The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-31
Welsh
News
GlcaningS.
THE CHlVALRIc SPIRIT.

lhL SthV ~ ttNs's
If singers generally when suffering
the embarrassments of defeat would
only show the spirit which stands out
true and refreshing in the following
excerpt from the Cardiff Times the
world would think better of them as
men and women. The article in ques-
ton is an unsigned correspondence on
the last National Temperance fete held
in the Crystal Palace, London. AS the
article proceeds the sensible generosity
of the writer shows itself: He says:
"Wales has In many years been
strongly represented at the annual
fetes and choral festivals at the Crystal
Palace held by the National Temper
ance Choral union, and has so habit
ually swept the boards at the choral
contests in connection Herewith
that the victory of an English
choir is regarded, from its very rarity,
as a remarkable and extraordinary oc-
currence. But remarkable occurrences
will happen and cannot always be ex-
planned away, and the 1897 festival at
the Crystal Palace on Tuesday will
long stand out in bold relief from it's
fellows as the festival which witnessed
at the hands of Nottingham contin-
gent of vocalists the defeat of the two
best temperance choirs that Glamor-
ganshire had sent UP to represent the
principalty. All honor to Nottingham.
Year after year they have with varying
fortunes striven for the blue ribbon of
the temperance musical world. Last
year they came within an ace of secur-
ing it, but Cardiff then forged ahead Of
them, and took second. Now, behold,
the order is reversed. The Cardiff Blue
Ribbon choir on the present occasion
are ranked second to Nottingham, and
the Pontypridd Temperance Philhar-
monic, of whom so much was expect
ed, whose prospects were so bright, and
whose performance at the contest
evoked the heartiest plaudits of the
day-Pontypridd, we repeat, find no
mention, honorable or otherwise, in Sir
J. Frederick Bridges award. Such is
the fortune of war. Wales congratu
lates Nottingham on her victory, ap-
plauds Cardiff for her plucky attempt
to repeat her triumph of last year, and
while sympathizing with Pontypridd in
her disappointment, will encourage her
to take heart and seek solace in further
efforts"
Have you every read more complete
and yet eininently graceful acknow-
Judgement? The very line wales con-
graduates Nottingham on her victory"
gives to the vanquished the palm and
to the victor makes the conquest the
less sweet. And when the writer says
"And while sympathizing with Ponty-
pridd in her disappointment, will en-
courage her to take heart and seek
solace in further efforts" it makes us
feel that the next years victory is al
ready ours.
Such instances of true chivalry are
rare in these envious times and when
they do appear it makes some of us feel
ashamed Of ourselves.
1t must not be understood that Wales
alone sometimes forgets to be the gal
liant after a disastrous battle. 1t is
characteristic of singers everywhere
and of every class to let flow the flood
of bitterness now and again. If they
could only take defeat philosophically,
and with a "better luck next time" the
esteddfod would lose it's most dis
agreeable feature.
The Times report of the Temperance
contest is so good and is so reassuring
tC Wales, while at times submissive to
English points of excellence, that it is
worth re-printing almost in its entirety
Here it is
The compettions-there were three
of them-were conducted this year in
the theatre, a spacious structure sit
uated in the central trancept close to
the Handel orchestra, and capable of
accommodating from 1,5OO to 1000 peo-
pie. The measure of public interest
evinced in the contests was amply IL
lustrated by the enormous audiences
which fha1y a ipe
trast to the contests of 1896, held in an
ut-of-the-way lumber-room in the
presence of handful of people. The
competitions on this occasion proved
the most popular and enjoyable items
In a full and attractive programme
For three or four hours, from ten
O'Clock until close upon two, the thea
tire was crowded well nigh to suffoca-
tion, and the heat and other physical
discomforts Notwithstanding, the en-
thusiasm which the efforts of the vocal
choirs evoked would have done credit
even to a Welsh Eisteddfod, There
were, by the way, many other points
of resemblance between this London
gathering and our own national festi-
val. The singing was excellent, and
the competitions keen and exciting
but, with all Difference to Sir John
Bridges awards, there We're no indica-
tions that Wales is in any danger of
losing her supremacy in the matter of
choral singing. why" asked the
writer of a big, burly Englishman
whose vigorous clapping of hands after
each of the Welsh choirs had attracted
general attention. why are you so
boisterous. You do not come from
Wales, surely?" "No, SIR" came the
answer" II am an Englishman, but
/ give in to Wales for choral singing,
and these choirs, tell you, are going
to be the winners today" And so, too.
apparently, thought the audience, II
any significance at all attached to the
enthusiasm with which they greeted
the performance of the choirs from
Wales In the matter of conductips a