EDWARDS
,
JOHN DAVID
(
1805
-
1885
),
cleric and musician
;
b.
19 Dec. 1805
in
Penderlwyngoch
,
Gwnnws, Cards.
, son of
John
Edwards
.
He was educated at
Ystrad Meurig school
and
Jesus College
,
Oxford
(
B.A.
1830
, proceeding
M.A.
later). Ordained
deacon
in
1832
and
priested
in
1833
, he served as
curate
at
Llansantffraid Glyndyfrdwy, Denbs.
, and
Aberdovey
, before he was given by
Sir
Watkin Williams
Wynn
(in
1843
) the living of
Rhosymedre, Denbs.
, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was taught music by
Dafydd Siencyn
Morgan
(q.v.)
, he
studied the musical grammars
of
Tans'ur
,
Calcott
, etc., and became a good
musician
. In
1836
he published
Original Sacred Music
, the first book of hymn-tunes for the use of
Anglican
congregations in
Wales
; in
1843
a second series appeared. He
wrote a large number of hymn-tunes
, amongst the most popular being ‘
Rhosymedre
’ (also called ‘
Lovely
’ —
Vaughan
Williams
's
Choral Prelude on the Welsh Tune ‘Lovely,’
based on ‘
Rhosymedre
,’ was played on the organ at the
Church musical festival
held in the
Crystal Palace
,
London
,
21 July 1933
).
Edwards
was considered one of the best
music adjudicators
in
Wales
in his time; it was he, together with
Edward
Stephen
(
Tanymarian
, q.v.)
, who awarded the first prize to ‘
Teyrnasoedd y Ddaear
,’ the anthem composed by
J. Ambrose
Lloyd
(q.v.)
at the
Bethesda eisteddfod
of
1852
. He was also a good
preacher
and an acceptable
parish priest
. He d.
24 Nov. 1885
at
Llanddoget rectory
, the home of his nephew, and was buried in
Tal-y-llyn
.
His brother
RICHARD
EDWARDS
, b.
31 July 1808
, was also a pupil of
Dafydd Siencyn
Morgan
, and went to
Ystrad Meurig school
. He
taught music
in the surrounding villages, and for many years
conducted a choir
at
Ystrad Meurig
, and a band, in which he
played the clarinet
. He
composed several hymn-tunes
, which appeared in
Y Ceinion
(
Hafrenydd
),
Caniadau Seion
,
Yr Atodiad
(
Richard
Mills
), and
Haleliwia Drachefn
(
Griffith
Harries
). The date of his death has not been discovered, but he was alive in
April 1886
(
April 1887
according to
M. O.
Jones
).
Bibliography:
-
Y Llan
,
Dec. 1885
;
-
Y Cerddor
,
July 1891
;
-
M. O. Jones
,
Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig
,
National Eisteddfod Association publication, 1890
.
Author:
Robert David Griffith, M.A., (1877-1958), Old Colwyn
