Richard Davies (Mynyddog)
Encyclopedia
Richard Davies (January 10, 1833 – July 14, 1877) was a popular Welsh language
poet.
He was born in Llanbrynmair
, Montgomeryshire
, in a house called "Y Fron".
He adopted the name Mynyddog from the name Mynyddog Mwynfawr
, a character in an early Welsh poem. Use of an adopted Welsh-language pen name (ffugenw) is common among Welsh poets.
poet, singer, and eisteddfod conductor ; b. at Dôl Lydan , Llanbrynmair, Mont. , 10 Jan. 1833 . His father, Daniel Davies , was deacon and precentor in the Old Chapel , while his mother, Jane , belonged to a bookish family. He was chr. by John Roberts ( 1767 - 1834 ) (q.v.) . When he was 2 years of age his parents moved to Fron in the same parish. He was educated at the Old Chapel school kept by the younger John Roberts ( J.R. , 1804 - 1884 , q.v.) . He was a frequent competitor at the eisteddfodau , both in the classical and modern metres, and took his bardic name, ‘ Mynyddog ,’ from Newydd Fynyddog , a hill near his home. There is no special merit in his work in the classical metres, but his lyrics became very popular. They were tuneful, unsophisticated poems, which dealt with the joys and tribulations of the common people, the folly of pride, and the absurdity of hypocrisy. He sang these at concerts up and down the land, accompanying himself on a little harmonium. He frequently visited London to listen to the principal singers there, and he was responsible for introducing instrumental music into the Old Chapel . He was in great demand as an adjudicator , singer , and especially as an eisteddfod conductor both in England and Wales . Three volumes of his works were published in his lifetime: Caneuon Mynyddog , 1866 , Yr Ail Gynnig , 1870 , and Y Trydydd Gynnig , 1877 — while another volume, Pedwerydd Llyfr Mynyddog , appeared in 1882 . Two volumes of selections from his works were published in ‘ Cyfres y Fil .’ He contributed letters to the Herald Cymraeg , the Cronicl , and Dydd , using the pseudonyms Rhywun , Wmffra Edward , and Y Dyn a'r Baich Drain . These letters dealt with topics of the day and criticized stupid customs. He m., 25 Sept. 1871 , Ann Elizabeth , daughter of Aaron Francis of Rhyl , and built a new house, Bron-y-gân , at Cemais, Mont. In 1876 , after conducting the ‘ Black Chair eisteddfod ’ at Wrexham , he accepted the invitation of his friends to visit America for the sake of his health, but this continued to deteriorate and he returned to Bron-y-gan where he d. 14 July 1877 . He was buried in the Old Chapel graveyard , 19 July .
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
poet.
He was born in Llanbrynmair
Llanbrynmair
Llanbrynmair is a village and community in Powys, Mid Wales on the A470 road between Caersws and Machynlleth. Llanbrynmair, in area, is the second largest in Powys. In 2005, it had a population of 958.-Description:...
, Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
, in a house called "Y Fron".
He adopted the name Mynyddog from the name Mynyddog Mwynfawr
Mynyddog Mwynfawr
Mynyddog Mwynfawr was, according to Welsh tradition founded on the early Welsh language poem Y Gododdin a Brythonic ruler of the kingdom of Gododdin in the Hen Ogledd .The traditional reading of Y Gododdin, accepted by most scholars, is...
, a character in an early Welsh poem. Use of an adopted Welsh-language pen name (ffugenw) is common among Welsh poets.
poet, singer, and eisteddfod conductor ; b. at Dôl Lydan , Llanbrynmair, Mont. , 10 Jan. 1833 . His father, Daniel Davies , was deacon and precentor in the Old Chapel , while his mother, Jane , belonged to a bookish family. He was chr. by John Roberts ( 1767 - 1834 ) (q.v.) . When he was 2 years of age his parents moved to Fron in the same parish. He was educated at the Old Chapel school kept by the younger John Roberts ( J.R. , 1804 - 1884 , q.v.) . He was a frequent competitor at the eisteddfodau , both in the classical and modern metres, and took his bardic name, ‘ Mynyddog ,’ from Newydd Fynyddog , a hill near his home. There is no special merit in his work in the classical metres, but his lyrics became very popular. They were tuneful, unsophisticated poems, which dealt with the joys and tribulations of the common people, the folly of pride, and the absurdity of hypocrisy. He sang these at concerts up and down the land, accompanying himself on a little harmonium. He frequently visited London to listen to the principal singers there, and he was responsible for introducing instrumental music into the Old Chapel . He was in great demand as an adjudicator , singer , and especially as an eisteddfod conductor both in England and Wales . Three volumes of his works were published in his lifetime: Caneuon Mynyddog , 1866 , Yr Ail Gynnig , 1870 , and Y Trydydd Gynnig , 1877 — while another volume, Pedwerydd Llyfr Mynyddog , appeared in 1882 . Two volumes of selections from his works were published in ‘ Cyfres y Fil .’ He contributed letters to the Herald Cymraeg , the Cronicl , and Dydd , using the pseudonyms Rhywun , Wmffra Edward , and Y Dyn a'r Baich Drain . These letters dealt with topics of the day and criticized stupid customs. He m., 25 Sept. 1871 , Ann Elizabeth , daughter of Aaron Francis of Rhyl , and built a new house, Bron-y-gân , at Cemais, Mont. In 1876 , after conducting the ‘ Black Chair eisteddfod ’ at Wrexham , he accepted the invitation of his friends to visit America for the sake of his health, but this continued to deteriorate and he returned to Bron-y-gan where he d. 14 July 1877 . He was buried in the Old Chapel graveyard , 19 July .
Works
- Caneuon Mynyddog (1866)
- Yr Ail Gynnig (1870)
- Y Trydydd Cynnig (1877)
- Pedwerydd Llyfr Mynyddog (1882)
- Owen Morgan EdwardsOwen Morgan EdwardsOwen Morgan Edwards was a Welsh historian, educationalist and writer. He is often known as O. M. Edwards....
(ed.), Gwaith Mynyddog (Llanuwchllyn, 1914)