David Vaughan Thomas or David Vaughan-Thomas (15 March 1873 – 15 September 1934), born David Thomas, and known also by his

bardic name A bardic name (, ) is a pseudonym used in Wales, Cornwall, or Brittany by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement. The Welsh term bardd ("poet") originally referred to the Welsh poets of the Middle Ages, who m ...

Pencerdd Vaughan, was a composer, organist, pianist and music administrator. His compositions are deeply influenced by the musical and literary traditions of his native Wales. Though his music is now little performed he has been described as "the leading native Welsh musician of istime" and as "one of the most important composers in the transitional period of Welsh music from the Victorian era to our own times". The broadcaster

Wynford Vaughan-Thomas Lewis John Wynford Vaughan-Thomas (Given name#Name at birth, né Thomas) (15 August 1908 – 4 February 1987) was a Welsh newspaper journalist and radio and television broadcaster. In later life he took the name Vaughan-Thomas after his fath ...

was his son.

Life

Born in 1873 to Jenkin Thomas and Anne Thomas in

Ystalyfera Ystalyfera is a former industrial village and community in the upper Swansea Valley, on the River Tawe, about northeast of Swansea. It is an electoral ward and a community in the unitary authority of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, comprising a re ...

, he moved with the family successively to

Llantrisant Llantrisant (; "Parish of the Three Saints") is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The three saints of the town's name are SS ...

Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English translation of Mae ...

Llangennech Llangennech (()) is a village and community in the area of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales, which covers an area of . It is governed by Llangennech Community Council and Carmarthenshire County Council. Llangennech is also the name of the count ...

Dowlais Dowlais () is a village and community of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. At the 2011 census the electoral ward had a population of 6,926, The population of the Community being 4,270 at the 2011 census having excluded Pant. Dowlai ...

and

Pontarddulais Pontarddulais (), also known as Pontardulais (), is both a community and a town in Swansea, Wales. It is northwest of the city centre. The Pontarddulais ward is part of the City and County of Swansea. Pontarddulais adjoins the village of Hendy i ...

. He received his musical education from the composer

Joseph Parry Joseph Parry (21 May 1841 – 17 February 1903) was a Welsh composer and musician. Born in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, he is best known as the composer of "Myfanwy" and the hymn tune "Aberystwyth", on which the African song "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" i ...

, and also went to

Llandovery College , image = Llandovery College (geograph 5927072).jpg , image_size = , motto = Gwell Dysg Na Golud(here areno riches better than learning) , established = , closed = , type = Independent day and boa ...

and Exeter College,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, where he graduated in mathematics. Returning later to Oxford, he gained degrees as

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...

and

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (D.Mus., D.M., Mus.D. or occasionally Mus.Doc.) is a higher doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions and/or scholarly publications on music. Like other higher doctorates, it is granted b ...

. For some years he worked as a mathematics teacher at

United Services College The United Services College was an English boys' public school for the sons of military officers, located at Westward Ho! near Bideford in North Devon. Almost all boys were boarders. The school was founded to prepare pupils for a career as offic ...

Westward Ho! Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England. The A39 road provides access from the towns of Barnstaple, Bideford, and Bude. It lies at the south end of Northam Burrows and faces westward into Bideford Bay, opposite Saunto ...

, and

Monkton Combe School (Thy Word is Truth) , established = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , founder = The Revd Francis Pocock , head_label = Head Master , head ...

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

, before becoming a music teacher and organist at

Harrow School (The Faithful Dispensation of the Gifts of God) , established = (Royal Charter) , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent schoolBoarding school , religion = Church of E ...

. In 1906 he married Morfydd Lewis; they had three sons, including the broadcaster

. At this time Thomas turned to music composition, his first known work being dated 1906. Subsequent works were performed in Wales, London and South Africa. He moved back to Wales and became a member of the Gorsedd at the 1911

National Eisteddfod The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...

, taking the additional surname Vaughan on this occasion. He subsequently acted as adjudicator, and was Chief Musical Advisor for the 1926 National Eisteddfod in

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

. In 1919 he applied for the post of Music Director of the

University of Wales The University of Wales (Welsh language, Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff � ...

