The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-09-24
THE WELSH AS MUSICIANS.
Editor of THE TRIBuNE:

Editor of The TRIBUNE:
Sir:-Permit me to occupy little oi
your valuable space to answer the state
ments OF MIR. George Carter, organist of
the Elm Park church of this city, which
appeared in an interview with him in last
Sundays Elmira Telegram. l wish to re-
fer directly to his statements concerning
Welsh vocalists as students and the want
of application on their part. am at q
loss to know OF Mr.. Carter's ability to
judge in this capacity. II he lacks SO much
in his knowledge of vocal music as his ac-
quaintances hold that he does in reading
pianoforte music, and his utter want Of
judgment in his organ playing, he il
surely incapable to form any Legitimate
conclusions. Will Mr.. Carter say that
Messrs. Ben Davies, Edward Lloyd, Wat.
Gym Mills, Daniel Price, James Savage,
David Hughes, Ffrangson Davies, Lucas
Williams, William Evans Sims Reeves
favorte pupil, Malgwyn Humphreys
Madames Maggie Davies, Lewella Davies,
Edith Wynn, and host OF other talented
Welsh ladies and gentlemen who have
taken nearly all the prizes for vocal schol
arship in the Royal Academy Of Music
and Royal College of Music during the
past fifteen years, that they lack in apply
ing themselves to their studiesi
Alberto Reudegger, professor of singing
at the Royal Academy Of Music. London,
has often said. "Give me the Welsh stu.
dents; you can have all other comers." As
to the excellence of Welsh choral singers,
it would be useless to give Mr.. Carter'f
unkind remarks any attention. 1t Is well
known that Welsh choralists have nc
equal the world over The veteran Car
Zerahn, the late DR.. Damrosh and DIR. A.
Q. Mackenzie have taken good care to
laud their excellence in this line Of work.
1t seems very rude and ignorant ON the
part Of Mr.. Carter to refer to DIR. JOSEPH
Parry as "some fellow like DR.. Parry
JONES'" etc The venerable gray haired
composer, VINO has blest the world with
volumes Of beautiful musical creations
should, think. be revered and honored,
und not slurred at in such q billingsgatC
order.
AS to the eisteddfod, might say that it
is an institution supported by the work.
ing people. They, like the Germans COM
pete for choral honors. The personel Of
these societies in the Lackawanna valley
are miners, with their sons and their
daughters. We cannot expect these mi
ners with horny hands to be very educated
and cultivated musicians. Bowever, an
inclined to think that Mr.. Carter, with
all his weakness of judgment, would re-
frain from meeting those choral societies
in contest. 1t occurs to me also that Mr.
Carter Is rather inconsistent in speaking
and pleading for n higher class Of music
Does he not remember Of the account
given Of the organist Of the Elm Parl
church in the London Musical Times
about year ago, playing such feather
weights as "The Sweet Bye ana Byep
Mr.. Carter has been harping on Mr.
Tallie Morgan for drilling light chorus
work. / can sympathize with MIR. Morgan
in his work, as he has to take into consid-
Grafton the masses and not the musicians
He has done grand work, and is still
working with zest before unknown to
Scranton, with singing classes and choral
societies.
Again, Mr.. Carter makes much ado and
bravado about his organ and pianofore
playing. Does he not remember Del
Puenti probing him in his ribs in the
recent Elm Park concert while playing the
accompaniment What did it mean? Mr.
Carter got himself ON the organ concert
pi ogramme of the State Music Teachers
Association held here lust December to
play Reinberger's Pastoral Sonata. Why
did he back out at the last minutes And
why has he not played 1t sinceP
Mr.. Carter, let me herald you this piece
Of information: Haydn Evans, a Scran
tonian and Welshman, is very desirou
to play against you for purse of any.
where from s. to $500. Will you take NJ
tue challenge? You have the finest organ
in Scranton, and it is no wonder that yot
are inspired to do something like the whis
per Of zephyr and the peals of thunde
in alternate seconds, while gazing at you
vain self in the organ mirror. We hav
yet to learn that George has done any
thing to raise the standard OF the art di
vine in Scranton. Let him 'dig, dig dig.
and fall through where he properly be-
longs. The world will no doubt get along
as before. Welsh musicians can take car
Of themselves. They have the temper
ment, the talent, emotion and poetica
feeling, together with ample application
and good judgment. thing our wouldb
critic is most sadly lacking
Yours for fair play,
T. j. DAVIES, Mus. Bac.