David Jenkins (composer) Manuscripts,

Manuscript oratorios, operas, orchestral pieces, choruses, melodies and other musical compositions (including the four Welsh Airs arranged for choir and full orchestra premiered at the Crystal Palace, 1896); an autographed notebook containing solfa versions of Welsh melodies arranged for male voices, 1915; correspondence, 1934-1935, relating to the proposed publication of a memorial volume to Jenkins by nine of his contemporaries ('Er Cof am yr Athro David Jenkins Gan Naw o'i Gyfoedion'); music exercise books, 1877-1881, and a volume containing blacksmith's accounts, Trecastell, and particulars of payments to preachers, 1796-1810.

Prof. David Jenkins (1848-1915) was born on 30th December 1848 at Trecastle, Brecknockshire. Although apprenticed to the tailoring trade, he was attracted to the Tonic Solfa choral movement. In 1874, he enrolled at Aberystwyth College and studied under the renowned composer Joseph Parry, the first Professor of Music there. Jenkins received his Mus. Bac. from Cambridge in 1878. In 1893, he was appointed lecturer in the newly-formed Music Department of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and was appointed Professor in 1910, a post he held until his death. He was a prominent figure in the musical life of Wales, judging at the National Eisteddfod and provincial eisteddfodau, and conducting at cymanfaoedd (hymn-singing festivals). He was also a prolific composer; his best-known choral works are Arch y Cyfamod, Job, Yr Ystorm and The Psalm of Life, which was written for the Cardiff Triennial Festival in 1895, and was first premiered by two thousand singers at the Crystal Palace, London, on July 1896. He was also an editor of Y Cerddor. He died in Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth, on 10th December, 1915. After his death, his musical works remained popular and there were subsequent editions and translations.

Arranged as found.

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Donated to the National Library of Wales by his niece, Miss N. D. Jenkins, Aberystwyth, 1944.

Prof. David Jenkins (1848-1915) was born on 30th December 1848 at Trecastle, Brecknockshire. Although apprenticed to the tailoring trade, he was attracted to the Tonic Solfa choral movement. In 1874, he enrolled at Aberystwyth College and studied under the renowned composer Joseph Parry, the first Professor of Music there. Jenkins received his Mus. Bac. from Cambridge in 1878. In 1893, he was appointed lecturer in the newly-formed Music Department of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and was appointed Professor in 1910, a post he held until his death. He was a prominent figure in the musical life of Wales, judging at the National Eisteddfod and provincial eisteddfodau, and conducting at cymanfaoedd (hymn-singing festivals). He was also a prolific composer; his best-known choral works are Arch y Cyfamod, Job, Yr Ystorm and The Psalm of Life, which was written for the Cardiff Triennial Festival in 1895, and was first premiered by two thousand singers at the Crystal Palace, London, on July 1896. He was also an editor of Y Cerddor. He died in Castell Brychan, Aberystwyth, on 10th December, 1915. After his death, his musical works remained popular and there were subsequent editions and translations.

Title supplied from content of fonds. The archive includes papers accumulated by David Jenkins which pre-date him.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can be accessed online.

February 2003

Compiled by Seri Crawley for the ANW Project. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: National Library of Wales, Schedule of Professor David Jenkins Manuscripts; Dictionary of Welsh Biography down to 1940 (London, 1959); David Jenkins website (www.cyberhymnal.org), viewed 26 February 2003. The date of the first performance of 'The Psalm of Life' is given in the Schedule as 1895, and in the Dictionary as 1896.

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