Category: Music

Foreign songs

By Simon

Recently while looking for songs in various languages I came across the following sites:

Spanish Songs Translations – a blog featuring songs in Spanish from Spain and Latin America with English translations. There are also videos of the songs being sung.

Russian songs – a collection of traditional Russian, Cossack and Ukrainian songs with videos and background information.

I’ll try and learn some of these and add them to my collection of songs on Omniglot.

Do you know of any similar collections of songs in other languages?

Llygoden wedi ei boddi

By Simon

Nos Sadwrn canais mewn cyngerdd gyda’r côr meibion yn Woodingdean, tref fach ger Brighton. Cyrhaeddais yno mewn amser, ond yn anffodus, es i hollol ar goll ar y ffordd o’r stop bws i’r eglwys lle cafodd y cyngerdd ei gynnal. Ar ôl disgyn o’r bws, sylweddolais mod i’n yn y lle anghywir. Ro’n i’n nabod roedd yr eglwys ar ffordd o’r enw Ridgeway ond doedd dim ond syniad amwys ‘da fi lle roedd honna. Felly cerddais yn ôl i fyny’r bryn yn chwilio am y Ridgeway. Pan cyrhaeddais ar ben y bryn o’r diwedd heb ddod o hyd i’r Ridgeway neu’r eglwys, es i i fyny ac i lawr pob un o’r ffyrdd hyn cyn i mi ddod o hyd i rywun i ofyn cyfarwyddiadau amdano. Dywedodd ef wrthaf lle roedd y Ridgeway a meddyliais fyddwn i’n cyrraedd i’r eglwys cyn bo hir.

Felly ro’n i’n ar y ffordd gywir, o’r diwedd, ond ar ben anghywir hi. Felly cerddais i lawr y ffordd, a nid ffordd fyr roedd hi. Pan cyrhaeddais i’r ben arall heb weld yr eglwys, meddyliais wrtho fy hun mod i wedi blino, yn wlyb dros ben – roedd hi’n bwrw glaw trwm trwy’r amser – ac mae’r cyngerdd wedi dechrau yn barod, felly mae’n well ‘da fi mynd adref. Ond yna weles i’r eglwys, es i mewn, a llithrais i mewn sedd yng nghefn hyd at yr egwyl – roedd yr hanner cyntaf bron wedi gorffen hyd hynny. Dyma’r tro cyntaf mod i wedi clywed y côr fel aelod o’r cynulleidfa a swniodd yn wych.

Ces i canu yn ail hanner y cyngerdd o leiaf.

Cynghorodd ein arweinydd mod i’n gorfod cael lifft i gyngherddau yn y dyfodol rhag ofn i mi cyrraedd yn edrych fel ‘llygoden wedi ei boddi’. Cyngor da! Dod â’r map byddai yn syniad da hefyd.

Luchóg báite

Oíche Shatharn chan mé i gceolchoirm le cór Breatnach i Woodingdean, baile beag i aice le Brighton. Shroich mé ansin in am, ach ar an drochuair, chuaigh mé ar seachrán idir stad na mbus agus an eaglais cá raibh an cheolchoirm ar siúil. I ndiaidh an mbus a fhágáil, shíl mé go raibh mé san áit mícheart. Bhí fios agam go raibh an eaglais ar bóthar dar bh’ainm an Ridgeway, ach ní raibh mé cinnte cá raibh an bóthar sin. Mar sin de shiúl mé air ais suas an cnoc agus mé ag lorg an Ridgeway. Nuair a shroich mé ar bharr cnoic gan tar ar an Ridgeway nó an eaglais, chuaigh mé suas agus síos gach bóthar ansin roimh tháinig mé ar duine agus chuir mé faisnéis an bhealaigh air. Dúirt sé liom cá raibh an Rideway agus shíl go shroichfinn mé ann gan mhoill.

