Role

:

Composer Conductor

Birth

:

August 25, 1909

Death

:

September 23, 1988

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Choral

 

Arwel Hughes was a Welsh composer and conductor who made significant contributions to the classical music scene in Wales and beyond. Born on October 22, 1909, in Rhosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales, Hughes was the son of a Welsh-speaking family. His father, William Hughes, was a miner, and his mother, Mary Hughes, was a homemaker. Hughes showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. Hughes received his early education at the local school in Rhosllannerchrugog and later attended the Ruabon Grammar School. He showed a keen interest in music and was a member of the school choir. In 1927, he won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied composition under Ralph Vaughan Williams and conducting under Malcolm Sargent. After completing his studies, Hughes returned to Wales and began his career as a conductor and composer. He became the conductor of the Welsh National Orchestra in 1946 and held the position until 1950. During his tenure, he conducted many concerts and made several recordings with the orchestra. He also conducted the BBC Welsh Orchestra and the BBC Northern Orchestra. Hughes was a prolific composer and wrote music in various genres, including orchestral, choral, and chamber music. His compositions were influenced by Welsh folk music and the landscape of Wales. Some of his most notable works include the orchestral suite "Gweddi y Pechadur" (The Sinner's Prayer), the choral work "Missa Sabrinensis," and the opera "Sian." "Gweddi y Pechadur" was composed in 1940 and is based on a Welsh hymn tune. The work is divided into three movements and features a solo violin. The piece has been described as a "powerful and moving work" that captures the essence of Welsh music. "Missa Sabrinensis" was composed in 1954 and is a setting of the Catholic Mass. The work is named after the River Severn, which flows through Wales and England. The piece is scored for choir, soloists, and orchestra and features a Welsh folk melody in the "Gloria" section. The work has been performed by many choirs and orchestras around the world and is considered one of Hughes' most significant works. "Sian" is an opera in three acts that was composed in 1960. The libretto was written by Saunders Lewis, a Welsh poet and playwright. The opera tells the story of a young woman named Sian who is torn between her love for a Welsh nationalist and her duty to her family. The work was premiered at the Welsh National Opera in 1960 and has been performed several times since. In addition to his work as a composer and conductor, Hughes was also a music educator. He taught at the University College of North Wales in Bangor and was the director of music at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. He was also a member of the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Welsh Arts Council. Hughes received many honors and awards for his contributions to music. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1969 and was made a Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 1972. He was also awarded the Glyndŵr Award for an Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in Wales in 1983. Hughes died on May 14, 1988, in Cardiff, Wales, at the age of 78. His legacy lives on through his music, which continues to be performed and recorded by musicians around the world. He is remembered as one of the most significant Welsh composers of the 20th century and a champion of Welsh music.

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