__NOTOC__ Edward Jones (March 1752 – 18 April 1824) was a Welsh

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...

ist,

bard In Celtic cultures, a bard is an oral repository and professional story teller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist, employed by a patron (such as a monarch or chieftain) to commemorate one or more of the patron's a ...

, performer,

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestrat ...

, and collector of music.Joan Rimmer
"Edward Jones's Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards, 1784: A Re-Assessment"
''The Galpin Society Journal'', Vol. 39 (September 1986), pp. 77-96 He was commonly known by the

bardic name A bardic name (, ) is a pseudonym used in Wales, Cornwall, or Brittany by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement. The Welsh language, Welsh term bardd ('poet') originally referred to the Welsh poets of the M ...

of "Bardd y Brenin" (The King's Bard), which he took in 1820 when his patron King

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

came to the throne. Jones was born in

Llandderfel Llandderfel is a village and a sparsely populated community in Gwynedd, Wales, near Bala, formerly served by the Llandderfel railway station. The community also includes the settlements of Glan-yr-afon, Llanfor, Cefnddwysarn and Frongoch. ...

, near

Bala Bala may refer to: Films * ''Bala'' (1976 film), an English-language dance documentary * ''Bala'' (2002 film), a Tamil-language action film * ''Bala'' (2019 film), a Hindi-language black comedy Life forms *Bala shark (''Balantiocheilos melano ...

, and is remembered for his three-volume work, the ''Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards''. He first came to London in 1775, and was patronised by prominent Welshmen and by

Charles Burney Charles Burney (7 April 1726 – 12 April 1814) was an English music historian, composer and musician. He was the father of the writers Frances Burney and Sarah Burney, of the explorer James Burney, and of Charles Burney, a classicis ...

. He played in the Bach-Abel concerts (established by

Johann Christian Bach Johann Christian Bach (5 September 1735 – 1 January 1782) was a German composer of the Classical era, the youngest son of Johann Sebastian Bach. He received his early musical training from his father, and later from his half-brother, Carl ...

and

Carl Friedrich Abel Carl Friedrich Abel (22 December 1723 – 20 June 1787) was a German composer of the pre-Classical period (music), Classical era. He was a renowned player of the viol, viola da gamba, and produced significant compositions for that instrument ...

) which were London’s first subscription concert series, started in 1765. He became harp tutor to several wealthy families, and in about 1790 was made Harp-Master to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

. In 1805 Jones moved into the Office of the Robes in

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, England. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster. Although no longer the principal residence ...

. Jones suffered significant financial difficulties in his later life and, as well as seeking loans, was forced to sell some of his collection. The remainder of his library was sold at auction the year following his death.

Works

* ''The Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards'' (1784). * ''A Miscellaneous Collection of French and Italian Ariettas'' (c. 1795); Adapted with Accompaniments for the Harp or Harpsichord. * ''The Bardic Museum'' (1802); forming the second volume of the Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards and Druids; Preserved by Tradition from very remote antiquity. To the Bardic tunes are added Variations for the Harp, Piano-forte, Violin or Flute ... Likewise a general history of the Bards, and Druids, from the earliest period to the present time. * ''Lyric Airs'' (1804), consisting of Specimens of Greek, Albanian, Walachian, Turkish, Arabian, Persian, Chinese, and Moorish National Songs and Melodies (being the first selection of the kind ever yet offered to the public); to which are added, Basses for the Harp, or Piano-forte. Likewise are subjoined, a few explanatory notes on the figures and movements of the Modern Greek Dances; with a short dissertation on the Origin of the Ancient Greek Music. * ''A Selection of most Admired and Original German Waltzes'' (1806), never before published; adapted for the Harp, or Piano-Forte. * ''Maltese Melodies'' (c. 1810); or National Airs, and Dances, usually performed by the Maltese Musicians at their Carnival, & other Festivals; with a few other characteristic Italian Airs & Songs. To these are annex'd a selection of Norwegian Tunes, never before Published; and to which are added Basses for the Harp or Piano Forte. * ''Hen Ganiadau Cymru: Cambro-British melodies, or the national songs, and airs of Wales'' (1820), consisting of ... songs, euphonies, flowers, elegies, marches, ... harp, or the piano-forte, violin, or flute''.Jones, E.
Hen Ganiadau Cymru: Cambro-British melodies, or the national songs, and airs of Wales; consisting of ... songs, euphonies, flowers, elegies, marches, ... harp, or the piano-forte, violin, or flute
accessed 15 August 2022 Three of his published works include frontispieces by

Thomas Rowlandson Thomas Rowlandson (; 13 July 1757 – 21 April 1827) was an English artist and caricaturist of the Georgian Era, noted for his political satire and social observation. A prolific artist and printmaker, Rowlandson produced both individual soc ...

Sources

Welsh Biography Online

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Edward 1752 births 1824 deaths Welsh harpists Welsh composers Welsh male composers Welsh-speaking musicians People from Merionethshire