neidr
alaw, dwy gân a stori
a tune, two songs and a story
neidr (snake) was recorded one summer afternoon in a studio made out straw bales in a green field in the Vale of Glamorgan. For the first time, the national Eisteddfod had a Maes Gwyrdd (Green Field), run by the folks from Coed Hills, and Donal Whelan of Hafod Mastering built his Stiwdio Gwellt (Straw Bale Studio) and invited artists who were performing during the week to drop by and record. I had been asked to tell stories on the Maes Gwyrdd, and Donal suggested I record a story. On the day in question, as well as doing my storytelling performances, I found myself participating in a lecture on Tribannau Morgannwg (a traditional verse typical of Glamorgan, commonly song by plough-boys to their yokes of oxen) with Twm Morys. As we chatted beforehand, I sang Cân yr Ychen to Twm, a ploughing song that is in my repertoire.
**
The first track, Elyrch yr Ynys (The Swans of the Island) is a meditation in the dorian mode on the eighteenth century harp-melody Tôn Alarch (The Swan’s Note) – something that I had made to go with a tale I had told that afternoon of two swan-maidens who took human form and married local lads from Rhoose and Cadoxton, only fly away and leave them years later …
This is followed by Cân yr Ychen (Song of the Oxen), which was fresh in my mind from the conversation with Twm earlier that afternoon.
Then the story Modrwy y Neidr (The Snake Ring), based on a tradition from the village of Penmark, only a few miles from the spot from where the recording was made. As I went in to record it, Twm Morys and Geraint Løvgreen asked what story I was going to tell. I told them to come in and hear for themselves, so they were my audience as the recording was made.
Marwnad yr Hedydd (The Elegy for the Lark) is a song that I have been singing since almost forever. Actually recorded before the story and other song, it’s elegiac tone seemed right to conclude the CD.
**
So there you have it. A little record of a moment in time (or at least a sunny afternoon), a place, a mood …
The EO CD neidr: alaw, dwy gan a stori / a tune, two songs and a story
is available from Spillers Records, Cardiff, or direct from Guto
The tracks from neidr can also be heard and downloaded at:
http://stiwdiogwellt.com/track/chwedl-modrwy-y-neidr
alaw, dwy gân a stori
a tune, two songs and a story
neidr (snake) was recorded one summer afternoon in a studio made out straw bales in a green field in the Vale of Glamorgan. For the first time, the national Eisteddfod had a Maes Gwyrdd (Green Field), run by the folks from Coed Hills, and Donal Whelan of Hafod Mastering built his Stiwdio Gwellt (Straw Bale Studio) and invited artists who were performing during the week to drop by and record. I had been asked to tell stories on the Maes Gwyrdd, and Donal suggested I record a story. On the day in question, as well as doing my storytelling performances, I found myself participating in a lecture on Tribannau Morgannwg (a traditional verse typical of Glamorgan, commonly song by plough-boys to their yokes of oxen) with Twm Morys. As we chatted beforehand, I sang Cân yr Ychen to Twm, a ploughing song that is in my repertoire.
**
The first track, Elyrch yr Ynys (The Swans of the Island) is a meditation in the dorian mode on the eighteenth century harp-melody Tôn Alarch (The Swan’s Note) – something that I had made to go with a tale I had told that afternoon of two swan-maidens who took human form and married local lads from Rhoose and Cadoxton, only fly away and leave them years later …
This is followed by Cân yr Ychen (Song of the Oxen), which was fresh in my mind from the conversation with Twm earlier that afternoon.
Then the story Modrwy y Neidr (The Snake Ring), based on a tradition from the village of Penmark, only a few miles from the spot from where the recording was made. As I went in to record it, Twm Morys and Geraint Løvgreen asked what story I was going to tell. I told them to come in and hear for themselves, so they were my audience as the recording was made.
Marwnad yr Hedydd (The Elegy for the Lark) is a song that I have been singing since almost forever. Actually recorded before the story and other song, it’s elegiac tone seemed right to conclude the CD.
**
So there you have it. A little record of a moment in time (or at least a sunny afternoon), a place, a mood …
The EO CD neidr: alaw, dwy gan a stori / a tune, two songs and a story
is available from Spillers Records, Cardiff, or direct from Guto
The tracks from neidr can also be heard and downloaded at:
http://stiwdiogwellt.com/track/chwedl-modrwy-y-neidr
