BAND BWRLWM

 

Up until 1998 the side had attended a number of festivals where the side was in the evenings expected to take a Twmpath or ceildhi. This was achieved by relying on guest musicians and callers. However during 1998 after much discussion it was decided that the side had enough good musicians within its ranks to form a Twmpath band, and so band Bwrlwm was formed.

 

Many of Dwy Droed Chwith’s musicians had played in the Twmpath bands put together for the festivals, the change was that we now set aside time to rehearse together with a caller from within the side.

 

The side decided that we would do simple dances suitable for beginners, and in 2000 did it’s first Twmpath without the aid of outside help!

BAND BWLWM TAKE BOOKINGS SEPERATLY FROM THE DANCE SIDE! Contact Keith +44 (0)1792 865798 or keith357lewis@btinternet.com

The side dances to traditional Welsh music in either “Eisteddfod style” where three or more tunes of different time signatures are used to show how the dancers can use different times and steps to “show off” their skill. These are usually three minutes or longer. Or “folk style” where one or more tunes in one time signature are played and danced as a set. (see history for more discussion on these differences) 

The music has been learnt usually by aural tradition being handed on by other musicians, although some are also from published sources, and a number composed by the current musicians in a Welsh style. The children in the side are encouraged to take up a musical instrument to give them a greater understanding of how dance and music fuse together and to give them something to do when others are dancing, it also has the benefit of  ensuring the side develops its own musicians.

This was helped in 1997 with the granting of a lottery grant to buy instruments and lessons. The grant in total was £12,000.

Fiddles

The side has been lucky to have a number of  fiddle players either playing as  regular members or as guests when needed in large or foreign festivals. It is hoped that the side will soon acquire a crwth, which although not contemporary with the clog dancing is with the other instruments and will add a different flavour to the musical side. Jamie Nemeth (pictured below), has now played with the side for almost ten years and in 2005 came runner up in the annual Welsh fiddle competition.

Whistles, recorders and flutes

The penny whistle although commonly liked to Irish traditional music, can be traced back in Wales to the eleventh century. When the ship the Mary Rose was raised in the south of England the main musical instrument found on board was the three holed whistle (Tabre pipe), the crew were predominantly Welsh! The side tends to play whistles in the key of D.

The flutes used by the side are wooden and vary from simple system (no metal keys) to eight keyed flutes. Through the literature there are references to flutes and dancing to the flute.

As the recorder  has been taught in schools it rarely is seen as a traditional instrument, yet it has been played in Wales for generations and has been used almost from its introduction to accompany dancing.

Harps

There were three types of harp used in Wales over the years namely, the triple harp, bray harp and what we today refer to as a celtic or folk harp. More recently some dance sides also dance to the modern peddle harp. Dwy Droed Chwith is lucky to have a number of harpers both young and old who play the folk harp although two are learning to play the triple harp and it is hoped that this will be included into the sides indoor displays, and one the peddle harp.

Reed instruments

Wales has had a long tradition of reed instruments many of which the side play.

 

 1. Bagpipes, of the three types of Welsh bagpipe the side play two, pictured right is Lewis playing one of these, in effect a pibgorn (a Welsh hornpipe) in a bag with a drone. Although in the literature there is only evidence of pipe playing up to the early 19th century, members of the side can remember conversations with grandparents regarding pipe players in the 1920’s, and from descriptions given these were not Scottish pipes.

2. Pibgyrn (the plural of pibgorn) many of the side including some of the children play Pibgyrn. The side is lucky also to have one of the few players who play double chantered Pibgyrn!

3. Bombi. (Welsh or pastoral oboe.) This is a lovely sounding instrument which has been described as the stage between a shawm and baroque oboe. Jane Ruel is pictured playing a Bombi in Ely Festival 2000.

Musicians on parade

Pontardawe Festival

Porthcawl Buskers Festival 1999

September 2005,

Jamie holding his plate

Hafwen Lewis playing harp September 2005

Lewis Rees playing Welsh Bagpipe and Keith Lewis playing Pibgorn

Ireland 2003

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