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Compact Disc
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Comes in a fine gatefold case with extensive liner notes by Gareth Bonello and beautiful photography by Kerme Lamare
Includes unlimited streaming of ‘Sai-thaiñ ki Sur
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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about
Cyfansoddiad gwreiddiol gan Gareth Bonello wedi'i ysbrydoli gan ysgrifau'r beirdd Khasi Esther Syiem a Desmond Kharmawphlang ar chwedlau Khasi a chyfrifoldeb ecolegol.
An original compositon by Gareth Bonello inspired by the writings of Esther Syiem and Desmond Kharmawphlang on Khasi mythology and environmental responsibility.
In addition to a musical exchange there was also a discussion taking place around poetry, folklore and language. I am deeply indebted to two Khasi poets in partocular; Professor Esther Syiem, and Professor Demond Kharmawphlang from the English and Folklore departments of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) respectively. I wrote ‘Cwyn yr Afon’, (‘The River’s Lament’) after reading Esther’s enchanting book of short stories Memoir in Water: Speaks the Wah Umkhrah. The book offers a series of vignettes from the point of view of the Umkhrah River, which flows through the city of Shillong. Drawing on Khasi folklore and contemporary storytelling, Esther’s tales reminded me of the dreamy yet sinister feeling I often get from Welsh folklore. Written in traditional Welsh metre, the song uses imagery from both Khasi and Welsh tradition but broaches a modern subject; that of mankind’s destruction of our rivers, which we once respected and worshipped as gods. I strongly recommend any of Esther’s numerous books, particularly her collections of poetry Oral Scriptings and Many Sides of Many Stories, and her excellent book on Khasi knowledge, The Oral Discourse in Khasi Folk Narrative. This is one of the few songs on the album that were recorded in Wales, at the home of my long-time collaborator and good friend, Llion Robertson, who also mixed the album. It’s a song that I can perform live as a soloist, but I am often joined by my lovely wife Jennifer Gallichan on vocals and so she makes her debut on record here!
lyrics
Cwyn yr afon
Ar ddydd fy ngenedigaeth
Uwch copâu maith ag uchel
Bu’r cwmwl du yn casglu
Nes gau oleuni’r gorwel
O’r wybren hyn disgynnais
Yn nhwrf a thrais y wawrio
Y mellt ymysg y twrw
A’i gleddyf gloyw’n chwifio
Fi yw afon ddirgel y galon
Dilyw y breuddwydion
Ffo y dagrau blin
Fi yw afiach
Ceidwad y sothach
Gwely pob cyfrinach
Bedd pechodau dyn
A finnau’n llu o ddafnau,
Cyrch ar fryniau distaw’r fro,
A phob cilfach, hollt neu ddyffryn
Yn dir i’m byddin hawlio
Ond eto, rwyf dan felltith,
Ni fyddaf byth yn llonydd,
Pa beth a fo dwi’n llifo
I’r byd o frolio’r mynydd
Trwy goed a chreaduriaid
Trwy dail a gwaed a gwreiddiau
Trwy flodau’r ddol a’r bobl
A chwaeth anfeidrol duwiau
O’r môr yn ôl i’r bryniau
draw i’r tonnau geirwon hallt
O’r cwmwl du i’r angel
gyda’r sbwriel yn ei gwallt.
The River’s Lament
On the day I was born
Over high distant peaks
A black cloud gathered
And blocked the bright horizon
From this sky I descended
In the violence of the dawning
lightning amongst the uproar
His bright sword was flashing
I am the secret river of the heart
The deluge of dreams
The flood of heavy tears
I am the sickly guardian of garbage
The bed of every secret
The grave of human sins
I am an army of droplets
The rain on distant hills
And every creek or crack or valley
Is land for me to claim
And yet I have been cursed
I can never be still
Come what may I flow
To the World from this boastful mountain
Through trees and creatures
Through leaves and blood and roots
Through meadow bloom and people
And the whims of infinite gods
From the sea back to the mountains
Back to the rough and salty waves
From the black cloud to the angel
With rubbish in her hair
credits
from
‘Sai-thaiñ ki Sur,
released May 28, 2020
Geiriau ac Alaw/Words and Melody Gareth Bonello
Gitar a Llais/Guitar and Vocals Gareth Bonello
Recordiwyd/Recorded Caerdydd 2019
Peiriannydd a Chymysgu/Engineered & Mixed Llion Robertson
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