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9. Were you able to find compositions or music for this instrument? What kind of music was used for?
"The crwth was a folk instrument, and as such was not supported by a written musical tradition. Both the method of playing it and the music for it were traditionally passed down from father to son, and I gather that there was more than a modicum of guarded secrecy. Sorry, ladies, but the traditional belief was that it was such bad luck for a girl or woman to play the crwth that her so doing would literally wake the dead and send bodies from the churchyard wandering around the town. Morris relates an account of that view in his monograph. I personally do not share that view, by the way!
10. You've composed music for the crwth - is there a particular type or style of composition you think it best suited to?
"I prefer either re-created or adapted to composed in most cases. Everything at this site, for example, is music that was initially fashioned by some talented but anonymous folk artist who probably did not read or write a note of music. There is musicality in each of us, just as surely as there is a penchant for verbalizing. As far as actual composition is concerned, I’ve had in my head for years – decades, in fact - a multi-movement piece called “Twmpath Dawns” (“Dance on the Village Green”) for crwth and orchestra, but I’ve only committed a tiny portion of it to writing. That’s one of so many things on my to-do list for post-retirement. Its style is not at all original, but rather based on that of the dance and ballad tunes that I located in my research, although I’ve not actually copied any of the melodies."
11. How important is the crwth in the Celtic musical tradition?
"I would regard the crwth as very important, although I have come to consider the oral-aural tradition supporting both the playing of it and the music for it, along with music for other folk instruments and vocal music, as even more important, not only because oral-aural tradition is the foundation on which so much else in folk culture is built, but also because what exists only in memories is so volatile and easily lost. Instruments are concrete phenomena and hence more durable entities. That is part of why my doctoral dissertation was on the oral-aural processes in melodic transmission, preservation, and change rather than on an instrument."
12. Do you believe that the crwth can make a comeback? Does it have a place in the mainstream musical tradition?
"I think it already has made a comeback as part of the larger emergence of both popular interest and scholarly inquiry in Celtic music. As to whether or not it will attract a huge following, I suspect not. We must remember that, of all the music education programs in our schools, strings in general tend to be the smallest group in terms of participants. For example, in American public schools, band members outnumber orchestra members ten-to-one, although, interestingly, studies have shown that string players are more likely than wind or percussion players to keep playing their instruments after finishing their formal educations. In my son’s high school, there were four huge bands and one orchestra of modest size. Given the limited number, although usually the deep dedication, of string players, I suspect that the crwth attracts and will continue to attract a relatively small but intensely devoted group of adherents.
Technically the crwth is in general far less facile then modern orchestral string instruments, and it’s not supported by either the huge written musical tradition or anything even remotely approaching the instructional regimen that exists for them. It is best suited to the music for which it was created, which is but one enjoyable but narrowly circumscribed segment of the entire Western instrumental music repertory. Hence I suspect that, while someday the crwth may enjoy an even greater status than it now occupies as an historical instrument useful in, for example, certain movie soundtracks or period and/or regional compositions, it will never stand as an equal partner with the violin. This is certainly not to speak disparagingly of the crwth in any way. After all, within the continuum of its particular repertory it can provide its own accompaniment and in so doing perform a feat at which the violin is far more limited except in the hands of a few of the greatest virtuosi.
There always is the possibility, of course, that a composer will come along who specializes in writing for instruments outside the usual academic milieu. There, in fact, was such a composer in the last century. His name was Harry Partch. He even invented some special instruments, in some cases by adapting earlier designs, and I seem to recall that he wrote for some antique instruments such as the panpipes. To the best of my knowledge, he wrote nothing for the crwth."
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13. Other than on this site where can people obtain samples of your work?
"There is my personal website, which includes the main crwth page that’s linked on my Americymru page. For direct access to my online bibliography of publications and presentations, go to http://home.earthlink.net/~llywarch/pubpr.html.htm It includes listings for my studies in other areas as well as those on the crwth.
