Papers of Alwena Roberts ('Telynores Iâl), 1923-1981, renowned harpist and teacher of the harp. The collection comprises letters, albums containing the autographs of many famous people, a diary, invitations to various functions, press cuttings, and other miscellaneous papers, together with papers of John Peter Roberts, Alwena Roberts's father, including his letters to and from members of his family, and birth, marriage and death certificates of various members of the family. The collection includes a letter, 1932, from J. Lloyd Williams, to the Principal of the University of Wales, explaining his reasons for resigning from the Music Committee of the University.

A volume (pp. i-xxii; 1-449) containing miscellaneous items, many relating to Welsh bardism, in the hand of Edward Williams ('Iolo Morganwg'). The contents include pp. 1-3, a note re the proclamation in 1795 of a bardic meeting to be held at Pen Bryn Owain in co. Glamorgan in 1796; 3-7, notes re the times of holding bardic meetings ('Cadair a Gorsedd wrth Gerdd a Barddoniaeth'), etc.; 7-16, eleven rules under the superscription 'Darbodau Gorsedd Gyfallwy Cadair Morganwg . . . ar Benn Brynn Owain ym Morganwg . . . 1795' relating to the conduct of bardic meetings, the measures, content, and language of poems, the bards, etc.; 25-8, a note of a proclamation in 1798 of a 'Cadair a Gorsedd ar Gerdd a Barddoniaeth' to be held at Pen Brynn Owain in co. Glamorgan in twelve months time, notes on the times of holding future bardic meetings '. . . ymmraint Cadair Orsedd Morganwg . . . ar ben Twyn Owain', and a geographical definition of the term Morgannwg in this context; 35-44., notes headed 'Coelbren y Beirdd herwydd Llyfr Llywelyn Siôn' being notes relating to the special alphabet reputedly devised by the Welsh bards for carving or notching on wooden surfaces and different modes of constructing wooden appliances or so-called 'books' which could be used as writing surfaces when utilising this alphabet; 51, an incomplete version of a 'question and answer' conversation between a teacher and his disciple; 55-6, notes relating to early British bards called 'gwyddoniaid', a bardic meeting between Prydain ab Aedd Mawr and three of these bards called Plennydd, Alawn, and Gwron ('Tri Phrif Feirdd Ynys Prydain'), rules for the bardic order formulated then, etc.; 57-60, English definitions of, or notes in Welsh on, terms of bardic relevance, e.g. 'Alban', 'Gorsedd Arddangos', 'Arwest', 'Cerdd Arwest'; 63-73, extracts of varying length from the works of Welsh poets ? illustrating bardic or poetic terms ('Bardic Allusions from the Welsh Bards'); 79, a note on 'Colofn Prydain (sef felly y gelwir y Gyhydedd Gyrch yn Llyfr Gm. Tew)'; 80-82, notes on Welsh literary production up to and including the fifteenth century mentioning Dafydd ap Gwilym, Llawdden, Harri ap Rhys ap Gwilym, Ieuan Brechfa, Edeyrn dafawd aur, Einiawn offeiriad, Dafydd Ddu Hiraddug, and Hopkin ap Thomas; 82-6, notes relating to an 'eisteddfod' held under the patronage of Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr in Aberteifi and to rules concerning the order of bards and musicians formulated there; 87-8, brief notes on the bardic 'cadair arddangos' and 'cadair dwmpath'; 89, a note relating to the original of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, an extract from the said work, and a note on 'a circumstance . . . exactly similar' in a poem by Dafydd ap Gwilym; 90-91, notes on Dafydd ap Gwilym and his poetry; 92-4, notes on the Welsh alphabet; 95-? 104, the rules and customs of the bardic chair of Tir Iarll ('Trefnau a Defodau Cadair Tir Iarll'); 111-13, bardic miscellanea; 119- 22, notes relating to the rights, etc., of the bardic order with the superscription 'Llyma ddangos amrafaelion o arferion a breiniau a defodau a barnau a chyfarwyddyd a berthynent i Feirdd a gwyr wrth gerdd o'r hen Lyfrau'; 127-33, notes on 'Cerdd Gadair', 'Cerdd Deuluaidd', 'Clergerdd', 'Datgeiniad Cadair', and 'Datgeiniad Penpastwn'; (continued)