Raibh mé ar an bóthar ceart ar deireadh, ach ag barr an cnoic in áit bun an cnoic, cá raibh an eaglais. Mar sin de shiúl mé síos an bóthar, agus ní raibh sé bóthar gearr. Nuair a tháinig mé ag bun an cnoic gan an eaglais a fheiceáil, dúirt mé liom féin go raibh mé tuirseach agus fliuch go craiceann – bhí sé ag cur báisteach an t-am ar fad – agus go mbeidh an cheolchoirm ag tosú cheana, agus rachaidh mé abhaile anois. Agus ansin, chonaic mé an eaglais, chuaigh mé isteach agus shuigh mé síos ag cúl na lucht féachana – bhí an chéad leath thart faoin am sin. Sin é a chéad uair atá mé an cór a chluinstin mar ball na lucht féachana agus bhí sé go hiontach.

Ar a laghad chan mé sa dara leath.

Dúirt ár stiúrthóir liom gur cheart dom síob a fháil agus mé ag dúl chúig cheolchoirmeacha as seo amach, nó tiocfaidh mé ann ag féachaint mar luchóg báite. Comhairle mhaith! Mapa a thógáil bhiodh smaoineamh maith freisin.

Drowned rat

On Saturday evening I sang in a concert with the Welsh choir in Woodingdean, a small town near Brighton. I arrived there on time, but unfortunately got completely lost between the bus stop and the church where the concert was taking place. After getting of the bus I realised that I was in the wrong place. I knew that the church was on a road called the Ridgeway but only had a vague idea where that was. So I marched back up the hill looking for the Ridgeway. When I finally arrived at the top of the hill without finding the Ridgeway or the church, I went up and down all the roads there before finding someone to ask for directions. He told me where was the Ridgeway and I thought that I’d soon be arriving at the church.

I was on the right road at last, but at the wrong end of it. So I off I went down the road, and it wasn’t a short road either. When I finally arrived at the other end without seeing the church, I thought to myself I’m tired, soaked – it was raining heavily all this time – and the concert will have already started, so I might as well go home. But then I saw the church, went in and slipped into a seat at the back until the interval – the first half was almost over by then. This was the first time I’d heard the choir as part of the audience and it sounded great.

At least I got to sing in the second half of the concert.

Our conductor advised me to get a lift to future concerts so that I don’t turn up looking like a drowned rat. Good advice! Taking a map would also be a good idea.

Sesiynau cerddoriaeth

By Simon

Yn ddiwethar dechreuais mynd i sesiwn cerddoriaeth mewn tafarn yn Rottingdean, pentref ger Brighton, pob nos Sul. Rhwng deg o gerddorwyr sy’n chwarae yn y sesiwn ‘ma ac maen nhw’n i gyd yn dalentog iawn. Mae’r mwyafrif ohonynt yn chwarae dau neu fwy offeryn cerddoriaeth yn dda, ac mae rhan ohonynt yn canu hefyd. Dan ni’n chwarae alawon o Iwerddon yn bennaf, a dw i’n nabod cryn dipyn onhonynt, ond llawer mwy o ymarfer sy’n angen cyn i mi gallu chwarae’r alawon yn gyflym ac yn dda heb gamgymeriadau. Dim ond chwarae’r darnau mod i’n gallu chwarae ydw i.

Dw i’n ceisio dysgu mwy o alawon wrth fy nghlustiau heb wrando ar y gerddoriaeth. Sgil defnyddiol iawn yw ‘ny, a gobeithio bydda i’n gallu dysgu bron unrhyw alawon ar ôl wrando arno tipyn o weithiau. Ar hyn o bryd dw i’n gorddibynnu ar gerddoriaeth ysgrifenedig. Dw i’n gallu dysgu caneon fel ‘ny yn barod, ond mae alawon symlach ‘da nhw.

Seisiúin Ceoil

Le déanaí thosaigh mé páirt a ghlachadh i seisiún ceoil i dteach tabharine i Rottingdean, sráidbhaile in aice le Brighton gach oíche Dhomhnaigh. Bíonn thart ar deich daoine ag sheinm sa seisúin seo agus is ceoltoirí ildánach iad – bíonn an chuid is mó acu ag sheinm dhá uirlis ceoil nó níos mó, agus bíonn chuid acu ag canadh freisin. Bíonn muid ag seinm poirt as Éirinn go príomha, agus tá aithne agam ar go leor acu, ach tá orm i bhfad níos mó cleachtadh riomh gur féidir liom iad a sheinm go mhaith, go tapaigh agus gan botúin. Níl ach seinm na páirt gur féidir liom atá mé.

