WILLIAMS, ROBERT (1782 - 1818), composer of the hymn-tune 'Llanfair'
Date of birth: 1782
Date of death: 1818
Parent: Mary Williams (née Davies)
Parent: Owen Williams
Gender: Male
Occupation: composer of the hymn-tune 'Llanfair'
Area of activity: Music; Religion
Authors: Robert Thomas Jenkins, Huw Williams
which appears in all Welsh congregational tune-books and in Songs of Praise and other English hymn-books; Dr. R. Vaughan Williams has composed variations upon it.
Robert Williams was born at Mynydd Ithel farm, Llanfechell, Anglesey, son of Owen Williams and Mary (née Davies). He was baptised at Llanfechell on 27 October 1782. He was blind from birth and earned his living by basket-making, but was also a musician of great repute.
The tune which we now call ' Llanfair ' was at first called ' Bethel '; it is so called in Robert Williams's manuscript book, and is there dated 14 July 1817. It was first printed (again named ' Bethel') as harmonized by John Roberts (1807 - 1876) of Henllan, in the Peroriaeth Hyfryd (1837) of John Parry (1775 - 1846)
His burial is recorded in Llanfechell parish register under the name Robert Owen, 15 July 1818, though he is said to have been buried in Llanrhwydrys churchyard.
Authors
- Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, (1881 - 1969)
- Huw Williams, (1922 - 2002)
- P. Dearmer and A. Jacob, Songs of Praise Discussed a handbook to the best-known hymns and to others recently introduced (London 1933)
- Ifor L. Evans, Mawl yr Oesoedd. Casgliad o donau ac emynau (Cardiff 1951)
- Huw Williams, Cofio Robert Williams, Mynydd Ithel (1990)
Sources
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.
Find out more on our sponsorship page.