135-7 + 145, further notes re rules for bardic meetings; 142, two triads; 143-4 + 155, notes relating to ? the Welsh bardic alphabet; 154, a note on 'Tair colofn Barddoniaeth'; 157-9, notes relating to the alleged association between (a) Gruffudd ap Cynan and Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and the code of rules for the bardic order, (b) Bleddyn ap Cynfyn and 'regulations for genealogies and armorial bearings', (c) Rhys ap Tewdwr and the introduction of the 'Bardic Laws of the Round Table' from Armorica, and (d) Gruffudd ap Cynan and 'a musical sessions in Glyn Achlach in Ireland . . . 1096'; 171-4, a transcript of twelve stanzas of Welsh verse attributed to Siencyn o'r Crwys y Prydydd; 174, a list of 'Plant Caw o Brydyn'; 175, a transcript of a twelve-line Welsh stanza allegedly composed by Thomas Glyn Cothi on the occasion of the French landing at Fishguard in 1797; 176-7, genealogical data relating to the family of Iestyn ab Gwrgan and related families; 178, a transcript of an 'englyn' relating to Owain Glyn Dyfrdwy attributed to Ieuan Gethin ap Ieuan ap Lleision; 179, a few entries relating to events in Welsh history, 870-959; 180, a transcript of 'englynion' ? attributed to Hywel Ystoryn; 181-6, an anecdote and notes relating to ? the reputed poetesses of Ty Talwyn, parish of Llangynwyd [co. Glamorgan]; 187 + 193, skeleton notes on Llanilid, Llanharan, Llanhari, Llantrisaint, St. Donats, and Flimston [co. Glamorgan]; 188-9, historical and other notes relating to the parish of Merthyr Tydvil [co. Glamorgan]; 190, a list of 'Antiquities in and about Merthyr'; 191, a note on Mallt Walbi 'a Brecon virago' and leader of a gang of freebooters, and a list of 'Remarkable Parishes' [in Glamorgan]; 192, a list of 'Antiquities in and about Lantwit Major' [co. Glamorgan]; 205, extracts relating to 'Melchin, an ancient British author', 'Hu Gadarn', etc., 'Ex Celtic Remains by Lewis Morris'; 206-07, a note on heroic poetry and the attitude of the 'descendants of the Celts' towards it; 219- 22, comments on orthography arising out of [William] Owen [Pughe]'s innovations with regard to Welsh orthography; 223-7, notes relating to the formation of compounds and plurals of monosyllabic words in ancient Cimbric and modern Welsh; 227-39, notes relating to the original home of the Cymry and early druidism and bardism, etc.; 241, a short list of Welsh words relating to worship with English definitions; 242-4, notes on the principles of druidism; 246-51, notes relating to the 'Great Eisteddfod at Caermarthen' [? 1451], 'the system of versification that received the sanction of that Eisteddfod', the adoption of this system by the bards of North Wales and some of those of South Wales, its rejection by the bards of Glamorgan and their compilation of 'a system of discipline, of Poetical Criticism, of Versification, and of whatever appertained to their science', the death of the Carmarthen system during the reign of James I, Gronwy Owen's verse, and the Gwyneddigion Society's annual Welsh poetry competition and its attempt 'to restore the system of the Carmarthen Eisteddfod'; 252-4, notes relating to an 'eisteddfod' held at Nant Gonwy, 1 Edward IV, incorporating 'englynion' attributed to Dafydd ap Edmund and Twm Tegid Brydydd 'o Langower ym Mhenllyn'; 259-66 + 274-82, an outline journal of a journey from South to North Wales and back, July-August 1800, the places mentioned on the northward journey including Cowbridge, Bridgend, Neath, Caeo, Dolau Cothi, Pumsaint, Clydogau Mountain, Llanfair Cludogeu, Llandewi Brevi, Tregaron, Pont Rhyd Fendigaid, Hafod, Pont ar fynach, Llanbadarn, Aberdyfi, Towyn, Dolgelleu, and Blaeneu (a visit to [Rhys Jones, antiquary and poet] and transcribing of manuscripts), and on the return journey Llanfachreth, Dolgelley (mention here of harpists and of the origin of the triple-stringed harp), Carneddi Hengwm, Tal y llynn, Abergyrnolwyn, Aberdyfi, Aberystwyth, Llanrhystid, Tal y sarn, New Inn, Abergwily, Caerm[arthe]n, Llangyndeyrn, Pont y Berem, Llan Nonn, Cydwely, Llanelly, Pont ar Ddulais, Swansea, Llangynwyd, and Bridgend; 262, a transcript of twelve lines of English verse entitled 'Loyalty by a Cobler'; 264, a transcript of an 'englyn' attributed to Huw Llwyd Cynfel; 270-73, a Welsh saints' calendar; 306, a plan of a 'Sheepfold at the foot of Cadair Idris, another in ruins on the same plan Cefn Merthyr, several more in Glamorgan'; (continued)

