WILLIAMS, BENJAMIN MORRIS (1832 - 1903), musician

Born 28 December 1832 at Pen-y-braich, near the Cae Braich y Cafn quarry, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. He started to work in the quarry when he was only eight, received a year's schooling when he was twelve, and then resumed work in the quarry. In 1853 he began to learn the work of printing music in the printing office of Robert Jones, Bethesda; it was he who set up the music of ' Storm Tiberias ' (Tanymarian) and the ' Requiem ' (by the same composer) for John Jones, Tal-y-sarn. He moved to Ruthin to the printing office of Isaac Clarke; there he set up Gems of Welsh Melody (Owain Alaw). From Ruthin he went to London to set up music in sol-fa for the firm of John Curwen and Sons, he worked also for Thomas Gee at Denbigh, for Isaac Jones at Treherbert, and in the office of Y Genedl Gymreig (Caernarvon). He took the prize at a Ruthin national eisteddfod for an arrangement of some Welsh airs for a band. He edited and arranged the hymn-tunes in Caniadau y Cysegr a'r Teulu, published by Gee at Denbigh; this has some hymn-tunes and psalm-tunes composed by the editor, see also Llyfr y Psalmau (Alawydd). He had choirs at both Ruthin and Denbigh, and used to serve as conductor of hymnody-festivals. He died at Caernarvon, and was buried 24 January 1903.

Author

• Robert David Griffith, (1877 - 1958)

Sources

• M. O. Jones, Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig (1890)
• Y Cerddor, March and August 1903

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732658

Published date: 1959

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