Category: Music

Corau

By Simon

Yr wythnos hon, ymunais â’r Côr Meibion Cymraeg Brighton. Maen nhw’n ymarfer bob Nos Lun yn Eglwys Sant Leonard yn Hove, taith weddol fyr ar y bws o fan hyn, ac maen nhw’n perfformio mewn cyngherddau bob ail mis ar gyfer elusen. Torf o hogiau diddorol ydyn nhw, a mwynhaf canu gyda nhw, dw i’n meddwl. Darganfodais llais bas sy ‘da fi ac felly mae rhaid i mi ailddysgu y clef bas nawr.

O’n i’n bwriadu ymuno â côr cymunedol lleol hefyd, ond maen nhw’n chwilio am arweinydd newydd ar hyn o bryd a dydyn nhw ddim yn ymarfer. Gobeithio bydden nhw’n ailddechrau cyn bo hir. Beth bynnag, chwiliais am gorau lleol eraill y gallwn ymuno amdanynt, a dw i wedi synnu bod cymaint o gorau yn yr ardal hon – corau proffesiynol, corau cymunedol, corau siambr a hyd yn oed côr Iddeweg.

Coir

An seachtain seo, chuaigh mé i gCór Breatnach Brighton. Bíonn siad ag cleachtadh achan Oíche Luan in Eaglais Niamh Leonard i Hove, turas measartha gearr ar an mbus ó anseo, agus bíonn siad ag seinn i gceolchoirm achan dara mí ar mhaithe le carthanacht. Grúpa fir suimiúla atá siad, agus sílim go bhainfidh mé sult as a bheith ag canadh leo. Aníos tá fhios agam go bhfuil dordghuth agam, agus dá bhrí sin, tá orm an dord-eochair a fhoghlaim arís.

Bhí rún agam téigh i gcór pobail áitiúla freisin, ach tá siad ag lorg stiúrthóir nua ar faoi láthair agus ní bhíonn siad ag cleachtadh. Tá súil agam go mbeidh siad ag tosú arís go luath. Ar aon nós, bhí mé ag lorg cóir áitiúla eile go bhíodh mé in ann téigh iontu, agus tá iontais orm go bhfuil an oiread sin cóir san áit seo – cóir gairmiúil, cóir pobail, cóir seomra agus fiú cór Giúdais.

Choirs

This week I joined the Brighton Welsh Male Voice Choir. They practise every Monday evening in St Leonard’s Church in Hove, a shortish bus ride from here, and give concerts for charity every other month. They seem like an interesting bunch of blokes and I’m sure I’m going to enjoy singing with them. I discovered that I’m a bass, as I suspected, so I have to relearn the bass clef, something I haven’t needed to read for a long time.

I was planning to join a local community choir as well, but they are currently looking for a new conductor and are not practising. I hope they’ll start again soon. Anyway, I’ve been looking for other local choirs I could join and have been surprised how many there are – professional choirs, community choirs, chamber choirs and even a Yiddish choir.

Gwynt a glaw

By Simon

Mwynheuais Nadolig – bwytais lawer o fwyd blasus (cogyddes ardderchog yw fy mam), ac ymlacais o blaen y tân a’r teledu. Ddydd Mercher, aethon ni am dro o amgylch yr Ardal Lluniau a bwyton ni ginio mewn tafarn ger tŷ Beatrix Potter (Hill Top). Nos Iau daeth fy chwaer ac ei chariad, ac aethon ni i dafarn gyda’n gilydd. Yn anffodus, roedd hi’n bwrw glaw trwm ac roedd y gwynt yn chwythu pan o’n ni’n adael y tafarn, ond yn ffodus cawson ni lifft gyda chyfaill fy chwaer.

Cyrhaeddais ‘nôl yn Brighton Nos Wener ar ôl taith hir iawn ar y trên. Achos roedd gorsaf Euston yn cau, o’n i’n gorfod y “llwybr golygfaol” trwy Birmingham a Basingstoke, yn hytrach na mynd yn syth o Lancaster i Lundain.

