Mwy o'r Maes - Iau Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru

-Tonight - Will there be

-a worthy winner

-in the big ceremony of the day?

-It's a battle between the men

-for the Osborne Roberts Prize.

-Learner of the Year.

-the gigs at Maes B.

-the competitions in the Pavilion.

-And we'll enjoy all

-the competitions in the Pavilion.

-One of today's main competitions is

-the Osborne Roberts Memorial Prize

-One of today's main competitions is

-for singers under 25.

-The rules have changed this year

-and the judges can select any

-four that they liked

-from the Soprano Solo, the Mezzo,

-the Bass Baritone and the Tenor.

-And those four will return

-to the main stage on Thursday

-for the showdown for the main prize.

-And the judges have chosen

-four men this year.

-And here they are.

-John Ieuan Jones,

-the baritone from Colwyn Bay.

-The tenor Huw Ynyr comes

-from Dolgellau in Gwynedd.

-Steffan Lloyd Owen,

-the baritone from Anglesey.

-And the tenor Gethin Lewis

-from Carmarthen.

-Watching the performances for us,

-the tenor who won this

-competition in Llanelli

-in the year 2000, Robyn Lyn.

-# If you want to come to my school

-# I'll teach you the moves

-# If you want to come to my school

-# Yes, the moves...#

-John Ieuan Jones gave a really

-dramatic performance.

-He gave himself physically

-to the Mozart piece.

-He belonged on stage.

-# I'll find out

-# But carefully

-# Carefully...#

-Next onstage was Huw

-Ynyr from Dolgellau.

-He's got a lovely tenor voice.

-In his performance of Elen Fwyn

-by RS Hughes, he managed

-to put his own stamp

-on an old favourite.

-# The day was fading

-into gloom over hills afar

-# When we two met, saw a lovely star

-# Softly all around us

-fell its charming silvery beams

-# Smilingly it bound

-us as in poets' dreams

-of that star so bright

-# Elen sweet Elen thinkest

-thou of that night...#

-Steffan Lloyd Owen.

-Steffan has a velvety

-baritone voice.

-straight from his soul.

-In Yr Alarch by Eric Jones,

-he managed to create

-a peaceful ambience.

-# In the evening it dreams

-# Dreams of himself...#

-tenor Gethin Lewis.

-Gethin's got a beautifully focused

-voice and in the Mozart aria

-What Pleases Her from Don Giovanni

-he managed to sustain

-a very high tessitura.

-# Wounds me to the heart

-wounds me to the heart

-# Wounds me to the heart #

-a terrible job trying

-to reach a decision.

-But in the end the Osborne Roberts

-adjudicators awarded the prize

-But in the end the Osborne Roberts

-to baritone Steffan Lloyd Owen.

-Congratulations.

-I didn't expect to win the baritone,

-let alone winning the scholarship.

-I'm on top of the world.

-So many celebrities have won this

-competition and it's

-an honour to join that list.

-genuinely feels that the Eisteddfod

-is truly at its best,

-and I'm sure that the weather

-is partly responsible for that.

-There are thousands of people

-milling about the Maes,

-the various activities continuing

-in the stalls and tents,

-and plenty of competing forging

-ahead in the Pavilion.

-Let's turn our attention

-to the Solo Reciters next.

-Lowri Jones is going to talk us

-through the competition.

-Dydd Nadolig from Martha,

-Jac a Sianco by Caryl Lewis

-was the set piece for

-the Open Solo Recitation

-competition.

-Bethan Elin Wyn Owen from Trefor,

-on Anglesey took third place.

-Martha was soaked in sweat

-and the heat from the stove

-burnt her eyes each time

-she opened the oven.

-She'd had to break the turkey's leg

-to get it into the oven

-and the grease dripped

-onto the floor as she pulled it out,

-making the lino slick.

-She began clearing the dinner

-plates.

-"Thanks," said Jac, half lying back

-on the settle and rubbing his side.

-He was sat with his collar and fly

-undone to make room for his stomach.

