Category: Music

Wythnos o ganeuon

By Simon

Mae’r wythnos hon wedi bod yn brysur iawn – Ddydd Sul diwethaf, canais efo’r côr cymunedol yn y Ŵyl Heddwch ym Mangor -gwahoddynt i ni ganu wrth iddyn nhw bwyta ein cinio. Nos Fawrth canais efo cór y gymdeithas gerdd yn y prifysgol, Nos Fercher canais efo’r côr cymunedol, a Nos Iau es i i gyngerdd wych gan Northern Harmony, côr ifanc o’r UDA. Yna treuliais Dydd Sadwrn yn canu mewn gweithdy canu efo Northern Harmony – roedd yn ardderchog a dysgon ni ganeuon o America, Corsica, Siorsia, De Affrica ac Ukraine. Nos Sadwrn es i gyngerdd wych gan Trio Naatyashwora, grŵp o gerddorion o Nepal.

Mae cynhadledd ryngwladol ar ddwyieithrwydd i’w chynnal ym Mangor y penwythnos hwn hefyd, ac es i ryw areithiau ddoe ac echddoe.

Seachtain na hamhráin

Bhí an seachtain seo an ghnóthach – Dé Domhnaigh seo cáite, chan mé leis an cór pobail ag an Féile Síochána i mBangor -thug iad cuireadh dúinn ag canadh agus iad ag ith ar lón. Oíche Mhairt chan mé le cór na cumann ceoil san ollscoil, Oíche Chéadaoin chan mé leis an cór pobail, Oíche Aoine chuaigh mé chuig ceolchoirm le Northern Harmony, cór óg as Meiriceá. Ansin chaith mé Dé Sathairn ag canadh i gceardlann chanta le Northern Harmony – bhí sí go hiontach agus d’fhoghlaim muid amhráin as Meiriceá, an Chorsaic, an tSeoirsia, an Afraic Theas agus an Úcráin. Oíche Shathairn chuaigh mé chuig ceolchoirm le Trio Naatyashwora, grúpa ceoltóirí as Neipeal.

Tá comhdháil idirnáisiúnta ar an dátheangachas ar siúil an deireadh seachtaine seo freisin, agus chuaigh mé chuig cúpla óráidí inné agus arú inné.

A week of songs

This week has been a busy one – last Sunday I sang with the community choir in the Peace Festival in Bangor – they invited us to sing to them while they were having lunch. On Tuesday evening I sang with the community choir again, on Wednesday evening I sang with the university music society choir, and on Thursday evening I went to an excellent concert by Northern Harmony, a young choir from the USA. Then I spent most of Saturday at a singing workshop with Northern Harmony, which was fantastic and we learnt songs from America, Corsica, Georgia, South Africa and Ukraine. On Saturday night I went to a great concert by Trio Naatyashwora, a group of musicans from Nepal.

An international conference on bilingualism is being held in Bangor this weekend as well, and I went to a few talks yesterday and on Friday.

Hen gychod a Dyffryn Cegin

By Simon

Hen gychod

Ddoe es i am dro draw i Borth Penrhyn, lle roedd nifer o gychod diddorol fel yr hen gwch hwylio yn y ffoto uwch. Yna mi nes cerdded ar hyd Dyffryn Cegin, trwy Faesgeirchen ac dros Fynydd Bangor. Mae’r llwybr Dyffryn Cegin yn rhedeg ar hyd glan Afon Cegin, yr afon sy’n dihysbyddu ei hun ym Morth Penrhyn, ac trwy goedwig hyfryd.

Roedd hi’n braf efo dim ond cawodydd ysgafn o bryd yw gilydd – ‘na newid neis ar ôl wythnosau o dywydd diflas.

Sean bháid agus Gleann na Cistine

Inné chuaigh mé ag spaisteoireacht go Porth Penrhyn, cá raibh a lán báid suimiúla mar an sean bhád seoil ann an grianghraf thaobh thuas. Ansin shiúl mé feadh Dyffryn Cegin (Gleann na Cistine), trí Maesgeirchen (Páirc na Coirce) agus suas Mynydd Bangor (Sliabh Bangor). Tá cosán Dyffryn Cegin ag rith feadh Afon Cegin (Abhainn na Cistine), an abhainn atá ag folmhú í féin i Borth Penrhyn, agus trí coillearnach álainn.

Bhí sé go breá le níl ach tóg cith o ám go hám – sin athrú deas i ndiaidh go leor seachtain le drochaimsir.

