‘Land Of Song’: The Hymn Tradition That Defines Welsh Identity
Unsuspecting attendees at Welsh rugby games are often surprised to hear massed voices roaring out the words of “Bread of Heaven” – better known as the hymn, “Guide me, O Thou Great Jehovah.”
In Wales, hymn singing is not just for church services. It is part of the national culture and a unique choral tradition. You can hear them sung in pubs, concerts, male voice choirs and choral competitions like the National Eisteddfod. This is, after all, a country best known as the “Land of Song.”
“Hymn singing has been a significant part of the life of all the churches in Wales for generations, the nonconformist denominations in particular,” said Rhidian Griffiths, Secretary of the Historical Society of the Presbyterian Church in Wales. “With the general decline in church attendance, its influence is not as strong as it used to be, but Welsh people still retain great affection for their hymns and enjoy singing them in non-church contexts.”
Such communal singing is known as the cymanfa ganu (or communal singing), with hymns often sung in four-part harmony by the audience or congregation.
“Singing hymns together is still seen as a hallmark of Welsh-ness,” Griffiths said.
It began in the 1860s as a musical reform movement to raise the standard of singing among Welsh Congregations. The very first gathering was held in 1859 at Bethania Chapel in Aberdare, South Wales. The concept proved popular and rapidly spread throughout Wales. Cymanfa ganu soon developed as a festival in its own right, with all denominations establishing local festivals throughout Wales and Welsh-speaking churches in England.
Sophie Jenkins, director of Canolfan Bethlehem, was involved in organizing a cymanfa ganu this past February.
“We wanted to celebrate the rich tradition of Welsh hymn singing, particularly [the Welsh county] Pembrokeshire’s contribution to it,” she said. “Congregational singing is at the heart of community life. The cymanfa ganu tradition was once especially strong in north Pembrokeshire, and we wanted to reflect on that heritage and give it space and attention.”
Canolfan Bethlehem is a former Baptist Chapel and now a community culture and arts center, hosting talks, musical events and community gatherings. This was the first event to focus specifically on Pembrokeshire’s hymn writers, composers like Waldo Williams and Eirwyn George and the local places that shaped their work, such as St. Davids and Blaenwern.
“Bringing hymnody back into a space that was built for congregational song felt symbolic: It connected past and present in a very tangible way,” Jenkins said. “There was a real sense that the building was being used as it was meant to be: filled with voices, stories and shared experience.”
The event proved highly successful, according to Jenkins, who said it prompted conversations about family connections to chapels, favorite hymns, and explored links to popular music.
“Hymn singing has played a huge role in shaping Wales’ musical culture – not just spiritually, but musically, in terms of harmony singing and communal participation,” Jenkins added. “As patterns of worship change, there’s a risk that some of that shared knowledge and experience could fade. Events like this help keep the story alive and remind us how deeply rooted the tradition is [in Wales].”
Over time, this tradition spread beyond the U.K. among the Welsh diaspora. There is a large cymanfa ganu held at the North American Welsh Festival, while similar events are held in Australia.
“It has helped preserve a repertoire of hymns and tunes that are deeply embedded in Welsh cultural memory, while also encouraging new arrangements and compositions,” said Elen Elis, artistic director of the National Eisteddfod of Wales. “Many Welsh musicians, whether classical, folk, or contemporary, cite early experiences of chapel singing or the cymanfa ganu as formative influences.”
Long-established links exist between these sacred hymns and the Eisteddfords. Nowadays, it forms a key element within the National Eisteddfod and the International Eisteddfod, annual competitions attracting top musicians, singers and dancers from around the world.
“Unlike the competitions, it is not about performance or adjudication but about shared experience, collective sound and the emotional resonance of familiar hymns,” Elis said. “It remains consistently popular, often filling large venues and attracting audiences who may not otherwise take part in formal competitions.’
The popularity of cymanfa ganu shows no sign of decreasing, only growing in demand. Its impact is undeniable — as anyone who has heard the sound of Welsh voices in full volume roaring out “Bread of Heaven” at a rugby stadium can testify.
Angela Youngman is a freelance journalist who has written for a wide range of British and international publications.