Welsh Journals

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were now associated almost exclusively with London rather than Wales, while the latter, in particular, had little compositional influ- ence on 'Welsh' music.35 John Thomas's long relationship with the royal family was marked by his appointment as official harpist to Queen Victoria in 1872.36 On 31 March 1885, following the death of one of the members of the orchestra, he was offered a job in Her Majesty's State Band,37 while surviving concert programmes of the same period reveal that he performed in Buckingham Palace in the company of artists such as Adelina Patti.38 Such London honours could never have been matched had he returned to Wales, but it is disappointing to observe, on occasion, his readiness to deny his roots, as in the following missive of 1874 to Queen Victoria: Madam, Availing myself of the permission graciously accorded to me, I beg to solicit, as an English Musician, the honour of Your Imperial Highness' acceptance of the acccompanying volume of my compositions, as a humble but sincere token of my most fervent prayers for Your Imperial Highness as the Illustrious Bride of our beloved Prince Albert.39 Yet John Thomas still managed to remain faithful to several causes in South Wales. On 7 September 1865 he performed in Cardigan with Brinley Richards and Edith Wynne to support Capel Blaenporth,40 and in November 1877 he played in his native town with Mary Davies to raise money for the Bridgend floods.41 His students were also cared for attentively, and were given the opportunity to perform before one another at informal end-of-term concerts at his house in Welbeck Street. His own compositions and those of Parish Alvars were mostly played on these occasions.42 The award of the title 'Pencerdd Gwalia' reflects one of the highest honours within the musical circles of nineteenth-century Wales. And even if John Thomas did not take every opportunity to secure the musical heritage of Wales for the future, his contribution to Welsh culture during the nineteenth century is still undeniable. This cosmo- politan Victorian Welshman, faithful in turn both to his homeland and to the crown, was a product of his age, and thus may we appreci- ate more fully his contribution to. Welsh harp music and to the culture of Wales as a whole. Edited and translated by Sally Harper