Pennod 6 Cerys Matthews a'r Goeden Faled

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-I'm Cerys Matthews.

-I've been collecting music

-all my life.

-Music covers the spectrum

-of human experience.

-It reveals secrets

-and opens amazing doors...

-..when we travel back to its roots.

-# There stands the magnificent oak

-# Tw rymdi-ro rymdi radl-idl-al

-# I shall shelter in its shadow

-# Until my sweetheart

-comes to meet me

-# Fal-di radl-idl-al

-# Fal-di radl-idl-al

-# Tw rymdi-ro rymdi radl-idl-al #

-# "I have no friend

-in this cold world #

-Tony ac Aloma in the 1970s...

-..performing one of my favourite

-ballads, Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod.

-Singing ballads was a common way

-of sharing music in Britain...

-..in the 18th and 19th centuries.

-Instead of downloading songs

-like we do now...

-..they could buy them

-in pamphlets on the street.

-These ballads were full of drama

-and excitement...

-..and were sometimes very sad,

-like Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod.

-It's about a young woman who dies.

-Ballads were the equivalent

-of our social media.

-They were used to share news

-about events and incidents.

-The ballad pamphlets are an

-extremely interesting phenomenon...

-..in 18th and 19th century Wales.

-Popular songs were produced

-on little pamphlets...

-..usually about eight pages long.

-A typical pamphlet

-included about three songs.

-Balladeers would travel from fair

-to fair around the country...

-..and would sometimes sell

-thousands of these pamphlets.

-Dic Dywyll was one of the most

-prominent balladeers...

-..in the early 19th century.

-He spent a lot of time in Merthyr

-because of the high population.

-Most people spoke Welsh.

-He would sell maybe 2,000 pamphlets

-on pay day in Merthyr.

-They could earn a fortune.

-This ballad was popular amongst

-servants in the stable lofts.

-This tradition was unique to parts

-of Wales in the late 19th century...

-..and the early 20th century.

-Servants were employed on the farm

-and lived in the stable loft.

-Stable loft

-# I'll tell you the story

-of a girl from Lleyn #

-One of the last stable loft servants

-in Lleyn was Harri Richards.

-He is also one of our

-most important balladeers.

-# On the rosy cheeks of his lover #

-I worked on Neigwl Ucha farm.

-I worked on the same farm

-for 47 years.

-I didn't live in the stable loft

-for that long. I got married.

-It was a good life nevertheless.

-No-one would ask where you'd been

-when you arrived home!

-Someone was there

-to keep an eye on him.

-His older brother, Emlyn, shared the

-stable loft with him for 10 years.

-It was quite a hard life.

-I'm not complaining about it.

-But we had no other option. We were

-destined to be farm servants.

-We accepted it and we enjoyed it

-at fourteen years of age.

-It was the most basic lifestyle

-anyone could imagine.

-We had a bucket to wash.

-We had only cold water

-all year long.

-There was a lump of smelly red soap.

-There was also a pot of Brylcreem

-in the last few years.

-It was in very poor condition...

-..and as unprosperous a place

-as you could possibly imagine.

-Yet it was a happy place.

-Of course, singing

-was a very important part...

-..of life in the stable lofts.

-Entertainment was very important

-in the stable lofts.

-On the way back from an employment

-fair in Pwllheli in 1914...

-..J Lloyd Williams, one of Wales'

-main collectors of folk songs...

-..heard the servants

-on the train...

-..singing Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod

-for the first time.

-We always went to Pwllheli

-on the bus.

-We'd catch the ten o'clock bus home.

-The bike would be parked

-somewhere nearby.

-You'd then ride your bike back

-to the farm where you worked.

-# By Dee's deep river bank so fair #

-We'd sing as we rode our bikes.

-Especially if we were happy

-after a jolly evening...

-..it was natural to sing.

-A song I often used to sing

-was Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod.

-# "I have no friend

-in this cold world #

-Even though it was a very sad song,

-we still used to sing it.

-That's the reason why some songs

-live longer than others.

-# "Of the Rejected Maiden" #

-The ballad talks about

-an unnamed girl...

-..who is rejected

-by her lover and her family.

-"I have no friend

-in this cold world

-"Nor home, nor mother tender

-"My father's doors

-to me are closed

-"In there I must not enter"

-In the second verse, there is a hint

-she might be pregnant.

-"On love's hard altar I've been cast

-"Alas! no more a maiden

-"And hence

-I'm weeping here tonight

-"Rejected and forgotten"

-How would a pregnant woman

-who was unmarried...

-..be treated in the 19th century?

-The family

-of a pregnant woman...

-..would consider it

-a great dishonour on the family.

-The first thing they would do is try

-to persuade the young woman...

-..to reveal the father's name.

-They would want her to marry him.

-That would happen very often.

-That could also lead to dull

-and unhappy marriages for the women.

-Sometimes, the woman

-would be thrown out of her home...

-..and would have go to a workhouse

-to have the baby.

-The position of such women

-within society was very low.

-The ballad has a sad ending

-as the young woman drowns herself.

