BEYNON, ROSSER (Asaph Glan Tâf ; 1811-1876), musician;
b. at Glyn Eithinog in the Vale of Neath, Glam., son of John and Elizabeth Beynon. The family moved in 1815 to Merthyr Tydfil where the son went to a school kept by George Williams, but only for a short period, as he started work when he was 8 years of age in an iron-works where, later, he was to become an important official. He showed an interest in music at an early age and in 1835 became precentor in Soar Congregational chapel. He started a music class where the rudiments of music were studied and pieces of music were learnt. In 1836 he contributed an article on music to Y Diwygiwr, this being the first of many articles which he wrote; he also became hymn-tune editor of that journal. In 1845 appeared part one of Telyn Seion, a collection of hymn-tunes and anthems; the parts were published in volume form in 1848. Twenty hymn-tunes by Beynon himself appeared in this collection, together with ‘Eifionydd’ and ‘Groeswen,’ by J. Ambrose Lloyd (q.v.), this being the first published appearance of these two hymn-tunes. It was in this book, incidentally, that the ‘metronome’ symbols first appeared in a Welsh music publication. Beynon was a competent and acceptable adjudicator and served as such in eisteddfodau in various parts of Wales. He d. 3 Jan. 1876 and was buried in Cefn cemetery, Merthyr Tydfil.
Bibliography:
- Y Diwygiwr, 1850;
- Y Cerddor, Oct. 1891;
- Gen., 1887, 63;
- Ceitho.
Author:
Robert David Griffith, M.A., (1877-1958), Old Colwyn
