the proGnosis

Making copies of the sheet music

This weeks Free Friday is also a Feature Friday as proggy features one of it’s favourite up and coming, Welsh language, corporate sung worship hymn writers. Steff Elis. I’ll let JT do the introduction (the wait will be worth it, there’s a treasure trove of goodies at the bottom).

JT:

I remember 10 years ago sitting on a train with my friend Rhodri and being completely frustrated that there was no contemporary welsh language Christian music. But we quickly started to dream of possibilities and people who could start writing and performing stuff. Rhodri went on to be a part of the Welsh super group ‘Manna‘ and I went on to do nothing.

In the words of Akon, "I'm locked up...they wont let me out"

Even more excitingly, over the past few years a couple of people have started emerging who are writing and performing great new welsh Christian music. And what is great is that they are very talented with it. One such writer is Steffan Elis. Steffan is from Cardiff, studied in Bangor and is just finishing as a UCCF Relay worker.

There are three marks to a Steffan Ellis song:

1. They are theologically grounded. They come from Scripture, although they are expressed in experience, and are songs you can trust.
2. They are very laid back. I often think that Steffan is the Welsh Jack Johnson!
3. They have musical integrity. Steffan can actually write a good song. They are interesting, rich, catchy and moving.

These free downloads are brilliant if you are a Welsh speaker, but they are also good if you aren’t blessed with the gift of tongues.  Because his music is so good, they are worth listening to even if you don’t understand the words.

For download we have an mp3 of “Teilwng yw’r Oen“or listen here:

Also you can grab a pdf of the sheet music or a copy of the lyrics

Here is Steff’s take on the song.

Steff:

Mae’r gan yma wedi ei sgwennu er mwyn pwyntio yr Eglwys at ogoniant y groes ac i’n hatgoffa y bydd hyn yn rhan fawr iawn o’n moliant pan fyddwn gyda’r Arglwydd yn y nefoedd. Mae i’n hatgoffa o’r pris y talwyd yn i’n prynnu ni ond yn fwy na dim pwrpas yr emyn ydy pwyntio tuag at yr Arglwydd Iesu Grist a goblygiadau ei aberth drosm ar y groes a’i atgoffiad – ein bod yn iawn a fod gennym y gobaith o fywyd tragwyddol gydag Ef. Mae’r pennill olaf yn weddi o fath yn gofyn y byddai hyn yn dod yn fwy real i ni fel pobl Duw – y byddai’r gwirionedd sy’n aml yn gysurus yn ein pen yn mynd i’r galon ac yn i cynhesu hithau at ein Harglwydd Iesu Grist.

This hymn is written to point the Church to the glory of the cross of our Saviour and to remind us that this will be one of the themes of our songs of praise in the glory! It ois to point the congregation to the price paid to redeem us but in all of these things its chief objective is to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ and to point us to Him. It is to remind us of the sweet truths that are ours through our Lord’s death and resurrection – that we are justified and that we have the sure hope of eternity with him.The final verse is a prayer that God would help these truths become more and more real to us – that it would not only be knowledge for the head (where it is often most comfortable) and that it would soak our hearts in wonder for our Saviour.