David Vaughan Thomas or David Vaughan-Thomas^[1] (15 March 1873 – 15 September 1934), born David Thomas,^[2] and known also by his bardic name Pencerdd Vaughan,^[3] was a composer, organist, pianist and music administrator. His compositions are deeply influenced by the musical and literary traditions of his native Wales. Though his music is now little performed he has been described as "the leading native Welsh musician of [his] time"^[4] and as "one of the most important composers in the transitional period of Welsh music from the Victorian era to our own times".^[5] The broadcaster Wynford Vaughan-Thomas was his son.

Born in 1873 to Jenkin Thomas and Anne Thomas in Ystalyfera,^[3] he moved with the family successively to Llantrisant, Maesteg, Llangennech, Dowlais and Pontarddulais. He received his musical education from the composer Joseph Parry,^[2] and also went to Llandovery College^[7] and Exeter College, Oxford, where he graduated in mathematics. Returning later to Oxford, he gained degrees as Bachelor of Music and Doctor of Music. For some years he worked as a mathematics teacher at United Services College, Westward Ho!, and Monkton Combe School, Bath, before becoming a music teacher and organist at Harrow School.^[8] In 1906 he married Morfydd Lewis; they had three sons, including the broadcaster Wynford Vaughan-Thomas.^[9] At this time Thomas turned to music composition, his first known work being dated 1906. Subsequent works were performed in Wales, London and South Africa.^[8]

He moved back to Wales and became a member of the Gorsedd at the 1911 National Eisteddfod, taking the additional surname Vaughan on this occasion.^[2] He subsequently acted as adjudicator, and was Chief Musical Advisor for the 1926 National Eisteddfod in Swansea.^[8] In 1919 he applied for the post of Music Director of the University of Wales, but controversially the decision was made to appoint Walford Davies instead.^[5][2] Vaughan Thomas was a man of many talents. Apart from his mathematical gifts he was a poet, a scholar,^[10] a pianist,^[4] wrote articles and reviews for the magazine Welsh Outlook and for several music journals,^[3] produced a report on the teaching of music in Welsh schools,^[11] lectured, and acted as organist of Mount Pleasant Baptist Chapel, Swansea.^[8] In 1927 he was made overseas examiner for Trinity College, London, and in this capacity he travelled to several Commonwealth countries.^[12] It was on one such tour in South Africa that he died in Johannesburg.^[13]

Vaughan Thomas's music developed out of an early Victorianism^[5] (some of his songs have been compared to those of Schubert and Brahms)^[14] into a national style inspired by Welsh literature and folklore^[2][15] and by the musical traditions of his country, such as penillion singing and the use of the harp for accompaniment.^[8] His settings of Welsh poems adapt the traditional metres with great sensitivity.^[16] His mature style has been described as "fastidious and cultivated",^[17] and as being marked by a strong sense of harmony and careful craftsmanship.^[8]

His most notable compositions are considered to be his choral works Llyn y Fan (performed at the 1907 National Eisteddfod), A Song for St Cecilia's Day (performed at Queen's Hall, London, 1909) and The Bard (a setting of the poem by Thomas Gray, performed at Queen's Hall, London, 1912);^[13][18] also his songs to texts by George Meredith (performed at the 1922 Three Choirs Festival) and his settings of cywyddau.^[14] There are in addition many partsongs, anthems, hymns, chamber pieces, and folksong arrangements.^[5]

Vaughan Thomas's music has become a rarity in the concert hall. His song "Ysbryd y Mynydd" and his Saith o Ganeuon ar Gywyddau Dafydd ap Gwilym ac Erail (Seven songs on poems in cywydd metre by Dafydd ap Gwilym and others), praised in the 1950s for their originality and scholarship, remained popular long after his death,^[14][16][2] but most of his works were no longer played by the 1980s.^[19]

Dates are those of publication.