![Portrait of John Owen (Owain Alaw, Pencerdd) (4671724)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Portrait_of_John_Owen_%28Owain_Alaw%2C_Pencerdd%29_%284671724%29.jpg)
John Owen, also known 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 ...
Owain Alaw Pencerdd (November 14, 1821 – January 29, 1883), was a
Welsh-language
Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut Province, Argentina). Historically, it has als ...
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
and also a musician.
Early life
Owen was born and raised in
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, just across the border from Wales. He was apprenticed as a young man to a
cutler, but he also studied music and the
organ
Organ may refer to:
Biology
* Organ (biology), a part of an organism
Musical instruments
* Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone
** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument
** Hammond ...
, and became the organist at the Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, as well as conductor of the Octagon Orchestral Society. He married a Miss Williams in 1842, and in 1844 gave up his business to devote himself to music full time.
Music career
For the next few years he held organist positions at St Paul's Church,
Broughton, Wrexham
Broughton ( cy, Brychdyn) is a community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales. It has an area of 469 hectares and had a population of 6,498 in the 2001 census, increasing to 7,454 at the 2011 Census. The area is dominated by the Moss Valley ...
, and in Chester at St Bride's Church, and then as organist and choirmaster at St Mary's Welsh Church. From that period came his earliest music ("Calfari", published in the ''Haleliwia'' collection of 1849), and soon after, his first major success, at the
Rhuddlan
Rhuddlan () is a town, community, and electoral ward in the county of Denbighshire, Wales, in the historic county of Flintshire. Its associated urban zone is mainly on the right bank of the Clwyd; it is directly south of seafront town Rhyl. I ...
eisteddfod
In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music.
The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, a ...
of 1851, with his composition "Deborah a Barac".
During the 1850s, Owen continued to achieve much success at eisteddfodau throughout Wales and at similar events in England. In his later years he became widely sought after to adjudicate in these competitions.
"Hen Wlad fy Nhadau"
At the
Llangollen
Llangollen () is a town and community, situated on the River Dee, in Denbighshire, Wales. Its riverside location forms the edge of the Berwyn range, and the Dee Valley section of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beau ...
national eisteddfod in 1858, Owen (who was an adjudicator) and others in attendance were treated for the first time to the recently penned anthem "
Glan Rhondda", part of the selection of
Thomas Llewelyn (Llewelyn Alaw) of
Aberdare
Aberdare ( ; cy, Aberdâr) is a town in the Cynon Valley area of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, at the confluence of the Rivers Dare (Dâr) and Cynon. Aberdare has a population of 39,550 (mid-2017 estimate). Aberdare is south-west of Merthyr Tyd ...
. Llewelyn went on to share first prize at the eisteddfod, and Owen was clearly impressed by the tune.
Owen played a major role in popularising "Glan Rhondda", singing it at concerts throughout North Wales, and then publishing it in his widely used ''Gems of Welsh Melody'' collection of 1860 (where he gave it the more familiar modern name, "
Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau
"" () is the official national anthem of Wales. The title, taken from the first words of the song, means "Old Land of My Fathers" in Welsh, usually rendered in English as simply "Land of My Fathers". The words were written by Evan James and ...
").
The Story of The Welsh National Anthem - Hen Wlad fy Nhadau - The Land of My Fathers
, Rhondda Cynon Taf Libraries Heritage Trail Website
Later life
Owen continued to compose, perform and adjudicate in his later years, while also editing and contributing to several collections of Welsh music and poetry that were published in the 1860s and 1870s, including ''Tonau yr Ysgol Sabothol'' and ''Y Gyfres Gerddorol''. Of his own works, several songs appeared in ''Y Gyfres Gerddorol'' and other collections. His oratorio
An oratorio () is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias. However, opera is mus ...
''Jeremiah'' was published in 1878.
John Owen died on 29 January 1883 at the age of 61, and was buried in Chester.
Eisteddfod honours
*Rhuddlan
Rhuddlan () is a town, community, and electoral ward in the county of Denbighshire, Wales, in the historic county of Flintshire. Its associated urban zone is mainly on the right bank of the Clwyd; it is directly south of seafront town Rhyl. I ...
, 1851: "Deborah a Barac"
* Tremadoc, 1851: "Gweddi Habacuc" (tied with John Ambrose Lloyd)
*London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, 1855: "Can Mair"
*Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
: "Y Ddaeargryn"
*Llanrwst
Llanrwst ('church or parish of Saint Grwst'; ) is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed round the wool trade and became known als ...
, 1859: "Arnat Ti y Llefais"
*Caernarfon
Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...
: "Tywysog Cymru"
*Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
, 1866: "Gŵyl Gwalia"
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Owen, John
Welsh-language poets
1821 births
1883 deaths
19th-century Welsh poets