Gaoth agus báisteach

Bhain mé sult as an Nollaig – d’ith mé go leor bia blasta (is cócaire iontach í mo mháthair), agus ghlac mé mo shuaimhneas ar aghaidh an thine agus an teilifís. Dé Céadaoin chuaigh muid ar turas timpeall Ceantar na Lochanna agus d’ith muid lón i dteach tábhairne in aice tí Beatrix Potter (Hill Top). Oíche Déardaoin tháinig mo dheirfiúr agus a fiancé, agus chuaigh go dtí an teach tábhairne le cheile. Ar an drochuair, bhí báisteach trom agus gaoth láidir ann nuair a thosaigh muid abhaile, ach ar an dea-uair dúinn fuair muid síob le cara mo dheirfiúr.

Tháinig mé ar ais i mBrighton oíche Aoine i ndiaidh turas an fhada ar an traein. Bhí stáisiún Euston dúnta agus dá bhrí sin, bhí orm bealach eile a thógáil trí Birmingham and Basingstoke, in áit ag dhol díreach o Lancaster i Londain.

Wind and rain

Christmas was good – I eat lots of lovely food (my mum is a great cook), and relaxed in front of the fire and the telly. On Wednesday we went on a drive around the Lake District and had lunch in a pub next to Beatrix Potter’s house (Hill Top). My sister and her fiancé arrived on Thursday evening and we went out to one of the local pubs – the slightly spooky one up in the woods. It was tipping it down and blowing a gale when we left the pub, which kept the vampires away, but fortunately we got a lift home with one of my sister’s friends.

I got back to Brighton on Friday evening after a seemingly interminable journey. Euston station was closed, so instead of going directly from Lancaster to London, I had to take the “scenic route” via Birmingham and Basingstoke.

Partis a chyngherddau

By Simon

Nos Mercher, es i barti yn y Canolfan Iwerddon Hammersmith. Canais dair gân gyda’r grŵp canu ac roedd grwpiau eraill yn dawnsio neu yn chwarae cerddoriaeth. Naethon y plant drama bach ac roedd Siôn Corn yn y man hefyd. Mwynheuais fy hunan yn fawr.

Roedd parti Nadolig yn y swyddfa Nos Wener. Roedd y thema eleni “iâ” ac roedd addurniadau yn cysylltiedig ag iâ ac eira ymhobman, yn gynnwys pluen eira enfawr wedi cael ei cherflunio yn iâ. Ar ôl cinio bwffe, roedd band jazz yn chwarae a roedd disgo.

Neithiwr, es i i weld Kate Rusby, cantores gwerin o Sir Efrog, yn y Brighton Dome. Mae llais hyfryd ‘da hi, mae hi’n chwarae’r gitâr yn dda iawn, ac roedd cerddorion talentog iawn yn perfformio gyda hi hefyd. Roedd y gyngerdd yn anffurfiol ac roedd Kate yn sgwrsio am y caneuon, ei fywyd ac y band fel bydden ni mewn tafarn. Canodd hi rhai o garolau o Sir Efrog a chalonogodd hi i bawb canu gyda’n gilydd. Roedd hi’n wych!

Cóisir agus ceolchoirm

Oíche Mháirt chuaigh chuig cóisir i Lárionad na hÉireann Hammersmith. Chan mé cúpla amhráin le grúpa amhránaíocht, agus bhí grúpa eile ag damhsa agus ag seinn ceól. Rinne na páiste dráma beag agus bhí Daidí na Nollag ann san áit fosta. Bhain mé an-sult as.

Bhí cóisir Nollag ann san oifig oíche Aoine. I mbliana bhí an téama “oighear” agus bhí maisiúcháin ann a raibh bhaint acu le oighear agus sneachta i ngach áit. I ndiaidh dinnéar buifé, sheinn banna snagcheol agus bhí dioscó ann.

Aréir chuaigh mé chuig ceolchoirm Kate Rusby, amhránaí ceol tíre as Yorkshire sa Brighton Dome. Tá guth álainn léi, tá sí ag seinn an giotár go han mhaith, agus sheinn ceoltóirí den chéad scoth léi fosta. Bhí an ceolchoirm an neamhfhoirmiúil agus labhair Kate linn faoi na hamhráin, a beatha agus an banna mar a raibh muid i dteach tábhairne. Chan sí cuid caruil na Nollag as Yorkshire spreag sí gach duine ag canadh le chéile. Bhí an ceolchoirm go hiontach!

