              Copyright
Helen Forder
2004
|
The
National Music of Wales ... continued xxxxxxxxxxxxxxpage 8
John
Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia). From Y Cymmrodor, 1878 |
| I shall require to
allude to this incident in connection with a
subject to be mentioned later; but there is a
word used in the relation of this account, in the
original Welsh, which I may as well point out at
once, as having a signification peculiar to the
Welsh language. |
 |
| In ancient
Welsh works, "to play upon the
harp" is expressed "to sing upon the
harp" - Canu ar y Delyn. It is also
the same as regards the crwth, an old
Welsh instrument, which was so popular in Britain
in olden times as to have been mistaken, by
historians of the sixth century, for our national
instrument. This form of expression we appear to
have derived from the Israelites; for we find in
Habakkuk, iii, 19, that the Prophet dedicates his
last prayer - "To the chief singer on
my stringed Instruments". |
| At this
period, the seventh century, according to the
Venerable Bede, the harp was so generally played
in Britain that it was customary to hand it from
one to another at their entertainments; and he
mentions one who, ashamed that he could not play
upon it, slunk away lest he should expose his
ignorance. |
| In such
honour was the harp held in Wales that a slave
might not practice upon it; while to play on the
instrument was an indispensable qualification of
a gentleman. The ancient laws of Hywel Dda
mention three kinds of harps: the harp of the
king; the harp of a pencerdd, or master of music;
and the harp of a nobleman. A professor of this
favourite instrument enjoyed many privileges; his
lands were free, and his person sacred. |
| It was the
office of the ancient bard to sing to his harp,
before and after battle, the old song called Unbeniaeth
Prydain, or the "Monarchical song of
Britain", which contained the exploits of
the most worthy heroes, to inspire others to
imitate their glorious example. |
| Diodorus
Siculus also says: |
"The bards
stept in between hostile armies, standing
with their swords drawn and their spears
extended ready to engage, and by their
eloquence, as by irresistible enchantment,
prevented the effusion of blood, and
prevailed upon them to sheath their
swords."
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