-Carys Bowen from Nebo,

-near Caernarfon in

-Gwynedd took 2nd prize.

-Martha went weak

-and her temper flared.

-"You can't, Jac!

-"You've no right!"

-"Oh, don't start on me

-again," he answered,

-without allowing her to finish.

-"You can't!

-"You've no right

-giving that to her!"

-Martha's voice

-rose dangerously loud.

-"I'm the eldest and I

-should get everything.

-"So it's mine!"

-"It's not yours, Jac!

-"You had no right!"

-And the judges, Ian Lloyd Hughes

-and Rhian Parry decided that

-Nest Jenkins, from Lledrod

-in Caernarfon deserved first place.

-Martha walked towards the door

-and put on her coat.

-"Where are you going?"

-Jac asked,

-as Martha's

-words started to sink in.

-"M-M-Martha?" Sianco began.

-"You can shut your mouth, as well.

-"Go somewhere!"

-Judy snaked her arm

-back towards Jac's.

-"To put a wreath on Mam's grave,

-as I do every year, Jac."

-She gripped the plastic bag

-from the dresser and closed

-She gripped the plastic bag

-the door tightly behind her.

-been like this year in Abergavenny?

-It's been a really special week.

-There is no recitation

-panel in Abergaveny.

-So we, as a central panel,

-set the pieces for this year.

-The standard has been

-unbelievably high.

-It's lovely to see people taking

-the craft so seriously.

-I think that the new pavilion has

-really made a difference.

-When you are on stage there

-is a feeling of being in a studio,

-and that changes the way people

-perform.

-I think that there's also much more

-drama training in our schools,

-and that has has an effect

-on the way people

-present their pieces.

-They are much more intimate,

-much more adventurous.

-That's what we need, to be more

-adventurous with the craft.

-The second recitation competition

-of the day was the competition

-for learners over the age of 16.

-A Gymri di Gymru by Robat Gruffudd

-was the set piece.

-Helena Jones, who is about

-to celebrate her 100th

-birthday, came 3rd.

-Would you take the countries

-in all their shapes and sizes?

-Would you take Wales,

-your very own country?

-In 2nd place, Daniela

-Schlick from Porthaethwy.

-Would you take the hills,

-the seas and rivers

-The towns and beaches, the lanes?

-Would you take the warmest

-people in the world?

-Would you take Wales

-and would you take it all?

-And in first place was

-Jean Llewellyn from Brecon in Powys.

-Would you take the 'Steddfod

-and 'Stiniog and the rain?

-Would you take Wales,

-whatever happens?

-# Happy birthday to you!

-# Happy birthday, dear Helena!

-# Happy birthday to you!

-Still to come:

-The opportunity to see who has won

-the Learner of the Year Award,

-the Cerdd Dant competitors and more

-Eisteddfod characters.

-Hello.

-I'm Gerwyn and I tune

-the pianos at Eisteddfod

-and whatever else needs doing.

-I am a big fan of the Eisteddfod.

-I have been coming

-for years and years.

-And I get to see different

-aspects of the Eisteddfod,

-working with the pianos.

-I play with a band in the nights.

-Yes, it is a very busy week.

-I get to bed quite late at night

-and have to get up very early.

-So, good times.

-According to the 2011 census,

-fewer than 10% of the population

-of Monmouthshire can speak Welsh,

-so the campaign to attract learners

-is as important as ever this year.

-The winner of this year's

-Welsh Learner of the Year Prize,

-Hannah Roberts, is working hard

-to pursue that dream.

-And the winner of this year's

-Learners' Medal is Hannah Roberts.

-Medal means to you?

-It is incredible.

-It is totally incredible.

-It just proves that hard

-work sometimes pays off.

-A lot of practising,

-a lot of mistakes over the years,

-but it is all worth it.

-And now you are entirely fluent

-and you think it is important

-to attract more learners

-in this area.

-Yes, that is my job.

-I can tell people, I have done

-it, you can do it too.

