Music by Joseph Parry, words by Richard Davies (Mynyddog)
Cytgan yr Helwyr (the Huntsmen’s Chorus) is taken from the 1878 opera Blodwen by Dr Joseph Parry (libretto by Richard Davies (Mynyddog)). The first opera written in Welsh, Blodwen was very successful in its day and is still performed occasionally. Several arias from Blodwen are still popular, including the love duet between Blodwen and Hywel Ddu, and Hywel’s final farewell (as he believes) to Blodwen from prison. Cytgan yr Helwyr is sung at the start of Act 2 as the inhabitants of Castell Maelor go off hunting.
Words
Mae’r haul yn codi dros y bryn,
A thonau’r llyn yn llonydd;
Ni awn i hela’r hydd yn glau,
Dros fryniau glynau glenydd,
Dros fryniau glynau glenydd;
Chwythwch yr helgorn o fynydd i fryn,
Nes deffro yr adsain yng ngwaelod y glyn;
Tally ho! Tally ho! Tally ho!
Tally ho! Tally ho! Tally ho!
Awn i hela yr hydd,
Awn i hela yr hydd,
Tally ho! Tally ho!
Awn i hela, i hela yr hydd,
Awn i hela, i hela yr hydd.
Mae’r mynydd mawr yn codi’i ben,
Fry tua’r nen yn union,
I wadd yr helwyr fry yn glau,
I garu’i ochrau geirwon,
I garu’i ochrau geirwon.
Ailchwythwch… [a.y.b.]
Translation
The sun is rising over the hills
And the sounds of the lake are still
We go to hunt the hart loudly
Over hills, dales (and) glens
Over hills, dales (and) glens
Blow the horn from mountain to hill
Until the echo rises in the bottom of the valley;
Tally ho! Tally ho! Tally ho!
Tally ho! Tally ho! Tally ho!
We will go to hunt the stag.
We will go to hunt the stag.
Tally ho! Tally ho! Tally ho!
We will go to hunt, to hunt the stag.
We will go to hunt, to hunt the stag.
The great mountain raises its head,
Up straight to the heavens,
To invite the hunters to make haste up,
To love its rugged slopes,
To love its rugged slopes.
Blow again… [etc.]
Translation source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Parry