Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-02-24
BEN DAVIES THE GREAT WELSH
TENOR WHO is COMING TO SALT LAKE

men he was an excellent preacher and
his services were in great demand for
supplying the various pulpits around
about Swansea But when his eldest
son Ben was only years old the
bread winner Of the family was pre-
maturely called away by the angel of
death, leaving behind him a widow
and four small children. Young Ben
began TO sing when he was about 8
years Of age. At the age of six he
was member Of choir that COM
peted for a prize at an Eisteddfod at
Carmarthon. He started on the tonic
sol ia and today he pays n high tribute
to that system At an early age he
Joined the choir Of the Congregational
chapel at Cwmbwrla as hoy alto;
he never sang soprano There was no
organ I'm the church, therefore all the
music. which Included an anthem now
and then. was purely vocal and, 1t
scarcely need be said, distinctly con-
gregational.
1t was first intended that young Ben
Davies should GO to college and I'm due
time blossom forth as ID. for he
had inheriated the talents Of his faith
er as n preacher He has often said,
even at this late day "To this day my
mother is disappointed that ! did not
become a preacher. | sometimes ex-
temporize n sermon 10 show her that
| should have become a failure I'm that
capacity and then friends console her
with the remark that l often preach
a sermon when ! sing such strains III
with all Your Hearts and BE Faith
full Untll Death As n clergyman
wrote in one OF the London papers;
Was there for instance a lovelier SER
mon preached in London that day
(Christmas) than the opening recita-
tive and air Comfort Ye' sung--l had
almost written -gloriouSly by
Ben Davies. and what Is true singing
but elevated poetic speech2" These
words should be pondered by all as
piring young yoCaists, yes, and even
10y those Of older growth, But to re-
turn to Ben Davies.
Ever since he was 10 years old he
has earned his own living. Before
becoming a concert singer he was a
clerk I'm a store In Swansea. Wales,
where he worked until he was a. In
1873 he paid his first visit to London.
as q member of the south Wales choir.
1t was az the age Of 10 that young
Davies suddenly discovered that he
possessed a tenor voice, He then went
IN London where he studied AT the
Royal Academy Of Music, on the adj
vice Of the late Brinlcy Richards He
remained nj the academy three years,
at the end Of which time he took the
gold medal and year later graduated
with the highest honors Other prizes
he won, was the one for "declamatory
English singing" and the Parepa Rosa
gold medal Both of these were given
by the Royal academy His hrst ora
tOriO engagement was I'm 1873, when
he sang the Hymn Of Praise Then
followed numerous appearances with
the most prominent English societies
for at his first appearance he had
tade a fine success After this his
success grew until be was looked upon
as Englands greatest tenor and with
this acknowledgment he first came to
this country I'm 1898. when he was
engaged 10 sing at the Worlds fair In
Chicago. Critics proclaim him the
greatest tenor now before the public
and as such has always been looked
upon both In this country and In
Europe.
Mr. Davies appears IN the Taber-
nacle on the evening OF Thursday,
March %. He set sail for this country
today. His tour viii be under the d.
rection Of Henry Wolfsohn 81 New
York. He viii be heard with such I'M
portant organizations as the Boston
symphony. and Philharmonic Orches-
ira OF New York the Chicago and
Pittsburg Orchestra, as we'll as with
the leading oratorio societies In the
east, and middle west, including an
appearance with the New York Ora
toria society with whom he is to sing
the role OF Samson In Samson and De-
iilsh.