EVANS, THOMAS HOPKIN (1879 - 1940), musician
Date of birth: 1879
Date of death: 1940
Spouse: Adelina Evans (née Powel)
Parent: Ann Evans
Parent: David Evans
Gender: Male
Occupation: musician
Area of activity: Music; Performing Arts
Author: David Ewart Parry Williams
Born 6 March 1879 at Resolven, Glamorganshire, son of David and Ann Evans. He received his early training from Professor David Evans, and began his career as organist of London Road Presbyterian church, Neath, and conductor of the Neath choral society which, under his direction, gave a number of concerts of large-scale choral and orchestral works which attracted attention. He conducted the Welsh national choir at the Festival of Empire held at the Crystal Palace, London, in 1911, and the Birkenhead national eisteddfod choir in 1917; and he succeeded Harry Evans as conductor of the Liverpool Welsh choral union in 1919. He became a leading figure in the musical life of Wales in virtue of his magnetic personality and command of language, both English and Welsh, which gave stature to his eisteddfodic pronouncements and his articles on Welsh musical matters. His gifts as a conductor were publicly acclaimed when he received a personal message of congratulation from Delius, following an outstanding performance of that composer's ' Mass of Life ' at the Wrexham national eisteddfod concerts in 1933. The Delius Society honoured him with its vice-presidency, and he accepted an invitation to undertake a conducting tour in America. His compositions include: ' A Cymric Suite ', ' A Brythonic Overture ', and ' Three Preludes on Welsh Hymn-tunes for orchestra '; two choral-orchestral works, ' Kynon ' and ' Salm i'r Ddaear '; and a number of songs, anthems, part-songs, and pianoforte pieces. He was Mus.Doc. (Oxon). He married Adelina Powel. He died 23 March 1940.
Author
- Professor David Ewart Parry Williams, (1900 - 1996)
- Y Cerddor, September 1933
- The Times, 26 March 1940
- Who was who?, 1929-40
Sources
- Gareth Williams, 'Evans, T. Hopkin (1879-1940)', Cydymaith i Gerddoriaeth Cymru (Talybont 2018), p.174
Further reading
- NLW Archives: NLW MS 9332E: Music
- Wikidata: Q20821447
Additional Links
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
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