My other “crwth pages” are as follows:
http://home.earthlink.net/~llywarch/cth02.html (performance advertisement)
http://home.earthlink.net/~llywarch/cth04.html (thesis bibliography with additional references)
A copy of my thesis is available via university interlibrary loan from the Music Library of the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, 76203. Also, as I’ve previously stated, I make and mail copies for the cost of production and mailing. I plan to put the whole thing, with revisions reflecting what appeared in my running supplement of addenda, online eventually."
14. Do you give live performances or demonstrations with the instrument?
"Yes, I do, although not all that often. I’ve performed with a harpist at the Mucky Duck Pub in Houston, a location where entertainment often includes live Celtic music, and I’ve performed at wedding receptions and various fundraisers for the arts in the Houston area since the late 1970s. At one point I was with Young Audiences of Houston. Also, I was once on “Inside Area-5,” a feature news program in the Dallas area, not too long after completing my thesis. For more detail, see my performance advertisement listed above."
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Follow the whole nine yards here (a 95 part series) :- Half Marathon Blog
Why I am running:- West Coast Eisteddfod Bryn Seion Church
For details of how to sponsor see this post
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Adding my blog post today from the public library in Bend Oregon. I have approximately 25 minutes of wifi time before they close so this will be , of necessity, a brief update. Suffice it to say that I will be keeping up my training while I am here although of course I will not be able to measure my progress in terms of circuits around the turnip patch. I will have to devise a new route around the various yurts in the campground where we are staying. The air is a lot fresher and cleaner up here than it is in Portland and that is a big plus for running. I hope to be back tomorrow with a further update meanwhile enjoy the video below- Marathon Thoughts.
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Boston British Consulate Looking for Welsh Ex-patriots, Welsh Americans, and People with a Love for Wales
By Ceri Shaw, 2009-01-17
The Welsh National Assembly and the British Consulate of Boston are looking to connect with the Welsh presence in New England. March 1st, 2009 is Saint David's Day. Saint David is the patron saint of Wales, and on the days surrounding March 1st the Boston British Consulate and the Boston Cymrodorion Society will be organizing and sponsoring a number of Saint David's Day events. A classic Welsh hymn sing called a Gymanfa Ganu will be held in Salem, MA. Lectures on Welsh history, a Saint David's Day polar bear plunge, and a Saint David's Day feast will be celebrated. To cap off the events Rhodri Morgan, the First Minister of Wales will be joining us at the British Consulate at 1 Memorial Drive in Cambridge, MA for a celebration on Monday, March 2nd.
If you are from Wales, of Welsh ancestry, or simply have a love for all things Celtic contact Phil Wyman the Boston Saint David's Day representative for the British Consulate and the Welsh National Assembly at 978-578-1785, on the internet at http://www.freewebs.com/cymrodorion/ , or by e-mail at BostonWelsh@gmail.com.
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Follow the whole nine yards here (a 95 part series) :- Half Marathon Blog
Why I am running:- West Coast Eisteddfod Bryn Seion Church
For details of how to sponsor see this post
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Hi all....I will be leaving early in the morning for Bend, Oregon. Another working trip and this time I will be staying in a tent. I really don't know what the wifi situation will be so please don't expect miracles 
I will of course attempt to keep the daily running blog going ( and my training schedule ) but that will probably involve a trip to Starbucks each evening assuming that there is one nearby.
A number of people have inquired about this strange temporary job that I do for a few months a year which involves travelling and staying in tents, motels etc. For the benefit of our UK readers please let me attempt an explanation ( I will be mercifully brief ).
In 26 states of the US there is a system whereby people and interest groups who have the requisite funds can hire an army of petitioners to gather signatures for statutory or constitutional measures which ( given that they reach quota ) are placed on a ballot each year. If those measures are successful at the polls they become law. Basically it is a form of government by annual plebiscite. Of course State laws do not always supersede Federal laws and this leads to interesting legal and political conflicts.
