My previous two posts were transcriptions of songs entabulated by Adrian Le Roy in the 1550s. I must admit that I found them difficult to understand and (to my simple ears) not much like songs.
So, I decided to start with a song I know well, and transcribe it myself. The words of the song, added much later, concern an ailing harpist playing his last tune before he dies. Not a cheerful subject, but a wonderful melody.
Although of chordal structure, it can be harmonised in many ways, and I have chosen two versions as a basis for my own. In the arrangements (see links below) they are preceded by a statement of the melody and lyrics. The lyrics were written by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832 - 1837) who was sometimes known as the “Welsh Wordsworth” for his unaffected style.
The first arrangement is based on a version for (appropriately) harp by John Thomas who was harpist to Queen Victoria. I publish here only the melody and something approaching Thomas' harmonies: the introduction and variations are not really suitable for the ukulele.
The second arrangement is based on a version by Harold Davidson in a community songbook published almost 100 years ago. The harmonies make use of more minor chords, and seem more appropriate to the sentiment of the piece. It concludes with my attempt at writing a variation in the style of Renaissance divisions, whilst using harp-like patterns as far as I can achieve them on 4 strings.
Normally only the first two verses are used, but I have downloaded all five of them and made an attempt at a literal translation. You can see them both in the transcriptions and at the foot of this page.
Available for free download in the following formats:
The sources are:
1. John Thomas in Welsh melodies for the harp. London, Edwin Ashdown, c 1890.
2. Harold Davidson in Daily Express community song book, Ed. John Goss, London, 1927.
3. https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Dafydd_y_Garreg_Wen
REFERENCES
1. Bryn Terfel sings the song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dKbGNBYi2k
2. An article on the “Welsh” triple harp: http://teires.tth7.co.uk/en/triple-harp.php
3. The original words: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3500
LYRICS
WELSH WORDS by John Ceiriog Hughes
'Cariwch', medd Dafydd, 'fy nhelyn i mi,
Ceisiaf cyn marw roi tôn arni hi.
Codwch fy nwylo i gyraedd y tant;
Duw a'ch bendithio fy ngweddw a'm plant!'
'Neithiwr mi glywais lais angel fel hyn:
"Dafydd, tyrd adref, a chwarae trwy'r glyn!"
Delyn fy mebyd, ffarwel i dy dant!
Duw a'ch bendithio fy ngweddw a'm plant!'
“Estynwyd y delyn, yr hon yn ddioed
Ollyngodd alawon na chlywsid erioed;
’Roedd pob tant yn canu’i ffarweliad ei hun,
A Dafydd yn marw wrth gyffwrdd pob un.
“O! cleddwch fi gartref yn hen Ynys Fôn,
Yn llwch y Derwyddon, a hon fyddo’r dôn,
“Y dydd y’m gosodir fi’n isel fy mhen,”—
A’i fysedd chwareuant yr “Hen Garreg Wen.”
Roedd Dafydd yn marw, pan safem yn fud
I wylio datodiad rhwng bywyd a byd;
Yn sŵn yr hen delyn gogwyddodd ei ben,
Ac angau rodd fywyd i’r “Hen Garreg Wen.”
From: John Ceiriog Hughes, Ceiriog, Gutenberg Press.
______
DIRECT TRANSLATION (very literal)
‘Carry’, said David, ‘My harp to me,
I want before dying to make a tune on it.’
‘Lift my hands to reach the strings,
O God bless you, my widow and children.’
‘Last night I heard the voice of an angel like this:
“Dafydd come home to play through the valley”.
Harp of my youth, farewell to your music [or strings],
O God bless you, my widow and children.’
The harp was passed to him without delay
And released a melody never before heard;
Each string singing to say its own farewell,
And Dafydd dies [fades] at the touch of each one.
‘Oh, bury me home in ancient Ynys Môn [Anglesey]
In the dust of the Druids, and this will be my tune,
The day I am laid low [dead and buried]’ –
And his fingers played the “Old White Rock”.
Dafydd was dying, and we fell silent
To see him released between life and the earth;
At the sound of the harp he tilted [dropped] his head,
And death gave life to the “Old White Rock”.