-How difficult is it,

-how much of an effort is it,

-to attract more people

-to learn the language?

-A lot of people want to learn

-the language but sometimes

-I think they are scared.

-That is the biggest boundary really.

-We need to build their confidence.

-And in this area, it is not

-as obvious, but it does exist

-and you need to look for it more

-than in other areas in Wales.

-in 2008, eight years ago.

-It is important to develop

-the language in an area like this.

-I like speaking in Welsh

-because I feel the music

-in the language.

-Deputy Archdruid, Christine James,

-you appreciate as much as anyone

-the importance of provisions

-for Welsh learners on the Maes.

-Yes, certainly.

-This is a Welsh festival,

-of course, that is without question,

-but the Eisteddfod also has a role

-to play in attracting learners

-and attracting learners not only

-to the Eisteddfod Maes

-and to Maes D, but also

-into Welsh culture.

-recent years, do you feel?

-Yes, certainly.

-I notice this year that there

-are more activities

-and events taking place.

-There is something for everyone.

-And you feel positive,

-looking to the future?

-Yes, I think we have to do.

-If we are not positive,

-we may as well give up today.

-We have to believe that we can

-turn things around.

-I have spoken in the past

-about a character in the Mabinogion,

-Teyrnon Twryf Lliant,

-and I think that is a reference

-to the Severn bore,

-the wave that travels up

-the River Severn from the sea.

-It goes against the flow

-and that is what we need to do

-with the Welsh language in Gwent.

-We need this wave of Welshness.

-From Maes D, let me take you back

-to the competing - the test piece

-for the Cerdd Dant Duet

-is a Specific Excerpt

-from Rhwyg by Vernon Jones,

-on the melody Y Dyffryn

-by Mari Watkin.

-# On a hill above Sengenydd

-watching the destruction of the day

-# A young girl heard the cold melody

-of the coalfields of the South

-an intense release of air

-raising the shawl

-# Two birches for the future

-the hardness of the bottom

-# And nightmare of the fiery shaft

-# And slowly, the world wakes up

-# The tragedy of her husband's card

-# Today, no-one knows who they were

-# Forever in the memory

-of Senghenydd Strong

-# Brave men in their day

-# We see another sunrise

-# While under the soil, lie 400

-# And two innocents went

-to the house of grief #

-here with Bara Caws Theatre

-throughout the week.

-We have three productions

-all together.

-We have Allan o Diwn

-in Theatr y Borough,

-we have Raslas Bach a Mawr.

-And we have a new show

-that is totally different

-called Ga'i Fod...?

-I am part of a production

-caled Ga'i Fod...?

-Five of us go away for a weekend

-and turn into animals.

-The play came from The Netherland

-originally, and has been

-translated into Welsh.

-It's a lively play.

-It's very, very different.

-Everyone so far has enjoyed it.

-This Eisteddfod has been

-very special to me.

-There's been such a welcome here.

-It's in an area that's

-considered more 'English',

-so it's lovely to see people

-who are pleased that it is here.

-We have enjoyed a warm welcome in

-Monmouthshire.

-We have enjoyed a warm welcome in

-Monmouthshire.

-Another winner today was Cor Dysgwyr

-Ardal Wrexham.

-Congratulations to them.

-In the next part we'll be honouring

-the winner of the Drama Medal.

-We'll be enjoying the dancing

-with the step dancers.

-And the soloists over the age of 25

-will start their journey

-the challenge is to compose a stage

-play of any duration.

-And in addition to the honour

-of being permitted to arise in one

-of the Eisteddfod's main

-competitions, the chief playwright

-gets to develop the work

-so that the play can be performed

-by a professional company.

-But was there a worthy winner this

-year in Abergavenny?

-FANFARE

-We received 12 entries and this

-is very encouraging.

-It was a pleasure to hear new voices

-in the world of theatre in Wales

-and it was nice to experience

-the different visions of all 12.

-'Man Gwyn - Fan Hyn'

-and 'Jenga' have potential.