These jolly little jaunts help to pay for the WCE. And so...expect more from me tomorrow ( but dont hold your breath ) and meanwhile enjoy this video about the real reason that runners run
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Welsh Music Industry Day - Caernarfon / Cynhadledd Diwydiant Cerddoriaeth Gymraeg - Caernarfon
By Ceri Shaw, 2009-01-16
CYNHADLEDD FLYNYDDOL Y DIWYDIANT CERDDORIAETH YN DYCHWELYD I GAERNARFON: HANFODOL I UNRHYW UN SYN GYSYLLTIEDIG R DIWYDIANT CERDDORIAETH YNG NGHYMRU
DYDD GWENER, IONAWR 23, 2009, 12.30PM 5.30PM GALERI, CAERNARFON
Yn dilyn eu poblogrwydd yn 2008, mae Sefydliad Cerddoriaeth Gymreig unwaith eton cynnal y Dyddiau Diwydiant Cerddoriaeth Gymraeg, a fwriadwyd i fynd ir afael materion allweddol sydd o bwys i ddiwydiant cerddoriaeth Gymraeg a thu hwnt.
Ar Ddydd Gwener, Ionawr 23, 2009, rhwng 12:30pm a 5.30pm, cynhelir cynhadledd Gogledd Cymru yn Galeri, Caernarfon. Bydd pedair sesiwn yn cael eu cynnal yn y prynhawn a bydd croeso i gynrychiolwyr ddewis a dethol i ba ddigwyddiadau y byddant yn mynd, neu aros ir gynhadledd gyfan.
Maer pynciau fydd yn cael eu trafod yn cynnwys plygio cerddoriaeth i orsafoedd radio, brandio cerddoriaeth a marchnata a hyrwyddo digwyddiadau byw. Yn y prynhawn hefyd ceir sesiynau holi ac ateb cyfle ardderchog i roi sylw i gwestiynau neu faterion unigol, a bydd hwn, wrth gwrs, yn gyfle rhagorol i gynrychiolwyr rwydweithio.
Ymhlith y panelwyr gwadd bydd Gill Taylor (Rheolwraig / Hyrwyddwr), Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales), Gareth Iwan Jones (Cynhyrchydd, BBC Radio Cymru) a chynrychiolwyr o Dylunio Cymru, Creu Cymru a Cerdd Gymunedol Cymru, ac eraill.
Ceir rhestr lawn or digwyddiadau yn www.sefydliadcerddoriaethgymreig.com yn ogystal manylion am yr ail gynhadledd, a gynhelir yng Nghaerdydd ar 30 Ionawr 2009.
Cynhelir y sesiynau drwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg ar Saesneg bydd cyfleusterau cyfieithu ar gael.
Maer diwrnod yn DDI-DL, ond mae lleoedd yn gyfyngedig. I gofrestru, e-bostiwch: dai@welshmusicfoundation.com neu ffoniwch 029 20 494110
----ANNUAL MUSIC INDUSTRY CONFERENCE RETURNS TO CAERNARFON : ESSENTIAL FOR ANYONE INVOLVED IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN WALES
FRIDAY JANUARY 23, 2009, 12.30PM 5.30PM - GALERI, CAERNARFON
Following their popularity in 2008, Welsh Music Foundation are once again hosting the Welsh Music Industry Days, designed to address the key issues that matter to the Welsh language music industry and beyond.
On Friday January 23 2009, between 12:30pm and 5.30pm, the north Wales conference will take place at Galeri, Caernarfon. Three sessions will run during of the afternoon and delegates are welcome to pick and choose, which they attend, or stay for the course of the conference.
Topics covered include plugging music to radio stations, music branding and the marketing and the promotion of live events. The afternoon will also feature Q&A segments a great opportunity to have queries or individual issues addressed, and will of course serve as a great networking opportunity for delegates.
Guest panelists include Gill Taylor (Elvis Costellos Manager), Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales), Gareth Iwan Jones (Producer, BBC Radio Cymru) and representatives from Design Wales, Creu Cymru and Community Music Wales, amongst others.
A full event line-up can be found at www.welshmusicfoundation.com, as well as details of the second conference, held in Cardiff on 30 January 2009.