Old boats and the Cegin Valley

Yesterday I went for a walk over to Porth Penrhyn, where there were lots of interesting boats like the old sailing boat in the photo above. Then I walked along the Cegin Valley, through Maesgeirchen and over Bangor Mountain. The path along the Cegin Valley runs along the banks of the River Cegin, which empties itself at Porth Penrhyn, and through some lovely woodland.

It was fine with only occasional showers – a nice change after weeks of pretty unpleasant weather.

Cyngerdd

By Simon

Neithiwr mi ganais gyda’r côr meibion mewn cyngerdd yn Newhaven. Y tro ‘ma mi gyrhaeddais mewn pryd – mi ges i lifft gydag un o’r aelodau eraill. Mi ganon ni mewn eglwys fach sy’n ddyddio o’r 12fed ganrif gydag acwsteg dda, ac roedd tua hanner cant o bobl yn y gynulleidfa. Roedd telynores yn canu’r telyn hefyd.

Ceolchoirm

Aréir chan mé i gceolchoirm le cór Breatnach i Newhaven. An uair seo tháinig mé in am – chuir mé síob le comhalta eile. Chan muid in eaglais bheag atá ag dátaigh ón dara haois déag le héisteacht mhaith, agus bhí thart fá leath chéad de lucht féachana ann. Sheinn cailín óg an cláirseach cúpla uair chomh maith.

Concert

Last night I sang in a concert with the Welsh Choir in Newhaven. This time I managed to arrive on time having got a lift with one of the other members of the choir. We sang in a small church dating from the 12th century with good acoustics, and there were about 50 people in the audience. One of our regular harpists played a couple of times as well.

Eachtra

By Simon

Tháinig mé ar ais go Bangor Dé Máirt an seachtaine seo caite i ndiaidh saoire ar fheabhas ar fad in Éirinn, Albain agus Sasana.

In Éirinn bhí sé an deas daoine a bhuail mé leis ag an scoil samhraidh anuraidh a fheiceáil arís, agus ag bualadh le a lán daoine eile. Bhí mé sa rang a sé i mbliana, agus bhí i bhfad níos mó deiseanna ann mo chuid Gaeilge a cleachtadh na a bhí sa rang a seacht anuraidh. Bhain mé triail as Gaeilge a labhairt an t-am ar fad taobh amuigh den rang freisin. Sa tráthnóna rinne mé an amhránaíocht sean-nóis le Gearóidín Bhreathnach agus bhain mé an-sult as.

Bhí ceolchoirmeacha ann san oíche le ceoltóirí, amhránaí agus scéalaí den scoth, agus seisiúin sa tithe tábhairne i ndiaidh sin. Sheinn mise an fheadóg íseal beagnach gach oíche sa seisiúin chomh maith -ní raibh gach port agam, ach bhí roinnt acu agam. Caithfidh mé níos mó a fhoghlaim de ghlanmheabhair -is féidir liom a lán port a sheinm ón ceol scríofa, ach ní féidir liom a oiread a sheinm gan ceol. Bhí roinnt againn ag seinn i ngach áit – sa tithe tábhairne, sa bhialann, sa lóistín agus nuair a bhí muid amuigh ag siúil.
Adventures

I got back to Bangor on Tuesday of last week after a fantastic holiday in Ireland, Scotland and England.

In Ireland it was lovely to see so many of the people I met at the summer school last year again, and to me many others. I was in the level 6 language class this year, and there many more opportunities to practice my Irish than there were in level 7 last year. I also tried to speak as much Irish as possible outside class. In the afternoons I was in the sean-nos singing class with Gearóidín Bhreathnach and really enjoyed it. Some of us in the class couldn’t help breaking into song wherever we happened to be – in pubs, restaurants, lodgings and while out walking.

There were concerts in the evenings with top musicians, singers and storytellers, and sessions in the pubs afterwards. I even played my low whistle in quite a few of the sessions – I didn’t know all the tunes, but could play along with some of them at least. I need to learn more tunes by heart – at the moment I can play plenty of them with written music, but not nearly so many without the music. I say this to myself everytime I go to Ireland, and am gradually building up my repertoire of tunes.

I’ve decided to write in one main language each time on this blog, rather than trying to write in Welsh, Irish and sometimes Chinese every time. This is mainly because it takes me quite a long time to write everything in two or three languages. And because I think it’s better to write directly in each language, rather than translating from Welsh into the others, as I usually do. So today it’s Irish (and English), yesterday was Welsh, and tomorrow I might have a go at Scottish Gaelic. When I get round to it, I’ll write English versions of the posts – sort of loose translations with extra bits.

