| Author | Topic: Add: The Ash Grove | |
| dmcg | Posted - 23 Sep 04 - 09:23 am | |
Down yonder green valley where streamlets meander, When twilight is fading I pensively rove; Or at the bright noontide in solitude wander Amid the dark shades of the lonely Ash Grove. 'Twas there while the blackbird was cheerfully singing I first met that dear one, the joy of my heart; Around us for gladness the bluebells were ringing; Ah! then little thought I how soon we should part. Still glows the bright sunshine o'er valley and mountain, Still warbles the blackbird its note from the tree; Still trembles the moonbeam on streamlet and fountain, But what are the beauties of nature to me? With sorrow, deep sorrow, my bosom is laden. All day I go mourning in search of my love; Ye echoes! oh tell me, where is the sweet maiden? "She sleeps 'neath the green turf down by the Ash Grove." Source: Singing Together, Autumn 1965, BBC Publications Notes: Identified simply as 'Welsh Song'. The following notes were taken from this site: Llwyn OnnFrom Famous Songs of Wales 1(Caneuon Enwog Cymru) (c)1987 Gwynn, Pygroes, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL54 6DB The book gives the following commentary:
Edited By DMcG - 01 Mar 06 - 07:02 pm | ||
| Mary in Kentucky | Posted - 24 Sep 04 - 01:35 am | |
During this century it has been a popular counter-melody for that unique Welsh practice of Penillion singing. 1. What is Penillion singing? 2. Any other examples of counter-melodies? (a favorite practice of mine, the only way I can write a melody) 3. Any links or recordings where I can hear this? Jon, do you remember one night on PalTalk when a Welsh chorus sang for us (maybe a recording)? They sent chills all the way 'cross the pond. | ||
| Jon Freeman | Posted - 24 Sep 04 - 01:48 am | |
Mary, I suppose to be honest, I don't have a clue... It is a case where much as I'd like contributions here, I'd sersiously suggest asking on Mudcat. I would suspect that Sian In West Wales would be a good contributer and one who would give out accurate information. I can't remember the Welsh chorus on a PT night but it is quite possible I was on line there at the time. Are you talking a Welsh male voice choir? | ||
| dmcg | Posted - 24 Sep 04 - 08:45 am | |
Nor have I, really, but this came from a web site which looked reasonably well reasearched: "Penillion", a special form of the Welsh "cynghanedd" (fixed metre poetry) was probably employed by the bards of both North and South Wales, but has only survived in North Wales. The oldest instrumental music to which Penillion was sung has been docuÃ?Âmented only since the 18th century, but probably goes back to the age of the bards.[1] It is perhaps John Parry who describes this art the best: ?(...) The singer is obliged to follow the harper, who may change the tune, or perform variations, ad libitum, whilst the vocalist must keep time, and end precisely with the strain. The singer does not commence with the harper, but takes the strain up at the second, third or fourth bar, as best suits the pennill he intends to sing; and this is constantly done by persons, who are totally unacquainted with music!? [2] [1] cf. Williams, W.S.G., p. 81 [2] cited in Williams, W.S.G., p. 83 | ||
| Mary in Kentucky | Posted - 24 Sep 04 - 01:45 pm | |
One Mudcat thread referred to this site...beautiful...I also googled and found a site with counterpoint and rounds...also beautiful. | ||
| diane easby | Posted - 25 Sep 04 - 02:14 am | |
Penillion is also a competitive class at the Eisteddford where the singer is given a harp melody and a piece of verse which has to be set to a counter melody within a fixed amount of time and then performed. There are strictly defined (and very complicated) contrapuntal rules governing the musical, metrical and rhyming structure which I can't at the moment recall as it's 2 am and I'm just in from a session! | ||
| masato sakurai | Posted - 25 Sep 04 - 02:15 am | |
The "Ash Grove" site has collected various words to this tune. | ||
| ceri matho | Posted - 16 Mar 07 - 06:04 pm | |
"Penillion" just means "verses" and they are just that... floaters. "Cerdd Dant" is the name for the contrapuntal singing used (mainy) today in competitons, and penillion are used for that purpose, but by today the lovely traditional verses are used less and contemporary self aware poetry is generally used. Penillion are still sung more informally in folk song. Penillion may or may not make use of cynghanedd. The more robust folk verses tend not to, or at least to only use a very simple form, occasionally | ||
| Hugh Saxophone (guest) |
Posted - 08 Oct 07 - 01:40 pm | |
The 1950 Oxford Companion to Music (Editor: Scholes) says the following (p. 1009 col.2)under Wales: 5: Penillion. ... strictly speaking .. consists in singing extemporised verses which [may] rhyme internally line by line, to an original counterpoint woven around some well-known melody played in a harmonised version by a harper. The harper can change his tune as often as he wishes; the singer must instantly find or make suitable words and counterpoint. The expemporised counterpoint is not necessarily in the same metre as the harper's melody and a penillion singer of standing is even expected to be able to extemporise a triple time counterpoint to a duple time melody and vice versa. The extemporised tune must must not start with but must end with the harper's melody. Marvellous and strange! | ||