Sessions will be conducted in both the medium of English and Welsh language translation facilities will be available.
The day is FREE to attend, but places are limited. To register, email: dai@welshmusicfoundation.com or phone 029 20 494110
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Reproduced with kind permission from David Western's Portland Lovespoon Blog
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Laura here, again... I think I mentioned already that I was a little excited at the prospect of making a cage of roots. As much as people always seem to enjoy moving parts, I thought this might warrant a little further discussion.
Hmm. So, when I started thinking about approaching the cage, I thought, what are the defining characteristics of the cage? Is it that there are 4 posts? Not necessarily, but there usually are 4, and they are usually all parallel, evenly spaced, relatively straight and usually the back posts are aligned behind the front posts when you cut the blank.
Yeah - I didn't want to do that.
Really, the main considerations for designing balls in a cage have to do with carving and finishing access, and containment of the balls. More specifically, having access for your tools (including your hand holding the tools, in the positions you need, with the leverage you need) to all parts of the inside and outside of the cage and the balls, not to mention being able to hold the work piece without breaking it while carving and finishing the cage, the balls, OR any other part of the spoon! AND, the other big consideration is that you need to make sure to keep the balls contained. No escaping! There's a balance to maintain.
Now, when Dave and I decided we'd have 4 caged balls in this spoon, I immediately started to think of how to make it different than the typical caged balls. I envisioned roots and vines, and even took a few pictures....
So here I was, having all these lovely visions of organic, climbing, meandering roots, and then I think of a typical cage. Here's a typical very simple cage with a couple egg-shaped balls, so you can see what I'm trying not to do, too:
This one only has two balls, and it's laying on its back, so they're spread out. If it had four, the cage would probably have been longer, and when it stands upright, as spoons usually do when they are displayed, they'd all just sit in the bottom, and you'd have a boring, empty cage. So I also figured I'd subdivide the cage a bit, either with branches, or by the irregularity of the posts themselves. And since I'd do that, I guess I didn't need to have all the balls the same size, either, which could allow me some more interest with the thickness of everything, too. That's another thing about cages - they to some extent need to be as deep as they are wide. So - with avoiding a plain cage in mind, here's the first thing I drew...
I was a little worried I might scare Dave too much with that one, though (it kind of abandons all the helpful tools like symmetry, parallel lines, reference to the front & back of the board, etc.) so I drew another, a bit more like the typical form...
Note - on this second one, I may have some of these tapering posts opening up a little too much, but I figure we'll probably build them out a little more with some more foliage or something. It's just a start.
Anyway, I really liked the first one. But the more I thought about it, those nagging questions kept coming back to me - like - What kind of wood are we going to use? Who is going to carve first? Anyway, I sent them off to Dave to make sure we were even still on the same page, and see what he thought about either of them.
He liked the drawings, and confirmed that direction-wise, we still seemed to be on the same page, which was great to hear. Of course he had the obligatory words of caution about the twisted cage, which I fully expected and absolutely fully agreed with - I just AM, perhaps, a little bit of a glutton for punishment. 
While he was reviewing them, I think another consideration started to bother me, though - and that was about strength. I am really counting on a pretty strong wood choice, I think - and even with a strong wood choice, all the weight we're talking about having in all the rest of this spoon may be too much. This only represents about the bottom half of the spoon - and by far, the lighter half. The twisted cage doesn't stay with the grain of the wood - so it loses a significant amount of strength that way. So - I decided I may just save this one for something smaller of my own, and try again for our root cage here. So I shared my thoughts with Dave, told him I thought I'd go for something in between the two drawings above, with a little more focus on strength, and by the way, what wood did he want to use?
So, this is what I drew next.
I've heard back from Dave, and we agree - we'll go from here with the cage. Still don't know what kind of wood he has in mind, though. I know he's working on all sorts of wonderful things up around the tree in the upper part of the spoon, though, so I'm looking forward to seeing what's next!!!
Don't forget to get your tickets to win this spoon! I really think something special is brewing here!
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