Welsh firsts

It was good to see Grace Williams getting longoverdue recognition in your ‘Background to’ box next to her recent CD release (Reviews, February). However, for sure she was not the first Welsh composer to write a symphony. In my and my colleagues’ research for Sioned Williams’s Meridian recording of the harp music of John Thomas (1826-1913), harpist to Queen Victoria, we came across the assertion that he was the first Welsh composer to write a symphony. But quite possibly even this was incorrect. I would welcome information from your readers as to an even earlier work.

Kim Sargeant, via email