Daniel Jones (composer)
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Daniel Jenkyn Jones OBE (December 7, 1912 – April 23, 1993) was a Welsh composer of classical music.
Jones was born in Pembroke, Wales. He studied at the University of Wales and the Royal Academy of Music, where his teachers included Sir Henry Wood. A Mendelssohn Travelling Scholarship allowed him to study in Czechoslovakia, France, Holland and Germany, and to develop his skills as a linguist. He later employed these abilities during the Second World War as a cryptographer and decoder of Russian, Romanian and Japanese at Bletchley Park.
He enjoyed long friendships with several leading Welsh artists, amongst them Vernon Watkins, Ceri Richards and Grace Williams. However, he is probably best remembered as the friend from childhood of Dylan Thomas, and composed the music for the 1954 radio production of Thomas's Under Milk Wood, as well as editing several collections of Thomas's poetry and prose. Jones' fourth symphony is dedicated to Thomas' memory, and he also wrote a biography of the poet, My Friend Dylan Thomas, in 1977.
Jones wrote twelve numbered symphonies in all, plus a later Symphony in Memory of John Fussell. Among his other works are chamber music, including eight string quartets and a sonata for three timpani, orchestral and choral works, and several operas.
Jones was made an OBE in 1968. He died in Swansea.
[edit] Chronological list of works
- 1938 Symphonic Prologue
- 1939 Five Pieces for orchestra
- 1943 Comedy Overture
- 1944 Cloud Messenger, orchestra
- 1944-5 Symphony 1
- 1946 Solo Cello Sonata
- 1946 String Quartet 1
- 1947 Miscellany, 20 pieces for small orchestra
- 1947 Sonata for Three Non-Chromatic Kettledrums
- 1947 The Flute Player, orchestra
- 1949 Suite for viola and cello
- 1950 Symphony 2
- 1951 Concert Overture 2
- 1951 Symphony 3
- 1954 Symphony 4, in memoriam Dylan Thomas
- 1954 Under Milk Wood, incidental music for Dylan Thomas
- 1955 Bagatelles for piano
- 1956 Ieuenctid, overture
- 1957 String Quartet 2
- 1958 Symphony 5
- 1958 The Country Beyond the Stars, cantata after Henry Vaughan
- 1961 The Knife, opera
- 1962 St Peter, oratorio
- 1964 Symphony 6
- 1965 Capriccio for flute harp and strings
- 1966 Severn Bridge Variation for orchestra (composite work with others)
- 1966 Violin Concerto
- 1967 Orestes, opera
- 1969 Investiture Processional Music
- 1970 String Trio
- 1971 Symphony 7
- 1972 Cello Sonata
- 1972 Sinfonietta 1
- 1972 Symphony 8
- 1974 Symphony 9
- 1974 Toccata and Fugue for organ
- 1975 String Quartet 3
- 1976 Dance Fantasy, orchestra
- 1978 String Quartet 4
- 1980 String Quartet 5
- 1980 Symphony 10
- 1982 String Quartet 6
- 1982 Oboe Concerto
- 1983 Symphony 11, In Memoriam G F Tyler
- 1985 Symphony 12
- 1986 Cello Concerto
- 1987 String Quartet 7
- 1988 Sonata for four trombones
- 1990 Divertimento for wind quintet
- 1992 Sinfonietta 2
- 1992 Symphony in Memoriam John Fussell (Symphony 13)
- 1993 String Quartet 8, unfinished, performing edition by Malcolm Binney & Giles Easterbrook
