David Ffrangcon Davies
Encyclopedia
David Ffrangcon-Davies, M.A. (Oxon) (11 December 1855 — 13 April 1918) was a Welsh
operatic baritone
.
and Jesus College, Oxford
, matriculating in 1876 and graduating with a BA
in 1881. His time at Oxford was not without its difficulties, however. During his first two years, his "battels" were "more than once" the highest in the college and he was warned in 1878 that if he was "idle or irregular" in the following term or if he failed to pass his examinations that term, he would lose his exhibition
.
In June 1880, it was recorded that he had failed his Schools (final examinations) for the second time, a summons
had been taken out against him for 'furious driving' and a judgment for debt had been entered against him in the Chancellor's Court. He was allowed one final chance to pass his exams, provided that he did not return to college until the time for the exam; he passed.
He was ordained a clergyman and was appointed curate at Llanaelhaearn
in 1884 and then at Conwy
in 1885. While at Conwy
he studied the organ with Roland Rogers. He was unable to secure the post of minor canon at Bangor cathedral, and so he decided to concentrate on a singing career. He became a curate at S. Mary's, Hoxton
, London
, where he was permitted to pursue his music studies.
(not the bard) William Shakespeare.
In 1888, he began to sing professionally in concerts in Cardiff. He soon joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company
and made his operatic debut in the part of the herald in Wagner's Lohengrin
. His greatest success was in the title role of Felix Mendelssohn
's Elijah
, which he sang for the first time in 1890 at the Horringham, Yorkshire, music festival.
In the late 1890s, Davies toured the U.S. and Germany. He then moved to Berlin
to sing and teach singing. In 1901 he again visited the U.S. to sing and lecture. In 1904 he was appointed professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music
in Britain and published a book on vocal training, The Singing of the Future, in 1905.
(1891-1992), whose career spanned more than seven decades.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
operatic baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
.
Early life and education
David Thomas Davies was born in Bethesda, Gwynedd. He later adapted the name Ffrangcon, an early variant spelling of the nearby valley Nant Ffrancon, as part of his new surname (Ffrangcon-Davies). He attended Friars School, BangorFriars School, Bangor
Ysgol Friars is a comprehensive school in Bangor, Gwynedd, and one of the oldest schools in Wales.-1557 Establishment:The school was founded by Geoffrey Glyn, Doctor of Laws, who had been brought up in Anglesey and had followed a career in law in London....
and Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
, matriculating in 1876 and graduating with a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1881. His time at Oxford was not without its difficulties, however. During his first two years, his "battels" were "more than once" the highest in the college and he was warned in 1878 that if he was "idle or irregular" in the following term or if he failed to pass his examinations that term, he would lose his exhibition
Exhibition (scholarship)
-United Kingdom and Ireland:At the universities of Dublin, Oxford and Cambridge, and at Westminster School, Eton College and Winchester College, and various other UK educational establishments, an exhibition is a financial award or grant to an individual student, normally on grounds of merit. The...
.
In June 1880, it was recorded that he had failed his Schools (final examinations) for the second time, a summons
Summons
Legally, a summons is a legal document issued by a court or by an administrative agency of government for various purposes.-Judicial summons:...
had been taken out against him for 'furious driving' and a judgment for debt had been entered against him in the Chancellor's Court. He was allowed one final chance to pass his exams, provided that he did not return to college until the time for the exam; he passed.
He was ordained a clergyman and was appointed curate at Llanaelhaearn
Llanaelhaearn
Llanaelhaearn is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, located on the Llŷn Peninsula. The community includes the village of Trefor, and has a population of 1,067....
in 1884 and then at Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
in 1885. While at Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
he studied the organ with Roland Rogers. He was unable to secure the post of minor canon at Bangor cathedral, and so he decided to concentrate on a singing career. He became a curate at S. Mary's, Hoxton
Hoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he was permitted to pursue his music studies.
Musical career
Ffrangcon-Davies' musical interest had begun at an early age under his father's guidance. While at S. Mary's, he studied under the tenorTenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
(not the bard) William Shakespeare.
In 1888, he began to sing professionally in concerts in Cardiff. He soon joined the Carl Rosa Opera Company
Carl Rosa Opera Company
The Carl Rosa Opera Company was founded in 1873 by Carl August Nicholas Rosa, a German-born musical impresario, to present opera in English in London and the British provinces. The company survived Rosa's death in 1889, and continued to present opera in English on tour until 1960, when it was...
and made his operatic debut in the part of the herald in Wagner's Lohengrin
Lohengrin (opera)
Lohengrin is a romantic opera in three acts composed and written by Richard Wagner, first performed in 1850. The story of the eponymous character is taken from medieval German romance, notably the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach and its sequel, Lohengrin, written by a different author, itself...
. His greatest success was in the title role of Felix Mendelssohn
Felix Mendelssohn
Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Barthóldy , use the form 'Mendelssohn' and not 'Mendelssohn Bartholdy'. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians gives ' Felix Mendelssohn' as the entry, with 'Mendelssohn' used in the body text...
's Elijah
Elijah (oratorio)
Elijah, in German: Elias, is an oratorio written by Felix Mendelssohn in 1846 for the Birmingham Festival. It depicts various events in the life of the Biblical prophet Elijah, taken from the books 1 Kings and 2 Kings in the Old Testament....
, which he sang for the first time in 1890 at the Horringham, Yorkshire, music festival.
In the late 1890s, Davies toured the U.S. and Germany. He then moved to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to sing and teach singing. In 1901 he again visited the U.S. to sing and lecture. In 1904 he was appointed professor of singing at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
in Britain and published a book on vocal training, The Singing of the Future, in 1905.
Family
In 1889, he married Annie Francis Rayner. His daughter was actress Dame Gwen Ffrangcon-DaviesGwen Ffrangcon-Davies
Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon-Davies, DBE was a British actress and centenarian. She was born in London of a Welsh family; the name "Ffrangcon" originates from a valley in Snowdonia...
(1891-1992), whose career spanned more than seven decades.
External links
Books
- Books by David Ffrangcon-Davies (at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
)