The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-08-29
WALES. MUSICAL rRIuMpH.

Solva Association, which consisted
of 400 accomplished musicians and
singers, astounded the 10000 spec
tators and all London besides. The
Welsh choir, with the exception of
ten persons, consisted of laboring
men and women from South Wales,
who earn their daily bread by work
ing in the mines. IL is interesting,
10 look back little into
the agencies by which this musical
culture was brought about. For
the last quarter of century or
more, great efforts have been made
in Wales 10 cultivate congregational
singing, and with signal success.
The Eisteddvodau also held through
out Wales have given liberal prizes
for competitive choral singing. By
these agencies the Welsh people
haye made great progress of late in
musical culture, which was demon
strated in their great triumph in
London, at the Musical Eisteddvod
in the Crystal palace. 1t will be
remembered that last year the first
competition was announced for the
grand prize OF \ silver cup elabo-
rately designed, value one thousand
pounds sterling. The competition
was open to all the world. After
the various rehearsals last year, no
choir ventured TO come forward to
compete with the South Wales
choir, but the judges unanimously
decided their singing was such as
to deserve the grand prize, and SO
awarded it to them. According to
the rules of the society, however, it
was necessary for the same choir to
be successful two consecutive times
be ore the prize were actually won.
At the second annual Musical Els
teddvod the Welsh choir again tri-
umphed as above stated.
The London Daily News thus
speaks:
"The quality OF tone was rich
and grand, powerful without the
slightest approach to coarseness ;
and Notwithstanding the large num-
Der of choristers, readily graduated
and subdued III force. The vigor
and precision of attack in each di-
vision; the truthfulness of intona-
ton; the special brightness of the
soprano voices, and their unfalter-
ing command of the higher range OF
compass (admirably eXemplified in
the difficult seculBr chorus of Men
delssohn) were qualities which won
enthusiastic applause, not only from
many natives of the Principally.
who were among the large audience,
but from all others who were capa-
bic or judgment on the subject. II
was manifest that to surpass such
fine chorus singing was scarcely
possible, and accordingly the per.
formances of the same pieces by
the rival choir, excellent as they
were in many respects, were uni.
versally felt to fall short of the pre-
vious displays"
The committee of the LondoI
Musical Eistcddyod consists of up
wards of sixty members, many O.
them eminent in the musical pro
fession. Amongst them are Sill
Frederick Ouseley, Doctor of Mu
sic, Oxford University; DR.. Wylse
Dan Godfrey, probably the frs
band lea der in the world; Sir w
Sterndale Bennett, principal Maste
of Music in the Royal Academy o
Music; John Hullah, Kings college
London; Sir Julius Benedict; 81
John Goss Brinly Richards, &C., &c
The pieces sung were the follow
ing: "The Many Rend the Skies,
(HandeD; "I Wrestle and Pray,
(Baeh); "Dies Ire," (CherubinD ;
Hallelujah," (Bethoven); "Se
What Love-" (Mendelssohn); aDi
"Come With Torches" CDitto).'
The judges were Sir j. Goss, ST
Julius Benedict, and Mr.. ]. Barnaby
The press saws that the effects o
the singing by the Welsh choir Oh
the audience was electrical and I'm
discribable. Prof, Proudman'
choir followed, singing the sam
pieces admirably and almost wit
critical perfection. But it was evi
dent to all they had failed to exec
their competitors, and when MI
William Reale rose and announces
that "the judges had awarded tn
first prize to the South Wales Choir,
the applause was deafening. Whel
quietness was restored, Mr.. Deal
said that Pro-. Proudman's Glass
ical Choir also deserved honor
The Prince and Princess of VALE
invited the Welsh choir to Walbor
ougfP House, where they sang sew
eral Welsh pieces before distin
guished company of invited guests
The leader of the Welsh Choir, him
self working miner, is to be hon
ored with a substantial testimonial
Mr.. Brinley Richards said at the re
ception given to the choir by thei
Welsh friends in London, that thes
musical meetings had done more t
remove the unfounded prejudice
of England against Wales, than any
thing that had been done before.
1t must be remembered that thes
prejudices have their origin froI
the times of Edward the First anG
Henry the Fourth, of England, til
first of whom failed to subdue tn
| Welsh, and the secpnd experience,
so much humiliation from that re
!, nowned Welsh warrior and uncom
prising patriot, Qwain Glyndwr
The Queen Of England has no NOR
loyal subjects than the Welsh, an,
am glad to find that the Wells
press is stirring up the Welsh PEG
pie to sense of their rights, ana
that the liberal Welsh members. II
the House of Commons aIe forcin.
the adm.nistrqtIqn TO reform abuses
that have too long prevailed.
Wm. B. JONES, ZAP. p. 4. NOM
sr----z-
The 100000 TREASURY DEFIo
1T LIE.--The Secretary of the I reas
pry has declared the story, tina
there is . deficit Of $40, 900 in tn
cash of the United States Treasury
to be utterly untrue. The canari
originated partly in malicious OPP
position to the administration, anG