307, a transcript of the 'title-page' of Edward Jones: The Bardic Museum of Primitive British Literature . . .; 308-13, a series of eleven Welsh triads ('Llyma Drioedd y Beirdd') with an English translation thereof extracted from pp. 1-4 of the aforementioned Bardic Museum by Edward Jones; 316, a medicinal recipe for rheumatism in the head; 317, a 'Plan of a school house or accademy'; 323-38, extracts from Sharon Turner: History . . . of the Anglo-Saxons [vol. IV], relating to the language, literature, and music of the Anglo - Saxons; 339-43, notes on, and extracts from, [Walter] Scott's 'Lay of the Last Minstrel'; 359-62, extracts from a review of Edward Moor: The Hindu Pantheon which appeared in The Edinburgh Review, February 1811; 367-70, brief notes relating to the poetic dialect of the Welsh bards, the 'ancient [Welsh] Prose dialect', 'the modern [Welsh] literary Dialect', and 'The Venedotian Dialect' and its use in literature, and comments on the efforts of 'A Welsh (would-be literary) Society in London . . . to patronize the Welsh Language'; 373-80, notes relating to the introduction of Scaldic bardism into North Wales in the time of Gruffudd ap Cynan and the consequent disappearance of the old British bardism in that part of the country, the preservation of the old bardism in Glamorgan, and the invigorating effect of the 'Scaldic manner or system' on Welsh poetry and the Welsh language, general comments on the moral tone of Welsh literature, etc.; 381, three 'grammatical' triads; 382, a very brief list of Irish words in the Venedotian dialect; 383, an extract 'Ex Vol. 35 Plas Gwynn Mon' [i.e. Panton MS 35 now NLW MS 2003] relating to the 'dymchwelawl' poetic metre; 384, a note relating to an old manuscript volume containing Welsh miracle plays in the possession of 'Dr. Thomas yn Llwyn Iwrch' in the eighteenth century; 385-6, comments on the practice of calling 'the ancient British Religion Druidical'; 387-9, general observations on the development of the 'system of versification and of poetical criticism . . . of the Welsh Bards'; 390, a brief note on 'Bardism or Druidism'; 391-2, a list of fourteen chapter headings for a proposed 'History of the Bards' [? by Edward Williams], with a note at the beginning 'A Bad Plan' and at the end 'The above is only the first rude sketch of 1791 and here only retained as containing a few hints that may be useful' (in addition to material on British / Welsh bardism and druidism and Welsh music this work was to contain chapters on Irish and Highland bards, Scandinavian scalds, Provencal troubadours, and Saxon and English minstrels); 392-4, a list of thirty-six topics or subject or chapter headings being 'Another arrangement' [presumably for the proposed 'History of the Bards']; 395, a transcript of three 'englynion' attributed to Gutto'r Glyn, the third being attributed also to H[ywel] D[afydd] I[eua] n Rhys (an accompanying note mentions an 'eisteddfod' at Cardiff Castle); 396-7, a list of six 'Topics for the Bards Common Place book'; 398, a list of dates ? in connection with the holding of 'eisteddfodau' at Ystrad Ywain [co. Glamorgan]; 399-400, notes relating to the 'Polity or Discipline' of the druids and bards; 407, a list of fourteen 'names given by the ancient Bards to the Coronog faban' (part Welsh, part English, and derived from [Thomas] Pugh [: Brittish and Out-landish] Prophesies . . . [ London, 1658]); 408-18, notes relating largely to early British bardism and druidism with mention of [James] MacPherson and the Ossianic poems; 423-5, miscellaneous triads, etc.; 426 + 430-31, general reflections relating to etymology; 427-9, reflections on the use of conjecture in history particularly 'with respect to the peopling of Europe and America' if no historical records were available; 431-3, notes relating to the dissension between the bards of North Wales and those of Glamorgan consequent upon the 'succesful attempt of Daf[ydd] ab Edmund at the Caermarthen Congress [? 1451] to establish his own system [of versification]', the researches undertaken by the Glamorgan bards into 'Bardic history and science' and their discovery of 'the true principles of Poetry and versification', etc.; 435-7, notes containing general reflections on changes in the Welsh language and poetry from the late thirteenth century onwards; and 438, a list of six Welsh triads.

