New-York tribune., 1873-07-29
MUSIC IN GREAT BRITAIN.

CESS or WALES
| IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSBI
LONDON, July 15.-sIost Americans who
know anything about the Crystal Palace know that It's
directors have made great efforts in various ways Tor
the development OF musical Last year they orga
nzed National Music Meeting with competitions and
pr1zss In large numbers and the Of the expert
ment so great to lead to the repetition OF it this
year. with success more brilliant The ceremony
has Just closed. and with somo remarkable results
One Of the excitements OF last year was the
appearance OF Welsh choir the singing OF
which was 80 extraordinarily good that the great
Challenge Prize of ZOO awarded to it, although no
rival choir appeared and contest took place. The
celebrity they thus gained coupled with the amount of
the prize, was supposed 70 be great enough to insure
spirited this year. England abounls In musical
organizations aud the choral associations Of Manchester
Birmingham. Leeds, and other large towns have ma
tOnal reputation not 70 speak OF London. But the
only body which appeared against the Welshmen was
the Tonic Sofia Association one OF the best known III
England The struggle has just been concluded by the
signal triumph OF the South Wales choir over their En-
glish opponents.
Both chors had to sing j. g. Bac's motet, II wreste
and pay;" the final chorus "allolujLh Lh from Beethoy-
ems Mount OF Olives; Sec what love-" from Mendels-
sohn's st. PAUL. and "Come with torches brightly flash
ing," from the Wlpurgls Night by the same author.
The judges were Sir j. Benedict Sir j. Goss and hir
Barnby whose names are presume, almost as well
known in America In England. The scene of the COM
petition is admirably suited for choral effects, and
the larger the number the better adapted the Crystal
Palace for their display In numbers tue
Welsh had advantage mastering 500 strong to the 300
Of the Tonic soLFas Perhaps they had slight adyan-
tage also in the national enthusiasm both Of the singers
and of the audience for 1t ia estimated that at least half
Of the 70 OO who hear the contest were Welsh
In the patriotic interest they take in event Of this KIND
they beat the English hollow and strong is the sympa
tec feeug In such between the contestants ana
the audience that the latter may very likely have con-
tributed o. their counrymens victory. BE that as IT
may, the victory was OF the most decisive hnd-so
decisive that one competent critic describes the whole
affair as becoming Welsh festival, while tGe Welsh
themselves have already christeucd 1t the Crystal
Palace Estedfodd. The same critic writing to Inc
London Times, says OF the singing:
The fire aud sustained energy with which the welsh
ch0rsiers, under the vigorous guidance OF Caradoc,
their chief the women dispensing win the prlnttl
music) sang Come with Torches. from Mendci ssouhS
"WalDurgs Night" astonishing That IN TINS am
cult piece their nt0natOn should he here ana there az
fauit inevitable; but their attack" was as sure
as the stroke frOm manner dehYered ny wen
skilled hand, aud their precision was never once az
fault This chorus On which, by the way tne orchestra
took parD being peTslstently encored' the tanliir
March OF the Men Of Harlech" Cuug in the Welsh
lansuageuuaccompdue.) was substituted III tts place;
and here nO5 only were the freshness ana puugent
quality OF the voices shown of TO eminent advantage.
Jut tuo ntonation was quite as unlmpcdcha0ie as tAo
precision already referred 10.
There other competitions during the meeting in
clndng four for solo yocalsts for solo trunpets,
three for brass bands and bands Of all instruments to-
gcther with choral contess smaller scale than that
In which the welsh carried Of the ag But the strength
or at least comparative strengthen English musical
training is supposed TO De much in choir singing that
by far the greatest public interest directed to this
particular prize. The very amount OF IL made II
Important Aud since its award, the glory OF win
ming il has been almost ecbpsed by the glory
OF an invitation to the to sing Mt
Marlborough House. the town residence Of the Prince
OF Wales The loyalty OF the Welsh to the Prince who
takes his title the principally they proud or
u of the soundest KIND They call him our Prince"
albeit they see but little Of him. Nor the Prince slow
to seize a good chance of doing popular thing, and
when be understood the circumstances he issued grd-
clous command that the whole choir Of 800
should sing before himself and the Prn-
cess. As no private house Is big enough for a
concert OF that kind. IL bad to be held on the
lawn. There the Weshmen gathered yesterday after
noon while 'front.' OF them sat the royal party
posing the Prince OF Wales, the Princess and their
Children the CzuTeyna, the Grand Duchess Of Meckeu-
burgstreltz, the Prime Minister'S sou, Mr.. W. II. Glad
stone NJ T.. aud number OF other distinguished per
sons Most OF the Welsh members of Parliament were
present with their country men. having magshaed them
over from Wiss rooms, the Marquis OF Butte leading,
Mr. FOtnern, Mr. Richards, Mr.. Holland, Sir l.
Lloyd. Mr. Davies aud others accompanying him. For
the moment distinction of rank was forgotten.
Toe members Of the Welsh choir mostly, wholly,
members OF what called the lower casscs-Dners,
irol-workers, tradesmcn small scale, aud the Ike,
with their wives, and daughters Their cOnduc tor
"Caradog" or "Caradoc," IS an mkecper named Griffith
Jones formerly a blacksmith IN the employ Of Messrs.
Fohcrgii OF the great iron firms OF south Wales.
He described the best violin player IN Wales, and
an accomplished musician generally. That he is an
admirable conductor We need 10 further proof.
Forming in semi-crcle the choir sang the national
anthem; then the Welsh melody OF "Llwyn OWN" or
the Ash Grove "the conductor" Gays another critic,
" welding his baton Of gold and ebony, which has been
sent him from the welsh settlers in Australia, and with
it guiding ms huge choir without any music, with pre-
cison that Costa might have enyed." Then came the
chorus Of Let the hills Tcsound by Brinley Richards,
which given with such precision aud effect that the
Prince and Princess, good musicians both, asked-or
suppose l should say commanded-th that 1t should
be repeated. Tie Princess afterward caused the
composer be notified that she would accept dedlca
ton OF it to herself II followed by "Rhyfelgyrch
gwyr Harech" Il answerable for the Welsh, but
hope It is all right, or the March Of the Men Of
Harech," and the whole wound up with 90 God Bless
the Prince OF Wales" At the close the conductor
presented 10 the Prince, who shook hands with him aud
that mark Of royal condescenslOn profoundly ap
preciaed. The choir would have liked to cheer. had IL
not been whispered TO them that demonstrations
of that kind not expected. How the
enthusiasm kept in cannot say; but II must have
been struggle for the outspoken Cambrians. But
cheer they did at last, response 10 few words from
the Prince, expressing his thanks for their coming, and
his hope their visit agreeable 10 them
as their singing had been excellent, with wish for
their safe journey home. Possibly American
Welshmen have not all grown too democratic TO be
gratled by this gracious speech At any rate. the
stamp OF royal approval still goes great in this
country ana the reception at Marlborough House will
be reckoned in Wales scarcely less honor for the choir
than the great Challenge Prize itself. C. W.
NATIONAL CONVENTION OF GERMAN TEACHERS
ST. LOUIS, July 2S.-The annual Convention