The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-04

1t was a rare sight to the eyes Of
anyone who happened to turn and
cast a glance over the vast assemblage
that congregated in the tabernacle yes
terday afternoon and evening. Look
in whichever direction one felt minded
to do, nothing but a perfect sea of
human faces met the view. 1t is doubt
full if any other attraction ever drew
an audience of as great magnitude to
this historic building as did the two
first sessions of the celebrated Edstedd-
fod held yesterday afternoon and even
ing.
The Eisteddfod is of purely Welsh
origin and also very ancient. 1t was
originally cultivated in Wales as
means of encouraging music and 1tera-
ture amongst her people in conjunction
with a patriotic spirit. The first
Eisteddfod that was ever held,
authentic accounts of, was on
the banks of the Conway and as
distant in period as the sixth century.
In the reign of Edward L the annexa-
ton of Wales to England took place,
and about this time the king deemed IL
polite to sanction the Eisteddfod by
his statute of Rhuddlan. The last
great gathering together of all the
bards is said to have taken place
about the year 1851, and our
ing the succeeding one hundred
and thirty years Welsh qatlon ma my
was at it's lowest ebb, which suffered
no revival till after the Napoleonlc
wars. In the year 1919 the Eisteddtod
became general again, and from that
time TO the present they have been
held in Wales without inte1Tnisslon- "A
provincial Eisteddfod usually lasts
three or four days, and a master or
ceremonies and a president are ap-
pointed for each day.
The Hon. Arthur l.. Thomas, as
president of the Elsteddfod, occupied
a central position upon the tabernacle
rostrum during the sessions of yester-
dav. He was flanked ON either side by
John J. Davies Qeuen Ddu), vice-pres-
ident, of Provo, Utah; David john
member of uhe executive committee,
Salt Lake city, Utah; George 6. BY
Wajter, member of the executive com
mittee. Elias Morris, treasurer, salt
Lake city Utah; William NJ. Williams,
member of the executive committee,
Salt Lake city; H. F. Evans, chairman
committee on arrangements, SAT- Lake
city, and Walter j. Lewis MEMBER OF
executive committee, Prof. Wll1am
Annadoc had been originally selected
1o hold the position of master OF cere-
monies, but as he proved delinquent.
Prof. Evan Stephens, by unanimous
and enthusiastic consent, was given
the little. and proved in truth perIeoI
master of ceremonies
After a brief but felicitous address
by the honorable president, the atter-
Moons entertainment was opened by
a. spirited and resounding rendltlon OF
"America" by the huge audience Wnlch
succeeding in arousing hne palrloCl NC
feelings whilst setting the pall 10 GUNS ~.
in great shape. This was followed py
A. grand military band contest, the Tor
innate winner to become possessor OF
5000. with a gold medal to the conduc-
tor valued at $500. Second prize slVO'
with silver medal to conductor. me
contestants were the Denhalter band
and Anton Peterson conductor, WITH
the First Regiment band, of Montana
conducted by Samuel Fl. Treleor.
When the three wise men sitting IN JUS
tice at the east end of the gallery pro-
claimed that our own Denhalter band
was the victor in the contest, great was
the clapping of hands and stamping OF
feet. Mr.. Haydn Evans, T. j. Davies,
]. T. Watkins were the adjudicatorS OF
the musical programme.
The Hon. George Q. Cannon then
rose upon the rostrum and, in a few
happily chosen words, expressed his
great delight to see so beautiful cause
so heartily responded to, etc, etc
The awarding of a prize for the best
poem on 1.-THE Mayflower and Landing
of the Pilgrim Fathers" came next
on the programme. The adjudicator in
this contest was G. w. Penrose. who,
out of ten contestants, deemed only
two worthy of consideration. He
passed judgment on these two poems in
words that displayed a fine critical
faculty as we'll as an abiding sense of
justice. Mr.. Albert Sherman, of this
city, was the successful candidate. His
poem will be printed fully in Sunday
paper.
Next on the programme came the
ladies' quartette in a beautiful selec-
ton of Benders entitled RESPONSE
There We're eight contestants in all
but j. T. Watkins, adjudicator of music
from Scranton, Pa, considered the rem
dition wanting in both pathos and
power, so withheld the prize
Adjudication of a musical compost
ton was then held. Twelve entries fol
| this were made, the prize being S25
This was won by a gentleman residing
u Wv AO+h, NiIO olSIlCQ d IlOII Ut
plume
A tenor solo contest was to hav,
been he'd. but was postponed, oYinf
| to the rapid wearing away of the after
noon, and the recitation contest wa.
inserted instead. This was entered b,
five young ladies, who showed really
remarkable evolutionary abilities, anc
one gentleman. Glen Miller was ad
| Indicator in this case and ordained tina
the prize should be divided between
two of the contestants, they being oil
an equal These young ladies' were re
spectively Annie E. Spencer of Draper
and Pearl Evans, of Salt Lake.
Next came a very beautiful con
tralto solo by five contestants, callet
storm and Sunshine" Miss Made
Cooper was the fortunate recipien
of the S10-prize for this solo. Mis-
Cooper is a. Salt Lake young lady.
| A miscellaneous chorus, church O
ward choir with three contestants
came next, the Willard choir in con
test with the Twenth-fourth war,
! choir and Salt Lake choir, the forrne
being proven superior in all.
This closed the first session of on
of the most interesting events Sal
Lake has even known.
Evening Concert.
The evening session of the Eistedd