Davies, Walford (1869-1941)

Davies, Walford

COMPOSER, ORGANIST, CONDUCTOR, EDUCATOR (ENGLAND)

BORN 6 Sep 1869, Oswestry, Shropshire - DIED 11 Mar 1941, Wrington, Somerset
BIRTH NAME Davies, Henry Walford
GRAVE LOCATION Bristol: Bristol Cathedral, College Green (Churchyard (ashes))

Henry Walford Davies was the son of an accountant who was an amateur musician. In 1882 Henry was acceted as a chorister at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. In 1891 he graduated in music in Cambridge in 1891. From 1890 to 1894 he studied at the Royal College of Music in London where his teachers were Hubert Parry, William Smith Rockstro, Herbert Sharpe and Haydn Inwards. In 1892 he became the organist of Christ Church, Hampstead and he retained this position until 1897. In 1898 he became the organist of Temple Church In London and he stayed there until 1923. He was known as a teacher as well and Leopoold Stokowski was a successful pupil. In 1904 he composed his cantata "Everyman". During the First World War he organised concerts for the troops in France.

In 1919 he became a professor of music at University College, Aberystwyth and at the same time he became director of music for the University of Wales. He also became the chairman of the National Council of Music and he would hold this position until his death. In 1924 he was appointed Gresham profesor of music at the University of London. In that year he married Constance Evans (1898-1988) who was twenty-eight years his junior. After Edward Elgar's death in 1934 he succeeded him as Master of the King's Music until his own death in 1941. He died in 1941 near Bristol and was buried in the churchyard of the Cathedral of Bristol.

Images

The grave of Walford Davies at the Churchyard of Bristol Cathedral.
Picture by Androom (19 Aug 2013)