Frances Williams

Frances Williams (1904 – 1978) was a composer and conductor, particularly known for her choral works. She was born in Waunfawr in Caernarvonshire, Wales. In 1913, she emigrated to the United States with her family who settled in Seattle, Washington.

Biography

Born Elizabeth "Lizzie" Frances Williams to parents Richard R Williams 1881-1927 and Katherine "Kate" Wright née Owen 1884-1963. The family emigrated to the United States in 1913 aboard RMS Celtic. She was educated at the Cornish School of Music in Seattle, where she studied with Calvin Brainard Cady and Anna Brant Dall; holding scholarships in piano and in composition. She proceeded to Juillard Graduate School, where she held fellowships in composition with Rubin Goldmark and in piano with James Friskin. She went on to have a career as a composer and conductor. She was a member of the National Association of Composers and of the Board of Governors of The Musicians' Club of New York.

Frances married Hugh Eric Davies 1905-1984 on March 26, 1932 in New York. Nonetheless, she continued to use her maiden name professionally.

Works

She was the composer of many published works, but she is best known for her setting for SATB and piano of words by Marjorie Elliott, 'Let there be music'. Other works include 'To the Dawn' for festival chorus with orchestra, 'Night' for women's voices, 'Step Lightly o'er the Hallows' (for men and women's voices), 'Praise the Lord, ye Heavens Adore Him', satb accompanied (1956), 'The Day thou gavest', satb a capella (1951), 'Be thou exalted O God' (Pss 57, 11, 66, 4, 8, 9) (1950) and 'Holy Lord of All' (Welsh Chorale) TTBB.

She was a frequent conductor at Cymanfaoedd Canu ( Welsh hymn-singing festivals ) in the United States, including both sessions at the National Gymanfa Ganu held in Chicago in 1972. In 1961 she was awarded the Hopkins Medal of the St. David’s Society of the State of New York for her distinguished contributions to music. She was a member of Cymdeithas Emynau Cymru (Welsh Hymn Society) and contributed a number of reviews to its Journal. She was appointed by the WNGGA (Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association) as Chair of the editorial committee for its Jubilee Edition of the WNGGA Hymnal, which was published in 1979, but she died before this task was completed.

References

• The ASCAP Biographical Dictionary of Composers, Authors and Publishers :American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers 3rd edition (1966), p791
• History of the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association, 1929 - 2003: Col. Alfred J. Reese. WNGGA Hartland MI (2004) p394
• Composers of Wales : Frances Williams Ninnau Vol 38 #5 Sept/Oct 2013 p13
• Frances Davies in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014