Sleeve Notes

GWENNI AETH I FFAIR PWLLHELI
Harp, voice - Gwenan
Guitar, bass, bouzar - Maartin

This lively Welsh traditional folk song gives a tongue in cheek account of country girl Gwenni's minor mishaps as she goes about her daily chores. There are many versions of this song, this particular one features in a collection of Welsh folk songs published in 1956 and was the version sung in Dolgellau years ago. It was contributed by Mrs Mair Howells, Aberdâr (previously of Dolgellau).

POLCAS LLEWELYN ALAW
Harp - Gwenan
Guitar - Maartin

Three polkas from the prize-winning collection of Welsh melodies by Llewelyn Alaw (Thomas David Llewelyn, 1828-1879), the harpist from Aberdâr, Glamorgan.

DOD DY LAW
Harp, Voice - Gwenan
Fiddle - Huw

A haunting traditional Welsh love song, collected from the singing of Miss Tydfil Roberts, The Vicarage, Llanerryl, Powys.

LLWYN ONN / HOFFEDD AP HYWEL
Telyn - Gwenan

Llwyn Onn was first published by Edward Jones in The Bardic Museum (1802). This particular version is the Welsh gypsies' version, as played by the renowned Nansi Richards. Hoffedd ap Hywel is a firm favourite with Welsh dancers today, but it was probably a popular slip jig in Englanld as well as Wales, as it was published in The Dancing Masters, one of the English collections of dance tunes.

ADAR MÂN Y MYNYDD
Harp, voice - Gwenan
Bass - Maartin
Flute, whistle - Dafydd

A beautiful yet sad Welsh folk song, collected by John Morris in the Ffestiniog area in the early 20th century. The young man in the song sends a message with the birds of the mountain, to his loved one who is suffering from a 'new disease', probably tuberculosis.

GWCW FACH
Harp, voice - Gwenan
Percussion - Deian

Collected just outside Chicago by the Reverend R Silyn Roberts, Gwcw Fach was published by Robert Bryan in Alawon y Celt '(1905). This song also tells of a bird sent as a love messenger.

NANT Y MYNYDD / BWLCH LLANBERIS
Harp - Gwenan

A well·known tune by the German composer Philipp Friedrich Silcher (1789-1860), by now firmly linked in Wales with the singing of the poet Ceiriog's well loved lyric, Nant y Mynydd, followed by a tune from the collection by Welsh harpist John Parry 'Bardd Alaw': The Welsh Harper, Vol.2 (1848).

Y DELYN / GWENYNEN GWENT
Harp, voice - Gwenan
Guitar - Maartin
Flute - Dafydd

Cerdd Dant or Penillion singing, the unique and ancient Welsh tradition of singing poetry to the accompaniment of the harp. Modern words in praise of the harp are here set to a melody composed by John Parry 'Bardd Alaw'. Practiced in Wales since the earliest centuries, Cerdd Dant is still very much alive and thriving today.

CYSGA DI FY MHLENTYN TLWS
Harp, voice - Gwenan

A well known traditional lullaby noted by Dr J Lloyd Williams from the singing of Mr R Jones, Trefriw, Conwy, and first published in Cylchgrawn Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin Cymru (The Journal of the Welsh Folk Song Society) in 1930.

LWLI LW
Harp, voice - Gwenan

A Welsh lullaby set on a Polish traditional melody.

PAIDÂ'M TWYLLO
Harp - Gwenan
Fiddle - Huw

A charmingly simple melody from Nicholas Bennett's collection Alawon fy Ngwlad (1896).

TY A GARDD
Triple Harp - Gwenan
Guitar - Maartin

A traditional Danish tune, made popular in Wales by J Glyn Davies' version with Welsh words, published in Cerddi Robin Goch, 1934.

Y DERYN DU
Voice - Gwenan

I learnt this song from Menna Thomas who in turn learnt it from the reseacher and singer Daniel Huws. A simple but beautiful account of a young girl's longing for her loved one and her mission to find him alive and well, with the help of her love messenger, the faithful blackbird.

CAINC Y DATGEINIAD / Y DELYN NEWYDD
Harp - Gwenan
Guitar, Bass - Maartin
Fiddle - Stephen

This first tune is another original composition by John Parry 'Bardd Alaw', and is a tune often used for singing Cerdd Dant. Y Delyn Newydd was composed by Dafydd Roberts 'Telynor Mawddwy', one of the last of the Llanofer harpists.