 AM

Could you put up the English words and the source? I know Blodau'r Grug as a tune; can't think what the words would be. Might recognize them from the Welsh.

I think Cymdeithas Madog has a CD-with-book designed specifically for learners. Not perfect, but a damn good stab at it but an excellent approach and very useful.

sian

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: Chris in Portland
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 03:22 PM

Meghan - I'm in the US, learning Welsh from the SSIW website. I have found that there are a number of non-traditional Welsh songs that are interesting to sing, especially the songs of Plethyn, and particularly those with the the lyrics of the Welsh poet, Myrrdin ap Dafydd. If you join Mudcat, there are a number of folks who can message you with ideas.
None of the books I have give Welsh words to Blodau, but I'm sure that you can find lots of helpful folks here.
Welsh is a great language to sing in because of the extra vowels.
Chris in Portland

Subject: Lyr Req: Blodau'r Grug / Flowers of the Heath
From: GUEST,Meghan
Date: 24 Feb 11 - 01:35 PM

I recently took up learning Welsh, and have been tracking down Welsh folk songs to listen to as a means of getting used to the sound. The song "Blodau'r Grug (Flowers of the Heath)" has been mentioned to me several times, but the only lyrics I can find are the English translation.

Could someone point me in the direction of the Welsh words to this song?