Diversions (Clymau Cytgerdd) Osian Ellis
	Publisher	Adlais Music Publishers
	Catalogue No.	Adlais 195
	ISMN	979-0-57032-180-3 Study & Set of Parts 979-0-57032-181-0 Score 979-0-57032-182-7 Set of parts
	Edition Date	July 2011
	Score Format	A4 Stapled
	Suitable for	Two advanced pedal harpists
	Buy this music now	Score - £10.00 (single copy)
		Set of Parts - £12.00
		Score & Parts - £20.00
Other music by Osian Ellis

Diversions (Clymau Cytgerdd)
Osian Ellis

Diversions (Clymau Cytgerdd) for two harps were written to commission by the Bangor (North Wales) Committee of Cymdeithas Cerdd Dant as a test piece for its annual competitive festival held at Bangor in 1990. They were recorded by Sain in 1992 (SCD 4038), the composer playing both parts.

1. Chasing (Chwarae Mig)
A 'happy-go-lucky', somewhat quirky movement, with the two harps, in quite distant keys, pursuing each other, as if they were playing 'tag' or 'hide-and-seek'. They eventually collide into each other on the last note of the piece.

2. Descanting (Canu Penillion)
The second movement is based on the unique traditional Welsh art of penillion singing, or Cerdd Dant in which the harpist plays a harmonized melody and a singer (datgeiniad) sets verses in counterpoint (or descant) with the harp. Here the second harp plays the melody (Cainc y Gododdin an original composition by Osian Ellis himself, written in the tradition of the cerdd dant melodies used by Welsh harpists from time immemorial), and the first harp plays the descant as a setting without words. The original words set to this tune by Osian Ellis were Dylan Thomas's poem 'And death shall have no dominion'. This movement is often played separately.

3. Gossiping (Hel Straeon)
Osian Ellis dedicates this movement “with affection, to all my colleagues, both young and old”. Again playing in different keys, the two harps indulge in light-hearted chatter, banter and gossip, tossing nonchalant conversational phrases back and fore from one to the other, but eventually coming together in agreement and a conclusion on a final F major chord.

Ann Griffiths, July 2011

'Diversions' are recorded on SAIN SCD4038, obtainable from www.creightonscollection.co.uk
Originally published by Ossianic Music (1990). Copyright assigned to Adlais 2011