The Alun Hoddinott Archive,

The music manuscripts and papers, 1933-2010, of Alun Hoddinott, comprising a large group of music scores and sketches, [1940?]-2007; and papers, 1933-2010, relating to his life and work, comprising mainly correspondence, 1933-2010, scrapbooks, 1940-2008, concert programmes, 1936-2008, catalogues of works, 1946-2007; and articles and reviews, 1954-2006. An additional group received in 2017, of mainly personal papers and correspondence is listed under 'Alun Hoddinott, 2017 (additional)'.

Alun Hoddinott, the eminent Welsh composer and teacher, was born at Bargoed, 11 August 1929. He received his secondary education at Gowerton Grammar School where, in 1946, he won a scholarship to study at the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, Cardiff. He graduated (BMus) in 1949 and during this period he also studied composition with the Australian composer and pianist, Arthur Benjamin, in London.
Lecturing posts in Cardiff - at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, 1951-1959, and the University College, 1959-1965, led to a readership at the University of Wales. He gained a DMus in 1960. In 1967 he was appointed Professor of Music and Head of Department at Cardiff, retiring in 1987 in order to devote himself to composition.
Also in 1967 he co-founded the Cardiff Festival of Twentieth Century Music with the pianist John Ogdon, and was its artistic director until 1989.
In April 1953 he married Rhiannon Huws. They had studied together at Cardiff and she became central to every aspect of his life. She often translated and prepared texts to set to music. Their son, Huw Ceri, was born in 1957.
Alun Hoddinott became established early in his career as being one of the leading British composers of his generation. He achieved his first national success in 1954 when his Clarinet Concerto, op. 3, was given its first public performance at the Cheltenham Festival by Gervase de Peyer and the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli. This brought him a national profile which was followed by a string of commissions by distinguished singers and instrumentalists that continued throughout his life. A prolific composer, his vast and versatile catalogue comprises nearly 300 individual works, including six operas, ten symphonies and over twenty concertos.
He was presented with several honorary awards, professional accolades and prestigious prizes in recognition of his achievements. He was appointed CBE in 1983. In 2009 the BBC National Orchestra of Wales's new home at the Wales Millennium Centre was named the BBC Hoddinott Hall - Neuadd Hoddinott BBC in his honour.
Alun Hoddinott died 11 March 2008.

Arranged at NLW in three groups: music manuscripts; professional and personal papers; Alun Hoddinott 2017 (additional).

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Professor Emeritus Alun Hoddinott and Mrs Rhiannon Hoddinott; Swansea and Alltwalis; Donation; July 2006-March 2012 (004637146) March 2017; J & J Lubrano Music Antiquarians Syosset, NY, USA; Purchase July 2016.Transfer Ms Laura Gayle Green; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; March 2019; 99312432402419.

Alun Hoddinott, the eminent Welsh composer and teacher, was born at Bargoed, 11 August 1929. He received his secondary education at Gowerton Grammar School where, in 1946, he won a scholarship to study at the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, Cardiff. He graduated (BMus) in 1949 and during this period he also studied composition with the Australian composer and pianist, Arthur Benjamin, in London.
Lecturing posts in Cardiff - at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, 1951-1959, and the University College, 1959-1965, led to a readership at the University of Wales. He gained a DMus in 1960. In 1967 he was appointed Professor of Music and Head of Department at Cardiff, retiring in 1987 in order to devote himself to composition.
Also in 1967 he co-founded the Cardiff Festival of Twentieth Century Music with the pianist John Ogdon, and was its artistic director until 1989.
In April 1953 he married Rhiannon Huws. They had studied together at Cardiff and she became central to every aspect of his life. She often translated and prepared texts to set to music. Their son, Huw Ceri, was born in 1957.
Alun Hoddinott became established early in his career as being one of the leading British composers of his generation. He achieved his first national success in 1954 when his Clarinet Concerto, op. 3, was given its first public performance at the Cheltenham Festival by Gervase de Peyer and the Hallé Orchestra under Sir John Barbirolli. This brought him a national profile which was followed by a string of commissions by distinguished singers and instrumentalists that continued throughout his life. A prolific composer, his vast and versatile catalogue comprises nearly 300 individual works, including six operas, ten symphonies and over twenty concertos.
He was presented with several honorary awards, professional accolades and prestigious prizes in recognition of his achievements. He was appointed CBE in 1983. In 2009 the BBC National Orchestra of Wales's new home at the Wales Millennium Centre was named the BBC Hoddinott Hall - Neuadd Hoddinott BBC in his honour.
Alun Hoddinott died 11 March 2008.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

March 2012, revised December 2019.

Compiled by Barbara Davies and Robert Evans. The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: Geraint Lewis, 'Alun Hoddinott' (obituary in The Guardian, 14 March 2008); The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians (2nd ed., 2001); Lyn Davies, Composers of Wales monographs: Alun Hoddinott (1929-) (Cardiff, 2004); Basil Deane, Alun Hoddinott (Composers of Wales, 2) (Cardiff, 1978); Stewart R. Craggs, Alun Hoddinott: a bio-bibliography (London, 1993); Stewart R. Craggs, Alun Hoddinott: a source book (Aldershot, 2007); and papers in the archive.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Accruals are not expected.

LP records and video cassettes have been transferred to NLW National Sound and Screen Archive of Wales; a small group of published and printed books to NLW printed books collection; photographs to NLW photographic collection (Photo albums 4941-4946); and two sketches of the composer by the artist Andrew Vicari to NLW picture collection (Accession nos 6221680 and 6221682). See also lower level descriptions for related material.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales