Eleazar Roberts

Eleazar Roberts (15 January 1825 – 6 April 1912), sometimes also spelt Eleazer, was a Welsh musician, translator, writer and amateur astronomer. Roberts's family moved to Liverpool in England while he was an infant, but despite this he retained a strong link to his country of birth and was a fluent Welsh speaker. He wrote for several Welsh journals and travelled Wales, setting up music classes. He is most notable for pioneering the tonic sol-fa method of sight-singing in Wales, which in turn led to the strengthening of the practice of congregational singing.

Life history Roberts was born in Pwllheli, Caernarfonshire in 1825 to John and Margaret Roberts, but only two months after his birth, the family moved to Liverpool. having adapted and translated into Welsh, the works of John Curwen. His most important publication on the topic was Llawlyfr y Tonic Solffa, a handbook which was designed to help in the teaching of the tonic sol-fa method. Other musical works in Welsh from Roberts include Llawlyfr Caniadaeth, Llawlyfr i ddarllen yr Hen Nodiant and Hymnau a Thonau.

He was also precentor at Netherfield Road Calvinist Methodist chapel in Liverpool, and along with John Edwards he conducted the first Welsh singing festival held in Liverpool, in 1880. He had an observatory in Hoylake and was friends with prominent astronomer Dr Isaac Roberts, who like Roberts was born in Wales, but grew up in Liverpool.