Llun trwy Garedigrwydd Archifau a Chasgliadau Arbennig, Prifysgol Bangor
Photograph courtesy of Archives and Special Collections, Bangor University
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
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:
Alawon Bangor 
In the last line describing the sound file shouldn’t it be ‘aurally’? (by ear), rather than ‘orally’ (by mouth), unless you know of a way of listening through the mouth.
Hia Eryl,
I believe you’re right, thanks for saying (The only explanation I can think of listening orally would have something to do with the drinks required to listen properly to a performer!). I’ll change it now 🙂
Hwyl,
Mari
Dw i wedi darganfod y hanes yma ar y wefan. Effallai bydda fo’n eich helpu chi yn dewis y tempo iawn am yr alaw.
Hefyd, diolch am y blog. Mae’n diddorol iawn.
Hwyl,
Mike Hockenhull
In ” Cambrian Minstrelsie” will be found full
accounts of many exquisite songs, together with
Welsh and English words, and the original
music. Indeed, this is the best and most re
liable work on Welsh national melodies ever
published. The curious story connected with
” Those Evening Bells,” which Thomas Moore
wrote in English and Professor Rowlands in
Welsh, I here give: “There is an old wife’s
tale which states that Tom, Dick, and Ned (the
original air is called * Ffarwel Dic Bibydd*
(‘Dick the Piper’s Farewell’) went to visit the
Black Cave, near Criccieth; but what makes
the tale interesting is that they went and forgot
to return, and by this time, doubtless, few of
their relatives expect them or expect to hear
from them. The Shepherd of Braich y Bib
noticed them at the mouth of the cave. Dick
the piper played on a flute, and the other two
carried lights before him. In five minutes the
music changed and Little Tom played another
tune. Farther and farther they receded, and
weaker and weaker became the sound. By-
and-by the Shepherd heard another tune, and
he listened to that at the cave’s entrance until
every note died away. Not one of them has
returned to this day.”
From “Stories Of Famous Songs Volume II”
By S. J. Adair Fitz-Gerald 1901
You find it at:
http://archive.org/stream/storiesoffamouss001845mbp/storiesoffamouss001845mbp_djvu.txt