The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-06
MOST ARTISTIC EVENT
PROBABLY EVER ENJOYED IN
THE WEST.
The Attendance at Afternoon and
Evening Sessions Was Large
Programmes For This Evening
and Tomorrow Evening Surpass In
Excellence Those of Yesterday.

Salt Lake City, to participate in the
third great national Eisteddfod. which
commenced yesterday and will close on
Friday night The big lyric event had
an suspicious opening at the Mormon
tabernacle. 1t is under the auspices of
the Salt Lake Cambrian association, an
organization of reDres Q ltative Welsh
men, who, with characteristic fidelity
TO the divine art and in the pursuit of
a cOmmendable purpose, have spared no
pains to implant in this intermountain
region as q fixed institution all the
beautiful customs attaching to the Els
teddfod, which, from ancient times has
been as d lyric feast to the sturdy. mu-
steal BritonS As this Eisteddfod pro-
crosses interest in it viii increase. the
attendance viii grow by che thousands
and the rivalry for musical honorS viii
intensity.
my COUNTRY, IT'S OF THEE"
The opening session of the Eisteddfod
yesterday afternoon was before an au-
dience that more than half filed the
large tabernacle. 1t was a large attend
ance for an afternoon session. At ?: AS
the combined choirs. bands, great or
gan and audience sang America" 1t
was an impressively grand rendition,
the like of which is seldom heard.
Bishop F. A. Hammond of San Juan
then offered an appropriate prayer.
= THE PURPOSE OF EISTEDDFODS.
Hon Arthur L. Thomas, president of
the Cambrlan association. made an in
teTeSting opening address. He traced
the evolution of the Eisteddfod from
the seventh century, in Wales, since
when it has encouraged music and lit
erature and helped better civilization.
Since the Worlds Fair in 1898 the
west has been thoroughly reused to it's
merits. The first Eisteddfod in this
western country was held in Salt Lake
in 1885, and the second one achieved
an uneXamDleG triumph at Denver.
This, the third annual Eisteddfod, will
be the largest ever held in America
under local auspices In all over 1,400
competitors for musical honors have
entered the contests, and it promises to
not only eclipse any similar lyric
events. but to add new laurels to
Utah's justly earned musical fame.
DR.. Joseph Parry, the eminent musical
critic and composer, had come all the
way from Wales to serve as adjudi-
Gator of the lyric contests, and Judge
Henry NJ. Edwards Of Scranton, Pa,
had Travelled across the continent to
accept the position of master of cere-
monies. In closing, President Thomas
rendered the Cambrian associations
thanks to all who had contributed to
the success of the Eisteddfod, and es-
pecially to the Mormon church author
tiles, who had so magnanimouSly given
the use Of the tabernacle, which itself
is Incompatible to any other building
in the world for these musical and pot
ical feasts.
THE WELSHMEN GLORIFIED.
Judge Edwards, in responding to
President Thomas presentation of him
to the audience, expressed MS great
pleasure for the honor of conductor, or,
more properly speaking, master of GER
T. enonies, at this grand EiStcGdfod.
Then Judge Edwards aoverted to
Welsh customs and painted a glorious
word picture Of some of the worlds
greatest Eisteddofds. and he ex-
pressed the belief that this one would
not fall behind any of them in
excellence. He said that all Welshmen
felt privileged TO claim everything good
as theirs in Eisteddfod days, but on
all other days they periodically stood
ready to sacrifice their lives that the
integrity and glory of the Union might
be preserved. OF the Welsh language
he wanted all 10 know that it was
spoken in the Garden of Eden and
when all sin disappears from this world
the original Welsh tongue, as it was
spoken at the beginning of mans time
on earth, will reappear as the language
universal.
HONORS FOR THE PYTHIAN BAND
For the military band contest there
was only ore entry, the Knights of Ply
thias band of so pieces, but it was re-
Quired to attain a specific standard of
excellence before being entitled to the
prize, 5000. and a gold medal to the
bands conductor. This requirement
the K. of p band not only fulfilled, but
exceeded easily. The two pieces played
We're "Lorley'' and Awakening of the
Lion" The rendition of the two clas-
dis
style, was grand indeed.
In announcing his decision, DR.. Parry
said he never felt more highly honored
than on being chosen to act as adju-
Dictator at this Eisteddfod, and he
would aim TO deserve the confidence of
all in the conscientiousness of his
awards. In forming his judgment he
observed the executive skill of each
performer, the tone, the quality, the
graduation and the artistic warmth of
execution. ali of which tend to trans
form each instrument into a living be-
ing with musical voice and expression
designed by the authors creation.
Of the h. of p. bands renditions Dr. |
Parry gave his judgment by system
of critical analysis, and summing UP |
he pronounced them full of artistic mel
ody. He said the band was an honor |
and a credit to the people of Salt Lake |
Without hesitation he gave it and Pro- |
4
fullest praise.
THE LADIES QUARTETTE.
There was only one entry for the Ia |
dies quartette- The selection, winds |
of Evening" was rendered by Miss |
Ferron, Miss Ella Derr, Miss Hermione |
Tyler and Miss Edna Dwyer. all of |
Salt Lake City. The judgment Of DR. |
Parry was the opinion of the appreci- |
alive audience. His adjudication pro- |
nounced that the quartette was COM |
posed of four beautiful voices all nice |
~ blended, with fine effect and in har- |
noay and individual artistic execution |
superb. He complimented Miss Eerron. |
the soprano. for her natural faultless !
lone in high notes, and Miss Dwyer, the |
deSp cOntrSltO. he especially praised for /
her low notes
THREE MERITORIOUs SELEC-
TIONS.
Mrs. Emily z. Woodward, formerly of
Boston but more recently from Duluth.
Mimi, favored the audience with a ia
Vorite Welsh love song in her native |
language. Her voice is a rich soprano
of great volume, and the song was
given with fine effect.
Miss Crissie Lawson of this city was
the only competitor in the pipe organ
contest. She played "Oberon Overture"
in a manner that elected favorable
mention from the adjudicator for her
artistic effort. DR.. Parry declared Miss
Lawson gave promise of soon being a
very excellent organist.
Horace S. Ensign. the well known
baritone. came back from Denver to
l. L. in IL 1