Arwel Hughes O.B.E - Train Station, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK
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Ddraig Ddu
N 52° 42.719 W 002° 44.996
30U E 516893 N 5840261
A memorial to Arwel Hughes placed by his son Owain in 2004 for his most famious work 'Tydi u Roddaist' or Thou Gavest in Englsih.
Waymark Code: WMC2BB
Location: West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/17/2011
Views: 2
A memorial to Arwel Hughes placed by his son Owain in 2004.
Arwel Hughes composed the song; 'Tydi y Roddaist'
The plaque reads:-
Yma cyfansoddwyd yr emyn don
'Tydi a roddaist' gan
ARWEL HUGHES O.B.E.
Composed the hymn tune
'tydi a roddaist here in 1938
Plaque unveiled by his son
Dr.Owain Arwel Hughes O.B.E
October 9th 2004
Tydi a Roddaist (Thou Gavest) is regarded by many people as Arwel Hughes' most famous work. Since its compostition in 1938 it has been performed and recorded by hundreds of artists and choirs the world over.
Arwel Hughes worked for the BBC in Cardiff and often travelled from Cardiff to Bangor. In 1938 whilst waiting for a train connection at Shrewsbury Station, Arwel Hughes penned the piece ‘in about twenty minutes’ setting the words given to him by BBC colleague and friend T. Rowland Hughes.
with thanks to:- http://www.aureus.co.uk/MusicCatalogues/ArwelHughes/Tydiaroddaist.html
The piece was wrote in Welsh and goes:-
Tydi a roddaist liw ir wawr
A hud ir machlud mwyn
Tydi , a luniast gerdd a sawr
Y gwanwyn yn y llwyn
O, cadw ni rhag collir hud
Sydd heddiwn crwydro drwyr holl fyd.
The piece was composed in 1938 as a closing hymn-tune for the BBC Radio Play entitled ‘Wales’ which was broadcast on 1st March, 1938 and re-broadcast on 29th December 1938.
In the original radio play the first verse was sung by male voices in unison. The second and third verses were then sung by mixed choir with the last words of the third verse fading in to silence. Following a rousing speech by St. David, the patron saint of Wales, the choir can be heard in the distance repeating the final verse. The crescendo continues ending with a rousing final Amen.
The popularity of this work resulted in arrangements in various genres and today there are arrangements for male voices, mixed voices, female voices, solo baritone and male voices all with orchestral accompaniment, wind ensemble,brass ensemble, woodwind orchestra, brass band, military band and string orchestra.