The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-05-27
THE AWARDS.
An Open Confession Regarding
the Committees Action.

taken from the HERALD OF the 2OtI
inst:
The next rearet is that 10 their snxiet,
20 have the pieces useful to-day, sucl
cIssses az were 10 be for choir use wer
brought down to the level Of the ordinary
choir of to-dsy--(it was the eye to Dusl
ness that did this)-the artistic merit o
the pieces in several instances sutf9Te
thereby. Ii fact, 1 believe the judge
would bear me out in this assertion tina
manv pieces were considered too intricEt
for our present use, hence not awarded
the prizs; while 10 an artistic sense alOn'
they were far in advance OF those taxing
such prizes.
Now this confession is rather
more than the competitors expected
Nevertheless, it is true. The prizes
were not given as promised. YOuI
own words confirm this: "Whilt
| in an artistic sense alone they
were far in advarce OF those
taking such prizes " and in another
place "Hhe arts ic merit of tbs
prices suffering thereby" Again,
you say in commenting upon the
awards, "even to the breaking OF
their own rules" And now, in
stead of putting me ''doWn as a
grumbler, without cause, you have
taken great pains to demonstrate
that [ have good cause to be a
grumbler. Instead of proving each
fault to be imaginary, you have
confirmed it to be real; and if you
shave heard none of the wronged
or interested parties complain" you
here admit that some competitors
were wronged) that does not prove
that wrong did not exist. You
yourself make the positive assertion
that the prizes were mot given as
offered"
Is the-e.no wrong in such course
as this2 Do you stand in defense of
stainless character, when you assert
that the S. s. Union did purposely
break their own rules and that at a
time when all the music was sent
in, thus virtually taking un-
due advantage Of the COM
petitors. D, We musicians and
p6ets, listen to the logic
of the self-styled defender of stain
less art, after acknowledging that
there were pieces of artistic merit,
he cody informs us that they had
to suffer, because forsooth
they were artistically neirtorieus.
Do you stand in defence of stainless
art when you say that this artistic
music, had to be drought down 10
the level of the ordinary choir of
to-day? ?" Is this the way to en-
courage art? Was it in this man
ner that all the great men of the
past and present, have risen to the
pinnacle of fame, in their respective
vOcations? namely, bringing their
works down to the ordinary level
md keeping them there? You
tri d to ridicule me because l said
d judge should furnish WI iten
analysis to the unsuccessful cOmpe-
titors. Why did you do this, know
ing that you are living witness to
the truth of statementsr
| will here repeat my former
statement, "those that got prizes
need not take any credit to
themselves for ability, for Mir. E. S.
openly confesses, that the artistic
merit of the pieces suffered thereby.
In other words the chief fault of
these pieces not taking prizes, was
simply because they were ar
tistic. consequently the unsuccess-
full competitors should feel very
much hattered and encouraged, as
they evidently are the authors of
the meritorious. competitions.
l will here say that [ made my
suggestions, in writing to the of
icials of the S. S Union at least two
months before the prizes were
awarded, and l was informed, that
they would have been adopted, and
the entire programme changed in
accordance thereto, had there mott
been circular just printed in rela-
ton to the competition. Hence my
su gestiUns were not the result Of
dissatisfaction on my part.
l will now divert and dwell
briefly upon a few points of your
sophistry. You say now the light
has come, you are still in the dark.
The man who cannot see when the
light has come, must be blind in
deed. Neither Wagner, nor thei
writer's to the Juvenile are known
TO the - world as poets
and musicians; but as great mu-
sicians, only. You drew The COM
parison YOU self. There are nine
sister arts, and not three as my
friend has stated. Ii Milton and
Shakespeare, engaged In a COMPETE
ton, they would have TO conform to i
the rules. HandePs greatest work,
the Messiah" in his own day, as
well as at the present time, was and
is given with another composers
accompaniment.
The mission of the eistoddfod is
to develop talent, by holding out
inducements for excellence and su-
periority. not inferiorlty. 1t has in
view the education of amateurs of
all classes and gives an equal show
to ell competitors, The perversioni
of this beneficent Institution, as ial
this case, should be frowned down
by every lover of justice.
A Judge should always give q
reason for his decision. Prizes are
not conferred On extensive writers,
but on those who say the most with
the fewest possible words. The
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