Dilys Elwyn-Edwards facts for kids

Dilys Elwyn-Edwards (born Dilys Roberts; August 19, 1918 – January 13, 2012) was a talented Welsh composer, lecturer, and accompanist. She was famous for creating beautiful music, especially songs in the Welsh language.

About Dilys Elwyn-Edwards

Dilys Roberts was born in Dolgellau, Wales, on August 19, 1918. She went to Dr Williams School for Girls, which was a grammar school. This school helped girls aged 7 to 18 get a good education.

Her Education and Early Career

Dilys was very good at music. She was offered special music scholarships from two famous universities. One was the Turle Music Scholarship at Girton College in Cambridge. The other was the Dr. Joseph Parry Scholarship from Cardiff University.

She chose to study at Cardiff University and earned her Bachelor of Music (BMus) degree there. After finishing her studies, she taught music at the university for three years. Later, she received another scholarship to study composition at the Royal College of Music in London. There, she learned how to compose music from a famous teacher named Herbert Howells. She also studied piano.

Life and Work in Wales

In 1937, Dilys married Elwyn Edwards, who was a minister and scholar. They moved to Oxford for a while. Dilys continued to teach music from 1946 to 1972.

In the 1960s, they moved back to Wales. Dilys became a piano tutor at Bangor Normal College and Bangor University in North Wales in 1973. She was a very popular and respected teacher.

Dilys also worked as an adjudicator at the Eisteddfod. This is a Welsh festival where people compete in music, poetry, and dance. She also appeared on radio and television, sharing her musical talents. The BBC even asked her to write many new pieces of music for them.

Dilys Elwyn-Edwards passed away on January 13, 2012, in Llanberis, Wales. She was 93 years old.

Her Music Style

Dilys Elwyn-Edwards was best known for her soft and melodic art songs. These are like poems set to music for a singer. She wrote songs in both Welsh and English.

Famous Songs and Recordings

Some of her most famous songs include Caneuon y Tri Aderyn (which means Three Welsh Bird Songs). This collection includes Y Gylfinir (The Curlew), Tylluanod (Owls), and her most well-known song, Mae Hiraeth yn y Môr (There is longing in the sea). The BBC asked her to write this special song in 1961.

Many famous singers have recorded her music.

• Charlotte Church and Aled Jones have both recorded Caneuon y Tri Aderyn.
• The famous opera singer Bryn Terfel recorded her song The Cloths of Heaven in 2004. This song uses words from a poem by W.B. Yeats.

Selected Works

Dilys Elwyn-Edwards wrote many different pieces of music. Here are some of her notable works:

• Aderyn Crist (The Bird of Christ), 1948
• Memory Come Hither (text by William Blake), 1954
• Gwlad Hud (Countryside Magic), 1955
• Dylluan Deg (Sweet Suffolk Owl), 1957
• Chwe Chân i Blant (Six Songs for Children), 1959. This collection includes fun songs like:
  • Y Ddwy Wydd Dew (The Two Fat Geese)
  • Hwyaden (The Duckling)
  • Cwningod (Rabbits)
• Caneuon y Tri Aderyn (Songs of the Three Birds), 1962. This includes:
  • Y Gylfinir (The Curlew)
  • Tylluanod (The Owls)
  • Mae Hiraeth yn y Môr (There's Longing in the Sea)
• Caneuon Gwynedd (Songs for Gwynedd), which includes songs about places in Wales like:
  • Rhos y Pererinion (The Pilgrims' Isle)
  • Rhodio’r Fenai (Beside the Wide Menai)
• The Shepherd (text by William Blake), 1968
• Caneuon Natur (Nature Songs), 1977. Some songs in this collection are:
  • Y Mynydd (The Mountain)
  • Noson o Haf (Night of Summer)
• Eirlysiau (Snowdrops), 1979
• Y Llong (A Ship on the Blue Sea), 1979
• Salm 23 (Psalm 23)
• Hwiangerddi (Lullabies), 1986. This collection has sweet songs like:
  • Cysga di (Teach you)
  • Y gwcw (The cuckoo)
• Caneuon y tymhorau (Songs of the Seasons), 1991–1993. This includes songs for:
  • Gaeaf (Winter)
  • Y Gwanwyn (Spring)
  • Yr Haf (Summer)
  • Hydref (Autumn)
• Mi Welais Dair o Longau (I Saw Three Ships), 1993
• Dwy Gân i Fair (Two Songs for Mary), 1997
• Yr Eos (The Nightingale), 1997
• Y Griafolen (The Rowan-Tree), 2001
• The cloths of heaven (text by William Butler Yeats)