Remembered for his music

PLYMOUTH – Michael Davies would like nothing more than to listen to a performance of the music of his great-great-grandfather.

For the first time, Davies will finally have that opportunity.

Davies is the great-great grandson of William Aubrey Williams – also known by his Welsh name, Gwilym Gwent – who came to Wyoming Valley from Wales in 1865, settling in Plymouth.

Gwent became renowned as the “Minstrel of the Mines” and, as Davies recalls, the “Mozart of the Mines.”

Davies, 51, lives in New Haven, Conn., and is making every effort to come back to the area to attend a performance of Gwent’s music.

The memory of Gwent, considered a musical genius who spent many of his creative years while living in the Wyoming Valley, will be honored from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 29 at the Plymouth Historical Society, 115 Gaylord Ave. The Orpheus Society of Wyoming Valley, one of the region’s choral groups, will sing several of Gwent’s works. Light refreshments will follow the music program that is free and open to the public.

“It is not often in our lives that we get the opportunity to bring to the attention of our community, the genius of another person, who, until now has been largely forgotten,” said Georgetta Potoski, director of the Plymouth Historical Society. “We are happy to be a part of doing that this August.”

Potoski said it took seven years to track down Gwent’s music, finally locating it at Bucknell University where they still occasionally play a piece or two of his works.

“However, in Wyoming Valley, we have not heard Gwent’s music in over 100 years,” Potoski said. “The Wyoming Valley Orpheus Society, a 27-person choir, has chosen to perform three of Gwent’s pieces which they say are absolutely beautiful. They are actually singing two and presenting one as an instrumental.”

Davies has visited his great-great-grandfather’s grave in Hollenback Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre with Potoski and he has heard stories of Gwent’s music and his life.

“I’ve never heard his music performed,” Davies said. “I guess he wasn’t a very good miner, but I remember stories that my grandfather would tell about how Gwent took pieces of coal and scrawled his songs on the sides of coal cars; it’s all true.”

Asked how he felt about the upcoming concert, Davies said, “Well, I guess it’s about time we heard his music. I know it’s kind of obscure, but he was considered the Mozart of the mines and won many awards here and in Wales.”

Davies said if he can’t attend the concert he hopes someone will record it and send him a copy so he can hear his great-great-grandfather’s music.

“Absolutely it makes me proud to be related to him,” Davies said. “My great-grandmother was one of Gwent’s daughters.”

In Wales, Gwent was already well-known as a composer. His music earned him medals in national competitions in Wales in 1859, 1867, 1871 and 1877.

In his new home he worked as a blacksmith in the Nottingham Colliery in Plymouth. He found time for music. He composed more than 200 selections, scrawling many of his scores with chalk on the sides of coal cars and on pit props in the coal face. He also conducted the first brass band in Wilkes-Barre and the Gwent Glee Society was named in his honor.

Gwent was born in Nanty-Glo, South Wales, July 28, 1834. He died in Plymouth on July 3, 1891. His funeral was held at the Welsh Congregational Church, which he had attended. Gwent was buried in Hollenback Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre where a magnificent monument — adorned with special carvings and Welsh sayings — was erected in his honor by local friends and admirers and unveiled in August 1875. Potoski said an estimated 5,000 people attended his funeral.

Potoski said her research revealed the fact that Gwent never had any formal music training, “so he is even more to be admired.”

Potoski said she first became aware of Gwent and his music about seven years ago when Davies, visited from Connecticut looking for information on him.

“All this young man had been told about his great-great-grandfather was that he was a musician who, in his old age, would sell his music in bars for food and drink,” Potoski said. “We went together to the Hollenback Cemetery and found Gwent’s impressive monument — a very large stone purchased and erected by local citizens who had loved this man, and carved with the names of his most internationally famous compositions, the Welsh Lyre and other Welsh symbols.

“It was very satisfying to me, as a researcher and genealogist,” said Potoski, “to watch the transformation that took place in this young man when he realized how greatly loved and respected his great-grandfather and his wonderful music had been.”