John Thomas

Attributed birth and death dates for this Welsh composer seem approximate, with some references listing the former as 1826 and the latter as 1914. The Minstrel's Adieu to His Native Land is one of John Thomas' most famous works, written for harp but sounding like an appropriate background theme for just about every touring player. The Welsh title of this masterwork is Ffarwell y Telynor, and the piece was originally concocted for the private harpist of Queen Victoria. Yoonee van den Eynde and Judy Loman are among the many harpists who have since interpreted Thomas' works for the instrument. Geneviève Chevallier and Christine Fleischmann presented his Grand Duet for Two Harps in E flat major on an early-'90s collection of tandem harp twanging. Early new age advocates have also brought Thomas' music in line with the spacy genre's Celtic harp connection. ~ Eugene Chadbourne