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Musical and Eisteddfodic Notes.…

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Musical and Eisteddfodic Notes. (BY MAELGWYN.) Welsh Adjudicators at the Pontypridd National Eisteddfod. The deliberations of the Musical Committee of the Pontypridd National Eisteddfod have not been carried forward with marked unanimity of late. Six adjudicators were in the first place deemed to be sufficint-oue to be appointed by the South Wales Brass Band Association. It goes without saying that they will select some- body like Franz Groenings, whose very name seems to be a powerful magnet to the bands in the North of England. The two other adjudica- tors selected with practical unanimity were Mr A. C. Mackenzie, London, and Mr George Riseley, Bristol. This selection will with- out a doubt recommend itself to all, and it shows that in some things at least the Eisteddfod Committee know what they are doing. The three remaining adjudicators were to be Welshmen, as is only right and proper they should be. Mr John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia) was selected without any serious opposition. But having done so much good work, the majority of the committee seem to have gone all astray. They chose two gentlemen who, whatever their abilities may bo, are practically unknown in South Wales. The minority, naturally wishing to raise the standard of the National Eisteddfod to something like dignity, voted for the two best known of all our Welsh musicians, but they wer&outvoted. It seems ridiculous on the face of it that men like Dr Parry and Mr David Jenkins should be thrown "overboard in order that others, who are all but un. known and untried, should be put forward. Now, men of Pontypridd, rise to the oooasion by selecting the best possible men. You have selected Englishmen who stand in the front rank of musicians. Do the same where poor little Wales is concerned. Porth Eisteddfod. There is every indication that the great eisteddfod to be held next Whit-Monday and Tuesday will be phenomenally successful. The sturdy colliers of the Rhondda. are taking up the matter in the most enthusiastic manner, and already several thousands of tickets have been sold. The colliery managers, no less than tho men themselves.aro doing what they can to secure the success of the eisteddfod, and tickets, I am informed, are being or have been sold at the pits' mouth. The choice of adjudicators is admirable in every respect. In the musical department there are two Welshmen and one English- man. That Englishman is an experienced choir leader—just the kind of man who ought to bo selected to decide the claims of the various choirs and soloists. Brass bands, too, will be adjudged by a practical bandmaster, and there is every reason to believe that competitors will be as thoroughly satisfied with the awards as they were wont to be when men like poor John North decided their claims. In the chief choral competition there will be two prizes of the respective value of 100 guineas and 20 guineas, and to the conductor of the choir that wins the first prize will be given a gold medal of the value of five guineas. The test pieces are "Hark the deep tremendous voice" and Now by day's retiring lamp." The selection of this last piece is about the only serious fault that can be found with the Porth Eisteddfod programme. It is right and proper that cboira should be tested in the rendering of refined works as well as in that of heavy dra- matic music but surely it is a terrible drop from the awful grandeur of Haydn's chorus to the flimsy jingle of" Bim, borne, bell." Such a composition, however pretty it be, is altogether unworthy of a first-class choir. But since it has been selected the committee will do well to insist upon having it sung. It is said that five choirs intend competing. The male voice competition will be the first important struggle in which Mr David Jenkins's last and best male voice chorus, The War Horse," has been chosen as the test piece. There are two prizes of the aggregate value of 50 guineas. There will be quite a hast of brass bands. The Association is straining every nerve to make this competition a memorable one in the history of the Eisteddfod. I understand that Mr T. C. Edwards, the ever busy secretary of the Association, has been in communication with the Eisteddfod Com- mittee with a view of inducing them to have the competition taken on Tuesday, the second day of the Eisteddfod, in order that it may not clash with the contest at Caerphilly, which will be taken on Monday. The Porth Committee will most likely accede to this request, if, indeed, they have not already done so. Brief Notes. Musical prodigies are not confined to Germany and America. We have at least one of them iu Wales. The four-year-old son of the Rev J. Jones, Penrhiwceiber, is a prodigy in his way. The little fellow's head is scarcely higher than the keyboard of the pianoforte, yet he always runs to the instrument and has got on so well in his unaided studies that he can play several hymn-tuues. That boy will perhaps develop into a new Mozart Miss Ceinwen Jones, the eldest sister of this prodigy, will no more be the terror of alto singers who want to win eisteddfodic distinction. She has decided to compete no more, and since her entry into the Royal Academy of Music she has gone in for hard study and plenty of vocal practice. She has been invited to sing at the Welsh National Banquet given by the Lord Mayor, and I expect she will accept the invitation. By so doing she would give the Welsh in London the opportunity of hearing a voice that, once heard, cannot be forgotten. Miss Jones has also been informed by the authorities at the Royal Academy that she will bo expected to sing at the miscellaneous concert to be given during the ensuing term by the students. The bestowal of such an honour upon one who has been only a couple of months at the Academy is something to be proud of. The Mardy Brass Band will make their first public appearance as eisteddfod competitors at the Caerphilly Eisteddfod on Whit-Monday. Mr Howe, the accomplished leader of the Femdale Band, is training them. Here is one more proof that existed for the formation of the South Wales Brass Band Association. The Ferndale Male Voice Society is coming to the front, and if they manage to hold together this year we may expect to hear of their accom- plishing some great things. Just now their singinc is exceedingly good, and their friends anticipate that they will make a good show both aji Qaerphilly and Porth. The cpnductor is Mr Enqcfc^I^wis. Their annual, banquet took place on Wednesday evening week at the Rhondda Inn. Mr John Thomas, the late secretary of the Llanelly Choral Society, has been appointed conductor of that famous body of singers in suc- cession to Mr R. C. Jenkins, who resigned after the Swansea Eisteddfod. The choir will compete at the Llanelly Eisteddfod in September, and possibly too at the Bridgend meeting in July. The committee, who are carrying forward the arrangements for the great Eisteddfod at Llanelly, have failed to secure the services of ISignor Randegger as principal adjudicator. An effort is now being made to engage Mr Wm. Shake- speare to discharge the duties.

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