The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-01-04


gle, history goes to show that the
Irish bards were the leading lights,
the guiding stars of true patriotism.
Queen Elizabeth complained 1--WE can
never conquer Ireland, so long as
the minstrels are there" History
goes to show that the bards fire.
quently forsook their peaceful avo.
cation of song for the clash of arms
and the din of battle. "The min.
strel boy to the war is gone. In
the ranks of death you'll find him.
His fathers sword he has girded on,
And his wild harp slung behind him"
History goes to show that the Irish
bard on the battle field was an uncom-
promising foe and devoted lover of
national freedom.
THE minstrel fell, but the foeman's
chain,
Could not bring his proud soul under.
The harp he loved ne'er spoke again,
For he tore it's chords asunder.
And said, no chains shall sully thee
Thou soul of love and bravery,
Thy chords were made for the pure
and free
They shall never sound in slavery 4"
In the sixteenth century Queen
Elizabeth issued orders to put to death
all the Irish bards. Notwithstanding
this sixteenth Christian century
command, the direct line of bardic
succession remained unbroken till the
eighteenth century. In 1871 was laid
to rest Turlogh O'Carolan, the last of
Il long line of remarkable men, the
last of Erin's privileged harpists.
Though the direct line of privileged
bards ceased in 1871 devoted harpists,
devoted lovers of genuine music re-
manned always. In 1902 Bunting COL
lected a hundred Irish airs from the
still surviving harpists of Erin. The
spirit of Irish music could not be de-
~'IA''eSu' eAC SplIlL VI 1iISu music
could not be strangled, the spirit of
Irish music detied even dissolution.
Handel, one of the greatest giants
OF modern song, went to London seek
ing an audience for his sublime COM
positions. He was coldly received. He
went to Dublin. Here he was so duly
appreciated and so warmly received
that he set to work and wrote the
0ratorio of the Messiah under the i'll
SEPARATION Of an Irish welcome. The
Grandest of all modern musical con-
ccptions, Handel's Oratorio, was first
produced in the capital of Ire
land before a critical, appreciative,
admiring Irish audience
Turogh O'Carolan, the last of the
direct line of Erin's bards, was laid to
rest in 1871. Fifty years after, in 1779
was born the greatest of Erin's mod
crn bards, Thomas Moore, poet, pat.
riot and harpist. Finding the glory
OF his country in his own time smit
ten with defeat, Thomas Moore went
back to the past and from the facts
OF history crystaliZed in song, he in
fused into his country a life blood
warm and hot, even at time when
the very life blood seemed to be
flowing fast from every vein of his af
liictcd country. Thomas Moore sang
treason to his king and his king bade
him sing on" the music was sc
sweet. The Irish airs word-painted by
Thomas Moore are postcrity's gems OF
Irish music. The Irish melodies arc
sung in many lands; they are admired
wherever the influence of music eX
tends; they were largely instrumental
in obtaining for Ireland Catholic
cmancinatiOn; they were largely in
strumental in obtaining for Erin lib
crty to worship God according to hel
conscientious conviction. Handel salt
of one of these melodies that he would
rather be it's author than be the author
of all the works that came from hi.
own pen. Immortal is the name OF
Thomas Moore, yet Thomas Moore's
immortality is a vicarious, a borrowed
immortality. The music of some Of
the Irish melodies is as old as Erin's
Christianity. The melody "Ailee1
.Aroon." especially beloved by Han
del, was composed in the thir
tcenth Christian century by the harp
list O'Daly. Thomas Moore himself
has acknowledged his borrowed, his
vicarious immortality.
Dear harp Of my country, farewell tc
thy numbers,
This sweet wreath Of song is the last
we shall Irvine,
Go sleep with the sunshine of fame
on thy slumbcrs
Till touched by some hand less
unworthy than mine.
If the pulse of the patriot, soldier OF
lover
Has throbbcd at thy lay, tits thy glor!
alone,
I was but us the wind passing heed
lcssly over,
And all the wild sweetness l walked
| was thine own
MoriiZ Hauptmann. the famou.
( tn1. St,,,.