Scoring: TTBB choir a cappella
Date: 2024"March of the Men of Harlech" is the Welsh National Hymn. Here it is arranged by John Hyatt Brewer (1856-1931) and adapted by me for a cappella TTBB choir (plus "solo".) It is admittedly a thoroughly violent, anti-Saxon (yes, that ancient!) marching song, but it deserves to be sung as the melody is so well-loved and it is so full of drama and excitement. Extra sound effects are introduced by the "solo" part imitating trumpets and drums, and by all the singers with loud (on the spot?) bootsteps! Brewer's harmonisation also keeps the interest up through both verses. Pace Welshmen, perhaps this could be "hammed up" a little?
1. Men of Harlech honour calls us,
No proud Saxon e'er appalls us!
On we march, whate'er befall us,
Never shall we fly!
Forward, lightly bounding,
To the trumpets sounding,
Forward ever, backward never,
The proud foe astounding;
Fight for father, sister, mother,
Each is bound to each as brother,
And with faith in one another
We will win or die.
2. Tho' our mothers may be weeping,
Tho' our sisters may be keeping
Watch for some, who now are sleeping
On the battle field,
Still the trumpets' braying,
Sounds on, ever saying,
Let each bowman pierce a foeman,
And ne'er stop the slaying,
Till invaders learn to fear us,
And no Saxon linger near us;
Men of Wales! our God doth hear us,
Never will we yield!
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