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Myfanwy
5:00pm, Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Current mood: relaxed 
If you're a fan of Welsh male voice choirs you will certainly be familiar with "Myfanwy", one of the best in a great field of Welsh choral songs. I had certainly heard it a number of times over the years but I heard it again recently on YouTube sung unaccompanied by Olwen Morgan in memoriam to the Aberfan disaster. Her heartfelt rendition inspired me transcribe it and create my own arrangement of this all-time classic.
The song was written in 1875 with words by Richard Davies, ("Mynyddog") and music by Joseph Parry. It
is most often heard in Parry's TTBB male voice choir arrangement and it is a truly wonderful piece of work all round. I don't speak Welsh but I love the sound of it and it is clear that this is high grade poetry, being the sad heartfelt plea from a man to his failed love. The choral version is set in Db to suit proper tenors as it goes up to a high Ab. The range is just an octave so it may be sung in the original key an octave low by a bass but although it is easily possible it is a little low for proper dramatic effect. The famous Welsh baritone: Bryn Terfel sang it in G, which is a good key for most people as it only goes up to a D. I chose this key before independently as it was the first key I tried after transposing the song and it worked well.
It took me the best part of a day to transcribe the choral version from a crappy JPG, type in the lyrics, analyse the harmony, transpose it and write the piano accompaniment. I have done a lot of harmonic analysis over the decades and I know when I am working on a masterpiece. Joseph Parry really knew his stuff and he certainly made the most of a relatively simple tune. His use of long drones by the low voices might seem overly simple at first glance but in fact, it is the best way to accompany this tune. One of the signs of a master is not to overdo an arrangement. Just because you CAN doesn't always mean that you SHOULD! Sometimes you need to step back and give the melody the floor. This is one such time.
Parry also shows his class with his TASTEFUL use of suspensions, 9ths, 4ths, diminished and augmented chords. Just one of each over the whole verse; beautifully restrained and the effect is magnificent. It was a pleasure to work with his harmonies and I only found cause to change it twice and then only for one note each. I was able to add more notes below the melody and lower bass notes as I was writing for the piano. I could have gone over the top but, like Parry, I kept it simple, honoured the harmonies and let the song speak. In the end I was taking notes out in order to keep the proper effect.
My arrangement (click for full score).
I am not Welsh but my great, great, grandfather was and I have been to Wales a few times and have always enjoyed myself there and found occasion to sing in Welsh. I pretty much know Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and Calon Lân off by heart and I found that when I launched into these at pubs the locals would join in. Good times!
If you have access to a piano I recommend you give my piano arrangement a go and if you have someone who can sing in Welsh so much the better. I found it fun to play and so should you.
Just another day in the life of a composer. My life is full of days like these.
The wonderful thing about music is that there is always more! It never runs out for me. Sure, the inspiration to write songs is not as hot as it once was but I'm still writing SOME tunes and in the meantime there is an entire WORLD of songs to harmonise and arrange. Bozhe moi!
Currently reading:
Overgeared by Park Saenal/Redice Studio.