Cwm Rhondda, taken from the Welsh name for the Rhondda Valley, is a popular hymn tune written by John Hughes in 1907. It is usually used in English as a setting for William Williams' text Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer '', originally Arglwydd, arwain trwy’r anialwch in Welsh. The tune and hymn are often called Bread of Heaven because of a repeated line in this English translation. In Welsh the tune is most commonly used as a setting for a hymn by Ann Griffiths, Wele'n sefyll rhwng y myrtwydd.
Tune
John Hughes wrote the first version of the tune, which he called "Rhondda", for the Cymanfa Ganu in Pontypridd in 1905, when the enthusiasm of the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival still remained. The present form was developed for the inauguration of the organ at Capel Rhondda, in Hopkinstown in the Rhondda Valley, in 1907. Hughes himself played the organ at this performance, using the English translation of William Williams' words perhaps because of the large number of English-speaking industrial workers who had migrated to the area. The name was changed from "Rhondda" to "Cwm Rhondda" by Harry Evans, of Dowlais, to avoid confusion with another tune, by M O Jones. singing 'Bread of Heaven' The hymn is usually pitched in A-flat major and has the 8.7.8.7.4.7 measure which is common in Welsh hymns. The third line repeats the first and the fourth line develops the second. The fifth line normally involves a repeat of the four-syllable text and the sixth reaches a climax on a dominant seventh chord – emphasised by a rising arpeggio in the alto and bass parts. The final line continues the musical development of the second and fourth. On account of these vigorous characteristics, the tune was resisted for some time in both Welsh and English collections but has long been firmly established.
Hymn text: 'Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer'
Present-day
The following are the English and Welsh versions of the hymn, as given in the standard collections. The Welsh version shown here is a somewhat literal translation from the English version back into Welsh. Earlier versions of the hymn book published jointly by the Calvinist and Wesleyan Methodists had a version with five verses that was much closer to Pantycelyn's original, as stated above.
History
is generally acknowledged as the greatest Welsh hymnwriter. The Welsh original of this hymn was first published as Hymn 10 in Mor o Wydr in 1762. It comprised six verses. It was originally titled Gweddi am Nerth i fyned trwy anialwch y Byd. Peter Williams translated part of the hymn into the English version given above, with the title Prayer for Strength. It was published in Hymns on various subjects, 1771. This translation is the only Welsh hymn to have gained widespread circulation in the English-speaking world. The present-day Welsh version, given above, is essentially a redaction of the original to parallel Peter Williams's English version. A result of the translation process is that the defining phrase "Bread of heaven" does not actually occur in the original; it is a paraphrase of the references to manna. The Welsh word Arglwydd corresponds more-or-less to the English Lord, in all its senses. It appears in the Old Testament to translate Hebrew words which are a paraphrase of the Divine Name, and in the New Testament to translate κύριος, the standard honorific for Jesus Christ. Accordingly, Peter Williams translated it as Jehovah in accord with the practice of his time. Many English-language hymnals today translate it as "Redeemer". The following version of the original is taken from Gwaith Pantycelyn. All but the second verse is given, with minor variations, in the Welsh Hymnbook of the Calvinist and Wesleyan Methodists, published by the assemblies of the two churches.
Meanings
The hymn describes the experience of God's people in their travel through the wilderness from the escape from slavery in Egypt, being guided by a cloud by day and a fire by night to their final arrival forty years later in the land of Canaan. During this time their needs were supplied by God, including the daily supply of manna. The hymn text forms an allegory for the journey of a Christian throughout their life on earth requiring the Redeemer's guidance and ending at the gates of Heaven and end of time.
Despite the history of the tune and its common English text, the usual tune-words pairing in Welsh is quite different. Arglwydd, arwain... is usually sung to the tune Capel y Ddôl and Cwm Rhondda is the setting for the hymn Wele'n Sefyll Rwng y Myrtwydd by Ann Griffiths:
Other English hymn texts
Some hymnals use this tune for the hymn God of Grace and God of Glory written by Harry Emerson Fosdick in 1930. Others for Full salvation! Full salvation! Lo, the fountain opened wide by Francis Bottome.
Legacy
In 2007 dignitaries from Pontypridd Town Council unveiled a plaque at Capel Rhondda in Hopkinstown, Pontypridd, to celebrate the centenary of the hymn's composition. Minister Rev Phil Rickards said: "This is where the tune was first publicly performed." A service celebrating the centenary was also held at John Hughe's burial place, Salem Baptist Chapel in nearby Tonteg.
Rugby
Apart from church use, probably its best known use is as the 'Welsh Rugby Hymn', often sung by the crowd at rugby matches, especially those of the Wales national rugby union team. There it is common for all voices to sing the repeat of the last three syllables of the last-but-one line, e.g. "want no more" or "strength and shield".
Football
From the second half of the 20th century, English and Scottish football fans used often to sing a song based on this tune using the words "We'll support you evermore", which in turn led to many different versions being adapted., the variation "You're Not Singing Any More" when taunting the fans of opposing teams who are losing remains extremely popular.