An extra-leaved copy of M. O. Jones, Bywgraffiaeth Cerddorion Cymreig (Cymdeithas yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, 1890), from the library of John Jones ('Myrddin Fardd'), with press cuttings of additional relevant material, e.g. 'Hen Gerddorion' by Ellis Williams ('Ylltyr Eryri'), Dolgellau, 'Telynau a Thelynorion Cymru Fu' by David Parry, Utica, 'Rhestr Eos Llechyd o "Lyfrau Cerddoriaeth gan Gymry"', 1884, 'Hen Gerddorion Tref Caernarfon', 1895, obituary notices of John Richards ('Isalaw'), 1901, 'William Williams, "Will Pen-y-morfa", Telynor' by Robert Griffith, Manchester, etc., and some annotations in the hand of Myrddin Fardd.

Autograph manuscript by Osian Ellis, harpist and composer, of 'Cantilena e Scherzo for String Quartet and Harp' by Gian Carlo Menotti, copied by him from the manuscript and with his detailed markings and corrections and annotations throughout, this being almost certainly the copy used by him in preparation of the first performance. Accomplished in black, blue and purple ink, and pencil. The Cantilena and Scherzo was first performed at Alice Tully Hall (New York, Lincoln Center) on March 15, 1977 by Osian Ellis, James Buswell (violin), Ani Kavafian (violin), Walter Trampler (viola) and Leslie Parnas (cello). The work has its roots in Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro and Debussy’s Danse sacrée et danse profane, but instead of separating the two movements, Menotti frames the Scherzo with the Cantilena’s lyrical material, creating a ternary structure. The very choice of the word ‘Cantilena’ betrays Menotti’s preoccupation with vocal writing, and the result is suitably song-like, full of melodic richness, sustained string writing, and a resonating harp part.

Letters, 1897-1902, sent to Ifor Owen Wynn Williams by Charles E. Morgan, The Rectory, Llandderfel, with an account, 1900, by the latter of the career of his mother, Mrs Pryse Morgan, Llandderfel (née Rosina Price, of Bailey Glas, Abergavenny) as a harpist.