, but controversially the decision was made to appoint

Walford Davies Sir Henry Walford Davies (6 September 1869 – 11 March 1941) was an English composer, organist, and educator who held the title Master of the King's Music from 1934 until 1941. He served with the Royal Air Force during the First World War, dur ...

instead. Vaughan Thomas was a man of many talents. Apart from his mathematical gifts he was a poet, a scholar, a pianist, wrote articles and reviews for the magazine ''

Welsh Outlook ''The Welsh Outlook'' was a monthly magazine published from 1914 to 1933 in Wales, articulating a political viewpoint of progressive liberalism and cultural nationalism. Its first editor was Thomas Jones and the publication was funded by David Da ...

'' and for several music journals, produced a report on the teaching of music in Welsh schools, lectured, and acted as organist of Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel, Swansea. In 1927 he was made overseas examiner for

Trinity College, London Trinity College London (TCL) is an examination board based in London, United Kingdom, which offers graded and diploma qualifications (up to postgraduate level) across a range of disciplines in the performing arts and English language learning and ...

, and in this capacity he travelled to several Commonwealth countries. It was on one such tour in South Africa that he died in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

Music

Vaughan Thomas's music developed out of an early Victorianism (some of his songs have been compared to those of

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...

and

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped with ...

) into a national style inspired by Welsh literature and

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

and by the musical traditions of his country, such as ''

penillion ' (, or ') is the art of vocal improvisation over a given melody in Welsh musical tradition. It is an important competition in . The singer or (small) choir sings a counter melody over a harp melody. History is a unique tradition of singing ly ...

'' singing and the use of the harp for accompaniment. His settings of Welsh poems adapt the traditional metres with great sensitivity. His mature style has been described as "fastidious and cultivated", and as being marked by a strong sense of harmony and careful craftsmanship. His most notable compositions are considered to be his choral works '' Llyn y Fan'' (performed at the 1907 National Eisteddfod), ''A Song for St Cecilia's Day'' (performed at

Queen's Hall The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect Thomas Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. From 1895 until 1941, it ...

, London, 1909) and ''The Bard'' (a setting of the poem by

Thomas Gray Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, letter-writer, classics, classical scholar, and professor at Pembroke College, Cambridge, Pembroke College, Cambridge. He is widely known for his ''Elegy Written in a Country ...

, performed at Queen's Hall, London, 1912); also his songs to texts by

George Meredith George Meredith (12 February 1828 – 18 May 1909) was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era. At first his focus was poetry, influenced by John Keats among others, but he gradually established a reputation as a novelist. ''The Ord ...

(performed at the 1922

Three Choirs Festival 200px, Worcester cathedral 200px, Gloucester cathedral The Three Choirs Festival is a music festival held annually at the end of July, rotating among the cathedrals of the Three Counties (Hereford, Gloucester and Worcester) and originally featu ...

) and his settings of ''

cywydd The cywydd (; plural ) is one of the most important metrical forms in traditional Welsh poetry (cerdd dafod). There are a variety of forms of the cywydd, but the word on its own is generally used to refer to the ("long-lined couplet") as it is b ...

au''. There are in addition many

partsongs A part song, part-song or partsong is a form of choral music that consists of a song to a secular or non-liturgical sacred text, written or arranged for several vocal parts. Part songs are commonly sung by an SATB choir, but sometimes for an all ...

anthem An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short ...

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...

s, chamber pieces, and

folksong Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...

arrangements. Vaughan Thomas's music has become a rarity in the concert hall. His song "Ysbryd y Mynydd" and his ''Saith o Ganeuon ar Gywyddau Dafydd ap Gwilym ac Erail'' (Seven songs on poems in ''cywydd'' metre by

Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Gwilym ( 1315/1320 – 1350/1370) is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Life R. Geraint Gruffydd suggests 1315- 1350 as the poet's dates; others place him a little ...

and others), praised in the 1950s for their originality and scholarship, remained popular long after his death, but most of his works were no longer played by the 1980s.

Published musical works

Dates are those of publication.

Secular cantatas

* ''Llyn y Fan'' ( John Jenkins) (c. 1907) * ''A Song for St Cecilia's Day'' (

John Dryden '' John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate. He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...

