Wales has a rich musical heritage, and although many of its traditional
instruments are not commonly heard, there are still musicians keeping
the folk traditional alive, arranging and performing melodies that have
been popular for centuries. Celebrating its musical roots helps confirm
Wales distinctive culture. As we enjoy the tunes, dances and
instrumental forms that have delighted us for generations, we can
become part of the tradition as it moves forward.
instruments are not commonly heard, there are still musicians keeping
the folk traditional alive, arranging and performing melodies that have
been popular for centuries. Celebrating its musical roots helps confirm
Wales distinctive culture. As we enjoy the tunes, dances and
instrumental forms that have delighted us for generations, we can
become part of the tradition as it moves forward.
Wales has an unbroken tradition of harp playing. It was used as a dance instrument and for
playing tunes and airs. The tradition owes its survival to the gypsy families of Wales who kept
harp playing alive, and Nansi Richards, the famous harpist Telynores Maldwyn. In Wales the
triple harp was popular, an instrument with three rows of strings as opposed to the conventional
harp which has one row. It has been the tradition in Wales to play the harp on the left shoulder
with the right hand playing the lower strings and the left playing the higher ones. This style of
playing is possibly unique to Wales. The growth in popularity of the singly strung classical harp
at the beginning of the 20th century had a negative impact on the popularity of the triple harp,
with the result that today there are few triple harp players in Wales.
playing tunes and airs. The tradition owes its survival to the gypsy families of Wales who kept
harp playing alive, and Nansi Richards, the famous harpist Telynores Maldwyn. In Wales the
triple harp was popular, an instrument with three rows of strings as opposed to the conventional
harp which has one row. It has been the tradition in Wales to play the harp on the left shoulder
with the right hand playing the lower strings and the left playing the higher ones. This style of
playing is possibly unique to Wales. The growth in popularity of the singly strung classical harp
at the beginning of the 20th century had a negative impact on the popularity of the triple harp,
with the result that today there are few triple harp players in Wales.
One of the oldest of traditional Welsh instruments. The crwth is a form
of stringed lyre which uses a bow to play the strings. There is
archaeological evidence to suggest that similar instruments were in use
5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The range of notes is
limited, with a range of just a single octave, and all the strings are played
at the same time. The sound created has a droning quality, which can be
strange to the unfamiliar ear. There are a number of crwth players in
Wales, including Cas Meurig, who continues to develop the crwth repertoire,
and Robert Evans, who with vocalist Mary-Anne Roberts, recreates 'cerdd
dafod', literally 'dance of the tongue'. Cerdd dafod was a form of singing
with crwth accompaniment, which flourished in Wales from the beginning of
the 14th century to the end of the 16th century.
of stringed lyre which uses a bow to play the strings. There is
archaeological evidence to suggest that similar instruments were in use
5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. The range of notes is
limited, with a range of just a single octave, and all the strings are played
at the same time. The sound created has a droning quality, which can be
strange to the unfamiliar ear. There are a number of crwth players in
Wales, including Cas Meurig, who continues to develop the crwth repertoire,
and Robert Evans, who with vocalist Mary-Anne Roberts, recreates 'cerdd
dafod', literally 'dance of the tongue'. Cerdd dafod was a form of singing
with crwth accompaniment, which flourished in Wales from the beginning of
the 14th century to the end of the 16th century.
The pibgorn is a simple reed instrument once popular with shepherds and cattle
drovers. It is made up of a wooden pipe and the horns of a bull. One horn is
used as a mouthpiece and another to form a bell end which helps amplify the
sound. The pibgorn consists of six holes for the fingers and a thumb hole at the
back, similar to a recorder, giving a range of 8 notes. It was used for playing
dance music and passing the time on the cattle droves. Pibgorns are rare
instruments, although they can be made to order by specialist instrument
makers. The musician Stephen Rees, who plays with the folk group Crasdant,
continues his work in bringing the pibgorn sound to new audiences.
drovers. It is made up of a wooden pipe and the horns of a bull. One horn is
used as a mouthpiece and another to form a bell end which helps amplify the
sound. The pibgorn consists of six holes for the fingers and a thumb hole at the
back, similar to a recorder, giving a range of 8 notes. It was used for playing
dance music and passing the time on the cattle droves. Pibgorns are rare
instruments, although they can be made to order by specialist instrument
makers. The musician Stephen Rees, who plays with the folk group Crasdant,
continues his work in bringing the pibgorn sound to new audiences.
