J. R. Thomas

John Rogers Thomas (26 March 1829/30–5 April 1896) was an American composer, pianist, and singer of Welsh descent.

Thomas was born in Newport, South Wales. A baritone and composer, he first came to America with the Sequin English Opera Company and became interested in the music of America that was developing. He sang and toured with Bryant's Minstrels and settled in New York City.

He wrote more than one hundred popular American songs during the nineteenth century of which his most popular were The Cottage by the Sea (1856), Old Friends and Old Times (1856), Bonny Eloise—The Belle of Mohawk Vale (1858), 'Tis But a Little Faded Flower (1860), When the War Is Over, Mary (1864), Beautiful Isle of the Sea (1865), Croquet (1867), Eilleen Allanna (1873), and Rose of Killarney (1876). Thomas occasionally published material under the pseudonyms Charles Osborne, Arthur Percy and Harry Diamond. In addition to song writing, Thomas composed three larger works; The Picnic (1869), a children's operetta with a libretto by George Cooper; The Lady in the Mask (1870), an operetta with a libretto by George Cooper; and Diamond Cut Diamond (1876), a parlor opera in one act.

In addition to his popular songs, Thomas also composed sacred music, and was also known as a teacher in Brooklyn and in New York City, where he died.

Correction on Thomas' birth date and place; born 1829 in Newport, "South Wales" not Rhode Island as originally stated above.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 26th, 1830 (Newport), Died April 5th, 1896 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1898 - 1930

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 42 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Berliner 348 7-in. 10/4/1898 Bonnie Eloise fantasie August P. Stengler Clarinet solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1060 10-in. 10/25/1901 Must we then meet as strangers? Jules Levy Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1060 7-in. 10/25/1901 Must we then meet as strangers? Jules Levy Cornet solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-2025 10-in. 12/8/1904 Bonnie Eloïse Richard Jose Counter-tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-9651 10-in. 11/15/1910 Eileen Allanna Will Oakland Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BB-10206 10-in. 5/3/1911 Beautiful isle of the sea Frank Coombs Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-10206 12-in. 4/19/1911 Beautiful isle of the sea Frank Coombs Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-10855 10-in. 8/3/1911 The cottage by the sea John H. Bieling ; Walter Van Brunt Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-11258 10-in. 11/21/1911 'Tis but a little faded flower Harry Anthony ; James F. Harrison Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-13231 10-in. 5/2/1913 Eilleen Allanna John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-17186 12-in. 2/17/1916 The mother's prayer Alma Gluck Soprano vocal solo, with cello and and orchestra composer  
Victor B-20341 10-in. 7/16/1917 'Tis but a little faded flower Clarence Whitehill Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-20341 10-in. 3/25/1925 'Tis but a little faded flower Clarence Whitehill Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-30562 10-in. 8/11/1924 Bonny Eloise (The belle of the Mohawk vale) Shannon Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-34560 10-in. 6/16/1925 Eilleen Allanna Elizabeth M. O'Connell Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 3402 10-in. ca. Jan.-May 1906 'Tis but a little faded flower Mrs. A. Stewart Holt Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia 19145 10-in. 12/2/1910 Eileen Alannah Philip Storm Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 19232 10-in. 2/9/1911 The cottage by the sea Frank Coombs Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer, lyricist  
Columbia 19361 10-in. 5/11/1911 'Tis but a little faded flower Mrs. A. Stewart Holt Female vocal solo, with violin and piano composer  
Columbia 38104 10-in. 7/1/1912 Down by the riverside I stray Frank Coombs Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 38728 10-in. 3/25/1913 Eilleen Allanna Anthony Meurig Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Columbia 46710 10-in. 4/14/1916 Eileen Allanna Columbia Stellar Quartette Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied composer  
Columbia 77892 10-in. 6/17/1918 'Tis but a little faded flower Norman Arnold Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 79074 10-in. 3/25/1920 'Tis but a little faded flower George Meader Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 79500 10-in. 11/4/1920 Eileen Allanna Henry Burr ; Albert Campbell Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
(Results 1-25 of 42 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Thomas, J. R.," accessed April 16, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116655.

Thomas, J. R.. (2021). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 16, 2021, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116655.

"Thomas, J. R.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2021. Web. 16 April 2021.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116655

External Sources

Wikipedia: John Rogers Thomas

Discogs: Thomas, J. R.

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Thomas, J. R. (John Rogers), 1830-1896 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nr95045646

Wikidata: John Rogers Thomas - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1701605

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/51584834/

MusicBrainz: Thomas, J. R. (John Rogers), 1830-1896 - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/007af37d-4133-4d36-b8dd-878c94750fc8

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