"Marwnad yr Ehedydd" ("The Lark's Elegy") is a traditional Welsh folk song. A single verse was published by the Welsh Folk Song Society in 1914.[1] It was attributed to the singing of Edward Vaughan, Plas-rhiw-Saeson, collected by Soley Thomas.

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Words with English translation

There has been speculation that it is one of the oldest existing songs in Welsh, because the lark in the song may be a coded reference to Owain Glyndŵr and could have been written by one of his followers.[2] The single stanza has been 'exploded'[3] into longer songs at least four times. The first was by Enid Parry,[4] adding three more verses about other birds. Her words were also published in two books of Welsh folksongs.[5][6]

A second version was written by Albert Evans-Jones (bardic name Cynan),[7] adding four verses again about other birds.

This second version was used, for example, by Bryn Terfel on CD,[8] and by Arfon Gwilym for Trac Cymru (Folk Development for Wales).[9]

A slightly modified melody, compared to the original field-recording, is used in some publications and recordings.[10]

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In 1979, Myrddin ap Dafydd created a third version of the words, based on the idea of it being about Glyndŵr, for the folk group Plethyn who released it on a cassette entitled 'Blas y Pridd', and subsequently in 1990 on a CD.[11]

During the celebration of the 600th anniversary of Glyndŵr's uprising, Myrddin ap Dafydd wrote a fourth version adding five verses to the original, entitled 'Mawl yr Ehedydd' (The Lark's Eulogy).[12]

References

  1. ↑ Cylchgrawn Alawon Gweryn Cymru (1914) 1:59.
  2. ↑ Myrddin ap Dafydd (2004) Canu Gwerin 27:2-5.
  3. ↑ Prof E Wyn James (2001) 'Ballad implosions and Welsh folk stanzas'. https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/special-collections/subject-guides/welsh-ballads/ballad-implosions
  4. ↑ Enid Parry (1949) Wyth Gân Werin Cardiff: Hughes and Son
  5. ↑ Caneuon Traddodiadol y Cymry, eds Arfon Gwilym, Menai Williams, Daniel Huws (2006) Penygroes: Cwmni Cyhoeddi Gwynn, p.61.
  6. ↑ 100 o Ganeuon Gwerin (2012) ed. Meinir Wyn Edwards, Talybont: Y Lolfa, p.67.
  7. ↑ A Evans-Jones (1967) Cerddi Cynan, third edition, Liverpool: Gwasg y Brython, p. 53.
  8. ↑ Bryn Terfel (2008) Scarborough Fair
  9. ↑ Arfon Gwilym (2018). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLmObaoii0g
  10. ↑ 100 o Ganeuon Gwerin (2012), ed. Meinir Wyn Edwards, Talybont: Y Lolfa, p.67.
  11. ↑ Blas y Pridd/Golau Tan Gwmwl (1990) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9i_Y4oGP-A
  12. ↑ Myrddin ap Dafydd (2004) Canu Gwerin 27:22-5.
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