Funerals can sometimes be fondly remembered because of attention to detail
Sylvia's family personalised her service with some lovely details
A humorous eulogy
The moving welsh Hymn " Arglwydd dyma fi"
Which means " lord ! Here I am"
The Memorial hall tables decked out with crisp white tablecloths each one complete with a vase of
Sweet summer flowers.
A proper Welsh tea table heavy with bara brith and lashings of tea
And the melancholic sense of an end of an era
I found the welsh hymn truly moving , the genuinely good singers within the church delivered that song with so much power , it was wonderful to hear it sang in such a setting . Sylvia was an astonishingly strong woman , and I don't just mean when she was poorly . I think she might have just shed a tear herself today ......then got on with her day !
ReplyDeleteFour or five of the male voice choir where there jason
DeleteI agree the natural harmonies made the hairs on my neck stand up
Listening to this is quite a stirring experience, but Welsh Male Voice Choirs usually are.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you're old enough to remember the time on TV when every month there was a Sunday evening 45-minute programme called 'Land of Song', hosted by Ivor Emmanuel, who also sang - and consisting entirely of songs in Welsh, many of which had a religious slant. The title theme music was 'The Ash Grove'. Even though I couldn't understand a word I always watched it - but this was way back when there were only two channels. I think the 'other side' actually closed down for an hour on Sun evenings.
I don't remember it ry.. But I do remember I've being famous for initiating the welsh singing in the ranks of the soldiers in ZULU
DeleteThat should read IVOR
Delete:-) I prefer the first way you wrote it. The vision of yourself in the role of Private Owen-look-you bucking up soldiers of the British infantry at Rorke's Drift with a sterling rendition of 'Land of My Fathers' is now seared in my imagination for ever.
Deletea beautiful song. a nice way to go!
ReplyDeleteThat's what you call a grand send-off. It's so sad to see anyone leave this life but what gives us some comfort at times, is the funeral.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful hymn.
ReplyDeleteRIP Sylvia.
how that music just brings the earth to the sky and the sky to the earth...
ReplyDeleteRest in Peace, Sylvia xoxox
The funeral sounds comforting, with lots of appropriate and thoughtful touches.
ReplyDeleteThat was beautiful, John. I'm grateful it had the printed words along with the song - the words actually made some sense to me. I know I heard Welsh spoken in the pubs when I was there, but then that was decades ago! Cheers to Sylvia!
ReplyDeleteNancy in Iowa
What a beautiful tribute to the wonderful lady whom I only heard of through your blog a short while ago. I couldn't see the hymn on your post so downloaded one by Cerys Matthews. We had a similar one in English in the Anglican Church. Please DO tell about your fame in Zulu singing. Greetings, Jo
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a lovely send off.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds just like a North Yorkshire funeral John = up here folk like a good send off with plenty of hymn singing, a good eulogy and above all plenty of food afterwards. it was quite foreign to me when I first moved up here but now I take part in it with good heart.
ReplyDeleteOh - I am genuinely sorry. This morning, I thought that Sylvia was one of your chickens, and that is not meant as a bad-taste joke, I promise.
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased that it went well John. Few things in life are as stirring as a Welsh hymn beautifully sung.
ReplyDeleteOMG that is beautiful. Thank you. And I am so very sorry for the loss of your friend. I wish I had known her.
ReplyDeleteTom, Sylvia is a grand name for a chicken. John tells us stories about chickens & villagers so well x
ReplyDeleteVery sorry for the loss of Sylvia John.
ReplyDeleteA heart-warming post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWelsh singing can send shivers along one's spine - such is its tuneful loveliness. It sounds as if Sylvia's family, friends and acquaintances did indeed give her a perfect "send off". Lovely.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting that hymn, John - it took my breath away. Sylvia sitting on that cloud would have enjoyed the singing and her day too.
ReplyDeleteTruly a fitting 'send-off' for Sylvia, John.
ReplyDeleteWonderful singing. As a bonus it sent me off to another wonderful experience with Sir Harry Seccombe singing with a lovely Welsh Choir. There's really nothing that equals it for spine-tingling listening.
ReplyDeleteA fitting sendoff.
Bless her soul, what a fine send off!
ReplyDeleteMy condolences on the loss of Sylvia. That hymn is really quite moving.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful send-off for Sylvia - I just love any Welsh singing.
ReplyDeleteHonestly funerals can be really wonderful celebrations of life and it sounds like Sylvia's was just that.
ReplyDeleteFly with the Angels Sylvia... That choir was just beautiful.
ReplyDelete*hugs* God bless. ♥
ReplyDeleteI find it quite difficult to listen to Welsh songs sung by Welsh male voice choirs; it must be the Welshman in me, water seems to spill from my eyes. RIP Sylvia.
ReplyDeleteRIP, Sylvia.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Cro.