-"But thinking of

-your treach'rous words

-"Makes life to me a terror

-"O! river Dee, receive thou me

-"There's rest beneath thy water"

-Suicide was considered

-to be a disgrace...

-..on the same level as babies

-not christened or murderers.

-In the case of a suicide,

-the body wasn't allowed...

-..to enter the cemetery

-through the gates.

-Rather, it was carried

-over the wall.

-There would be

-no religious service...

-..only "earth to earth,

-ashes to ashes."

-They would be buried on the northern

-side of the church, Satan's side.

-There is some evidence to suggest

-they were buried...

-..with their feet pointing westwards

-rather than eastwards...

-..so that they were unable to stand

-up for salvation on Judgement Day.

-This famous ballad was written by

-John Jones, or Llew o'r Wern...

-..from Edeyrnion Valley.

-It was based on the sad story

-of Jane Williams...

-..from Ty'n-y-Caeau farm, Cynwyd.

-But do the lyrics

-reflect the true story?

-During the last few years, there has

-been great interest in this story.

-New evidence has been discovered

-about Yr Eneth Gadd Ei Gwrthod.

-The late Ernest Jones

-from Blaenau Ffestiniog...

-..discovered that she drowned

-in the River Dee in Chester.

-Not, as people believed to be

-the case, in the Cynwyd area.

-She worked as a cook for

-a Mrs Chivar in Queen's Park.

-She was in love

-with a railway porter.

-But as we can read in the paper,

-her love was unrequited.

-The pair had fallen out.

-They met for the final time

-on 28 July, 1868.

-They left each other happy.

-She doesn't return home.

-The following day, on 29 July...

-..a woman's clothes

-are discovered near the river.

-A big search is initiated

-and on the morning of 30 July...

-..her body is discovered

-in the River Dee.

-Later that afternoon...

-..the coroner states that she was

-discovered drowned in the river.

-There is no mention of suicide.

-But in the song, it seems quite

-likely to be a case of suicide.

-There is also no mention

-of her being pregnant.

-Yet once again, in the ballad,

-this seems to be the suggestion.

-On 1 August, Jane Williams

-was buried at Cynwyd cemetery.

-In the ballad, there is mention

-of a note in her hand.

-"Make my grave in some lone spot"

-"Raise there no stone

-to mark the grave"

-But there is a stone

-to mark Jane's life.

-The ballad, although not factually

-correct, is still sung today.

-Mason Neely accompanies me

-on the guitar.

-# By Dee's deep river bank so fair

-# A fair maid sat lamenting

-# And saying with a mournful air

-# "My heart is almost breaking

-# "I have no friend

-in this cold world

-# "Nor home, nor mother tender

-# "My father's doors

-to me are closed

-# "In there I must not enter

-# "Cold scornful fingers point at me

-# "And taunt me with my weakness

-# "My life's young bark is overswept

-# "And buried 'neath the breakers

-# "On love's hard altar

-I've been cast

-# "Alas! No more a maiden

-# "And hence

-I'm weeping here tonight

-# "Rejected and forgotten

-# "My thoughts are ever running on

-# "To days of judgement heavy

-# "And this remember, wicked man

-# "At God's throne you must meet me

-# "But thinking of

-your treach'rous words

-# "Makes life to me a terror

-# "O! River Dee, receive thou me

-# "There's rest beneath thy water"

-# Next morning

-her cold corpse was found

-# Floating upon the river

-# Grasped in her fingers

-damp and chill

-# They found a hasty letter

-# "Make my grave in some lone spot

-# "Where I in peace may rest in

-# "Raise there no stone

-to mark the grave

-# "Of the Rejected Maiden" #

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-In this series, I've spoken often

-about ballads travelling...

-..and we sometimes adopt tunes

-and come to believe they are Welsh.

-Many have travelled

-from Scandinavia.

-Llongau Caernarfon is one example.

-But one other song

-has made such an impression...

-..we consider it our second anthem.

-The tune is Finlandia...

-..and the lyrics are Gweddi

-Dros Gymru by Lewis Valentine.

-As the title of the melody suggests,

-this piece of music is Finnish.

-It was composed by Jean Sibelius.

-He was born in the old city

-of Hameenlinna in 1865.

-Historically, Finland has suffered

-Russian oppression...

-..on a regular basis.

-The country formed part of the

-Russian Empire from 1809 onwards.

-In the early 20th century...

-..Russia was trying to tighten

-its grasp on Finland.

-As part of that campaign,

-they refused to allow...

-..cultural activities which would

-express any element of nationalism.

-During the 19th century,

-there were countries...

-..who wanted to express nationalism

-through the medium of the arts.

-That included music.

-There were countries like Bohemia

-where composers like Dvorak...

-..expressed their identity

-through their music.

-Unlike those

-who were free to do just that...

-..Finland was under the control

-of the Russian Empire.

-That's why Sibelius

-composed a piece like Finlandia...

-..but didn't call it Finlandia

-or reveal what it was about.

-It was a protest piece.

-A protest against the oppression

-they felt as a nation.

-Originally, the piece

-had numerous uncontroversial names.

-Titles such as...

-.."Happy feelings at the sight

-of spring awakening in Finland."

