Annotation:Morva Rhuddlan
X:1 T:Morva Ryddlan M:3/4 L:1/8 B:Daniel Wright – Aria di Camera (London, 1727, No. 49) N:”being A Choice Collection of Scotch, Irish & Welsh Airs N:for the Violin and German Flute by the following masters N:Mr. Alex. Urquahart of Edinburgh, Mr. Dermot O'Connar of Limrick N:Mr. Hugh Edwards of Carmarthen” N:The second part is marked "Very slow." F: https://ia600808.us.archive.org/20/items/AriaDiCamera1727/Wright-AriaDiCamera-1727.pdf Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:Dmin A2|d2 defa|g2g2f2|e2 dfed|^c2 cdec| d2 defa|gabagf|e2 ^c3d|d4:| fg|a2a2 ba|g3f e2|f>g a3f|f4 fg| a2 a>b (a/c'/b/a/)|Tg2 fd'c'b|ag Tg3f|f4 g2| a2f2a2|g2e2g2|(fe)(de)(fg)|a2A2^c2| d2 defa|gba^cdg|fe Te3d|d4||
MORVA RHUDDLAN (The Marsh of Rhuddlan). AKA - "Morfa Rhiddlan." Welsh, Air (3/4 time). D Minor (Wright): A Minor (Aird). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Wright): AABB (Aird). Claims have been made for an eighth-century date for this tune, without any solid evidence; this is in keeping with quite extravagant attributions of age to many Welsh melodies. The melody is said to commemorate the savage defeat of the Welsh by the Saxons at a battle at Rhuddlan Marsh in 795. Walker (1924) names it as one of the Welsh tunes "marked by artistic strength of a high order," while Frank Kidson (Groves) says it is a "fine melody."
Welsh fiddler John Thomas entered the tune in his music copybook, dated 1752.
