ROGERS, ROLAND (1847 - 1927), musician
Date of birth: 1847
Date of death: 1927
Gender: Male
Occupation: musician
Area of activity: Education; Eisteddfod; Music; Performing Arts; Religion
Author: Robert David Griffith
Born 14 November 1847 at West Bromwich, Staffordshire, the son of a father who was a good musician and could play the violin. He received a good education and when he was 11 he was appointed to play the harmonium in S. Peter's church, West Bromwich. In 1862, when he was 15, he became organist of S. John's church, Wolverhampton, and, in 1866, of Tattenhall parish church. He was 24 when he became organist of Bangor cathedral (1871). He graduated Mus. Bac. in 1870 and qualified as Mus. Doc. (Oxon), five years later. By now one of the best-known organists, he was called upon to superintend the settling up of organs in numerous churches and chapels and to give recitals on them at meetings of inauguration. He did excellent work, also, as a teacher, among his pupils being D. Ffrancon Davies, William Davies, and R. S. Hughes. He was instructor in music at Bangor University College and at the Rydal Mount School, Colwyn Bay. A Bethesda choir won the prize at three national eisteddfodau under his conductorship - Denbigh 1882, Cardiff 1883, and Liverpool 1884. He adjudicated at the Bangor national eisteddfod of 1874. In 1891 he resigned his Bangor cathedral post because the dean objected to his playing the organ in Nonconformist chapels, and he was appointed organist of S.James's church, Bangor; in 1902, however, he returned to the cathedral post. He took the prize at the Llandudno national eisteddfod for a cantata ('The Garden'); other cantatas by him were called 'Out of the deep,' 'Prayer and praise,' 'Floribel.' He also wrote church music (including anthems) and part-songs, 'The river gloweth strong' and 'Y Storm' attained much popularity. He edited the Welsh Psalter and Emyniadur yr Eglwys. He died 31 July 1927, and was buried in Glanadda cemetery, Bangor.
Author
- Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)
- Y Cerddor, April 1899
- Musical Recollections by him in North Wales Chronicle, November and December 1926
Sources
- Wikidata: Q20748873
Additional Links
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.
Find out more on our sponsorship page.