-Another was,

-"Scandinavian choral march."

-The final, quiet piece of the work

-was known as the hymn.

-This is the part

-that is now called Finlandia.

-The elements of rebellion

-are clear in the piece...

-..from the very first notes.

-The tension and discontent

-come through very strongly.

-When Finland's independence

-was declared...

-..Sibelius chose patriotic lyrics

-by a national poet for the tune.

-It was not a hymn.

-The words expressed

-the faith of Finland...

-..in its future as a country

-able to stand on its own.

-"The dawn of Finland is breaking,

-the night has been shunned

-"It's time to stand bravely

-and full of hope...

-"..after suffering oppression

-so long

-"A new dawn has broken"

-Sibelius is considered to be the

-most important composer of Finland.

-We are grateful to him...

-..for developing a national identity

-through his music...

-..during Russia's oppression.

-The music

-has become incredibly popular.

-Many religious lyrics

-have been set to the melody.

-Be Still, My Soul is the most

-common example in English hymnals.

-The Salvation Army

-prefers Thou Art The Way.

-The music was also once adopted

-as a national anthem.

-Not for Finland.

-At the end of the 1960s...

-..Biafra was trying to break away

-from Nigeria...

-..and they chose Finlandia.

-# Beloved homeland

-of our brave heroes #

-As a child, I used to listen

-to Noson Lawen.

-At the end of the programme,

-they would say who had taken part.

-For example, Charles Williams.

-But also, Dyffryn Nantlle Male Voice

-Choir conducted by C H Leonard.

-Interestingly, C H Leonard

-felt that Finlandia...

-..was perfectly suited

-for lyrics to be set to it.

-He wrote to Sibelius and was given

-permission to use Welsh lyrics.

-If I remember correctly, C H Leonard

-asked a member of the choir...

-..who dabbled in poetry

-to write the lyrics.

-The words written were about nature

-and were not patriotic.

-A recording exists

-of that performance.

-# Quietly in the soil #

-Lewis Valentine

-then wrote Gweddi Dros Gymru.

-He wrote the words

-after a request to write a hymn.

-He had wanted to write

-patriotic words initially.

-One of our most prominent

-performers, Dafydd Iwan...

-..performs Lewis Valentine's

-version as part of his live set.

-I think this hymn appeals to

-Welsh people on many levels.

-I really liked the marriage

-between the lyrics and melody...

-..or between Lewis Valentine

-and Sibelius.

-A marriage of two patriots

-in two countries...

-..who lived during the same period.

-Sibelius had seen his country

-break free from Russia.

-Lewis Valentine had played his part

-in starting the work...

-..of earning Wales its freedom.

-Lewis Valentine

-was a Baptist minister.

-He's now chiefly remembered

-as a founder of Plaid Cymru...

-..and as one of the three...

-..imprisoned for burning

-the bombing school in Penyberth.

-He spent nine months

-at Wormwood Scrubs...

-..for taking part in the act with

-Saunders Lewis and D J Williams.

-They burnt the bombing school...

-..on the land of Penyberth

-near Pwllheli in September 1936.

-The site was being developed as part

-of Britain's preparations for WWII.

-He took part in this act

-as a nationalist and as a Christian.

-He had witnessed the horrific nature

-of war in the First World War.

-He was one of the ones who felt

-that dropping bombs from the air...

-..would open another horrific

-chapter in the history of war.

-# For Wales our land,

-oh, father, hear our prayer #

-I found Gweddi Dros Gymru appealing

-both for the words and the music.

-I sang it with the band

-in gigs of all sorts.

-For example, in festivals

-such as Y Cnapan...

-..when I was preparing

-for the highlight of the night...

-..I used Gweddi Dros Gymru to calm

-the crowd before the last storm!

-It did calm them as expected...

-..but it also created a mood of

-nationalism before the finale.

-I really enjoyed singing it.

-Not many people

-sing hymns in gigs like that.

-But I really enjoyed doing so.

-# Who bought us with His blood #

-I think Sibelius' music

-appeals to us as a nation...

-..because we sometimes feel

-that we are also oppressed.

-We don't always have the rights

-we should have as a nation.

-Certainly that is true when

-it comes to language and culture.

-Finlandia often means the same

-to Welsh people...

-..as it did

-to the people of Finland.

-It is a protest piece...

-..but also expresses pride

-in our traditions and the arts.

-It's amazing

-how Lewis Valentine's lyrics...

-..suit the music perfectly.

-It would be easy to mistake

-Finlandia for a Welsh hymn.

-# For Wales our land,

-oh, father, hear our prayer

-# This blessed vineyard

-granted to our care

-# May you protect her

-always faithfully

-# And prosper here

-all truth and purity

-# For the sake of the Son

-who bought us with His blood

-# O make our Wales

-in your own image Lord

-# O come the day

-when o'er our barren land

-# Reviving winds blow

-sent from God's own hand

-# As grace pours down

-on parched and arid sand

-# We will bear fruit

-for Christ by his command

-# Our beloved language

-and gentle vigour sing

-# The virtues

-of our gentle Lamb and King #

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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