) (1909) * ''

The Bard A bard is a minstrel in medieval Scottish, Irish, and Welsh societies; and later re-used by romantic writers. Bard, BARD, The Bard or Bård may also refer to: People * Bard (surname) * Bård, Norwegian given name and surname *William Shakespea ...

'' (

) (1910)

Anthems and other sacred choral works

* ''Maes y Groes'' (n.d.) * ''Bendithiaf yr Arglwydd'' (1907) * ''Yspryd yw Duw'' (c. 1910) * ''Rwy'n Ofni Grym y Dŵr'' (

William Williams Pantycelyn William Williams, Pantycelyn (c. 11 February 1717 – 11 January 1791), also known as William Williams, Williams Pantycelyn, and Pantycelyn, is generally seen as Wales's premier hymnist. He is also rated among the great literary figures of Wale ...

) (1914) * ''There is a Green Hill Far Away'' (

Cecil Frances Alexander Cecil Frances Alexander (April 1818 – 12 October 1895) was an Anglo-Irish hymnwriter and poet. Amongst other works, she wrote "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "There is a green hill far away" and the Christmas carol "Once in Royal David's Cit ...

) (1914) * ''Bywyd'' ( Wiliam Llŷn) (c. 1925) * ''Coffâd am y Gorseddogion Ymadawedig'' (1926)

Partsongs

* ''Y Gariad Gollwyd'' (

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

, trans. John Jenkins) (1909) * ''The Summer Night'' (Owen Griffith Owen) (1913) * ''Up-Hill'' (

Christina Rossetti Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English writer of romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember". She also wrote the words of two Christmas carols well known in Brit ...

) (1914) * ''Hymn to Diana'' (

Ben Jonson Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1572 – c. 16 August 1637) was an English playwright and poet. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence upon English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for t ...

) (1914) * ''Here's to Admiral Death'' (

Henry Newbolt Sir Henry John Newbolt, CH (6 June 1862 – 19 April 1938) was an English poet, novelist and historian. He also had a role as a government adviser with regard to the study of English in England. He is perhaps best remembered for his poems "Vit ...

) (1916) * ''Let Us Now Praise Famous Men'' (

Lewis Davies Arthur Lewis Davies (26 January 1913 – 9 December 2011), the younger brother of Rhys Davies, was a Welsh librarian and philanthropist who in his later years established a foundation (the Rhys Davies Trust) devoted to the promotion of Welsh writ ...

) (c. 1920) * ''Deio Bach'' (John Jones) (c. 1922) * ''Y Fun a'r Lliw Ewyn Llif'' (

Bedo Aeddren Bedo Aeddren (fl. c. 1500) was a Welsh language poet from the area that is now Denbighshire, north-east Wales. Bedo composed poems on themes of love and nature in the tradition of Dafydd ap Gwilym and other cywyddwyr. References Gwyn Williams, "T ...

) (1925) * ''How Sleep the Brave'' ( William Collins) (1925) * ''How Sweet the Moonlight Sleeps'' (

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

) (1929) * ''Who Is Silvia?'' (William Shakespeare) (1932) * ''Sweet Content'' ( Thomas Dekker) (1932) * ''Orpheus with His Lute'' (William Shakespeare) (1932) * ''Summer Is Gone'' (

Thomas Hood Thomas Hood (23 May 1799 – 3 May 1845) was an English poet, author and humorist, best known for poems such as " The Bridge of Sighs" and "The Song of the Shirt". Hood wrote regularly for ''The London Magazine'', ''Athenaeum'', and ''Punch''. ...

) (1932) * ''Prospice'' (

Robert Browning Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose dramatic monologues put him high among the Victorian poets. He was noted for irony, characterization, dark humour, social commentary, historical settings ...

