Caneuon D. Vaughan Thomas Songs
As part of our Heritage Records projects we are currently working on a recording of the songs of Welsh composer David Vaughan Thomas (1873-1934).
Born in 1873 to Jenkin Thomas and Anne Thomas in Ystalyfera, he received his musical education from the composer Joseph Parry and also went to Llandovery College and Exeter College, Oxford, where he graduated in mathematics. Returning later to Oxford, he gained degrees as Bachelor of Music and Doctor of Music.
In 1906 he married Morfydd Lewis; they had three sons, including the broadcaster Wynford Vaughan-Thomas. At this time Thomas turned to music composition, his first known work being dated 1906. Subsequent works were performed in Wales, London and South Africa.
He moved back to Wales and became a member of the Gorsedd at the 1911 National Eisteddfod. He subsequently acted as adjudicator, and was Chief Musical Advisor for the 1926 National Eisteddfod in Swansea.
In 1927 he was made overseas examiner for Trinity College, London, and in this capacity he travelled to several Commonwealth countries. It was on one such tour in South Africa that he died in Johannesburg.
Vaughan Thomas's music developed out of an early Victorianism into a national style inspired by Welsh literature and folklore and by the musical traditions of his country.
His most notable compositions are considered to be his choral works Llyn y Fan (performed at the 1907 National Eisteddfod), A Song for St Cecilia's Day and The Bard
Vaughan Thomas's music has become a rarity in the concert hall. His song Ysbryd y Mynydd and his Saith o Ganeuon ar Gywyddau Dafydd ap Gwilym ac Erail (Seven songs on poems in cywydd metre by Dafydd ap Gwilym and others), praised in the 1950s for their originality and scholarship, remained popular long after his death, but most of his works were no longer played by the 1980s.
Composer biography adapted from his Wikipedia entry
Our Recording Project
We have currently sourced all of the published songs and are in preparation for recording.
The Songs
For this project we are focussing on the songs with piano and the list below is what we are preparing to record:
10 Welsh Folk songs (Traditional)
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Titrwm tatrwm
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Cob Malltraeth (The Sea-Cob of Malltraeth)
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Cwyn Man-y'-nghyfraith (Mother-in-law's Complaint)
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Dacw 'nghariad i lawr yn y berllan (There's my love in the orchard yonder)
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Ffarwel i blwy' Llangower (Farewell to Old Llangower)
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Yr hen wr mwyn (The Kind Old Man)
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Y Gôg Lwydlas (The Grey Cuckoo)
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Ffarwel i Llangyfelach lon (Farewell to thee, My Homeland Dear)
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Mynwent Eglwys (I wandered through the Churchyard Sighing)
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Mae 'nghariad i'n fenws (My Dear One Is Slender)
Saith o ganeuon ar gywyddau Dafydd ap Gwilym ac eraill (Seven Songs on Poems by Dafydd ap Gwliym and others)
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Y Nos (Night) - Dafydd Lonawr
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Y Gwlith (The Dew) -Emrys
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Miwsig (Music) - Dafydd Ddu Eryri
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Elen (Ellen) - Dewi Wyn o Eifion
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Dau Filgi (Two Greyhounds) - Huw Cae Llwyd
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Claddu'r Bardd o Gariad (The Poet's Burial) - Dafydd ap Gwilym
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Hiraeth am yr Haf (The Longing for Summer) - Dafydd ap Gwilym
Five Songs (Pump o ganeuon)
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Nant y mynydd (The Mountain Brook) - Ceiriog
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Y ferch o'r Scer (The Maid of Sker) - Unknown
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Einioes (Man's Life) - Rhys Jones
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Cân hen wr y cwm (The Old Man's Song) - Gweryddon
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Cân y llanc chwerthinllyd (The Song of the Laughing Boy) - from Cerddi Cymru
Angladd y Marchog (The Knight's Burial) - Anthropos (Rev. R. D. Rowlands)
Bedd y Dyn Tylawd (The Wanderer's Grave) - Ioan Emlyn (Emlyn John Jones)
Berwyn (On Berwyn's Heights) - Robert Ellis
Caledfwlch (Excalibur) - T Gwynn Jones
Cân y bardd wrth farw (The Poet's Song at Death) - Gwenffrwd
Come along, can't you hear? (Dewch ymlaen: oni chlywch?) - D.M. Beddoes (composed for the Welsh Army Corps)
Dirge in Woods - George Meredith
Dorset Voices - J.J. Cadwaladr (Eos Gwalia)
Enter these enchanted woods (Dewch i'r coed) - George Meredith
Ffarwel Fy Ngeneth (Now Fare Thee Well) - Eben Fardd (Ebenezer Thomas)
Follow the flag Welshmen: a patriotic song - J. J. Cadwaladr (Eos Gwalia) (dedicated to the Welsh Lads in Khaki)
Llais Yr Adar (Woodland Voices) - Anon
O Fair Wen (Maria! Vain his ending) - William Llyn
Si hwi lwli (Lullaby) - T. H. Jones
Stafell Cynddylan (Cynddylan's Room) - att. Llywarch Hen (Quartet for Vln, Vc, Harp and Baritone Voice)
Y Bwthyn Bach To Gwellt (The Little Thatched Cottage) - Crych Elen (Thomas Lloyd)
Y lloer (The Moon) - D Vaughan Thomas (duet for Soprano and Contralto)
Y newydd dant (The New Tooth) - Edward Jenkins
Ymadawiad Arthur (The Death of Arthur) - T Gwynn Jones
Yr Wylan Deg (The Seagull Fair) - Dafydd ap Gwilym
Ysbryd Y Mynydd (The Mountain Spirit) - LD Jones (Llew Tegid)
A large collection of part songs have also been sourced but are not the focus of this project. We have also sourced a large amount of unpublished songs but due to copyright at this point in time they cannot form part of our project.
SPECIAL THANKS TO