Tá mé ar ais anois / Tha mi ar ais a-nis

By Simon

I’ve now returned from my adventures in Ireland and Scotland. Well, in fact I’m currently staying with my parents in Lancashire for a few days on my way back to Bangor.

Oideas Gael, Gleann Cholm Cille, Donegal, Ireland

The summer school at Oideas Gael was as brilliant, and it was lovely to see so many of the people I met last year again, as well as to meet many new people. With such a gathering of friendly, interesting, talented and knowledgeable people you couldn’t help but have a great time.

I decided to go for the level 6 Irish language class rather than the level 7 one I did last year, which I found a bit too challenging and lacking in opportunities to speak Irish. The level 6 class was good fun and we all got to speak plenty of Irish. In fact I spoke Irish most of the time both inside and outside the classroom.

My Irish has now got to the level at which I can converse comfortably about everyday topics. When talking about more specialised areas my vocabulary isn’t always sufficient, but I can often find alternative ways to get across my meaning even if I don’t know the relevant words.

In the afternoons I did the sean-nós singing class with Gearóidín Bhreatnach, as I did last year, and enjoyed it immensely. We went over some of the songs we learnt last year, and learnt quite a few new ones. As well as explaining the backgrounds to the songs, Gearóidín also told us many interesting stories related to music traditions in Ireland.

A number of musicians and singers from Donegal and other parts of Ireland performed at concerts in the evenings, and I was particularly impressed by to Donegal fiddlers whose playing was outstanding. On other evenings there was story telling and a talk about the future of the Irish language. I found most of the stories quite difficult to follow, but could understand most of the talk.

After the evening concerts there were informal music sessions in the local pubs, and this year for the first time I played (the low whistle) in some of the sessions, as well as singing along with the songs I knew.

There’s a video made by one of the guys at the summer school here, and a video of Gearóidín and her daughters singing here. I even appear briefly in the first one.

After leaving Gleann Cholm Cille I travelled to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye for a week of Gaelic Song with Christine Primrose. The journey, which lasted two days, took me through some very beautiful scenery in both Ireland and Scotland. When I arrived at the college, the sun was shining and it continued to do so for the next few days. The second half of the week was quite wet, as it was in Ireland, but this did nothing to dampen my spirits.

A view of Àrainn Cholm Cille campus of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is located on the Sound of Sleat (An Linne Shlèiteach) in the south of Skye (an t-Eilean Sgitheanach) and just up the road from Armadale and Ardvasar. It has two campuses – Àrainn Ostaig and Àrainn Cholm Cille. The former is the original campus and was where I stayed. Our singing classes also took place there. The latter is a new campus just down the road with spectacular views across to the mainland. The college runs short courses during the summer in Gaelic language, music and singing, as well as a number full-time degree courses taught through the medium of Gaelic during the rest of the year.

There were 15 of us in the Gaelic song class from many countries, including Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Norway, Catalonia and Germany. Only three of us spoke Gaelic or had much knowledge of the language; the others found the pronunciation of the words quite tricky. Even so, in just five days we learnt over 30 songs, including waulking songs (òrain luaidh), mouth music (puirt a bheal), love songs (òrain gaoil), lullabys (talaidhean) and reels (ruidhlean). Christine, who is a great tutor, also told us the stories behind the songs, and about life on Lewis, where she grew up.

In the evenings there was more singing, and also dancing, films, a Gaelic conversation circle, and music sessions in the bar on Àrainn Ostaig. I went to some of the conversation circles and spoke a bit a Gaelic there. I also spoke Gaelic with a number of other people who were doing Gaelic classes, and with some of the tutors and staff, and realised that I can speak Gaelic reasonably well, at least at a fairly basic level. My knowledge of Irish certainly helps. I also got to speak plenty of Irish with some of the Irish speakers who were doing the Scottish Gaelic course for gaeilgeorí.

Long journey

By Simon

Tomorrow morning I’m off to Ireland for a week of Irish language and culture at Oideas Gael in Donegal. After this I’ll be going to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye, for a week of Gaelic song, and should have plenty of opportunities to speak Scottish Gaelic there as well.

Even though the journey will be long and complex involving trains, ferries, buses and planes, plus an overnight stay in Glasgow as it’s not possible to get from Donegal to Skye in one day, I’m really looking forward to it as it will take me through some beautiful scenery.

I probably won’t have internet access during the first week, but might during the second, so it could take a while for me to reply to your emails.

