James James

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", recorded in 1899 – the first known recording in Welsh^[1]

A memorial in Ynysangharad Park (Pontypridd, south Wales) to Evan James and James James, composers of the Welsh national anthem

James James (also known by the bardic name Iago ap Ieuan) (1833–1902) was a harpist and musician from Pontypridd, Wales. He composed the tune of the Welsh national anthem Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (also known as Land of my Fathers).

James James composed the melody which was later known as Hen Wlad fy Nhadau in January 1856. At first it was known as Glan Rhondda (The banks of the Rhondda), and gave rise to the tradition that the tune had come to him as he walked on the bank of the River Rhondda. His father, Evan James, wrote the lyrics that eventually became the words of the Welsh national anthem.

A memorial to James James and his father, in the shape of two figures representing the muses of Poetry and Music, stands in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd. James James died in Aberdare in the Cynon Valley 11 January 1902, he is buried in the local cemetery at Aberdare in the same grave as his wife Cecilia and daughter Louisa.

References

↑ "Welsh anthem - The background to Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau". BBC. 2008-12-01.

External links

James Memorial at Ynysangharad Park a video clip at the Internet Archive website.
Hen wlad fy nhadau, the national anthem on the National Library of Wales website.
James Memorial in Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd from the Gathering the Jewels website.
Free scores at the Mutopia Project

Authority control	VIAF: 63226940 ISNI: 0000 0001 1657 6758 BNF: cb139776556

Persondata
Name	James, James
Alternative names
Short description	Welsh harpist
Date of birth	1833
Place of birth
Date of death	1902
Place of death

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.