Llewela Davies Explained
Llewela Davies (February 1871 – 22 August 1952)[1] was a Welsh pianist and composer who toured with Dame Nellie Melba.[2]
Early life and education
Llewela Tegwedd Davies was born at Talgarth, near Brecon, in South Wales.[3] Her father was Rhys Davies, a justice of the peace.[4] [5] At age 10 she won a medal and a cash prize at the National Eisteddfod, and earned a scholarship to attend the North London Collegiate School for Girls.[6]
She attended the Royal Academy of Music on a John Thomas Welsh scholarship awarded in 1887, and as a student there won many awards for composition and musicianship,[7] including the "Worshipful Company of Musicians Medal for the Most Distinguished Student in the Academy."[8] [9] As a pianist Llewela Davies was often an accompanist for student vocal recitals during her college years.[10] She later earned a music degree from London University.[11]
Her instructor at the Royal Academy, Walter Macfarren, was the brother of composer George Alexander Macfarren and brother-in-law of composer Emma Maria Macfarren; his other students included notable musicians Ethel Mary Boyce, Dora Bright, Stewart Macpherson and Agnes Zimmermann.[12]
Career
Llewela Davies' most prominent performances were with Nellie Melba; Davies and her husband toured with the singer, though North America, Australia, and New Zealand.[13] [14] She performed twice at the Three Choirs Festival, and as a pianist at the National Eisteddfod. She also performed at the Annual Reid Concert in Edinburgh in 1899.[15] She was welcomed in Welsh villages as a guest performer at special events.
Davies taught at London University after earning her degree there. Later in life she was a professor of piano at Guildhall School of Music.[16] Her compositions include Three Sketches (for orchestra),[17] a string quartet, and a Violin Sonata in E (1894).
Personal life
Miss Davies married fellow Welsh musician Frederic Griffith (or Griffiths) in 1898,[18] [19] and lived in London thereafter. She was widowed when Frederic Griffith died in 1917. She died in London in 1952 at the age of 81.
Notes and References
- England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1952
- http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3272681/3272684/42/ "Welsh Musicians on Tour"
- http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1891/10/24/page/16/article/keeping-up-the-national-reputation "Keeping up the National Reputation: A Brilliant Young Welsh Girl Who Has Attracted Attention as a Musician"
- http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4430561/4430564/51/ "Miss Llewela Davies: Cordial Reception at Llangranog"
- http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4233170/4233173/31/ "Death of Mr. Rhys Davies, J. P., Brecon"
- Frederic Griffith, ed. Notable Welsh Musicians of Today (F. Goodwen 1896): 122–123.
- http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=BH18931003.2.21 "Miss Llewela Davies"
- https://books.google.com/books?id=eOo2AQAAMAAJ&dq=Llewela+Davies&pg=RA3-PA94 "Annual Prizes, Female Department"
- http://cambridge.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/cambridge?a=d&d=Chronicle18941201-01.2.102# "A Brilliant Student"
- https://books.google.com/books?id=eOo2AQAAMAAJ&dq=Llewela+Davies&pg=RA3-PA100 "Invitation Students Concert: Saturday, July 1, 1893"
- https://books.google.com/books?id=9f0sAAAAYAAJ&dq=Llewela+Davies&pg=PA91 "Lady Instrumentalists"
- Walter Macfarren, Memories: An Autobiography (Walter Scott Publishing 1905): 268.
- http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4898079 "Madame Melba: The Farewell Concert"
- Henry Saxe Wyndham and Geoffrey L'Epine, eds., Who's Who in Music: A Biographical Record of Contemporary Musicians (I. Pitman & Sons 1915): 75–76.
- http://www.reidconcerts.music.ed.ac.uk/concert/annual-reid-concert-1899 "Annual Reid Concert 1899"
- Landon Ronald (ed.). Who's Who in Music (1955), p. 83
- Two of the three were first performed at the Royal Academy of Music at the end of 1895. Musical Times, Volume 37, No. 635 (January 1896), p. 25
- http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3357610/3357614/62/ "Forthcoming Marriage of Mr. F. Griffiths; Engaged to a Brecon Artiste"
- https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4731751/wedding_of_llewela_davies_and_frederic/ "Marriage of Llewela Davis"