Cwm Rhondda
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Cwm Rhondda, the Welsh name for the Rhondda Valley, is a popular hymn tune written by John Hughes (1873–1932) and first performed in 1907. It is often erroneously called Bread of Heaven and is usually used in English as a setting for William Williams's text Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah (or, in some traditions, Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer),[1] originally Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch in Welsh, translated by Peter Williams in the 1771 hymnal Hymns on Various Subjects. In Welsh it is often used as a setting for a hymn by Ann Griffiths, Wele'n sefyll rhwng y myrtwydd.
John Hughes wrote the tune for the inauguration of the organ at Capel Rhondda, in Hopkinstown in the Rhondda valley.[2] Hughes himself played the organ at the first performance, using the English translation of the words because of the large number of English-speaking industrial workers who had immigrated to the area.[3]
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[edit] Hymn text
[edit] Present-day
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[edit] History
The hymn has evolved and shortened over time from an original version, written in 1745, with five verses.[5] The following version is taken from the Welsh hymnbook of the Calvinist and Wesleyan Methodists, published by the assemblies of the two churches.
| Original | Translation |
|---|---|
| Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch, Fi bererin gwael ei wedd, Colofn dân rho’r nos i’m harwain, Agor y ffynhonnau melus Pan fwy’n myned trwy’r Iorddonen— Ymddiriedaf yn dy allu, |
Lord, guide me through the wilderness, Give Thou a pillar of fire to lead me in the night, Open the sweet springs I shall trust in Thy power, |
[edit] Meanings
The hymn describes the experience of God's people in their travel through the wilderness from the escape from slavery in Egypt, Exodus 12-14, being guided by a cloud by day and a fire by night, Exodus 13:17-22 to their final arrival forty years later in the land of Canaan, Joshua 3. During this time their needs were supplied by God, including the daily supply of manna, Exodus 16.
The hymn text forms an allegory for the journey of a Christian throughout their life on earth requiring the Redeemer's guidance and ending at the gates of Heaven (the verge of Jordan) and end of time (death of death and hell's destruction).
[edit] Instances of use
The hymn has been sung on various British state occasions such as the funerals of Diana, Princess of Wales and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.[6][7]
The hymn is also featured prominently in the soundtrack to the 1941 film How Green Was My Valley, directed by John Ford. The soundtrack, by Alfred Newman, won that year's Academy Award for Original Music Score. It is also featured at the beginning of The African Queen (film), with Katharine Hepburn singing and playing the organ.[8] Only Men Aloud! also sang an arrangement by Tim Rhys-Evans and Jeffrey Howard on the BBC 1 Show Last Choir Standing in 2008. They subsequently released it on their self titled début album.
[edit] Other hymn texts
[edit] God of grace and God of glory
Some hymnals use this tune for the hymn God of Grace and God of Glory written by Harry Emerson Fosdick in 1930.
[edit] Lo, between the myrtles standing
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[edit] Full Salvation!
Full salvation! Full salvation!
Lo, the fountain opened wide,
streams through ev'ry land and nation
from the Saviour's wounded side.
Full salvation! Full salvation!
Streams an endless crimson tide.
Streams an endless crimson tide.
Oh, the glorious revelation!
see the cleansing current flow,
washing stains of condemnation
whiter than the driven snow;
Full salvation! Full salvation!
Oh, the rapturous bliss to know.
Oh, the rapturous bliss to know.
Love's resistless current sweeping
all the regions deep within;
thought, and wish, and senses keeping
now, and ev'ry instant clean;
Full salvation! Full salvation!
From the guilt and pow'r of sin.
From the guilt and pow'r of sin.
Life immortal, heav'n descending,
Lo! my heart the Spirit's shrine:
God and man in oneness blending,
Oh, what fellowship is mine!
Full salvation! Full salvation!
Raised in Christ to life divine!
Raised in Christ to life divine!
Care and doubting, gloom and sorrow,
fear and shame are mine no more;
faith knows naught of dark tomorrow,
for my Saviour goes before:
Full salvation! Full salvation!
Full and free for evermore!
Full and free for evermore!— Francis Bottome (1823-94)
[edit] Non-religious uses
[edit] Cornwall
Parodied as "Men of Cornwall ( or Cwm Kernow .... )" [9]
[edit] Wales
Apart from church use, probably its best known use is as the 'Welsh Rugby Hymn', often sung by the crowd at rugby matches, especially those of the Wales national rugby union team. There it is common for all voices to sing the repeat of the last three syllables of the last-but-one line, e.g. "want no more" or "strength and shield" (which in church use is repeated only in the bass and alto parts, if at all).
[edit] Football
In the early 20th century, football fans regularly used the variation "You're Not Singing Anymore" when taunting the fans of opposing teams who were on the losing sides.[10]
[edit] Army
It is (was) well known that the Parachute Regiment would alter the refrain to read ' God Is Airborne' 'God is Airborne' Airborne Soldiers Evermore, God's a Para Evermore
[edit] Television
The BBC's One Foot in the Grave episode "The Beast in the Cage" this song was sung by disgruntled car mechanics to show their contempt for Victor Meldrew's automobile.
The hymn is sung by Ivor the Engine and the Grumbly District Choir at the end of episode 6 of the first series of Ivor the Engine, when Ivor finally achieves his ambition to join the choir.
[edit] References
- ^ John Richard Watson, An Annotated Anthology of Hymns Published 2002, Oxford University Press p. 228. "Hymns Ancient and Modern and the English Hymnal have always printed Guide me, O thou great redeemer, as the first line."
- ^ "Cwm Rhondda chapel's history celebrated", BBC News, 24 January 2003
- ^ H2G2 Hitchhikers’ Guide - Cwm Rhondda
- ^ Hymns and Psalms. Methodist Publishing House. 1983. ISBN 0 946550 01 8.
- ^ "Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary Handbook". http://www.blc.edu/comm/gargy/gargy1/ELH.Hymn.info.GHI.html. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "The Funeral Service of Diana, Princess Wales". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/politics97/diana/order.html. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "She was strength, dignity and laughter". BBC. 2002-04-09. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1918557.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-10.
- ^ "Soundtracks for The African Queen". IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043265/soundtrack. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- ^ "Men of Cornwall (Cwm Kernow)". stamp-and-go.co.uk. http://www.stamp-and-go.co.uk/Men%20of%20Cornwall.html. Retrieved 2011-08-14.
- ^ Wighton, Kate; Spanton, Tim (2010-09-28). "Oldencalls". The Sun (London). http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/3155379/Historical-tunes-behind-footies-terrace-chants.html.
[edit] External links
- Free typeset sheet music for SATB (voice), from Cantorion.org
- Free score at the Mutopia Project
