AN EVENT to celebrate the life of a 19th century composer has been hailed as a "great success".

The music of Joseph Parry resonated around St Augustine’s Church in Penarth on Sunday, April 23 at the Parry in Penarth day.

The event which had been organised by the Friends of St Augustine’s and supported by TyCerdd (Music Wales) saw a wide variety of Parry’s songs and piano pieces performed by pianist, Brian Ellsbury and mezzo-soprano, Sioned Terry. The Cardiff Ardwyn Singers performed a range of Welsh songs and an arrangement by Jeffrey Howard of Parry’s Aberystwyth.

Joseph Parry lived in Penarth for 15 years and is buried in St Augustine’s churchyard.

His grave is now in need of repair and the joint purpose of the Parry event was to raise money and to revive interest in Joseph Parry as an eminent Welsh composer.

Organisers are hopeful that they have made a good start on raising the £5,000 needed for the repairs.

The day included a talk on Parry by his biographer Frank Bott and it ended with a Cymanfa Ganu, conducted by Alun Guy with David Geoffrey Thomas on the organ.

This festival of hymns attracted singers from across south Wales and included a wide range of Parry’s hymns.

The whole occasion was compered by Dr Neville Evans.

Some stayed for the whole event, enjoying refreshments at various points and meeting up with old friends.

One member of the audience said: "It was such a great occasion that we shall remember it far into the distant future."

A spokeswoman for the Friends of St Augustine's said it was a "great success."