Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-04-01
MISS DIES PAPER ON THE BAFDS AND MUSIC OF REI Members Catholic Nms
 

who fell at Clontarf, was accompanied to the field of battle by his chief harp CT, and that minstrel had to take back the dead body of his aged and beloved master, Brian, and convey him to his deserted castle, Kincora. The min strel lifted up his voice in one of the sweetest and tenderest laments which ever poured from the sorrowing heart of man:
 Remember the glories of Brian the
 brave,
 Though the days of the hero are OCT. Though lost to Minond and cold ill the
 grave,
 He returns to Kincora no more.
 After the passing of the brave chief tain Brian, came the unhappy year, 116S, which brought the curse of lre- land, when the Princess Of BreHnl de- serted her lord and master, O'Rouark, Prince of Breffni This princess is the only daughter of Ireland who ever fixed stain upon our womanhood.
 You all know the story. how she eloped with MacMurchad. king or Leinster while O'Rouark was on a pious pilgrimage. The poet has com memorated the poor pilgrims return in song intensely dramatic, yet per- meated with yearning sadness. one of the best known of the Irish melo- dies, ''The Valley Lay Smiling Before Me-
 The whole nation was reused ana the unhappy princess and her compdn- ion were banished from tsIsh soil Mac lMurchad, thus driven forth. sought the aid of the English king, Henry II, to reinstate him on his throne. The army came, and from that day to this the history of Ireland Is written in tears l and blood. For hundreds of years this war was carried on, but the cause was a losing one.
 BARDS SUNG THEIR LAYS. '. How fared it with the bards during this long-protracted struggle? They still animated the hopes of the nation, they still made their appeals to the Irish heart. Spencer, the English poet, reproached them because they sang only of love. Alas! there was scarcely any other subject left; na- tional prosperity and glory were gone, lbut the Irish poets said in their de- l fense,
 | Ols NDldlnG 1lOL luC 'Dsllu lA hC hy "
 the bowers,
 Where pleasure lies carelessly smil-
 ing at fame"
 Yet these bards always did more than animate the national purpose. In the day of battle and danger, then the Ibards that could awaken and did awaken the tenderest strains of song were foremost In the ranks of soldiers fighting for their beloved country. I have always thought Moore was Iactually inspired when he wrote "The Minstrel Boy" Moore's strong and in Iborn feeling for music, his intense pa ltriotism, and especially his reverence and ardent love for the nlinstrels com Joined to render this tribute his mas Iterpiece:
 iThe minstrel boy to the war has gone
 Tn the ranks of death you'll find him His fathers sword he has girded on
 And his proud harp slung behind I him.
 He was once asked by friend tt give an autograph copy of "'The Min lstrel Boy,' and when presenting 1t said I"It Is about the best of them.''
 It seems to me when devoting bu lone night to Irish music. two men wht have always been claimed by Englant should be mentioned. Michael Balft and Wallace. Both were Irishmer and lived about the same time.
 Balfe was born in Dublin in 1908 He studied in Italy and aftelward sang in grand opera at Paris with the grea singers of the age. Mallbran and Son |tag. He composed twenty operas, th, most noted of which is 'SThe Bohem ian Girl" often called the ballad op era because it abounds with beautiful Lyrics. The best known numbers art 'sThe Heart Bowed Down." "Ther You'H Remember Me-" and the on, (which I have selected for this evening 1T Dreamt Dwelt in Marble Halls
 We owe to Wallace the tuneful CD Iera, "Maritana." This opera alst lcontains many beautiful selections but one of which we will use, Scenes IThat Are Brightest"
 | These two men are world famous Their music has been used continually through the past century and bids efail to continue in popularity through the Ipresent century.
 Balfe also harlnonized most oi Moore's melodies and those most in use to-day are the product of his pen.
 Miss Dee here told the stories o1 the two operas, which are so well known that It Is useless to repeat them. She also told how Mario, the lgreatest of all tenors. sang them.)
 At the beginning of the XVIII cen tury an event of great historic import ance occurred for which the music loving Irish race are responsible an6 which is not sufficiently we'll known and heralded about.
 HANDLES WORK IN IRELAND.
 Handel, one of the six great giants of music, had been living in London devoting his abounding energy anG genius to the producing of his owr operas. He had spent years of hi, life endeavoring to win place for his music with the English public. but the majority of them turned from him il scorn preferring the inspired work o1 an Italian whose name even wo,llf