I'll be interested to know if you get any takers. I've lived in Mid Wales for 3 years, and the only people in my area who play Welsh dance tunes are English immigrants like myself. The same is not true of all of Wales - there are pockets in both the North and South where traditional dance music seems to be growing in popularity.
Where are you in the Midlands, Jonathan? If you're anywhere west of Telford, it might just be worth the trip over the border once in a while. There's been talk of starting up a regular (probably monthly) Welsh tune session where I am.
"The same is not true of all of Wales - there are pockets in both the North and South where traditional dance music seems to be growing in popularity."
~ & the West...
Jonathan, if shy to give specifics, at least tell us what county your'e in?
Here are two regularly used sources of the dots, but like with anything, use your ears, and there are a number of recordings to turn too, including listed on site here. But, sadly, many also suffer from a strong stale 'classical' influence and can be a bit too twee for my liking. The best, again my opinion, 'suffer' from other influences ~ Brittany and Ireland...
Here's the first book to consider, but I'll also list the weaker second volume ~
"Blodau'r Grug: 100 Popular Welsh Folk Dance Tunes"
Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin Cymru / The Welsh Folk Dance Society
& ~ "Cadw Twmpath"
There are also many othe sources to draw tunes from and Cymru/Wales is not weak on lovely melodies, including tons borrowed, adapted and renamed...
Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
Just wondered if any folks (in English midlands) were interested in getting together to play Welsh Folk Dance tunes?
# Posted on December 29th 2009 by Jonathan Simcock
Re: Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
I'll be interested to know if you get any takers. I've lived in Mid Wales for 3 years, and the only people in my area who play Welsh dance tunes are English immigrants like myself. The same is not true of all of Wales - there are pockets in both the North and South where traditional dance music seems to be growing in popularity.
Where are you in the Midlands, Jonathan? If you're anywhere west of Telford, it might just be worth the trip over the border once in a while. There's been talk of starting up a regular (probably monthly) Welsh tune session where I am.
# Posted on December 29th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
For those of us far from Wales who might be interested in exploring such dance tunes, can you recommend any publication(s) or websites?
# Posted on December 29th 2009 by Conanicus
Re: Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
just found this - free download of a hard-to-find publication of old welsh music - Jones's Music of the Welsh Bards
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=uaINAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=&f=false
# Posted on December 29th 2009 by fynnjamin
Re: Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
That looks like an interesting collection, fynnjamin. The most oft-quoted sources of Welsh dance tunes, in my experience, are the two volumes published by the Welsh Folk Dance Society, Blodau'r Grug and Cadw Twmpath. http://www.welshfolkdance.org.uk/grwpiau/aberystwyth/rhb/robinhuwbowen_publ.htm
The other two books shown on the page, Tro Llaw and Y Mân-Dlysau Cymreig will also be of interest.
# Posted on December 30th 2009 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
Here's a website, conanicus:
http://www.welshtraditionalmusic.com/taxonomy/term/16
# Posted on December 30th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Welsh Dance Tune Sessions
"The same is not true of all of Wales - there are pockets in both the North and South where traditional dance music seems to be growing in popularity."
~ & the West...
Jonathan, if shy to give specifics, at least tell us what county your'e in?
Here are two regularly used sources of the dots, but like with anything, use your ears, and there are a number of recordings to turn too, including listed on site here. But, sadly, many also suffer from a strong stale 'classical' influence and can be a bit too twee for my liking. The best, again my opinion, 'suffer' from other influences ~ Brittany and Ireland...
Here's the first book to consider, but I'll also list the weaker second volume ~
"Blodau'r Grug: 100 Popular Welsh Folk Dance Tunes"
Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin Cymru / The Welsh Folk Dance Society
& ~ "Cadw Twmpath"
There are also many othe sources to draw tunes from and Cymru/Wales is not weak on lovely melodies, including tons borrowed, adapted and renamed...
Best of luck...
# Posted on January 5th 2010 by ceolachan