The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-07-31

choral contest Welsh Eisteddfodwyr
may take a leaf or two out of the book
Of their English neighbors. 1t was Just
here that the proceedings at the Crys-
tai Palace contest differed widely from
those of the majority of Eisteddfodau.
There was an entire absence of that
hurry, scurry, and furry of officials on
the platform, of that needless fuss and
excitement, and of those vexatlous de-
lays between the exit of one choir and
the appearance of the next, which too
often mar the enjoyment of choral con-
tests in Wales. They somehow manage
these things better in London. The ar
rangements today worked smoothly
and without the slightest hitch, and a
series of competitions, which might
have occupied the whole day, were
egreeably disposed of in a few hours,
though the awards were not made pub
lie for many hours afterwards.
The first competition was Glass c,
open to juvenile choirs of from 20 to 40
voices, the test pieces being Now is
the month of Maying' Morley and
Oakley and Might Hymn at Sea"
(Thompson). There was three entries
the Gobaith and Rios Juvenile Tenn
perance Choir from Mountain Ash, the
Clapton Park Gondon) Sunday school,
and the Stamford-street Band of Hope,
Portsmouth. Clapton Park took first
prize, Portsmouth second, and Noun
tain Ash brought up the rear The ad-
INDICATORS were Messrs. George Merritt,
London; Fred. Stone, Bristol; and Geo.
w. Williams, London. No adjudication
of any sort was given beyond the bald
declaration of the award, and this re-
mark applies to all the competitions OF
the day. In the other choral contests our
representative made an attempt to get
at Sir John Bridge, who adjudicated,
in order to ascertain from him the num-
Der of marks given to each choir, and
to elicit his opinion upon the merits
and demerits of the Welsh choirs. The
attempt, however, proved futile, for
Sir John. it appears, handed in his
awards to the officials of the Union
soon after the contests were over, and
being indisposed the eminent musician
| Immediately afterwards left the Palace
! Barry alone represented Wales in Class
6, open to choirs of from 40 to 60 voices,
the pieces being Sullivan's Echoes"
and Hopkins's Hear the voice Of
| Prayer" Barry was conducted by Mr..
after what was practically walk-over,
its only opponent being the Excelsior
Temperance Choir, from Portsmouth
The chief and most interesting event
of the day was the contest in Glass C.
Here the first prize consisted of a silver
challenge shield, given by Messrs. j.
| Curwen and Sons. The shield is to be
competed for 10 years in succession,
and will be awarded eventually to the
choir that will have won it the most
frequently during that period. The test
| pieces were:-QD "Adieu, Sweet
Amarillis" (Wilbied); and (2) He
giveth His Beloved Sleep" (Bridge).
There were five entries and the choirs
sang in the following order:-1, Not
tingham Tabernacle Temperance Choir,
conductor, Mr.. w. Riley, secretary Mr..
F. Purdy; 2, Cardiff Blue Ribbon Choir,
conductor, Mr.. ]. f. Proud, secretary,
Mr.. f. w. Pyle; 8, Reading Temper
ance Choral Society, conductor, Mr.. A.
w. Moss, secretary, Mr.. II. II. Cutter;
! Bristol Crystal Palace Choir, conduc.
| tor, Mr.. E. Stone, secretary, Mr.. j.
II. Sidway; 5, Pontypridd Temperance
| Philharmonic Society, conductor, Mr..
| w. thompson. 1t is a remarka BILE CO.
| incidence that this also-With respect
! TO the first three-Was the order of
merit in which they We're placed by Sir
| John Bridge. The position of Ponty-
| prldd was not shown in the award but
! the inference is unavoidable that the
| last place must be assigned either to
| Pontypridd or Bristol. The awards were
| announced at the evening concert, and
| with reference to the chief contest
created ne little surprise, the general
opinion seemingly having been that
| Pontypridd would have ranked among
the winners. The successful choir
! (Nottingham) afterwards appeared
on the Handel Orchestra and sang the
test pieces over again before an enor-
nous audience.
| Two concerts were given during the
day in the Handel Orchestra, Mr.. w.
| G. w. Wordsworth on each occasion
| conducting a chorus of 5000 abstainers
| drawn from all parts of the kingdom
Welsh choristers were largely in evil
dence. Llanelly sent a contingent Of
$50 voices; Swansea, $50; Cardiff, 12O
Barry, 100; Newport, 5; Tredegar, So;
Mountain Ash, 20; Merthyr Vale. so:
Dowlais, 60; Mid Rhondda, 40; Hafod,
! so; Ynsybwl 30; Pontypridd, 40; Aber-
dare, so; Monmouth, 40 and New Tired
egar, co.
| The Pontypridd contingent We're on
| Monday morning entertained to break
fast at Exeter Hall by Alfred Thomas,
| NJ. p.