Myfanwy, Wales’ most famous love song.

John Cale yn perfformio Myfanwy ar Heno yn 1992.

John Cale performs Myfanwy Wales’ most famous love song  on Heno, S4C in his native Welsh back in 1992. 

Myfanwy Wales’ most famous love song, is surely one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs ever written. It was first performed on 21st May 1875, at the opening concert of the Aberystwyth and University Musical Society. The occasion was the 34th birthday of the song's composer, Joseph Parry, who at the time was Professor of Music at Aberystwyth University.

Joseph Parry was born on 21 May 1841 in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. He loved music from an early age, but the family - seven children in all - was often in financially difficult situations. As a result, Joseph went to work in the Cyfarthfa Mills at the age of 9. In 1854, when Joseph Parry was 13 years old, his father decided to move to America and settled in Danville in Pennsylvania, where there was a significant Welsh community,  where  he  worked  at  the  ironworks.

After some time in America, Parry returned to Britain to concentrate on his musical career, and he attended the Royal Academy of Music. He won major prizes at the National Eisteddfodau in Swansea and Llandudno and was admitted to the Gorsedd  in  1865  and  he took the bardic name of Pencerdd America. In Wales, Brittany and Cornwall a bardic name is one adopted by poets. The term Gorsedd refers to a gathering of bards in these three Celtic nations. 

Joseph Parry returned from the USA  and was offered a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, which he declined due to family commitments in the United States. However, such was Parry's musical ability and popularity, a fund was established to enable him and his family to move to London in 1868, allowing him to study at the Royal Academy of Music, during which time he became a particular favourite of Queen Victoria. 

Later Parry became the first Welshman to receive both Bachelor's and Doctor's degrees in music from Cambridge University. Parry and his family returned to the United States , where he established a school of music in Danville.

In 1873 he became Professor of Music at the University College, Aberystwyth and remained there until 1880.He composed the opera Blodwen in 1878. This was the first opera written in Welsh with the libretto by Richard Davies, who had died in 1877. In 1888 Parry settled in the small seaside town of Penarth and died there on 17th February 1903.The birthplace of Joseph Parry, 4 Chapel Row, Merthyr Tydfil, is now a museum and open to the public from April – September.  See their website for details http://www.visitmerthyr.co.uk  

Parry wrote the music of Myfanwy to lyrics written by Richard Davies (‘Mynyddog’; 1833–77). Some sources say it was written with Parry’s childhood sweetheart, Myfanwy Llywellyn, in mind,who  like Parry  himself  emigrated to America,  although  many  think  that the lyrics were probably inspired by the Ode to Myfanwy Fychan, a Welsh love poem, which was written by Hywel ap Einion Llygliw, a 14th century poet. Hywel fell, like many other suitors, for Myfanwy of Dinas Brân,who was the daughter of the Norman Earl of Arundel, and described as the most beautiful woman in Powys. Myfanwy was exceedingly vain and loved nothing better than being told how beautiful she was. 

Young men came to Dinas Bran from far and wide to seek her affection but she rebuffed them, even if they were rich and handsome because they could not compose and sing poems that did justice to her beauty. 

One man who  thought  he did have the talent to satisfy Myfanwy’s vanity was the poor but richly talented Hywel ap Einion who lived in the Dee Valley below. And one day Hywel plucked up the courage to climb up the hill to the castle with his harp, to sing and play to Myfanwy. Hywel instantly fell in love and became desperate for her hand in marriage;and  actually believed she had fallen in love with him because while he was playing and complimenting her on her beauty she could neither listen nor look at any other man.

Sadly, his hopes were dashed although she loved the attention and praise, she rejected this penniless poet for a richer, more distinguished suitor Goronwy Fychan ap Tudur the grandfather of Owain Tudor and great great grandfather of Henry VII. and married him  instead, instantly breaking the heart of poor Hywel  leaving  him  in  a pit  of  despair.

Hywel who was soon discarded and quickly forgotten by Myfanwy, wanders through the forests of the Dee Valley a broken man, his love lay in ruins just like Dinas Bran castle  is today and  being a poet Hywel ap Einion wrote a ballad declaring his yearning and loss  titled ‘Ode to Myfanwy Fychan of Castell Dinas Brân’. It went something like this: 

“Oh fairer thou, and colder too; 

Than new-fallen snow on Arran’s brow; 

Oh lovely flower of Trevor race; 

Let not a cruel heart disgrace;

The beauties of thy heavenly face! 

Thou art my daily thought each night;

 Presents Myfanwy to my sight.” 