-And although 'Top Coch' is very

-short, there's something

-gripping about it.

-For its young energy,

-'Yfa Di Dy Goffi' rises above these.

-However, 'Estron' and 'I Ble'r Ei Di

-F'anwylyd' are way ahead.

-It's our pleasure, unanimously,

-to award this year's Drama Medal

-to Thomas Jerome Newton

-for the drama 'Estron'.

-Thank you.

-at the Monmouthsire

-and District National Eisteddfod

-2016 is Hefin Robinson

-from Carmarthen.

-APPLAUSE

-The agitations. You've come close

-before? Yes, I kept coming closer

-and closer.

-You came second in last

-year, so it was definitely worth

-practising?

-Yes, I think entering

-every year has held. It's a drama

-about a young man who finds himself

-in a situation where everything is

-going on and he starts to feel lost.

-It's about how he creates a drama to

-deal with his feelings. A drama

-about a drama.

-It's very exciting.

-You're hoping to see if they within

-a year?

-Yes, I hope so. That will be

-a year?

-Yes, I hope so. That will be

-a great experience.

-Kong graduate

-is. And thank you for the chat. --

-congratulations.

--- congratulations.

-Arwel Gruffydd, as the artistic

-director of Welsh National Theatre,

-how important is this week,

-the Eisteddfod week, for you?

-Well, it is very important.

-It is a shop window for us.

-It is a chance to meet up

-with old friends and for people

-in the theatre industry to gather.

-It is very important for us

-as a sector to come together,

-as well as the audience.

-And as a company, you are staging

-one played, the winning

-play from last year.

-What sort of response have you had?

-It has gone down very well.

-It has been fantastic.

-Every year, we get a good response.

-I think this tradition has

-now been established

-and the audience is pleased.

-It is great that the winning play

-is staged and it is seen.

-That is an important part

-of our relationship

-with the Eisteddfod.

-You mentioned that a number of other

-companies are here.

-Are you working with them?

-How does the partnership work?

-There is a close partnership

-between us as a National Theatre

-and the Eisteddfod and all the other

-companies that work

-through the medium of Welsh.

-Everyone is here.

-It is a shop window for us all.

-There are so many companies

-and there is so much activity.

-And we have the cafe

-where everyone gathers,

-it is a great place to have a Cup

-of tea before going on to

-the theatre or the Cwt

-and there is a full programme

-in the Cwt throughout the week.

-There will be something

-on somewhere to watch.

-And as a National Theatre,

-what is your role within the sector?

-Are you leading the way?

-Well, as a national company,

-it is important that we help to

-promote productions from other

-companies and help everyone to work

-within the sector as much as we can.

-Also we must lead the way when it

-comes to training and

-providing resources.

-In general, we need to be a kind,

-Big Brother in the sector.

-And congratulations to you,

-five more years

-as artistic director.

-What is the vision as you look

-to the future?

-Well, I hope that we can continue

-with the vision that we have been

-playing with over

-the last five years.

-There is always room to develop

-and to continue to experiment

-and to continue to look

-for new partnerships

-and new ways of working.

-And also developing new audiences.

-And bigger audiences.

-We can't rely on the traditional

-audience, we also need to attract

-those who do not often go

-to the theatre to come

-and watch these productions.

-Arwel Gruffydd, thank you very much.

-My name is Doug Jones.

-I'm one of the leaders

-at Bro Taf and Nantgarw.

-We've done two shows

-for Y Pethau Bach and we've taken

-part in the Noson Lawen.

-We're competing throughout

-the week in the step dance

-and solo dance categories.

-For me, the Eisteddfod

-is a chance to hone quality,

-because we're very aware that

-we're going on stage

-at the National Eisteddfod and we're

-competing so we have to be

-at the top of our game.

-It makes us work on

-improving our standard.

-My name is Osian. I've just won the

-step dance for young people over 16.

-I'm very happy.

-Mared Evans now I've just won the

-girls competition.

