Ffarwel Dic Bibidd

Llun trwy Garedigrwydd Archifau a Chasgliadau Arbennig, Prifysgol Bangor
Photograph courtesy of Archives and Special Collections, Bangor University

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Dyma alaw ‘Ffarwel Dic Bibidd’, sydd ar dudalen 21 o lawysgrif Bangor Ms. 2294 sef Llawysgrif Maurice Edwards (gweler mwy o wybodaeth am Maurice Edwards a’i lawysgrif yma). Y sillafiad Cymraeg modern o’r teitl fyddai ‘Ffarwél Dic Bibydd’

Mae nodiant yr alaw hon yn cynnwys nodau ychwanegol ym marrau olaf y ddwy adran. Rwyf wedi dehongli hyn i olygu bod un set o nodau ar gyfer y tro cyntaf a’r set arall ar gyfer yr ail dro trwy’r adrannau.

Roeddwn yn methu penderfynu ar ba dempo (pa mor gyflym/araf) addas ar gyfer yr alaw, ond yn bersonol rwyf wedi dewis tempo gweddol araf (tua 69 curiad y funud) wrth feddwl am Dic Bibidd yn gadael y pentref gyda chalon drom!

Yn ol Robert Evans o Bragod, roedd Dic Bibydd yn bibydd adnabyddus ac roedd ganddo flageolet arian.

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This melody is called ‘Ffarwel Dic Bibidd’ which roughly translates to ‘Farewell Dic the Piper’. It is found on page 21 of manuscript Bangor Ms. 2294 which is Maurice Edwards’ manuscript (see more information on Maurice Edwards and his manuscript here)

This song’s notation includes extra notes to be played in the last bars of each section. I’ve taken this to mean that the notes are different the first and the second time through each of the sections.

I couldn’t decide on a tempo (how fast/slow) to play this tune, but I’ve personally now decided on a steady pace (about 69 beats per minute), thinking of Dic the Piper leaving the village with a heavy heart and dragging his feet!

According to Robert Evans of Bragod Dic Bibydd was a famous piper who had a silver flageolet.

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Ewch yma i weld yr alaw mewn nodiant safonol/Click here to see the tune in standard notation: Ffarwel Dic Bibidd

Dyma nodiant abc o’r alaw/Here’s the melody in abc notation: Ffarwel Dic Bibidd abc

Dyma recordiad ‘wave’ o’r alaw, ar gyfer dysgu wrth y glust:
Here’s a ‘wave’ recording of the melody, for learning aurally:

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Margared fwyn ych Evan

Llun trwy Garedigrwydd Archifau a Chasgliadau Arbennig, Prifysgol Bangor
Photograph courtesy of Archives and Special Collections, Bangor University

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Dyma alaw ‘Margared fwyn ych Evan’, sydd ar dudalen 5 o lawysgrif Bangor Ms. 2294 sef Llawysgrif Maurice Edwards (gweler mwy o wybodaeth am Maurice Edwards a’i lawysgrif yma). Rwyf wedi golygu’r teitl i ddechrau gyda llythyren fras er mwyn cysondeb gyda’r alawon eraill ar y blog.

Yn ddiddorol, er bod yr alaw hon yng nghywair A leiaf, mae hi’n gorffen ar y pumed nodyn, sef E. Mae hyn yn gwneud i’r alaw swnio’n anorffenedig, ond hefyd yn ei gwneud yn anarferol ymysg alawon Cymraeg eraill.

Mae yna fersiwn o hon sydd ychydig bach yn wahanol wedi ei chyhoeddi ar dudalen 25 o gyfrol Cambrian Harmony Richard Roberts (Dublin&Carnarvon, [1829]), felly mae’n rhaid bod yr alaw wedi bod yn wybodus i bobl am nifer o flynyddoedd. Gallwch weld copi o hwn ar wefan Prifysgol Brigham Young yma.

Yn ôl y sôn mae yna benillion a cherddi yn bodoli sy’n sôn am gymeriad Margared fwyn ych Evan. Cysylltwch os ydych chi’n gwybod am unrhyw gerddi amdani, byddai’n ddiddorol dysgu mwy am y cymeriad a wnaeth ysbrydoli alaw mor anarferol.

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This melody is called ‘Margared fwyn ych Evan’ which roughly translates to ‘Fair Margaret, Evan’s Daughter’. It is found on page 5 of manuscript Bangor Ms. 2294 which is Maurice Edwards’ manuscript (see more information on Maurice Edwards and his manuscript here) I’ve edited the title to begin with a capital letter for consistency with the rest of the tunes on the blog.

Interestingly, although this melody is in the key of A minor, it finishes on the fifth note, E. This makes the tune feel unresolved, but also makes it unusual among other Welsh tunes.

An intriguing and slightly different version of this tune appears on page 25 in Richard Roberts’ collection, Cambrian Harmony (Dublin&Carnarvon, [1829]), so it must have been well known for many years. You can see a copy of this on Brigham Young University’s website here.

Apparently verses exist that mention the character of fair Margaret. Please get in touch if you know of any, it would be interesting to learn more about the person who inspired such an unusual tune.

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Ewch yma i weld yr alaw mewn nodiant safonol/Click here to see the tune in standard notation: Margared fwyn ych Evan

Dyma nodiant abc o’r alaw/Here’s the melody in abc notation: Margared fwyn ych Evan

Dyma recordiad WAV o’r alaw, ar gyfer dysgu wrth y glust:
Here’s a WAV recording of the melody, for learning aurally: