WILLIAMS, THOMAS (Hafrenydd; 1807 - 1894), musician

Born 7 December 1807 at Llanidloes, Montgomeryshire. He began to study music when he was 10, and received lessons from William Owen (1788 - 1838). His chief contribution to Welsh music was his publication (1846) called Y Salmydd Cenedlaethol, containing psalm-tunes, hymn-tunes, and sacred choral pieces selected from the works of Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Kent, Farrant, etc.; this was the first work containing examples of sacred pieces from the works of the masters that the Welsh people were given. The work also contains the hymn-tune 'Llandinam,' arranged by Hafrenydd (but entitled 'Erpingham' in this collection). The last forty pages of the work consist of instruction in the Wilhelm system of learning to sing. In 1852 Hafrenydd published Ceinion Cerddoriaeth, a selection of 220 hymn-tunes, seventy anthems, and choruses from the works of the masters; at the end of the work is a musical dictionary which was afterwards issued separately and proved of great help to Welsh musicians in regard to Italian musical terms, etc. He also published Hymnau Nadolig, Y Rheol Gristnogol am Briodas, Y Gwirionedd a Chyfeiliornad. He received a grant from the Civil List in recognition of his service to music and to literature. He died 16 December 1894, and was buried in Llanidloes churchyard.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)

Sources

• M. O. Jones, Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig (1890)
• Y Cerddor, February, November, and December 1895
• R. D. Griffith, Hanes canu cynulleidfaol Cymru (Cardiff 1948)

Works

• Thomas Williams, Y cydymaith teuluaidd a chyfarwyddwr i iechyd (Llanidloes 1854)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q28361707

Published date: 1959

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