-In the competition for duo 's trios

-or groups of 43 groups took part.

-The judges decided that the duet by

-Danielle and Osian deserved to the

-first prize. -- groups of four,

-three groups took part.

-in the dancers' company.

-Now we must wait till the final

-Saturday of the Eisteddfod

-for the great David Ellis

-Memorial Prize competition,

-the Blue Riband for singers over 25.

-But the odyssey starts

-today for the sopranos,

-the baritones and the bassists.

-In the baritones and bass

-competition there were three

-competitors on the stage and the

-judges decided that Kees Huysmans

-from Lampeter should take first

-prize.

-the joy of their life

-# The joy of their life. #

-And in the condition for Sopranos

-there were three competitors onstage

-Kate Griffiths won first prize.

-# Ah!

-# Oh, light of my soul

-Delight, love and life

-# On earth, in heaven

-# That lives for you alone. #

-# Ah!

-And the battle for the blue riband

-will carry on tomorrow. After the

-break we had take a look at Maes B

-and C who won the drama medal.

-here near the stage on the Maes.

-The Maes B C2 battle of the bands

-is currently taking place

-and I'm the adjudicator.

-The Maes B C2 battle of the bands

-is currently taking place

-and I'm the adjudicator.

-Look at the badge!

-The first on stage was Sian Richards

-from Swansea, a folk artist

-with a lovely velvety voice.

-Next on stage was Jacob

-Elwy from Llansannan.

-a little like Damien Rice.

-Next was Glain Rhys from Bala.

-Her songs had a touch

-of country music about them.

-#There's a stone on every road

-#Everyone's happy deep down

-#And there's nowhere for you to go

-#Without turning your back.#

-brought a lot of fans with them.

-It's the first time I've seen

-a saxaphone on stage since I saw

-Derwyddon Dr Gonzo in Maes B

-at least eight years ago.

-Next were Chroma from Pontypridd,

-who had one of the best lead singers

-I've seen for a long time.

-Look out for her.

-who lost their lead singer

-earlier this week.

-The winning band

-this year is Chroma!

-They made a huge noise

-considering there were

-only three of them.

-They will be playing in Maes B

-on Saturday night.

-Be there!

-We've now arrived in Maes B.

-For those of you who don't

-know a lot about Maes B,

-it's a music festival that's part

-of the Eisteddfod.

-All the best artists in Wales

-come to perform here.

-For anyone who hasn't been to Maes B

-before, how would you describe it?

-It's so much fun.

-You see so many people

-and the line-up this

-year is really good.

-It's really like a festival this

-year.

-It's like a small festival

-for young people.

-I'm really enjoying it.

-Why do you come to Maes B?

-I come to enjoy Welsh music

-and to support young talent.

-I don't think they get enough

-of a stage to share their talent.

-It's a big question,

-I know.

-Good music and to meet

-old friends.

-Hello Maes B!

-Are you OK?

-Is everyone enjoying themselves?

-It's a way of having fun

-through the medium of Welsh

-and the music is excellent.

-It changes people's

-ideas about Welsh music.

-If you don't make it to Maes B this

-year, don't worry.

-year, don't worry.

-The whole thing is live from 9.30pm

-onwards on the S4C website.

-diversity of the Eisteddfod,

-we turn from Maes B and music

-to another planet completely,

-as science also occupies a special

-place here on the Maes as well,

-and the winner of this year's

-Science and Technology Medal,

-Guto Roberts, is surely partly

-to thank for that.

-The Science and Technology Medal

-at the 2016 Monmouthshire National

-Eisteddfod is awarded

-to Dr Guto Roberts for his lifelong

-contribution to science

-through the medium of Welsh.

-Guto Roberts, congratulations.

-Where are we as we look

-towards the future?

-Funding is very important

-but it's not all important.

-Having the support of the Eisteddfod

-itself has been very important.

-It's obvious that things are working

-because it's one of the most

-interesting and popular tents

-on the Eisteddfod Maes.

-mean to you?

