Edward Jones (harpist)
Encyclopedia
Edward Jones was a Welsh
harp
ist, bard
, performer, composer
, arranger
, and collector of music. He was commonly known by the bardic name
of "Bardd y Brenin", which he took in 1820, when King George IV
, his patron, came to the throne.
Jones was born in Llandderfel
, near Bala
, 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
. He became harp tutor to several wealthy families, and in about 1790 was made official harpist to the Prince of Wales
. In 1805 he moved into St James's Palace.
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...
harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
ist, bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
, performer, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, and collector of music. He was commonly known by the bardic name
Bardic name
A bardic name is a pseudonym, used in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, by poets and other artists, especially those involved in the eisteddfod movement....
of "Bardd y Brenin", which he took in 1820, when King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
, his patron, came to the throne.
Jones was born in Llandderfel
Llandderfel
Llandderfel is a village in Gwynedd, Wales.It was formerly served by the Llandderfel railway station....
, near Bala
Bala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
, and is remembered for his three volume work, the Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards.:
- The Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards (1784)
- The Bardic Museum (1802)
- Hen Ganiadau Cymru (1820)
He first came to London in 1775, and was patronised by prominent Welshmen and by Charles Burney
Charles Burney
Charles Burney FRS was an English music historian and father of authors Frances Burney and Sarah Burney.-Life and career:...
. He became harp tutor to several wealthy families, and in about 1790 was made official harpist to the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. In 1805 he moved into St James's Palace.