HENRY
,
JOHN
(
1859
-
1914
),
musician
;
b. in
1859
at
Portmadoc, Caerns.
, the son of
Bennett
Williams
. He was brought up in a musical family. He joined the
Caernarvon Volunteers band
and when he was only thirteen years old became its
conductor
. Possessed of a good
baritone
voice he began to compete as a
soloist
when he was seventeen and won several prizes. When he was twenty-one he went to the
Royal College of Music
,
London
, and after completing his course there settled as a
teacher of singing
in
London
, moving afterwards to
Liverpool
(
1884
) where he became a
teacher of music
. Besides taking part as
soloist
in performances of ‘
The Messiah
,’ ‘
Elijah
,’ ‘
Samson
,’ etc., he wrote several solos which became popular, among them being ‘
Teyrn y Dydd
,’ ‘
Galwad y Tywysog
,’ ‘
Cân y Bugail
,’ ‘
Cenwch im yr hen Ganiadau
,’ and ‘
Gwlad y Delyn
.’ He also composed part-songs, e.g. ‘
Nos Ystorm
,’ and ‘
Selene
,’ a cantata called ‘
Olga
,’ and an opera ‘
Caradog
.’ He d.
14 Jan. 1914
and was buried at
Liverpool
.
Sources:
-
F. Griffith
,
Notable Welsh Musicians
, 4th ed.,
1896
;
-
Y Cerddor
,
March 1914
.
Author:
Robert David Griffith, M.A., (1877-1958), Old Colwyn
