The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04
LOndOn'S GRAND
ARMY of Singers.
The Hope of 1t Lies, i'm Miss Kaiser's
Opinion, i'm the Music Halls.
the human figure, and shall not need to

the human figure, and shah not need to
blush.
An Cp-tODate Variety Thcatcr./
am not such a great authority on tne
music han, never having been to any
but the Palace, which is the most COM
me IL faut IN London. But the Palace
theater certainly is very fine and what
one hears and sees there is, too, the
very best that there is today on the
variety stage. It was all very magnifi-
cent except, alas! the solo and ballad
singing, which certainly did leave much
to be desired. This does not apply to
the concerted singing. however. for,
even among so much that was brilliant,
how noble the singing of the Rhondda
colliers, men who spend their days In
the mine bent in painful attitude in
their stalls. and picks and hacks at the
hard mineral hour after hour, until
enough be got for the days living. At
evening, when they reach the world
again, there is only one thought-slng-
ing. AT the local Ebenezer or Mount
Zion you viii find some self-taught
trainer teaching his choir those won
derful part songs, and making of them
the first glee singers in the world!
For song is the blood of the Ceit: he
breathes il from the cradle to the grave,
and Welshman who is not also tenor
Is unthinkable. i have heard a casual
crowd of miners. with their wives and
sweethearts, delayed somewhere on u
holiday, break out into G chorus from
an oratorio, and not part be missing:
time, tune and harmony perfect! When
the great saturnalia arrives the week
of national holiday. what is the recrea-
tion sought? No sight in the world Il
more wonderful than the large pavil-
ion of the Eisteddfod, with its countless
multitudes--a whole nation-3spending
hour after hour. day after day, In
breathless interest at the choral and
solo compositions. There Is more eX-
element over a male voice part song
prize in Wales than in England over q
dozen Derbys.
Futile Lyric Hopes.
But to return to the change What
on earth ever becomes of thousands of
the students with good voices. who come
up to London to distinguish them
selves, and never do. no one knows.
Their dreams of success in lines oper-
attic, oratorio or concert. never come
true. Their hopes are never realized.
In English they do not get on" even
some Of the very best. This Is so for
several reasons, which can be discussed
some other time. but not now. Suffice
1t to say, they are reasons that some
times do not in the least convict the
young aspirant of inability in his or her
chosen line Of work. SO they grow
lean and storm and fight the battle to
the very death, but in'thc long run, bavc
to give up, vanquished. l own that |
would not at all like to be one of the
pioneers in the vocal elevation of the
music hall, but there are others without
my scrupies, as | said before who might
and who would like it immensely, but
who are withheld from the. earning of
an honest living by these means by Il
less honest species of pride. The en-
Sagement of the Rhondda Glee singers
by the management of the Palace was a
step in the right direction, and on both
sides for their singing benefits and
elevates the tone of the work there un-
measureably, while they no doubt re-
ceive'a salary there with their earnings
from concert singing. pure and simple
are not TO be compared. And you will
see others following their example. and
that in the distant future. and helping
to solve a question that has puzzled
and worried the musical critics of Lon
con for many a long day.
Sadie Estelle Kaiser.