Ymgartrefu ym Mangor

By Simon

Dw i wedi bod ym Mangor ers wythnos a hanner bellach a dw i’n setlo i mewn yn dda. Yn ystod y dydd dw i’n arfer ateb yr e-bostiau sy’n dod o Omniglot, ac yn gwneud pethau eraill arno. Ateb yr e-bostiau ydy’r peth dw i’n treulio y mwyafrif fy amser amdano wrth i mi gweithio ar y wefan. Hefyd, dw i’n ysgrifennu erthyglau am ieithoedd ar gyfer asiantaeth iaith/teithio ym Mrighton, ac yn ymarfer y gitâr a’r chwiban, ac yn dysgu mwy o Wyddeleg a Gaeleg. Dw i’n mwynhau yn fawr ysgrifennu’r erthyglau.

Dw i’n wedi gwario gormod o bres yn ddiweddar yn prynu dodrefn a phethau eraill ar gyfer y tŷ. Nid peth rhad ydy symud tŷ! Yn ffodus mae’r costau yn llai ym Mangor nac ym Mrighton, a fan hyn dw i’n prynu bwyd mewn archfarchnadoedd rhad fel Aldi ac Iceland; yn Mrighton o’n i’n prynu bwyd yn Waitrose, archfarchnad costus iawn, ond roedd hi’n yr archfarchnad ymylaf i fy nhŷ. Un ddiog iawn ydw i weithiau.

Dw i’n mynd am dro bob dydd, heblaw pan mae’n bwrw glaw trwm, a dw i’n ceisio mynd i ddilyn llwybr gwahanol bob tro. Felly dw i’n mynd yn fwy cyfarwydd efo’r dref, ond dw i ddim wedi dod i nabod neb yma eto.

Ddydd Sul diwethaf es i i Landudno am y tro cyntaf. Mae’r lle yn hyfryd, yn enwedig y traeth, y bae, a’r Gogarth, ac roedd llawer o bobl yn mwynhau’r tywydd braf. Y tro nesaf, bydda i’n mynd â fy sgidiau sglefrolio ac yn manteisio ar y promenâd hir. Mi ges i synnu nac roedd neb arall yn gwneud yr un peth.

Ddoe es i i Gaernarfon yn y prynhawn. Dyna’r ail dro dw i wedi mynd yno a gweles i mwy o’r dref y tro hwn.

Socraigh isteach i mBangor

Tá mé i mBangor le seachtaine go leith anois agus tá mé ag socraigh isteach go maith. I rith an lae bím ag freagair ríomhphostanna atá ag teacht ó Omniglot, agus ag déanamh rudaí eile air. Ag freagair ríomhphostanna atá an rud bím ag caith an chuid is mó de m’am air agus mé ag obair ar an suíomh. Bím ag scríobh altanna faoi teangacha do ghníomhaireacht teangacha/taistil i mBrighton, ag cleachtadh an giotár agus an fheadóg stáin, agus ag foghlaim níos mó Gaeilge agus Gàidhlig freisin. Bainim an-sult as na haltanna ag scríobh.

Tá mé ag caitheamh barraíocht airgid le déanaí ag ceannaigh troscán agus rudaí eile don teach. Níl rud saor atá aistrigh i dteach nua! Go hádhúil bíonn an costas maireachtála níos lú i mBangor ná i mBrigthon, agus anseo bím ag ceannaigh bia in ollmhargaí saoire mar Aldi agus Iceland; i mBrighton bhí mé ag ceannaigh bia i Waitrose, ollmhargadh an daor, ach bhí sé an t-ollmhargadh is cóngaraí do m’árasán. An leisciúil atá mé amanna.

Bím ag dul ag siúil gach lá, ach nuair atá báisteach trom ann, agus bím ag triail as slí éagsúla a lean gach uair. Mar sin de, tá mé ag éirigh níos eolacha leis an áit, ach níl aithne agam ag aon duine anseo go fóill.

De Domhnaigh seo caite, chuaigh mé go Llandudno ar an chead uair. Is áit álainn í, go hairithe an trá, an bá agus an Great Orme agus Little Orme (cinn tíre móra ag gach ceann an trá), agus bhain a lán duine sult as an aimsir deas. An uair seo caite, tabharfaidh mé mo scataí agus scátálfaidh mé i rith an promanád.

Inné chuaigh mé go Caernarfon sa tráthnóna. Bhí sin an dara uair a bhí ag dol ansin agus chonaic mé níos mó an uair seo.

