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Reorganized the introduction, omitting most of the story of Will and Ann, as there is serious doubt that the song has any connection to them.
Peterwlane (talk | contribs)
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m Mention a few common variants of the words
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{{Listen|type=music|filename=Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn - Bryn Williams.ogg|title=Opening of "Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn"|description=Sung by Bryn Williams}}
{{Listen|type=music|filename=Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn - Bryn Williams.ogg|title=Opening of "Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn"|description=Sung by Bryn Williams}}


The song was collected from the oral tradition in the 1830s and was first published in 1844 by the Welsh musician and [[folklorist]] [[Maria Jane Williams]] in her collection ''Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=James|first1=E. Wyn|title=Watching the White Wheat and That Hole Below the Nose: The English Ballads of a Late-Nineteenth Century Welsh Jobbing-Printer|url=http://orca-mwe.cf.ac.uk/42475/1/whitewheat.html|publisher=Cardiff University|accessdate=5 August 2015}}</ref> The song has been linked, rather vaguely, to the popular story about a rich heiress, Ann Thomas (1704-27) — the so-called ‘Maid of Cefn Ydfa’, from the parish of Llangynwyd in central Glamorgan, and the somewhat nebulous poet, Wil Hopcyn (1700-41), to whom the song is attributed. However, the song itself makes no explicit reference to the tale, and the version presented here actually refers to "Gwen" rather than to "Ann".
The song was collected from the oral tradition in the 1830s and was first published in 1844 by the Welsh musician and [[folklorist]] [[Maria Jane Williams]] in her collection ''Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg''.<ref name=Jones>{{cite web|last1=James|first1=E. Wyn|title=Watching the White Wheat and That Hole Below the Nose: The English Ballads of a Late-Nineteenth Century Welsh Jobbing-Printer|url=http://orca-mwe.cf.ac.uk/42475/1/whitewheat.html|publisher=Cardiff University|accessdate=5 August 2015}}</ref> The song has been linked, rather vaguely, to the popular story about a rich heiress, Ann Thomas (1704-27) — the so-called ‘Maid of Cefn Ydfa’, from the parish of Llangynwyd in central Glamorgan, and the somewhat nebulous poet, Wil Hopcyn (1700-41), to whom the song is attributed. However, the song itself makes no explicit reference to the tale, and the version presented here actually refers to "Gwen" rather than to "Ann".


According to Dr Wyn Evans, the history of the song is complex. He conjectures that it is probably a medley of folk stanzas from a number of sources, ‘improved’ by Taliesin Williams (1787-1847) and extended with a verse composed by his father, ‘Iolo Morganwg’ (Edward Williams, 1747-1826) "that wayward genius, who — under the influence of the love of his native Glamorgan, not to mention laudanum — rewrote the history of Welsh scholarship and literature with Glamorgan very much centre stage."
According to Dr Wyn Evans, the history of the song is complex. He conjectures that it is probably a medley of folk stanzas from a number of sources, ‘improved’ by Taliesin Williams (1787-1847) and extended with a verse composed by his father, ‘Iolo Morganwg’ (Edward Williams, 1747-1826) "that wayward genius, who — under the influence of the love of his native Glamorgan, not to mention laudanum — rewrote the history of Welsh scholarship and literature with Glamorgan very much centre stage."<ref name=Jones></ref>


==Lyrics==
==Lyrics==
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Whom your heart prefers.
Whom your heart prefers.
}}
}}

Common variations include using the more literary ''ieuanc'' in place of ''ifanc'' (meaning ''young'') in the first verse (as in the clip above). Also, ''gwna'' (''make'' or ''do'') is often used in place of ''dod'' (''come'') in the second verse, and the soft mutation of ''bo'' to ''fo'' is often omitted following ''tra'' in the fourth verse.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Edwards |editor1-first=Meinir |title=100 o Ganeuon Gwerin |date=2012 |publisher=Lolfa |location=Talybont |isbn=978-1-84771-599-9 |pages=21}}</ref>


==Tune==
==Tune==

Revision as of 15:34, 13 January 2024

"Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn" (Template:Lang-en) is an 18th-century traditional Welsh love song.

Opening of "Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn"
Sung by Bryn Williams
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The song was collected from the oral tradition in the 1830s and was first published in 1844 by the Welsh musician and folklorist Maria Jane Williams in her collection Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg.[1] The song has been linked, rather vaguely, to the popular story about a rich heiress, Ann Thomas (1704-27) — the so-called ‘Maid of Cefn Ydfa’, from the parish of Llangynwyd in central Glamorgan, and the somewhat nebulous poet, Wil Hopcyn (1700-41), to whom the song is attributed. However, the song itself makes no explicit reference to the tale, and the version presented here actually refers to "Gwen" rather than to "Ann".

