DAVIES
,
Sir
HENRY WALFORD
(
1869
-
1941
),
musician
;
b.
Oswestry
,
Salop
,
6 September, 1869
, son of
John Whitridge
Davies
and
Susan
(née
Gregory
)
his wife. At the age of 12 he entered the choir of
St. George's Chapel
,
Windsor
, and became
pupil-assistant
to
Sir
Walter
Parratt
,
1885-90
. In
1890
he won a
composition scholarship
at the
Royal College of Music
, and during these student days became
organist
of
St. Anne's church
,
Soho
, and later,
Christ Church
,
Hampstead
. In
1895
he was appointed
Professor of Counterpoint
at the
Royal College
but resigned in
1903
. In
1898
he was appointed
organist
and
director of the choir
at the
Temple Church
,
London
, a post which he held with distinction for 20 years. Other important posts held by him were
conductor
of the
Bach Choir
;
music director
to the
R.A.F.
;
organist
of
St. George's Chapel
,
Windsor
, and
Professor of Music
at
Gresham College
,
London
. In
1919
he accepted the dual posts of
Director of Music
to the
University of Wales
, and
Professor of Music
at
Aberystwyth university college
, the latter post he relinquished in
1926
. He was
knighted
in
1922
, and on the death of
Edward
Elgar
in
1934
,
King
George
V
appointed him
Master of the King's Musick
. He was made a
C.V.O.
in
1932
and
K.C.V.O.
in
1937
. His academic distinctions
were
D.Mus. (Cantab.)
,
D.Mus. (Oxford and Dublin) hon.
,
LL.D. (Leeds) hon.
,
F.R.A.M.
,
F.R.C.O.
,
F.R.C.M.
He was a prolific
composer
and many of his longer works were performed at the
Three Choirs Festivals
. He was known all over the world by his broadcast talks and gramophone records. In
1924
he m.
Constance Margaret
, d. of
William
Evans
,
rector
of
Narberth
, and
Canon
of
St. David's
. He d. at
Wrington
,
Bristol
,
11 Mar. 1941
.
Bibliography:
- Personal knowledge;
-
The Times
,
12 Mar. 1941
;
-
H. C. Colles
,
Walford Davies: a biography
, London, 1942
;
-
Who was who?
,
1941-50
.
Author:
John Charles McLean, F.R.C.O. (1875-1952), Cardiff.
