Papers of Morfydd Llwyn Owen (1891-1918), composer and mezzo-soprano

Scope and Content

The collection comprises compositions including orchestral, choral, piano, and chamber works, songs, operas, and the four volume Memorial Edition of Morfydd Owen's posthumously published works.

It also contains a collection of personal memorabilia - programmes, images, her marriage certificate, a letter, and a large collection of press notices.

Also included are several older catalogues of the collection, as it passed through the hands of University College Cardiff, then the Welsh Music Information Centre, then finally Special Collections and Archives.

A list of Morfydd Owen material available at the National Library of Wales is also provided.

Administrative / Biographical History

Donated to University College Cardiff after Morfydd's death in 1918. The collection was transferred to the Welsh Music Information Centre, Cardiff, and shows evidence of performance use from this time. The collection then returned to Cardiff University and is now in the care of Special Collections and Archives.

Access Information

Access is available by prior appointment.

Note

Shelves 498-500, 567 (additions at 464).

Other Finding Aids

Previous catalogues, made by University College Cardiff and later by the Welsh Music Information Centre, are held at 430/5. Also included are a list of works available at the National Library of Wales as of 2011, as well as a bibliography of works published relating to Morfydd Owen, as of 2011. See also the Memorial Edition volume 1 (430/8/1), and Rhian Davies' book 'Never So Pure A Sight' (Gomer Press, 1994) for composition chronologies.

Conditions Governing Use

A growing collection of scores is available online at Digital Special Collections . Copyright is owned by Cardiff University.

Related Material

Correspondence and photographs related to Morfydd Owen can be found at the National Library of Wales as part of the Eliot Crawshay Williams archive.