The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-02
WELSH SCORE A TRIUMPH
IN AUSPICIOUS OPENING OF
THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD

The fourth national Eisteddfod to be
held in this country under the auspices of
the Camorian assoc Iis.n Was formally
opened yesterday afternoon at the Nor
ron tabernacle After d little delay. dur
ing which J. J. Mcclellan played some Sc
lectlcns from Tannhauser on the great
organ, President Thomas o! the associ-
alton made the opening address Mr.
Thomas stated that the Cambrian asso-
citation was organized fourteen years ago
and that the first Eisteddfod given under
the association took place in 1880 in this
city at the tabernacle. The second was
given in Denver one year later, the third
at Salt Lake in 1896, and now Salt Lake
was once more holding the Eisteddfod.
The Eisteddfod has for its purpose the
encouragement and development of the
love for music and literature No one can
tell exactly when the first Eisteddfod was
held. History gives no authentic date,
Welsh goes there always was the Eistedd-
fOd. The DruidS had such a custom, but
one thing is certain, the Eisteddfod has
been a mighty institution in preserving
there is no doubt that during many crit
icaI times in Welsh history il was the
congregating of her sons in such con-
tests that preserved her nation
Leading Figures Introduced.
Mr.. Thomas closed his speech by thank
ing those who had assisted in making
the Eisteddfod possible. The audience
then had the pleasure of being introduced
TO DR.. Daniel Protheroe of Milwaukee.
Wis, who will act as adjudicator for all
the contests. The association feels that
in having so able man as Dr. Protheroe,
any feeling of prejudice will be elimi-
mated.
Mr. Thomas then introduced William G:
Wade of Chicago, who is the conductor OF
the Eisteddfod, and whose duty it is to
see that things are done properly and in
order. David Evans, the solOist who has
come all the way from Wales to sing at
this time, was next introduced. The au-
dience received them all with great ap-
plauSe.
Governor Cutler then took charge. and
the first session of the great Eisteddfod
was formally begun by the singing OF
America in which the whole audience
joined. After remarl1ng that the audi
ence was the largest he had ever seen at
an opening session. Professor Apmadoc
called the contestants for the ladies' quar-
tette prize
Ladies' Quartet Appears.
Three quartettes had entered, the Schu-
bert quartette. the Athene quartette of
Salt Lake and the Denver Ladies quar-
named. which consisted of Miss BERTHE
Berlin Miss Ivy Mattheson, Mrs. F. j.
Houseley and Mrs. H. S. Cooper. None
of the quartettes did remarkable work
was the next contest on the program,
was postponed until after the school chill
dren under the direction of Professor
Wetzell had sang several selections. Salt
Lake may boast of many choruses and or
many good musicians. but let no one for
one moment forget that nowhere in this
country can one hear better singing from
pupils in the lower grades. 1t is some
thing to be proud of.
Soprano Solo Contest.
No contest of the day afforded more
interest than the soprano solo contest.
The judges decided to allow five con-
testants, instead of three, to participate.
If competition was close in the morning,
it surely was harder in the afternoon
After the five singers had sung, there
were many conjectures as to which one
would win. The decision as announced
by DIR. Protheroe was: Miss Edna Evans
of Salt Lake first prize. and Miss La
vina Poulton of Salt Lake, second The
song for the soprano was not one which
an amateur would be apt to attempt.
1t was rather monOtonous and even an
experienced singer would have found OPP
portunity for hard work.
The male quartette prize was won by
the Schubert duartette. which easily sur