The National Music of Wales ... continued xxxxxxxxxxxxxxpage 7
John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia). From Y Cymmrodor, 1878

The first Eisteddfod of which we have any historical record, was held in the middle of the seventh century, presided over by King Cadwaladr; - as it was a prerogative peculiar to the ancient kings of Britain to preside at the Eisteddfod or Congress of Bards.

A curious circumstance is related by two Welsh historians, Dr. John David Rhys and John Rhydderch, as having occurred upon that occasion:-

"King Cadwaladr sat in an Eisteddfod, assembled for the purpose of regulating the bards, of taking into consideration their productions and performances, and of giving laws to music and poetry. A bard, who played upon the harp in the presence of this illustrious assembly in a key called is-gywair, ar y bragod dannau (in the low pitch and in the minor or mixed key), which displeased them much, was censured for the inharmonious effect he produced. The key in which he played was that of Pibau Morvydd (i.e. 'Caniad Pibau Morvydd sydd ar y bragod gywair' - 'The Song of Morvydd's pipes is in the minor or mixed key.' He was then ordered, under great penalties, whenever he came before persons skilful in the art, to adopt that of Mwynen Gwynedd, 'the pleasing melody of North Wales,' which the royal associates first gave out, and preferred. They even decreed that none could sing or play with true harmony but with Mwynen Gwynedd, because that was in a key which consisted of notes that formed perfect concords, whilst the other was of a mixed nature."

I am strongly impressed with the conviction that the above incident arose from a general desire to suppress an attempt to introduce into Wales the pentatonic, or so-called Scotch scale, where the fourth and leading notes of the key are omitted, which accounts for the peculiar, not to say startling effect, produced upon a cultivated musical ear by the Scotch bagpipe of the present day, upon which, the music written for it passes from major to minor, without the least regard for the tonic and dominant drones of the original key, which still continue to sound on to the end of the performance.

The relation of the above incident also shows that the Welsh were already in possession of a scale or key, which, by their own showing, consisted of notes that formed perfect concords; whereas the other, which they objected to, was of a mixed nature - neither major nor minor, but a mixture of the two, which is not altogether an inapt way of describing the pentatonic, or Scotch scale.

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