) (1936)

Piano music

* ''Romanza'' (1934) * ''Allegro Vivace'' (1934)

Songs

* ''St David's Day Is Here'' (Lewis Davies) (n.d.). A composition by Lewis Davies arranged by Vaughan Thomas * ''Angladd y Marchog'' (Robert David Rowland) (c. 1906) * ''Cân y Bardd wrth Farw'' (Gwenffrwd) (c. 1907) * ''Dorset Voices'' (J. J. Cadwaladr) (1913) * ''Come Along; Can't You Hear?'' (D. M. Beddoes) (1914) * ''Bedd y Dyn Tylawd'' (John Jones) (1914) * ''Llais yr Adar'' (Anonymous) (c. 1914) * ''Ysbryd y Mynydd'' (Lewis Davies Jones) (1914) * ''Si hwi lwli '' (T. H. Jones) (1914) * ''Y Newydd Dant'' (Edward Jenkins) (1915) * ''Follow the Flag, Welshmen'' (J. J. Cadwaladr) (c. 1915) * ''Nant y Mynydd'' (

John Ceiriog Hughes John Ceiriog Hughes (25 September 1832 – 23 April 1887) was a Welsh poet and collector of Welsh folk tunes, sometimes termed a Robert Burns of Wales. He was born at Penybryn Farm, overlooking the village of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog in the Cei ...

) (c. 1921) * ''Y Ferch o'r Scer'' (c. 1921) * ''Cân Hen ŵr y Cwm'' (Gweryddon) (c. 1922) * ''Cân y Llanc Chwerthinllyd'' (c. 1922) * ''Einioes'' (Rhys Jones) (1922) * ''A Song for St David's Day'' (Lewis Davies) (c. 1922) * ''Enter These Enchanted Woods'' (

) (1923) * ''Saith o ganeuon ar gywyddau Dafydd ap Gwilym ac eraill'' (Various) (c. 1923). Contents: "Y Nos", "Y Gwlith", "Miwsig", "Elen", "Dau Filgi", "Claddu'r Bardd o Gariad", "Hiraeth am yr Haf" * ''Y Bwthyn Bach To Gwellt'' (Thomas Lloyd) (c. 1923) * ''Dirge in Woods'' (George Meredith) (1924) * ''Dwy Gân i Fariton'' (Wiliam Llŷn, Robert Ellis) (1926). Contents: "O Fair Wen", "Berwyn" * ''Stafell Gynddylan'' (attrib.

Llywarch Hen Llywarch Hen (, "Llywarch the Old"; c. 534 – c. 608), was a prince and poet of the Brythonic kingdom of Rheged, a ruling family in the Hen Ogledd or "Old North" of Britain (modern southern Scotland and northern England). Along with Taliesin, A ...

) (c. 1926) * ''Ten Welsh Folk Songs'' (Traditional, trans. David Vaughan Thomas) (1928). Traditional melodies arranged by Vaughan Thomas * ''

Ymadawiad Arthur ''Ymadawiad Arthur'' ("The Passing of Arthur") is a Welsh-language poem, some 350 lines in length, by Thomas Gwynn Jones. It won its author the Chair at the National Eisteddfod in 1902 but was several times heavily revised by him in later year ...

'' ( T. Gwynn Jones) (1930) * ''Caledfwlch'' (T. Gwynn Jones) (c. 1931) * ''Ffarwel fy Ngeneth'' (

Ebenezer Thomas Ebenezer Thomas (August 1802 – 17 February 1863), better known to Welsh speakers by his bardic name of Eben Fardd, was a Welsh teacher and poet. Eben Fardd was born in Llanarmon, Caernarvonshire, the son of a weaver, and educated at local scho ...

) (c. 1933) * '' Yr Wylan Deg'' (

) (1950)

Vocal duet

* ''Ylloer'' (David Vaughan Thomas) (1924)

Footnotes

References

* * * * * * * * *

External links

Vaughan Thomas's ''Saith o Ganeuon''
sung by

York Bowen Edwin York Bowen (22 February 1884 – 23 November 1961) was an English composer and pianist. Bowen's musical career spanned more than fifty years during which time he wrote over 160 works. As well as being a pianist and composer, Bowen was a ...

Vaughan Thomas's ''Allegro vivace''
played by Zoë Smith {{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughan Thomas, David 1873 births 1934 deaths Staff at Monkton Combe School 20th-century classical composers 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century British male musicians 20th-century organists 20th-century Welsh educators 20th-century Welsh musicians Academics of Trinity College of Music Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford British music educators Choral composers Deaths in South Africa Male songwriters Mathematics educators People educated at Llandovery College People from Neath Port Talbot Welsh classical composers Welsh classical organists Welsh classical pianists Welsh male classical composers Welsh schoolteachers Welsh male songwriters British male songwriters