The penny whistle or tin whistle has been a popular instrument with players through out the world
owing to its low cost, ready availability and ease of construction. The oldest whistle found in Wales
is believed to be 900 years old and was found at Chirk castle. It appears to have been made from the
bone of an animal. Other historical evidence of its use in Wales includes the Nant Garw sunday school
annual tea parties which took place during the 19th century when it was used to accompany the dancing
when no harp was available. "And when you heard the tin whistle, the children ran to watch them
practicing the dancing" - Margretta Thomas, 1880-1772 A close relation of the whistle is the flute.
Until the late 1800s most flutes were made out of wood, although most are now made from metal. It
was usually played with other instruments such as the harp and fiddle. The black wooden flutes we
see traditional players using today were once orchestral instruments that were discarded when the
modern metal version came into use.
owing to its low cost, ready availability and ease of construction. The oldest whistle found in Wales
is believed to be 900 years old and was found at Chirk castle. It appears to have been made from the
bone of an animal. Other historical evidence of its use in Wales includes the Nant Garw sunday school
annual tea parties which took place during the 19th century when it was used to accompany the dancing
when no harp was available. "And when you heard the tin whistle, the children ran to watch them
practicing the dancing" - Margretta Thomas, 1880-1772 A close relation of the whistle is the flute.
Until the late 1800s most flutes were made out of wood, although most are now made from metal. It
was usually played with other instruments such as the harp and fiddle. The black wooden flutes we
see traditional players using today were once orchestral instruments that were discarded when the
modern metal version came into use.
Wales' other unbroken tradition, apart from harp playing, is its step or clog dancing. The
dance was originally performed by farmers and slate quarry workers and often came in
the form of a competition where dancers would show off their stamina and athleticism.
The difference between Welsh clogging and other step dance traditions is that the
performance will not only include complicated stepping, but also 'tricks'. For example,
snuffing out a candle flame with the dancer's feet, 'toby stepping' - similar to Cossack
dancing - and high leaps into the air.
dance was originally performed by farmers and slate quarry workers and often came in
the form of a competition where dancers would show off their stamina and athleticism.
The difference between Welsh clogging and other step dance traditions is that the
performance will not only include complicated stepping, but also 'tricks'. For example,
snuffing out a candle flame with the dancer's feet, 'toby stepping' - similar to Cossack
dancing - and high leaps into the air.
Wales has a long tradition of fiddle playing and its music was popular with the great Romany
familes of Wales. Three people who were renowned for playing both harp and fiddles were
Cornelius, David and Adolphus Wood. Unlike the harp there is no unbroken tradition of fiddle
playing in Wales, but because the players wrote down their tunes the repertoire has been
preserved. We don't know how the fiddle actually sounded so have no idea of styles. Many
manuscripts from 18th and 19th centuries contain tunes which appear very similar in style to
contemporary classical or popular music.
familes of Wales. Three people who were renowned for playing both harp and fiddles were
Cornelius, David and Adolphus Wood. Unlike the harp there is no unbroken tradition of fiddle
playing in Wales, but because the players wrote down their tunes the repertoire has been
preserved. We don't know how the fiddle actually sounded so have no idea of styles. Many
manuscripts from 18th and 19th centuries contain tunes which appear very similar in style to
contemporary classical or popular music.
| Alabama Welsh Assoc. Welsh Music |
| The Crwth |
| The Pibgorn |
| The Whistle and Flute |
| Triple Harp |
| The Fiddle |
| Clog Dancing |
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| This page updated March 4th, 2009 Copyright 2006-2009 Alabama Welsh Association. All rights reserved. Web Hosting by Yahoo! |
Link to Bruce Anderson page a member
of the AWA, and Famous Welsh Artist.
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of the AWA, and Famous Welsh Artist.
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