Thomas Thomas known by his Welsh surname Aptommas (1829-1913) was a Welsh harpist and composer-arranger. He was born in

Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the Old Bridge, Bridgend, medieval bridge ...

, a younger brother of the more famous

John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) John Thomas (1 March 1826 – 19 March 1913) was a Welsh composer and harpist. The bardic name Pencerdd Gwalia (Chief of the Welsh minstrels) was conferred on him at the 1861 Aberdare Eisteddfod.''Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' ...

. He performed in America with

Louis Moreau Gottschalk Louis Moreau Gottschalk (May 8, 1829 – December 18, 1869) was an American composer and pianist, best known as a virtuoso performer of his own romantic piano works. He spent most of his working career outside the United States. Life and car ...

and Henriette Behrend. Even when playing the pedal harp, Thomas kept the instrument on his left shoulder, as did traditional Welsh harpists. Harp-maker

Erard Erard may refer to: * St. Erard or Erhard of Regensburg, bishop of Regensburg in the 7th century * Erard I, Count of Brienne (1060 - 1114) * Sébastien Érard (1752 - 1831), French instrument maker of German origin who specialised in the production ...

had to construct special harps with the mechanisms reversed for him.Kastner, Alfred. “The Harp.” Proceedings of the Musical Association, vol. 35, 1908, pp. 1–14.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomas, Thomas Welsh composers Welsh male composers Welsh harpists People from Bridgend 1829 births 1913 deaths