Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold.

Born in Merthyr Tydfil Wales he is best known as the composer of Myfanwy and Aberystwyth (a hymn tune) used in Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika the National anthem of South Africa. He returned to Great Britain and studied music in London under William Sterndale Bennett and at the University of Cambridge. In 1876 he joined the masonic lodge at Aberystwyth and became their organist.

When in 1865 he was admitted to the Gorsedd at the National Eisteddfod of Wales he took the bardic name "Pencerdd America". He returned to Great Britain and studied music in London under William Sterndale Bennett and at the University of Cambridge. The London Welsh Chorale and The British Sinfonietta gave the work its world premiere performance (it never went further than a notebook during Parry's lifetime) under Harry at St Giles Cripplegate Barbican London on 14 July 2012.