F. Wynne Jones F. Wynne Jones i(A96523 works by) (a.k.a. Frederick Wynne-Jones; F. Wynn Jones)
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

New Zealand-born music director, composer, publishing representative, businessman

The nephew of New Zealand newspaper publisher and politician George Jones, Frederick Wynne Jones moved to Australia in the late 1890s, becoming a representative of publisher William Brooks and Co. It was with that company that he likely became acquainted with D. H. Souter, who was manager of the firm's art department during the the 1890s. The pair later collaborated on several operas. Wynne Jones's original compositions had also begun to attract the attention of Australasian music publishers, which led to him pursuing a career in music and theatre. As one of the region's most versatile and accomplished music directors and composers, Wynne Jones' worked in pantomime, musical comedy, opera, drama and film.

Wynne Jones's theatre career saw him associated with Clarke, Meynell and Gunn, George Willoughby, Oscar Asche and J. C. Williamson's Ltd. His production credits include such productions as A Miner's Trust (1909), Count Hannibal (1910), Kismet (1912), Aladdin (1913) and Babes in the Wood (1914).

Among Wynne Jone's original works are the operas: The Grey Kimona (1902) and Australia First (1914). Another opera, reportedly completed in 1904 but possibly never produced was The Cardinal (about Cardinal Richelieu). His published songs include: 'Lul-Lullaby' (1898), 'Barn Dance' (ca. 1898), 'Ma Honet Sweetheart' (1899), 'Mammy's Lil' Coon' (n. yr.) 'Queen of Sheba' (1902, oriental intermezzo), 'The Lily Brayton Valse' (1909), 'Me and Me Little Boomerang' (1909), 'Pete Waltz' (1910) and 'The Song of Songs' (1918).

In 1917 and 1918 Wynne Jones was largely connected with film exhibitions, touring as music director for several prominent American films, including D. W. Griffith's Birth of a Nation (1917, with a 20 piece orchestra). The following year he and an orchestra performed William Furst's synchronised operatic score to the film Joan the Woman.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • NB: Wynne Jones reportedly spent time in the USA ca. (1904-05).

  • No trace of Wynne Jones's career has been located after 1918. It is yet to be ascertained whether he and Frederick Wynne Jones, the American-based manager for German film production company Universum Film Aktiengesellschaft (UFA) during the late 1920s and early 1930s, are one and the same person.

  • Interestingly, Wynne Jones, former Bulletin editor J. F. Archibald and Union Theatres' general manager W. Barrington Miller were among the co-founders/directors of the Teheroa Packing Company (1916-), a firm with business interests in fish, sausage and soup manufacturing (sighted Sunday Times 11 June 1916, 7).

  • Published Songs (instrumental) includes:

    • 'Hommage a Beauchamp' Valse (1899) Sydney: Bicholson and Co.
    • 'The Queen of Sheba' Oriental intermezzo (ca. 1902) New York: Jos. W. Sterne and Co.
    • 'The Candy' Scottische (1906) Sydney: W. H. Paling and Co
    • 'Zona' (1906) W. H. Glen and Co. Written especially for Meynell and Gunn's production of The Fatal Wedding.
    • 'Myrtle' (1906) W. H. Glen and Co. Written especially for Meynell and Gunn's production of The Fatal Wedding.
    • 'The Lily Brayton Valse (1909) Sydney: J. Albert and Sons.
    • 'Pete Waltz' (1910) Melbourne: Stanley Mullen. Written especially for Meynell and Gunn's production of Pete.
Last amended 14 Oct 2014 07:12:04
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