Parties and concerts

On Tuesday night I went to a party at the Irish Centre in Hammersmith during which I sang a few songs with the singing group. Other groups danced, sang or played music as well, and the kids put on a short play involved Father Christmas and some dwarves. It was a great night.

On Friday night we had the office Christmas party at the office. The theme this year was ice and there were clouds of dry ice and lots of ice and snow-related decorations around the place, including an impressive ice sculpture of a snowflake. After a buffet dinner, which was quite tasty, there was a disco with a live jazz band.

Last night I went to see Kate Rusby, a folk singer from Yorkshire, at the Brighton Dome. She has a lovely voice, plays a mean guitar and sings a mixture of traditional folk songs and ones she’s written herself. Last night she was accompanied by some very talented musicians, including Anna Massie, a singer and multi-instrumentalist who plays the fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo, and also has her own band.

It was an informal affair with Kate chatting to us about the songs, her life and the band between numbers as if we were in the pub. As well as folk songs, she also sang Yorkshire versions of some Christmas carols. We were all given song sheets with the words for the carols on the way in and were encouraged to join in. It was excellent.

Digwyddiadau yr wythnos

By Simon

Nos Lun yr wythnos hon, canais yn yr orsaf danddaearol Hammersmith gyda’r grŵp canu o’r Canolfan Iwerddon Hammersmith. Codon, a’r grŵp hŷn pwy canodd gynt yn y dydd, dri chant o bunnoedd ar gyfer Ysbyty Sant Bartholomew. Canon pum caneuon tairgwaith bob un – pedwar yn Saesneg, ac un, Silent Night, yn Saesneg, Gwyddeleg a Phwyleg. Yna, aethon i dafarn lleol am ddiod neu ddau. Aeth y pobol eraill i dŷ bwyta Thai am bryd o fwyd, ond es i adref achos o’n i ddim eisiau cyrraedd yn Brighton yn rhy hwyr.

Nos Fawrth es i’n ôl i’r Canolfan Iwerddon am y dosbarth canu diwethaf y tymor hwn. Cyfrifon yr arian a chanon ychydig o ganeuon. Er mod i’n mwynhau’r dosbarth yn fawr, dw i’n meddwl na fydda i’n mynd yn ôl y tymor nesaf achos dw i’n gwario gormod o arian ac yn treulio gormod o amser wrth fynd i Lundain bob wythnos. Dw i’n bwriadu ymuno â dau gôr lleol – côr cymunedol gyda enw Vox, a’r Côr Meibion Cymraeg Brighton.

Dydd Gwener roedd cinio Nadolig ar gyfer y staff a’r myfyrwyr am rhad ac am ddim yn ffreutur. Es i i’r swyddfa yn arbennig am y cinio.

Nuacht na seachtaine

Oíche Luan an seachtain seo, chan mé sa stáisiún faoi thalamh Hammersmith le grúpa amhránaíocht an Lárionad na hÉireann Hammersmith. Bhailigh muid, agus grúpa eile a bhí ag canadh níos moille, trí chéad punt ar son an Ospidéal Naomh Bartholomew. Chan muid cúig amhráin trí uair gach ceann – ceathair as Béarla, agus aon, Oíche Chiúin, as Béarla, Gaeilge agus Polainnis. I ndiaidh sin, d’ól muid cúpla deoch i dteach tábhairne áitiúla. Chuaigh na daoine eile chuig bialann Théalannach, ach d’fhill mé ar ais go Brighton, toisc níor mhaith liom ag dhul abhaile go rómhall.

Oíche Mháirt chuaigh mé ar ais chuig an Lárionad na hÉireann ar son an rang déanach na téarma seo. Chuntais muid an airgead agus chan muid cúpla amhráin. Cé go bhain mé an sult as an rang, tá mé ag smaoineamh ní bheidh mé ag dhul ar ais an téarma seo caite, toisc go bhfuil mé ag caitheamh barraíocht airgid agus am ag dhol go Londain achan seachtaine. Tá rún agam ag dhul i cúpla cóir áitiúla – cór pobail le hainm Vox, agus Cór Guth Fireann Breatnaise Brighton.

Dé hAoine bhí dinnéar na Nollag saor le fail ar son foireann agus mic léinn sa bialann san oifig. Chuaig mé go dtí an oifig go háirithe an dinnéar a fháil.