Rhyddid

By Simon

Ddydd Gwener yr wythnos diwethaf oedd fy nydd olaf yn y swyddfa. Bellach mae gen i rhyddid canolbwyntio ar y pethau ydw i’n mwynhau, sef Omniglot, cerddoriaeth, ieithoedd ayyb. Mae hi’n teimlo yn wych gallu dianc oddiar fy nesg.

Nos Iau yr wythnos hon, roedd parti gadael ar nghyfer i, ac ar gyfer un o’r fy nghyn-cydweithwyr sy priodi cyn bo hir, a phen-blwydd un arall. Cawson ni pryd o fwyd blasus mewn tŷ bwyta Eidalaidd yn gyntaf, ac yna aethon ni i dafarn am ddiod neu ddau.

Ddydd Mawrth cwrddais i â rhywun arall sy’n dysgu Cymraeg ac sy’n byw ym Mrighton trwy Gumtree. Er bod hi wedi dysgu’r iaith ers dim ond blwyddyn ar cwrs Wlpan yng Nghaerdydd, mae hi’n siarad yn dda iawn, ac roedd hi yn rownd derfynol dysgwyr y flwyddyn yn yr Eisteddfod eleni. Sgwrsion ni yn y Gymraeg am rhyw ddwy awr p’nawn Mawrth, a p’nawn Iau hefyd.

Neithiwr roedd cyngerdd côr meibion yn Shalford – fy nghygerdd olaf gyda’r côr.

Saoirse

Dé hAoine an seachtain seo caite bhí mo lá deireanach san oifig. Anois tá saoirse agam m’intinn a dhíriú ar na rudaí a bhainím sult as – Omniglot, ceol, teangacha, srl. Tá mothú ionntach ann éalú ó mo dheasc.

Oíche Déardaoin an seachtain seo, bhí cóisir imeacht dom, agus do aon de mo chomhoibrí atá ag posú roimh i bhfad, agus breaithlá aon eile. Fuair muid béile blasta i bhialann Iodáilise ar dtús, agus ansin chuaigh muid i dteach tabhairne.

Aréir bhí ceolchoirm na cóir Breatnaise i Shalford – mo cheolchoirm deireach leis an cór.

自由

上個禮拜五是我辦公司裏的最後一天。現在我會重議我最喜歡的東西，就是我的網站、音樂、語言等。現在我不需要全天坐在我的電腦前面，而且我覺得很好。

這個禮拜四我跟我前同事去意大利的餐廳吃飯。那邊的食物很好吃。去餐廳之後，我們去酒吧喝喝。

昨天晚上布萊頓威爾斯男生合唱團表演在Shalford – 我跟他們最後一個表演。

Offeryn cerdd

By Simon

Some of my many musical instruments

Weithiau dw i’n meddwl bod fy nghasgliad o offeryn cerdd yn dipyn bach rhy fawr. Mae gen i pymtheg o offeryn – dau gitâr (gitâr clasurol a gitâr tannau dur), pum chwiban tun, dau chwiban isel, ffliwt, clarinét, recorder, harmonica a dau ocarina. Dw i’n gallu chwarae nhw i gyd mwy neu lai, heblaw y ffliwt, ond dw i’n canolbwyntio ar y gitâr a’r chwibanau ar hyn o bryd. Yn ffodus mae y mwyafrif ohonyn nhw yn eitha bach, felly does dim problem dod â lle iddyn nhw.

Gléasanna ceoil

Uaireanta tá mé ag smaoineamh go bhfuil mo bhailiúchán de gléasanna ceoil beagán ro mhór. Tá cúig gléasanna deag agam – dhá ghiotár (giotár clasaiceach agus giotár le téad chruach), cúig feadóige stáin, dhá fheadóg íseal, feadóg mhór, cláirnéid, fliúit Shasanach, orgán béil agus dhá ocarina. Is féidir liom an t-iomlán acu a sheinm a bheag nó a mhór, ach bím ag díriú ar an fheadóg stáin, an fheadóg íseal agus an giotár ar faoi láithir. Níl an chuid is mó de mo ghléasanna go ro mhór go hádhúil, mar sin de is féidir liom áiteanna a lorg dóibh.

Musical instruments

Sometimes I think that my collection of musical instruments is a bit too large. I currently have 15 instruments – two guitars (a classical one and a steel-string one), five tin whistles, two low whistles, a flute, a clarinet, a recorder, a harmonica and two ocarinas. I can more or less play all of them, with the exception of the flute, but I’m concentrating on the guitar and whistles at the moment. Fortunately most of them at fairly small, so finding places to keep them is not a problem.