According to Dr Wyn Evans, the history of the song is complex. He conjectures that it is probably a medley of folk stanzas from a number of sources, ‘improved’ by Taliesin Williams (1787-1847) and extended with a verse composed by his father, ‘Iolo Morganwg’ (Edward Williams, 1747-1826) "that wayward genius, who — under the influence of the love of his native Glamorgan, not to mention laudanum — rewrote the history of Welsh scholarship and literature with Glamorgan very much centre stage."[1]

Lyrics

There are several versions of the lyrics with minor variations in the words and additional verses. A modern version is:[2]

Words with English translation

Common variations include using the more literary ieuanc in place of ifanc (meaning young) in the first verse (as in the clip above). Also, gwna (make or do) is often used in place of dod (come) in the second verse, and the soft mutation of bo to fo is often omitted following tra in the fourth verse.[3]

Tune

First published version

The melody and words first published by Maria Jane Williams in 1844:[4]

\relative c' { \time 3/8 \key f \major \autoBeamOff \tempo 8 = 90 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" \partial 16 f16 % 0 f16 [(a)] c8. a16 % 1 bes16 bes a8. bes16 % 2 c16 a f8. a16 % 3 c16 c r8. a16 % 4 bes16 bes \grace { bes16 [(c16)] } d8. bes16 % 5 a16 a c8. bes16 % 6 a16 g g8. \grace f16 (e16) % 7 f16 f r8. f16 % 8 f16 f' f8. d16 % 9 bes16 bes bes8. a16 % 10 g16 g' g8. e16 % 11 c16 c8 r8 a16 % 12 bes16 bes \grace { bes16 [(c16)] } d8. bes16 % 13 a16 a c8. bes16 % 14 a16 g g8. \grace f16 (e16) % 15 f16 f8. \bar "|." % 16 } \addlyrics { Mi sydd fach -- gen ieu -- angc ffol yn ca -- ru'n ol fy ffan -- si Mi -- yn bu -- geil io’r gwen -- ith gwyn ac a -- raill yn ei fed -- i O' pam na ddew -- i ar fy ôl Ryw ddydd ar ol ei gi -- lydd gwaith 'rwy'n dy weled y fei -- nir fach O! gla -- nach la -- nach beu -- nydd. }

Modern version

A modern version of the tune is:[2]

\relative c' { \time 3/4 \key d \major \tempo 4 = 90 \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" d8 fis a4. fis8 % 1 g8 g fis4. g8 % 2 a8 fis d4. fis8 % 3 a8 a4. r8 fis % 4 g8 g b4. g8 % 5 fis8 fis8 a4. fis8 % 6 fis8 e e4. d16( cis) % 7 d8 d4. ~ d4 % 8 d8 d d'4. b8 % 9 g8 g g4. fis8 % 10 e8 e e'4. cis8 % 11 a8 a4. r8 fis8 % 12 g8 g b4. g8 % 13 fis8 fis a4. fis8 % 14 fis8 e e4. d16( cis) % 15 d8 d4. ~ d4 \bar "|." % 16 } \addlyrics { Mi sydd fach -- gen ieu -- anc ffôl Yn byw yn ôl fy ffan -- si, My -- fi’n bu -- gei -- lio’r gwen -- ith gwyn, Ac ar -- all yn ei fe -- di. Pam na ddeu -- i ar fy ôl, Ryw ddydd ar ôl ei gi -- lydd? Gwaith ’rwy’n dy weld, y fei -- nir fach, Yn la -- nach, la -- nach beu -- nydd. }

References

  1. ^ a b James, E. Wyn. "Watching the White Wheat and That Hole Below the Nose: The English Ballads of a Late-Nineteenth Century Welsh Jobbing-Printer". Cardiff University. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  2. ^ a b Hywel, John, ed. (1990). Famous songs of Wales : Caneuon enwog Cymru 1 (3rd ed.). Caernarfon: Gwynn. pp. 28–29. ISBN 0-900426-60-8. (Lannach and glannach have been corrected to lanach and glanach, im'th to imi'th, and in the last line gen to gan.)
  3. ^ Edwards, Meinir, ed. (2012). 100 o Ganeuon Gwerin. Talybont: Lolfa. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-84771-599-9.
  4. ^ Williams, Maria Jane (1844). Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morgannwg. Llandovery: William Rees. pp. 38–39. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
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