Mansel Thomas
Encyclopedia
Mansel Treharne Thomas OBE (12 June 1909 – 8 January 1986) was a composer
and conductor, who worked mainly in south Wales. He was one of the most influential musicians of his generation, known as a composer, conductor and adjudicator. He was for many years employed by the BBC and promoted the careers of many composers and performers. He himself wrote vocal, choral (mixed, female, children’s and male voices), instrumental (solo and chamber), band and orchestral music, specialising in setting songs and poetry. Many of his orchestral and chamber music
pieces are based on Welsh folk songs and dances.
near Tylorstown
, Rhondda
, in a house in Llywellyn Street, where a plaque was later erected by the Rhondda Civic Society. At the age of sixteen, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music
, where he studied under Benjamin Dale
.
He joined the BBC
in 1936, but interrupted his career to serve in World War II
.
From 1946 until 1965 he was principal conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra, now the BBC National Orchestra of Wales
, and the BBC Welsh Chorus, but his career ended after he suffered a stroke in 1979.
He died in Gilwern
, Monmouthshire
, seven years later at the age of 76.
The Mansel Thomas Trust was established in 1987 to commemorate the composer. It is concerned mainly with collecting his works and making them available to musicians.
; 1946 to his early retirement in 1965; and 1965–1979.
His first notable composition – “Daffodils”/”Cennin Aur” – was written in the mid-1920s for the newly-formed Pendyrus choir, which rehearsed next to his home in Tylorstown
. The partsong became so well known that W. S. Gwynn Williams
(Gwynn Publishers) requested a mixed choir version of it for publication in 1939, and this version surpassed in popularity its TTBB original.
Songs and choral music are the elements by which he is chiefly known today. There are over 150 songs and traditional-melody arrangements for solo voice and these include “Y Bardd”, “Coeden afalau”, “Caneuon y Misoedd” and “Eifionydd”. The choral works involve various groups – male, mixed, female and youth/children – and are notable not only for “Daffodils” (TTBB & SATB), but also TTBB settings of Welsh hymntunes and airs (such as “Llanfair”, “Llef
” and “Fantasia on Welsh Airs”) and the fine original work “Psalm 35”; also a range of exciting works for SATB, such as “Requiem”, “In Praise of Wisdom” and the anthem “For Thy servant David”. The compositions for female and youth/children’s choirs engage the singers in varied groupings – Unison/SS/SA/SSA/SSAA/ etc. – and include the “3 Songs of Enchantment”, “6 Elizabethan Partsongs” and traditional “Songs of Britain”. However, he wrote for amateurs as well as professional performers, and notably for children and young people.
His chamber works, especially the arrangements of Welsh traditional melodies, enjoyed popularity during their 1950s' BBC broadcasts by the Tâf Players, as did the “Six Orchestral Dances” and “Breton Suite” performed by the BBC Welsh Orchestra and the “Mini Variations on a Welsh Theme” written for Harry Mortimer and his Fairey Brass Band. These works are still popular with younger ensembles, including the National Youth Orchestra of Wales
.
The recent availability of his works in publication has done much to regenerate interest and inspire performances not only in Wales
but more widely in the UK and internationally in Europe, United States, Canada and Australia.
Mansel Thomas had two daughters, Sian and Grace, and his descendants are still active in promoting his work.
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...
and conductor, who worked mainly in south Wales. He was one of the most influential musicians of his generation, known as a composer, conductor and adjudicator. He was for many years employed by the BBC and promoted the careers of many composers and performers. He himself wrote vocal, choral (mixed, female, children’s and male voices), instrumental (solo and chamber), band and orchestral music, specialising in setting songs and poetry. Many of his orchestral and chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
pieces are based on Welsh folk songs and dances.
Biography
He was born on 12 June 1909 in PontygwaithPontygwaith
Pontygwaith is a village situated in the Merthyr Valley, , South Wales.A Sussex Ironmaster named Anthony Morley set up a small ironworks here in 1583....
near Tylorstown
Tylorstown
Tylorstown is a village located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It was founded by Alfred Tylor who set up an early coal mining operation in the location in the mid-19th century....
, Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
, in a house in Llywellyn Street, where a plaque was later erected by the Rhondda Civic Society. At the age of sixteen, he won a scholarship to 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...
, where he studied under Benjamin Dale
Benjamin Dale
Benjamin James Dale was an English composer and academic who had a long association with the Royal Academy of Music. Dale showed compositional talent from an early age and went on to write a small but notable corpus of works...
.
He joined the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1936, but interrupted his career to serve in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
From 1946 until 1965 he was principal conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra, now the BBC National Orchestra of Wales
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation in Wales, occupying a dual role as both a broadcasting orchestra and national orchestra.The BBC NOW has its...
, and the BBC Welsh Chorus, but his career ended after he suffered a stroke in 1979.
He died in Gilwern
Gilwern
Gilwern is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales. The name is translated from the Welsh language as "the nook near the alder grove". It is within the Llanelly parish ward of Monmouthshire County Council, west of market town of Abergavenny.-Attractions:...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, seven years later at the age of 76.
The Mansel Thomas Trust was established in 1987 to commemorate the composer. It is concerned mainly with collecting his works and making them available to musicians.
His music
Mansel Thomas’s composing career spanned almost 60 years and fell approximately into 3 periods – up to and including World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; 1946 to his early retirement in 1965; and 1965–1979.
His first notable composition – “Daffodils”/”Cennin Aur” – was written in the mid-1920s for the newly-formed Pendyrus choir, which rehearsed next to his home in Tylorstown
Tylorstown
Tylorstown is a village located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It was founded by Alfred Tylor who set up an early coal mining operation in the location in the mid-19th century....
. The partsong became so well known that W. S. Gwynn Williams
W. S. Gwynn Williams
William Stanley Gwynn Williams was a musician and composer, also lecturer, author, editor and broadcaster on the history of British and in particular Welsh music. He was prominent in the foundation of the International Eisteddfod at Llangollen in 1947 and become its first musical director.W. S...
(Gwynn Publishers) requested a mixed choir version of it for publication in 1939, and this version surpassed in popularity its TTBB original.
Songs and choral music are the elements by which he is chiefly known today. There are over 150 songs and traditional-melody arrangements for solo voice and these include “Y Bardd”, “Coeden afalau”, “Caneuon y Misoedd” and “Eifionydd”. The choral works involve various groups – male, mixed, female and youth/children – and are notable not only for “Daffodils” (TTBB & SATB), but also TTBB settings of Welsh hymntunes and airs (such as “Llanfair”, “Llef
Llef
Llef is a popular Welsh hymn, written by Thomas Charles. The tune was composed by Hugh Griffith Jones . It was written in memory of his brother, Dewi.-Hymn text:-External links:...
” and “Fantasia on Welsh Airs”) and the fine original work “Psalm 35”; also a range of exciting works for SATB, such as “Requiem”, “In Praise of Wisdom” and the anthem “For Thy servant David”. The compositions for female and youth/children’s choirs engage the singers in varied groupings – Unison/SS/SA/SSA/SSAA/ etc. – and include the “3 Songs of Enchantment”, “6 Elizabethan Partsongs” and traditional “Songs of Britain”. However, he wrote for amateurs as well as professional performers, and notably for children and young people.
His chamber works, especially the arrangements of Welsh traditional melodies, enjoyed popularity during their 1950s' BBC broadcasts by the Tâf Players, as did the “Six Orchestral Dances” and “Breton Suite” performed by the BBC Welsh Orchestra and the “Mini Variations on a Welsh Theme” written for Harry Mortimer and his Fairey Brass Band. These works are still popular with younger ensembles, including the National Youth Orchestra of Wales
National Youth Orchestra of Wales
The National Youth Orchestra of Wales , founded in 1945, has the distinction of being the first national youth orchestra in the world and is Europe’s longest-standing national youth orchestra....
.
The recent availability of his works in publication has done much to regenerate interest and inspire performances not only in Wales
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...
but more widely in the UK and internationally in Europe, United States, Canada and Australia.
Mansel Thomas had two daughters, Sian and Grace, and his descendants are still active in promoting his work.
Sources
- Biography wriiten by Grace Gilmore-James (his daughter)