Forty-five holograph and autograph letters, 1931-1938 and undated, addressed to A[rthur] Stanley Davies at Welshpool, at Llanidloes, and [in Nigeria]. The writers include Richard S. Biddle, Columbus, Ohio [U.S.A.], 1937 (2) (a genealogical query concerning the writer's ancestors who were from the parish of Carno, co. Montgomery), M. E. Bull, the Cathedral Library, Hereford, 1934 (books from Cwm [Jesuit 'college'] in Hereford Cathedral Library), Frank G[eorge] G[riffith] Carr, House of Lords Library, 1936 (a reply to a query by recipient concerning enclosure acts, noting four such acts relating to cos. Merioneth and Montgomery, 1761-1816, and giving an estimate of the cost of providing copies), [Messrs.] Churchill, Clapham, and Co., London, 1938 (?the binding of Collections . . . relating to Montgomeryshire), L. E. Dales, Plas Hafod, Llansantffraid, [co.] Mont[ gomery], [19]36 (the location of the 'Howells family Bible'), Ellis W[ illiam] Davies [Member of Parliament for South Caernarvonshire, 1906-1918, and for Denbigh, 1923-1929], Caernarvon, 1937 (?problems relating to publishing, mention of the Cymmrodorion, the National Eisteddfod Society, and the Gregynog Press), J. Breese Davies, Dinas Mawddwy, 1933 (the Talglannau palstaves [see John Ward: 'The Bronze Age in Montgomeryshire', Collections... relating to Montgomeryshire..., Vol. XLIII, pp. 110- 65]), [The Reverend] Lewis Davies (acting rector of Llandysilio), Llandysilio, Oswestry, 1937 (a promise to check the parish registers), Llywarch P[eredur] C[aenog] Dodd, the County School, Portmadoc, 1938 (back numbers of Min y Traeth [the school magazine]), T[homas] P[eter] Ellis [Dolgellau], [1935] (a reply to recipient's query concerning a [Catholic] priest named [Philip] Parry [referred to in Calendar of State Papers Domestic, July 1 to September 30, 1683, pp. 12-13]), [The Reverend] Llewelyn Grey, The Vicarage, Llandinam, [19]37 (a promise to examine the churchwardens' accounts for items of interest), W[illiam] A[rthur] Griffiths, Malta Dockyard [Malta], 1937 (the writer's transcripts of the earlier Guilsfield and first extant Llandrinio [parish] registers, suggestions that the Montgomeryshire marriage licences at St. Asaph and the Montgomeryshire Quarter Session Books should be indexed, queries re Window Tax lists), C. F. C. Hawkes (Honorary Secretary), Royal Archaeological Institute, St. James's [London], 1934 (an offer of twenty- four volumes of back numbers of the Archaeological Journal at special rates if the Powysland Museum were enrolled as a subscribing member of the Institute), Hillside Mining Company, London, 1938 (a refusal to grant permission to visit the gold mine at Bontddu [co. Merioneth]), James Hornell, St. Leonards on Sea, 1935-1937 (3) (the writer's researches in Wales and Ireland on coracles and curraghs, and papers read or published thereon, a request for information about canoe making in Nigeria [where recipient was at the time], other subjects of research), [The Reverend] Alfred Ivett, Aberhafesp Rectory, Newtown, 1937 (the bells of the parish church), J[ohn] Charles Jones, The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, London, 1936 (forwarding a parcel of books from a friend of the Powysland Museum), Katie Griffith Jones, Llansantffraid, [19]38 (acknowledging condolences, her husband's papers and Welsh books), [Robert William Jones] 'Erfyl Fychan', Llanerfyl, Welshpool, [19]36 (a reply to a query concerning harp makers and harpists mentioning Thomas Peters of Llangynog (fl. circa 1820), harp maker, Griffith James of Dolgelley (fl. circa 1820), harp maker, Ellis Roberts ('Eos Meirion'), harpist, a note by Carnhuanawc [Thomas Price] on 'Y Delyn Fach', the making of harps by Sackville Gwynne of Glanbran Park, near Llandovery, and their presentation to wandering harpists, the presentation of a harp to John Roberts ('Telynor Cymru') by Lady Llanover), T. Griffiths Jones, Llansantffraid, [co.] Mont[gomery], [19]36 (a [family] bible with entries re the Howell family), Nest Lloyd, Cynghordy, Llandovery, 1934 (3) (the writer's interest in objects, buildings, etc., with Stuart and Jacobite associations), J. B. Oldham, Shrewsbury, 1937 (forwarding four deeds relating to Montgomeryshire), Bryan H. St. J. O'Neil, H. M. Office of Works, Westminster, 1931-1938 (5) (replies to queries concerning a wig curler, clay pipes, and the handle of a jug or pitcher, local bridges, Newtown churchyard, the demolition of Wrexham old town hall), Maureen O'Reilly, University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge, 1934-1937 (3) (a proposed exchange of a stone axe found near Montford Bridge, Shropshire, for a Cambridgeshire stone axe, a cast of the former), N. Bennett Owen, Llanidloes, [19]37 (a photograph of John Roberts [? 'Telynor Cymru'] in the possession of Nicholas Bennett [of Glanyrafon, co. Montgomery, 1823-1899 ], ? Roberts's harp, the disposal of Bennett's library), Arthur Ll. Phillips, The Robert Owen Museum, Newtown, 1936 (newspaper cuttings exhibited in the museum), Ivor Powell, London, 1935 (2) (a query about the writer's grandmother), [Walter FitzUryan Rhys, 7th baron] Dynevor [London], 1934 (his inability to present to the Powysland Museum a copy of his book [Trees at Dynevor Castle. A summary list with notes, Carmarthen, 1934]), D. C. Roberts, Welshpool County School, [19]37 (the writer's interest in a survey of Oswestry, 1577-1602), Mary E. Savage, Penstrowed, Caersws, 1937 (acknowledging condolences), F. R. Thomas, Llanfair, Welshpool, undated ( the location of a notebook in which Samuel Roberts, clockmaker, of Pant Tanhouse [Llanfair Caereinion], made a list of the clocks he made [1755-1774 ]) (for a photostat copy of the notebook see NLW MS 4519A), and Ivor Thomas, Adelphi [London], 1937 (2) (enquiring whether the Abraham Howell papers in recipient's possession contained material relating to David Davies [of Llandinam], whose biography the writer was compiling [Top Sawyer. A Biography of David Davies of Llandinam, London, 1938]).

