Welsh Music Research Areas
Welsh Traditional Music
Research activity in the field of Welsh traditional music was established in the University of Bangor during the mid-1980s following close collaboration between the Arts Council of Wales, The Welsh Folk Museum (St. Fagans, Cardiff) and the university authorities. Since that time, the School of Music’s Archive of Welsh Traditional Music has hosted a number of conferences, supported postgraduate & external researchers, published and provided financial assistance to realise several recording & performance ventures.
Partnerships with the National Library of Wales, the Welsh Folk-Song Society, the National History Museum and research centres in other Celtic countries serve to strengthen the School’s activities in Welsh traditional music.
Members
Wyn Thomas
Mr Wyn Thomas is currently Director of the Archive of Welsh Traditional Music and has published widely in the field of Welsh folk music as indicated below:
Hanes Cerddoriaeth Cymru/Welsh Music History, Vol. 7 – Welsh language editor, (University of Wales Press, Cardiff, 2007), ISBN: 1362-0681 - [In the press]
Cynheliaid y Gân – Cyfrol deyrnged i Meredydd Evans a Phyllis Kinney (University of Wales Press, Cardiff, 2007), 352pp. Welsh language editor. ISBN: 13: 978-0-7083-2081-5
Cerddoriaeth Draddodiadol yng Nghymru: Llyfryddiaeth /Traditional Music in Wales: A Bibliography, Vol. 3 (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst, 2006), 411pp. ISBN: 1-84527-080-0
‘Y phonograph a byd cerddoriaeth draddodiadol yng Nghymru’, [‘The phonograph and the field of traditional Music in Wales], Canu Gwerin/Folk Song (Journal of the Welsh Folk Song Society), Vol. 29(Aberystwyth, 2006), 40-64. ISSN: 0967-0599
‘Ffarwel i Aberystwyth …’: Jennie Williams a byd yr alaw werin yng Nghymru’, [Farewell to Aberystwyth …: Jennie Williams and the world of Welsh traditional song], Cynheliaid y Gân – Festschrift for Meredydd Evans and Phyllis Kinney, (University of Wales Press, Cardiff, 2007), 251-279. ISBN: 13: 978-0-7083-2081-5
‘Ffarwel i Aberystwyth …’: Jennie Williams a byd yr alaw werin yng Nghymru’, [Farewell to Aberystwyth …: Jennie Williams and the world of Welsh traditional song], Ceredigion (Journal of the Ceredigion Historical Society), Vol. XV, No. 2 (Llandysul, 2007), 27-72. ISSN: 0069-2263
‘Annie Cwrt Mawr a Chanorion Aberystwyth’, [Annie Ellis and the Aberystwyth ‘Canorion’ Society], Canu Gwerin/Folk Song (Journal of the Welsh Folk Song Society), Vol. 30(Aberystwyth, 2007). ISSN: 0967-0599
‘Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin Cymru yng Ngoleg Prifysgol Cymru, Aberystwyth’ [The Welsh Folk Song Society & The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth’], Gwerddon, Cyf./Vol. 2.http://www.gwerddon.org/
Conference Papers:
‘Were it not for the women …’ folk song collecting in early 20th Century Wales’ Gender[in/g] the Subject Colloquium, U.W. Swansea (Swansea, 2004)
‘Sound archives in Wales’ British Records Association’, Royal Statistical Society, London (London, 2005)
Y phonograph a byd cerddoriaeth draddodiadol yng Nghymru’ [‘Early phonographic recordings in Wales’] Welsh Folk-Song Society Conference (Dolgellau, 2006)
‘Ffarwel i Aberystwyth – Jennie Williams a chasglu cerddoriaeth frodorol yng Nghymru [Farewell to Aberystwyth - Jennie Williams and Welsh indigenous music] National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth (2005)
‘Dora Herbert Jones a’r mudiad canu gwerin yng Ngheredigion’ [Dora Herbert Jones and the folk song movement in mid-Wales] North American Association for Welsh Culture and History, (Swansea, 2006)
‘Annie Ellis and a musical Entente Cordiale’, University of Brest, (Brest, Brittany 2007)
‘Cerddoriaeth Caneuon Ffydd’ [The Music of Caneuon Ffydd] – Hymn Society of Wales Conference (Aberystwyth,2007)
Stephen Rees
Mr Stephen Rees has been an active performer within the Welsh folk music scene for many years,initially with the group ArLog, but more recently with Crasdant where he plays the violin, accordion and pibgorn, and with whom he has toured extensively in the UK, Europe and North America. He has also delivered numerous papers and published articles on Welsh traditional music, ranging from the folk revival in the 1970s and 1980’s to issues of identity in the music of the contemporary group fernhill. A selection of his publications and recordings includes:
Articles
(with Sally Harper) ‘Aspects of the Paleography and History of the Robert ap Huw Manuscript’, Welsh Music History / Hanes Cerddoriaeth Cymru, 3 (1999), 54−67; Welsh version 68−81.
Traddodiadau Cerdd Cymru [The Musical Traditions of Wales], Darlith Goffa Amy Parry-Williams [Amy Parry-Williams Memorial Lecture], (Aberystwyth: Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin Cymru [Welsh Folk Song Society], 2000), 20pp.
‘A New Celtic Tradition? Group Instrumental Performance in the Welsh Folk Revival, c.1975-c.1989’, Welsh Music History / Hanes Cerddoriaeth Cymru, 7 (2007), 304-324; Welsh version 325-343.
Selected Recordings
Various artists:
Ffidil [4 duo fiddle tracks with Huw Roberts] (Fflach Tradd: CD 182H), 1996
As a member of the group Crasdant:
Cerddoriaeth Draddodiadol Gymreig / Welsh Traditional Music: Sain SCD 2220, (1999)
Nos Sadwrn Bach / Not Yet Saturday: Sain SCD 2306, (2001)
Dwndwr / The Great Noise: Sain [CD and DVD]: SCD 2487, (2005)