Hughes, John (Dolgellau)

Arranger & Composer

b Rhosllannerchrugog nr Wrexham, Wales 1896, d Cardiff 1968. Elder brother of Arwel H (1909–88); after leaving his local school he studied music privately while working in the coal mines of Hafod, Denbighs. An organ pupil at 18, then to Univ College Aberystwyth; BMus 1924. Organist and Choirmaster of Noddfa Baptist Ch, Treorchy (from 1925); often conducted the National Eisteddfod Choir. Music Organiser for the Merioneth Education Ctee from 1942, working to raise musical standards in schools. Music editor of school worship books, and The New Handbook of Praise for Welsh-speaking Baptists in 1956; advisor for the 1962 (English) Baptist Hymn Book. His tunes ‘are more smoothly crafted than many of those that went before’ (A Luff, who sees this as a mixed blessing). He is to be carefully distinguished from other Welsh composers and hymnwriters with the same names, as following. Nos.35, 59, 370*, 488.