A volume of music for the harp, [c. 1764], including compositions by, and variations on the work of, Handel and John Parry Ddall of Rhiwabon. The manuscript is in two hands: possibly that of Robert Edwards, a pupil of John Parry (ff. 1-14, 24 verso-26, 36 verso-40), and possibly that of Thomas Roberts (ff. 14 verso-24, 26 verso-36, 40 verso-42a).

Papers of Robin Huw Bowen, 1989-1997, including press cuttings of reviews of his performances and publications, 1989-1997; papers relating to visits to America, Australia, Brittany and Thailand, 1995; and papers relating to the Sixth World Harp Congress, Seattle, USA, 1996. = Papurau Robin Huw Bowen, 1989-1997, yn cynnwys torion o'r wasg o adolygiadau o'i berfformiadau a'i gyhoeddiadau, 1989-1997; papurau yn ymwneud â'i ymweliadau â'r Amerig, Awstralia, Gwlad y Thai a Llydaw yn 1995; a phapurau'n gysylltiedig â Chweched Gyngres Telynau'r Byd yn Seattle, 1996.

Papurau'n ymwneud â llunio traethawd Erfyl Fychan 'The Wayside Entertainer in Wales in the Nineteenth Century' (Lerpwl, 1939), gan gynnwys 'Gwerslyfr y delyn Deir-res' gan Ellis Roberts ('Eos Meirion'), 1858.

Llyfr 'testimonials' John Roberts ('Telynor Cymru'), 1853-1887, a ddaeth i feddiant Erfyl Fychan drwy fab y telynor, Charles Roberts ('Crythor Hafren') yn 1932, yn mynegi gwerthfawrogiad ei gynulleidfa, gan gynnwys J. Ceiriog Hughes, 1868, ac adroddiadau o'r wasg am gyngherddau'r teulu. Ceir hefyd adysgrif llawn, [1931], a wnaeth Erfyl Fychan o'r gyfrol hon sy'n cynnwys gwerthfawrogiad o ddoniau cerddorol 'Telynor Cymru' ac aelodau o'i deulu gan noddwyr.