by Samuel de Vries

While curating a playlist of Welsh traditional folk songs to accompany the release of I Taliesin, I came across Marwnad yr Ehedydd. Its timeless theme of mourning immediately drew me in. With my background in composition, I was particularly interested in how its melodic and harmonic simplicity could be honored while translating it into a contemporary sound.

Marwnad yr Ehedydd itself survives only as a fragment collected in the early 20th century, telling of a lark’s death and a desire to gather people to honor it. Though short, the song carries a haunting, enduring beauty, and its solemn, reflective spirit guided my approach. I focused on deliberate minimalism: celtic harp and acoustic guitar form the foundation, my voice carries the elegy, and a flute solo substitutes for parts of the fragment, allowing the lark to sing its final note. Each element is given its proper space, allowing this centuries-old melody to breathe again.

The artwork, by Krael, shows a bird skull with a hawk’s silhouette. It evokes mortality and the fragile beauty of life, mirroring the song’s mood without illustrating it literally. During recording, Cathinca (flutes, whistles, vocals) brought a kalimba, whose textures inspired a delicate layer of tiny, crystal-like bell sounds added in mastering, complementing the elegiac narrative without altering the song’s traditional essence.

From a production perspective, the arrangement grew from very minimal compositional sketches while respecting the song’s lyrical form. Every note, pause, and texture is intentional, allowing harp, voice, flute, and delicate chime-like sounds to coalesce into an atmosphere that encourages attentive listening.

At its heart, Marwnad yr Ehedydd is a quiet meditation on the fleeting beauty of life and the kind of mourning that comes with it. Between the arrangement, the textures, and the artwork, the track tries to honor Welsh folk tradition while letting the song speak for itself. It feels timeless, human, and perfectly suited to the stillness of winter.