WHO’S THIS MYFANWY?

So there we were, on a Wednesday morning in August, sitting in the Willow Grove and drinking coffee. Behind some sunglasses we spot Mavis.

"Hello Mavis."

"Oh! Hello. Have you seen Malcolm?"

"I think he’s in the church."

"Right: I need to speak to him about the hymns for the wedding on Saturday."

...and from that brief remark my mind went off at a tangent, or - more correctly- on a total roam around! Wedding. Ours. In August (as a teacher it had to be fitted into my school holiday time). Service. Hymns. A favourite hymn. ‘Love Divine All Loves Excelling’ – to ‘Blaenwern’. Welsh tune. Holiday in South Wales. Swansea. Attending a practice evening of the Morriston Orpheus Choir. Rehearsal for a concert at Cardiff and also for a local wedding. Bride demanding ‘Myfanwy’ be included. A favourite Welsh song with her (and with a great many other brides too!). A very evocative tune, but do many of them actually know the words? We were fortunate in that someone handed us a beermat that night: on it both the Welsh words and an English translation. As the man said: "If they knew what the words meant, they might not be quite so keen on having that sung at their wedding!"

Here’s the first of the three verses:-

Pa ham mae dicter, O Myfanwy,

Yn llenwi’th lygaid duon ddi?

A’th ruddiau tirion, O Myfanwy,

Heb wrido wrth fy ngweled i?

Pa le mae’r wen oedd ar dy wefus

Fu’n cynnau ‘nghariad ffyddion ffol?

Pa le mae sain dy eiriau melys,

Fu’n denu’n nghalon ar dy ol?

Translated that’s...

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?

Pretty sad stuff, don’t you think, especially in view of the event?!!

It goes on:-

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.

I suppose it ranks alongside brides of a bygone age avidly requesting ‘Eternal Father Strong To Save’ and ‘Fight The Good Fight’!!

All you need do now is rummage through your collection to see if you have a CD of Welsh male voice choirs; there’s a very good chance ‘Myfanwy’ will be on it.

Roy Smith