Welsh Folk Song Society

The Welsh Folk Song Society (Welsh: Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin Cymru) is a registered charity founded in 1906 to collect, preserve, interpret, and make known the folk songs of Wales. It publishes examples and promotes research on the literary and musical background of the songs, as well as fostering interest in folk song and folk literature in general. Its objectives were clearly set out in the first issue of the Society's Journal in 1909: "The Society has been established for the purpose of collecting and preserving Welsh folk-songs, ballads and tunes, and of publishing such of these as may be deemed advisable; in short, to carry out for Wales the work that is already being done by the Folk-Song Society for England and the Irish Folk-Song Society for Ireland." The Society's journal, Canu Gwerin, appears every August, and there is an annual meeting for lectures, discussion, and song, as well as a lecture at the National Eisteddfod. Volumes of songs and arrangements are also published. The language of the Society is Welsh, but there is also information available in English on its bilingual website.

The Welsh Folk-Song Society was founded in 1906. Like the National Museum, University and Library of Wales, it originated from movements at the end of the 19th century that tried to secure national institutions for Wales. Many of the patriots who were involved in the creation of these institutions were also prominent in the Welsh Folk-Song Society. One of the main founders was Dr J. Lloyd Williams, a lecturer in botany at Bangor University who was also the college's director of music. He established a singing party among his students and encouraged them to record old songs from oral tradition during their holidays. By the second half of the 20th century, the Society had published nearly 600 traditional songs (almost all in the Welsh language). After this, accepting that the main collecting work was nearly over, the focus moved towards research. In 1963, an annual residential conference was started. The conference includes lectures by experts from Wales (and occasionally from other countries), discussions and singing sessions. Over the years, many of the lectures have been published in the Society's Journal, which was first published in 1909. The Journal was relaunched under a new title, Canu Gwerin / Folk Song, in 1978 and has appeared annually since then. Articles are mainly in the Welsh language and the journal is published in time for the first week of August every year, which coincides with the National Eisteddfod of Wales. From the outset, the Society has had a close connection with the National Eisteddfod. It serves the Eisteddfod in an advisory capacity, recommending competitions and adjudicators every year. During the National Eisteddfod, the Society holds a lecture – The Lady Amy Parry-Williams Memorial Lecture – which is subsequently published in the journal, Canu Gwerin / Folk Song. Also on the main Eisteddfod field there are opportunities to promote public interest in traditional song and in the Society's activities and publications through the Society's tent. In addition to its journal, the Society has a consistent and ambitious publishing programme. In 1988, under the editorship of Daniel Huws, it reprinted an important collection by Maria Jane Williams first published in 1844. Annie Jane Hughes Griffiths, widow of the Member of Parliament for Merioneth, Thomas Edward Ellis, and later leader of the Welsh Women's Peace Appeal delegation in 1923-24, was an early active and generous member. Among other former members is Gilmor Griffiths.

• 1988

  Reprinted Maria Jane Williams's collection under editorship of Daniel Huws.

• 1978

  Journal relaunched as Canu Gwerin / Folk Song.

• 1963

  Annual residential conference started.

• 1909

  First issue of the Society's Journal published.

• 1906

  Society founded at a meeting in Llangollen on 2 September.

A learned society and charity dedicated to Welsh folk song heritage.

• Canu Gwerin / Folk Song journal

  Annual journal published every August.

• Song collections and arrangements

  Volumes of songs and arrangements published by the Society.

1. 1The Welsh Folk Song Societycanugwerin.com
2. 2History – The Welsh Folk Song Societycanugwerin.com
3. 3Welsh Folk Song Societywikidata.org
4. 4Cymdeithas Alawon Gwerin Cymrucy.wikipedia.org