CHAIRMAN Pat Radford welcomed members and several visitors to the November meeting at St Luke's Church hall.

The speaker was Elonwy Wright, niece of member Keri Williams. Elonwy is a Biology PhD who spends her working life teaching at the Welsh School in Cardiff.

Her leisure time is devoted to music.

She is a harper, not a harpist. The latter plays a harp with wire strings with orchestras etc. The former use instruments made with gut strings.

Elonwy has devoted a lot of time researching manuscripts of Welsh harp music from the 18th and 19th centuries. She lectures and teaches harp playing and is an adjudicator at the National Eisteddfod.

Dressed in the traditional costume of the village of Nantganw, Elonwy brought with her a Brittany harp and a Welsh harp, the latter with 96 strings.

To listen to her speaking and teaching the history of traditional harp playing was a joy, as was the music she made with harp and her voice.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the harp was apparently the equivalent of the jukebox, not respectable and frowned on by Methodists. As a result, many instruments and manuscripts were lost.

A lot of research has been needed to rediscover them.

The next meeting on December 5 includes Christmas fun with a bring-and-share supper. Everyone welcome.