This ode would have been in really old dialect, and the text of the poem by Hywel ab Einion Llygliw was printed in The Myvyrian Archaiology of Wales, a printed collection of medieval Welsh literature, published in three volumes by the Gwyneddigion Society between 1801 and 1807. which brought it to national prominence. A translation into  modern verse by Thomas Pennant ensured that it was well-known to historians and antiquarians in Wales and beyond and still inspires many Welsh poets and musicians to this day. 

Many centuries on in 1858, this original ode inspired Welsh poet John Ceiriog Hughes (1832–87) to compose a  poem 'Myfanwy Fychan' (1858),https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/9404#?xywh=-464%2C-67%2C1695%2C1333 based upon this story, that won a silver crown at the 1858 Great Llangollen Eisteddfod, the precursor of today’s National Eisteddfod.

In that same century, composer Joseph Parry was inspired to set music to lyrics written by Richard Davies, to form the popular love-anthem of Wales we know today as ‘Myfanwy‘

The story that inspired the song Myfanwy is a tragic and touching tale of the unrequited love a poor  poet felt, so I thought Hywel’s ardour  and how his heart was broken on the hill above Llangollen should be remembered  as too the life of Joseph Parry who brings this tale of loss alive in song.  

As  well  as the  lovely version performed by John Cale  at  beginning  of  the  post, this unique and well-known Welsh song, remains a firm favourite with Welsh male voice choirs all  over Wales.The  singer Cerys Matthews does a  fine version  too. Here's a rousing one  from the Morriston Orpheus Choir.

And  this version  by by  acclamed 24  year old cellist  Sheku Kanneh-Mason is  absolutely  stunning.

The song also is sung in the Welsh language biopic Hedd Wyn and is  used to tearjerking effect in  John Ford’s How Green Was My Valley,

and  is  also in the last scene of the Swansea-based movie Twin Town, and is also sung without exception at every Welsh Rugby Union international in the National Stadium, Cardiff.

Myfanwy has to be one  of the most touching poignant love songs ever written and performed really well can reduce one  to tears , just listen to this  version sung by  the late Ryan Davies in 1975.Certain  melodies  in  songs  can release  very  powerful  emotions  and Joseph  Parry's Myfanwy certainly does  this. The tune makes grief seem tangible, especially the last, drawn out "ffarwell".

The Lyrics of Myfanwy with English translation below  

Paham mae dicter, O Myfanwy,

Yn llenwi’th lygaid duon di? 

A’th ruddiau tirion, O Myfanwy, 

Heb wrido wrth fy ngweled i? 

Pa le mae’r wên oedd ar dy wefus 

Fu’n cynnau ‘nghariad ffyddlon ffôl?

Pa le mae sain dy eiriau melys,

Fu’n denu’n nghalon ar dy ôl? 

Pa beth a wneuthum, O Myfanwy 

I haeddu gwg dy ddwyrudd hardd? 

Ai chwarae oeddit, O Myfanwy 

 thanau euraidd serch dy fardd? 

Wyt eiddo im drwy gywir amod

Ai gormod cadw’th air i mi? 

Ni cheisiaf fyth mo’th law, Myfanwy,

Heb gael dy galon gyda hi. 

Myfanwy boed yr holl o’th fywyd 

Dan heulwen ddisglair canol dydd.

A boed i rosyn gwridog iechyd 

I ddawnsio ganmlwydd ar dy rudd.

Anghofia’r oll o’th addewidion 

A wnest i rywun, ‘ngeneth ddel, 

A dyro’th law, Myfanwy dirion 

I ddim ond dweud y gair “Ffarwél”. 

English translation  

Why is it anger, O Myfanwy, 

That fills your eyes so dark and clear?

 Your gentle cheeks, O sweet Myfanwy, 

Why blush they not when I draw near? 

Where is the smile that once most tender

Kindled my love so fond, so true? 

Where is the sound of your sweet words, 

That drew my heart to follow you? 

What have I done, O my Myfanwy,

To earn your frown? What is my blame? 

Was it just play, my sweet Myfanwy, 

To set your poet’s love aflame? 

You truly once to me were promised,

Is it too much to keep your part? 

I wish no more your hand, Myfanwy,

If I no longer have your heart. 

Myfanwy, may you spend your lifetime

Beneath the midday sunshine’s glow, 

And on your cheeks O may the roses

Dance for a hundred years or so.

Forget now all the words of promise

You made to one who loved you well,

Give me your hand, my sweet Myfanwy,

But one last time, to say “farewell”.