DAVIES, MOSES (1799 - 1866), musician

Born in 1799 at Devynnock, Brecknock; his parents removed to Merthyr Tydfil in 1803. Possessing a good voice, he studied music, acquired by his own efforts considerable mastery, and held classes in music. As precentor (1827) of the C.M. chapel at Pontmorlais, he was one of the pioneers of congregational music in the Merthyr district. He was the first to substitute women for men in the singing of treble parts - an innovation which provoked such opposition that he resigned his precentorship, but was induced to resume it in 1834, greatly to the benefit of the congregation; apart from an absence of six years (1842-8) in London, he remained in office thenceforth. He composed some twenty-four hymn-tunes, which can be seen in Telyn Seion (R. Beynon), Caniadau Seion (R. Mills), and Haleliwia (Griffith Harries). He died 6 January 1866, and was buried at Cefn-coed-cymer. He was the father of William Davies, ' Mynorydd '.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)

Sources

• M. O. Jones, Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig (1890)
• Y Traethodydd, 1877
• Edward Jones, Rhestr gyda nodiadau byrion, o Enwogion Cymreig o 1700 i 1900 (1908)
• Y Cerddor, May 1893

Further Reading

• Wikipedia Article: Moses Davies

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20733996

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/