From the archive: Iconic Welsh music label streams entire 1970s catalogue

To celebrate Dydd Miwsig Cymru, all LPs from the Sain archive released in the 1970s have been made available to stream and download from today.

The Sain Singles and the Crai catalogue had already been released digitally, but now the albums released between 1972 and 1979 are also available on all digital platforms, which include a wide range of music and artists and many a classic amongst Welsh records.

Recorded at various locations including Sain’s first recording studio, Gwernafalau, the albums include some of the label’s early stars, artists such as Meic Stevens, Endaf Emlyn, Tecwyn Ifan, Sidan, Geraint Jarman and Heather Jones, and as part of Sain’s digitising project, in partnership with the National Library of Wales and with support from the Cronfa Her Arfor fund, these albums are now available digitally, as well as other albums released during the decade by artists such as Delwyn Siôn, Hergest, Ac Eraill, Beca, Eliffant, Shwn and Brân and the Welsh folk opera, ‘Melltith ar y Nyth’, featuring Dewi Pws and Gillian Elisa.

Enduring classics

As well as pop music, the 1970s also saw Sain releasing many albums of popular folk and classical singers. The very first LP to be released on Sain was ‘Canu’r Werin’ in 1972, an album of traditional Welsh folk music by renowned singers Meredydd Evans, Myron Lloyd and Elfed Lewys, and towards the end of the decade celebrated folk group Plethyn’s first album, ‘Blas y Pridd’, appeared on the label.

Many other favourites were also recorded – the brothers from the Gwendraeth Valley, Jac a Wil and singers such as Richie Tomos, Mary Lloyd Davies and Trebor Edwards.

In 1978 husband and wife duo from Pwllheli, Rosalind a Myrddin released their first album on the label. Choirs were also a firm fixture in the Welsh music scene and male voice choirs such as y Brythoniaid and Penrhyn, female choir Côr Telyn Teilo and mixed choir Côr Godre’r Garth were prominent names in the catalogue.

Playlist

Sain also released live recordings from the ‘cymanfa ganu’ – the chapel singing festivals – an integral part of the Welsh music tradition.

A representation of the colourful musical tapestry of this period, all Sain LPs released in the 70s are now available on all digital platforms.

The Sain archive digitising project is supported by the Cronfa Her ARFOR fund, funded by The Welsh Government.

View the playlist here.