John Thomas (harpist)

John Thomas ( born March 1, 1826 in Bridgend, † March 19, 1913 in London) was a Welsh harpist and composer.

Funded by Lord Byron's daughter Ada, he was studying from the age of thirteen years at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1851 he went with an opera orchestra on tour in Europe. Also notable was a concert in London on July 4, 1862, in which he appeared with no less than 400 choristers, and twenty harpists. A year earlier, he had the title Pencerdd Gwalia ( German: main musicians of Wales ) receive. In 1872 he became the official harpist to Queen Victoria and Edward VII kept under this office at.

Thomas has composed numerous solo and orchestral pieces for harp, published a collection of Welsh melodies and arranged several songs of Schubert and Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

It is further worth noting that his younger brother Thomas (1829-1913), who - in order to avoid confusion with his brother - called Aptommas, also was a virtuoso harpist and also some works composed and arranged for harp. About him, little is known.

Discography

• 24 o ALAWON GYMREIG - JOHN THOMAS - 24 WELSH MELODIES. Y casgliad cyflawn o'r 24 o Alawon Cymreig i'r Delyn. The complete recording of the Victorian Harpist, John Thomas ' collection of 24 Welsh Melodies for the Harp, published in 1862, Sain SCD 2195 -J ( Double CD ) (Recording with Elinor Bennett )
• Serenad. Deuawdau Telyn Pencerdd Gwalia. Harp duo by John Thomas Performed on Erard Gothic harps with Meinir Heulyn. Sain SCD2254 (Taken by Elinor Bennett and Meinir Heulyn )