Bhainím triail as páirt a fhoghlaim gan feachaint ar an ceol. Is scil an úsáideach sin agus tá súil agam go mbeidh mé in ann páirt a fhoghlaim i ndiaidh iad a chloisteáil cúpla uair. Ar faoi láithair bhainím an iomarca úsáid as ceol scríofa agus mé páirt a fhoghlaim. Is féidir liom amhrain a fhoghlaim trí mó cluais, ach bíonn fonn níos simplí acu.

Music sessions

Recently I’ve started going to an Irish music session at a pub in Rottingdean, a village not far from Brighton every Sunday evening. About ten or so people go to this session and they are all very talented musicians. Most of them play two or more instruments and some of them sing as well. We play mostly tunes from Ireland and I know quite a few of them, though a lot more practice is needed before I can play quickly and well without mistakes. I just play the bits I can.

I’m trying to learn more tunes by ear without looking at the music, a very useful skill which will hopefully develop over time until I can pick up more or less any new tune after hearing it only a couple of times – I tend to rely too much on written music at the moment. I can already do this for songs, though they tend to have simpler melodies.

Language quiz

By Simon

Here’s a recording of a song in a mystery language. Any ideas which language it is and where it’s spoken?

[Update] Here are the lyrics of the song:

Ferðist eg í millum landa
Síggi gleði sorg og stríð
Men ein myndin bjørt man standa
Minnir meg um bestu tíð
Ja har heima í tí dali
Har alt grønt og vakurt er
Eg í huga kátur spæli
Meðan skip um sjógvin fer

and here’s a translation:

??? in the midst of bright stars
In the midst of the sound of waves and lambs
Where harsh storms blow
Where no strings tie
Where I’m always free
Where the ocean is a friend
Where I’m free to go somewhere distant
Where fresh ???

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi

By Simon

Neithiwr canodd y Côr Meibion Cymraeg Brighton mewn cyngerdd yn Lindfield ger Haywards Heath i ddathlu Dydd Gŵyl Dewi. Roedd tua 150 o bobl yn y cynulleidfa, yn gynnwys cryn dipyn o Gymry, a gwerthfawrogon nhw ein canu a’r gerddoriaeth a ganodd un o’r telynoresau arferol yn fawr. Codon dros mil o bunnau ar gyfer hosbis leol hefyd.

Lá Naomh David

Aréir sheinn an Cór Breatnach Brighton i gceolchoirm i Lindfield in aice le Haywards Heath, Lá Naomh David a cheiliúradh. Bhí 150 de de lucht féachana ann, lena n-áirítear cuid mhaith Breatnaigh, agus bhain siad an-sult as ár amhránaíocht agus ceol na cláirseiche a sheinn aon de ár cláirseachaí féiltiúil. Bhailigh muid níos mó na míle punt ar mhaithe le hospice áitiúla.

St. David’s Day

The Brighton Welsh Male Voice Choir gave a concert last night at Lindfield near Haywards Heath to celebrate St. David’s Day. The audience of 150 or so, which included quite a few Welsh people, seemed to really appreciate our singing, and also the harp playing of one of our regular harpists. We also raised over £1000 for a local hospice.

Language quiz

By Simon

This is a song that I learnt this week at one of the choirs I go to. Does anyone know what language it’s in and what it means? We were told that it’s a “gypsy song from Czechoslovakia” and that it’s a counting song. The words look like a mixture of Romany and Spanish – possibly Caló.

Dui, duj, duj, dui desu duj,
Te comida, te comida,
Par no muj

O kalo muj na kamar,
Dere kostat kikana,
Saj Iago, say Iago,
Romnake

I don’t know the answers this time. All I’ve been able to find out is that there are recordings of the song on some albums of Hungarian gypsy songs, or at least a song with the same first line, and that the final word, Romnake, appears to be associated with the Hungarian-Carpathian gypsies.

Newyddion

By Simon

Es i i’r côr meibion am y drydedd tro yr wythnos hon. Yn raddol dw i’n mynd yn fwy cyfarwydd gyda geiriau ac alawon y caneuon ac gyda chleff y bas. Gartref dw i’n ymarfer chwarae’r alawon ar y gitâr ac yn canu ar y un pryd. Bydd y côr yn perfformio mewn llawer o gyngherddau eleni – o leiaf unwaith y mis – ac bydd ein cyngerdd cyntaf ar yr 2 Chwefror yn Seaford. Ddydd Mercher mi brynais siwt ginio, crys gwisg a thei cwlwm coch fel y ddraig ar y fanner Cymru i wisgo yn y cyngherddau. Mi ges i ostyngiad mawr ar y preis – pumdeg y cant – oherwydd y seliau mis Ionawr.

