Myfanwy (Welsh: [məˈvanʊɨ̯, məˈvanʊi̯]; a woman's name derived from Welsh annwyl 'beloved') is a popular Welsh song, composed by Joseph Parry and first published in 1875.

Background

Sources differ as to whether Dr. Parry composed the music for an existing poem by Richard Davies ("Mynyddog Mwynfawr"; 1833–1877) (the common belief) or whether Davies wrote the words to Parry's melody following its use with an English lyric by Thomas Walter Price (Cuhelyn; 1829 - 1869)(*1), journalist and poet, called "Arabella".

Richard Davies' lyric may have been influenced by the 14th Century love story of Myfanwy Fychan of Castell Dinas Brân, Llangollen, and the poet Hywel ab Einion(*2). That story was also the subject of the popular poem, "Myfanwy Fychan" (1858), by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832–87). Some sources say it was written with Parry's childhood sweetheart, Myfanwy Llywellyn, in mind (*3). In 1947, Merthyr-Tydfil-born author Jack Jones wrote a book entitled Off to Philadelphia in the morning where he relates the story within some aspects of the life of Parry, weaving facts into his fictional narrative (*4).

Lyrics and Translation

Original Translation

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?

Why so the anger, Oh Myfanwy,
That fills your dark eyes
Your gentle cheeks, Oh Myfanwy,
No longer blush beholding me?
Where now the smile upon your lips
That lit my foolish faithful love?
Where now the sound of your sweet words,
That drew my heart to follow you?)

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.

What was it that I did, Oh Myfanwy,
To deserve the frown of your beautiful cheeks?
Was it a game for you, Oh Myfanwy,
This poet's golden flame of love?
You belong to me, through true promise,
Too much to keep your word to me?
I'll never seek your hand, Myfanwy,
Unless I have your heart with it.

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".

Myfanwy, may your life entirely be
Beneath the midday sun's bright glow,
And may a blushing rose of health
Dance on your cheek a hundred years.
I forget all your words of promise
You made to someone, my pretty girl
So give me your hand, my sweet Myfanwy,
For no more but to say "farewell".

Usage and Performances

A hundred years after it was first published Ryan Davies performed the song at the Swansea Top Rank introducing it as "the greatest love song ever written". A live recording of this version was included on Davies' album Ryan at the Rank and quickly became one Davies' most notable and familiar performances.[1]

Davies' rendition began a renewed popularity for the performance of the song, especially with Welsh Male Voice Choirs. Two of the most widely recognized choral renditions are by the Treorchy Male Voice Choir,and the Neath Male Voice Choir. The song is often performed at the Principality Stadium during the Welsh rugby team's home matches, and the Morriston Orpheus Choir recorded a version of the song for the Welsh Rugby Unions official album in 2006.

An English version was released by David Essex in 1987. John Cale has performed the song throughout his career, most notably a 1992 TV performance on the S4C programme Heno.[2][3] Opera singer, Bryn Terfel recorded a choral version of the song on his album "We'll Keep a Welcome".[4] Cerys Matthews recorded a guitar version for her 2010 album Tir,[5]

The song features in John Ford's Academy Award-winning film How Green Was My Valley and also in the last scene of the Swansea-based movie Twin Town, where it is sung by members of many local choirs, including the Pontarddulais Male Choir. At a key moment of the plot, the protagonist in the 1992 Welsh-language film Hedd Wyn, which was nominated for an Academy Award, sings it to his former fiancée.

It is both played and discussed in the episode "Death and Dust" of the show Midsomer Murders, during a visit to Wales by detectives from an English village


Myfanwy Thomas is the main character in Daniel O'Malley's The Rook.[6]

In Torchwood, the pterodactyl that is kept by the Torchwood team as a pet is called Myfanwy.


In the 2008 biographical romantic drama Edge of Love, Vera and Dylan Thomas played by Kiera Knightley and Matthew Rhys respectively sing the song together to celebrate Vera’s recent marriage to William Killick played by Cillian Murphy.

References

  1. ↑ "Myfanwy sung by Ryan Davies (1937 - 1977) as shown at The Tribute To Ryan at Swansea Grand In 2018". You Tube. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "John Cale - Myfanwy". Heno S4C. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Price, Simon (28 February 2010). "John Cale: The long reign of the alternative Prince of Wales". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "Parry: Myfanwy". You Tube. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  5. ↑ "Myfanwy". You Tube. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  6. ↑ The Rook (TV Series 2019) - IMDb, retrieved 8 June 2021
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