RICHARDS, DAVID (1822 - 1900), musician

Born in a farm-house called Ravel (or ' Yr Efail'), Brynberian, Pembrokeshire; the son of a ship's carpenter who was also a good vocalist. When quite young he moved to Blaina, Monmouth, to work in a coal-mine. He studied Gramadeg Cerddorol (Mills), and became precentor at Berea Congregational chapel, where he taught the Hullah system. He returned to keep a school at Brynberian, but at the invitation of the Reverend C. Gwion he went as a schoolmaster to Cefn Cantref, near Brecon. In 1851 he was admitted to the Congregational College, Brecon, where he stayed four years, during which time he also became precentor at the Plough chapel. He was ordained in September 1855, as minister of Siloam Congregational church, Lanelli, Brecknock, which he left in 1862, to become minister of Bethel chapel, Caerphilly, Glamorganshire. He did much for congregational singing, wrote articles and gave lectures on music. He wrote several duets and hymn-tunes, some of the latter being published in Y Diwygiwr, 1852, and 'in various collections. In 1862 he published Sŵn Addoli, which contains many sacred Welsh airs which he had collected up and down the countryside. He also served as adjudicator in musical festivals. He died 1 March 1900 and was buried in Groes-wen burial ground near Caerphilly.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)

Sources

• Y Cerddor, 1861 and April 1900
• M. O. Jones, Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig (1890)
• Album Aberhonddu … o'r flwyddyn 1755 hyd 1880 (1898)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732886

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/