-It means a lot.

-It's been

-a memorable day.

-Yes.

-I was extremely proud

-to see the family there.

-A day to remember forver.

-Yes.

-A big congratulations

-to Guto Roberts.

-Arwyn Jones, Guto has

-played a prominent role

-in the development of this tent.

-A very important role,

-from the period when science

-and technology had a small tent

-with one or two individuals

-volunteering, to what it is today.

-Sell the place to us then.

-What's here this year?

-It's for children and adults.

-It's important to talk to adults

-about science as well.

-But certainly the children,

-the scientists of the future,

-come here to enjoy themselves

-and take part in the activities.

-We have a big focus this year

-on the brain, this incredible organ

-we have inside the head.

-We have activities going on outside

-and in here we are discussing how

-the brain processes this information

-which allows us to do everything -

-walk, cry, go to the Eisteddfod,

-sing, all kinds of things.

-On the other side, there are some

-very serious illnesses

-to do with the brain,

-including Alzheimer's

-and Parkinson's and we're discussing

-the research being done

-at Cardiff University

-on those two illnesses.

-So we have a lot of interesting

-things going on.

-So the simple message is,

-come over to the tent.

-Come on over.

-There's something for everyone

-in the science tent this year.

-Thank you, Arwyn.

-Also today it was the turn

-of the Ladies Choirs,

-no fewer than 20 in number.

-There were four choirs taking part.

-little scrap of house

-# A scrap of house, a scrap of house

-# I've got a neat

-little scrap of house

-# A windy door each morning

-Opening the competition

-were Cor Merched Bro Nest

-from Aberteifi, with Derec Jones's

-arrangement of Robin Ddiog.

-# Hey di ho

-# Di hey di hey di ho

-# The wind's at

-the door each morning

-# Hey di ho

-# Di hey di hey di ho

-# The wind's at the

-door each morning. #

-the door each morning

-# The wind's at the

-door each morning. #

-Cor Merched Canna continued

-the competiton with a medley

-of songs by The Carpenters.

-# And the reason is clear

-it's because you are here

-# You're the nearest thing

-to heaven that I've seen

-# I'm on the top of the world

-looking down on creation

-# And the only

-explanation I can find

-# Is the love that I've found

-ever since you've been around

-# Your love's put me

-at the top of the world.#

-The Chepstow Chatelaines

-were next to compete,

-singing Adiemus, by Karl Jenkins.

-# A-ra-va-re tu-e va-te la-te-a

-# A-na-ma-na coo-le ra-we a-ka-la

-# A-na-ma-na coo-le ra

-# Ah-ya-doo-ah-eh

-# A-na-ma-na coo-le ra-we a-ka-la

-# A-ya-doo-ah-eh

-# A-ya doo a-ye.#

-Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion ended

-the competition with a gospel medley

-arranged by Islwyn Evans.

-# Come, we shall go to him

-# Shout and we'll go to him

-# We'll go on by singing

-# To him, to him. #

-# We'll go on by singing

-# To him, to him. #

-And here are the results.

-In third place,

-Cor Merched Bro Nest.

-Taking the Second

-prize, Merched Canna.

-But, the victors today,

-Ysgol Gerdd Ceredigion.

-# The sea is grey

-and Wales is so far

-# From the white harbour

-# Despite the better

-life in my new home

-# My heart is breaking

-# My heart is breaking. #

-# My heart is breaking. #

-Well, congratulations to them.

-That's it for tonight. It's hard to

-believe that there's only one full

-day left here in Abergavenny. The

-atmosphere is brilliant. The jazz

-bands are playing behind me, before

-I leave you. I just want to

-congratulate the winner of the drama

-medal today. It's great

-to see a winner. You can contact us

-on twitter. We are back tomorrow for

-a big day. Tomorrow we have the

-chairing of the Bard. I hope the sun

-shines! You can see everything live

-here on S4 C. We are here from 10am

-as usual with all the competitions.

-Thank you for your company, from all

-of us, good night.