Ddydd Iau ymunais â’r Gerddorfa Werin Sussex, grŵp o gerddorion gwerin sy’n chwarae cerddoriaeth o bob cwr Brydain ac Iwerddon dwywaith y mis yn Worthing. Maen nhw’n chwarae ar gyfer dawnsiau sgubor a digwyddiadau tebyg o bryd yw gilydd hefyd. Er enghraifft, neithiwr chwaraeon nhw yn nghinio Burns, ond chwaraeais i ddim achos dim ond newydd ymunais â nhw yw i.

Nuacht

Chuaigh mé chuig an cór ar an tríú uair an seachtaine seo. De réir a chéile tá mé ag éirí níos aithnidiúil leis foclaí agus foinn na hamhráin, agus ar an dord-eochair. Sa bhaile bím ag cleachtadh na foinn ar an giotár agus ag canadh ag an am ceanna. Beidh an cór ag seinn i go leor ceolchoirmeacha i mbliana – uair amháin gach mí ar a laghad – agus beidh an chéad cheolchoirm ar an 2 de Mhí Feabhra i Seaford. Dé Céadaoin cheannaigh mé culaith dinnéir, léine feisteas agus carbhat cuachóige dearg mar an dragan ar bhratach na Breataine Bige, agus caithfidh mé iad ag na ceolchoirmeacha. Fuair mé lascaine mhór – caoga faoin gcead – de bharr díolacháin Eanáir.

Déardaoin chuaigh mé chuig Ceolfhoireann na nDaoine Sussex, grúpa daoine a bhíonn ag seinn ceol as gach coirnéal Breataine agus na hÉireann dhá uair sa mhí i Worthing. Bíonn siad ag seinn ag damhsaí scioból agus gníomhaíochtaí cosúla ó am go ham fosta. Mar shampla, sheinn siad ag dinnéar Burns aréir, ach ní sheinn mise mar ní mo ná go bhfuil mé téigh iontu agam.

News

This week I went to the Welsh choir for the third time. I’m gradually becoming more familiar with the words and tunes of the song, and with the bass clef. I practise the tunes on the guitar at home and try to sing them as well. The choir will be performing in quite a few concerts this year – at least one a month – and the first one will be on 2nd February in Seaford. On Thursday I bought a dinner suit to wear at the concerts. It came with a dress shirt and bow tie that’s red like the dragon on the Welsh flag and I got a big discount – 50% – thanks to the January sales.

On Thursday I joined the Sussex Folk Orchestra, a bunch of people who play folk music from every corner of Britain and Ireland a couple of times a month in Worthing. The also play at barn dances and for similar occasions from time to time. Last night, for example, they played at a Burns Night dinner, though I didn’t play as I’ve only just joined them.

Word of the day – luthier

By Simon

A luthier is someone who makes or repairs stringed instruments. The word comes from the French luth (lute). Luthiers are often divided into two categories: those who deal with plucked or strummed instruments, such as guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc, and those who devote themselves to bowed instruments, such as violin, violas and cellos. The latter are also known as archetiers, from the French arch (bow).

Do you know if there are special names for makers or repairers of others kinds of musical instruments?

Musicians’ brains are different

By Simon

Brain scans have found that the corpus callosum, the contection but the two halves of musicians’ brains tends to be significant enlarged in comparison the corpus callosum found in the brains of the non-musicans. A number of other differences between the brains of musicians and non-musicians have been found, including enlargements to the cortex, auditory and motor parts of the brain. Another finding was that music tends to be processed in the left hemisphere of musician’s brains in the same areas as language, whereas the right hemisphere tends to be responsible for this task in the brains of non-musicians.

Oliver Sacks’ book, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain discusses these findings, and other music and language-related cases, including one of a man who after being struck by lightening, developed an overwhelming urge to play the piano and to compose music, and felt that he was actually tuning in to the music of heaven.