Weekly happenings

On Monday evening, I sang in Hammersmith tube station with the singing group from the Hammersmith Irish Centre. Along with the senior group, who sang earlier in the day, we collected £300 for Saint Barholomew’s Hosptial. We sang five songs three times each – four in English, and one, Silent Night, in English, Irish and Polish. We have a quick drink in a nearby pub afterwards then most of the group went for a meal at a Thai restaurant, but I returned to Brighton, not wanting to get back too late.

On Tuesday evening, I returned to the Irish Centre for the last class of this term. We counted the money and sang a few songs. Although I really enjoy the class, I don’t think I’ll be going back to it next term – I’m spending too much time and money going to London every week. I’m planning to join a couple of local choirs – a community choir called Vox, and Brighton Welsh Male Voice Choir.

On Friday, staff and students were provided with a free Christmas dinner in the canteen and I went into the office especially for that.

Word of the day – uśmiechnięta

By Simon

Today’s word, uśmiechnięta, means ‘smiling’ in Polish, and appears in the Polish version of Silent Night:

Cicha noc, święta noc,
pokój niesie ludziom wszem,
A u żłóbka Matka święta
czuwa sama uśmiechnięta,
Nad Dzieciątka snem.
Nad Dzieciątka snem.

The singing group I go to at the Hammersmith Irish Centre in London will be performing (for charity) at Hammersmith tube station a week next Monday. One of the things we’ll be singing will be Silent Night and we’ve decided to try to sing it in Polish and Irish, as well as in English.

We can cope with the Irish version as there are at least five Irish speakers, including myself, in the group, but the Polish version is proving more of a challenge. This week a Polish friend of one of the group members came along to help us with the pronunciation, so we now have a rough idea of what it sounds like. I also found a recording of the Polish version on YouTube.

We’ll probably just sing the first and last lines of the Polish and the rest in English as we’re not sufficiently confident to sing the whole of it.

I found translations of Silent Night in many different languages here, and plan to put some of them on Omniglot in my songs section. Do you have any suggestions for other multilingual songs I could include?

Bwriadau da

By Simon

Bron pob penwythnos, bydda i’n meddwl bod rhaid i mi ddysgu yr eirfa a’r gramadeg fy ieithoedd mewn ffordd mwy systematig, neu ymarfer y chwiban yn amlach, neu ddysgu mwy am seineg, a bydda i’n dechrau ei wneud yr wythnos nesa. Mae llawer o fwriadau da ‘da fi, efallai gormond ohonyn nhw, ond dw i’n arfer heb wneud dim llawer neu ddim byd amdanyn nhw.

Beagnach gach deireadh seachtaine, bím ag smaoineamh gur cheart dom an foclóir agus an ghramadach mo theangacha a fhoghlaim níos córasacha, nó an fheadóg a chleachtadh níos minice, nó níos mó foghraíocht a fhoghlaim, agus tosóidh mé na rudaí seo a dhéanamh an seachtain seo chugainn. Bíonn go leor rudaí, b’fhéidir barraíocht acu, ar m’intinn agam, ach de gnách, ní déanaim mórán nó faic fúthu.

Llifeiriant o Gerddoriaeth

By Simon

Yr wythnos hon, dw i wedi bod yn canu, a chwarae’r gitâr a’r chwiban yn amlach nag arfer. Er enghraifft, bydda i’n dechrau chwarae’r gitâr gyda’r bwriad ymarfer am bum neu ddeng munud, a cyn i mi wybod, dw i wedi chwarae am hanner awr neu fwy. Dw i’n teimlo bod y gerddoriaeth wedi bod yn casglu yna i ers blynyddoedd, ac yn ddiwethar mae hi wedi dechrau gollwng neu lifeirio allan ohona i.

Tuile ceoil

An seachtaine seo, tá mé ag canadh, agus ag seinn ar an giotár agus an fheadóg níos minice ná is gnách. Mar shampla, bím ag tosú ag seinn ar an giotár agus tá sé ar intinn agam ag cleachtadh le cúig nó deich bomaite, ach roimh a bhfuil fios agam, bím i ndiaidh ag seinn air le leath uair nó níos faide. Tá mé ag mothaigh go raibh an ceol ag carnigh ionam le blianta anuas, agus le déanaí tá sé i ndiaidh tosú ag sceith amach uaim.