Welsh Journals

chivalrous spirit and action? The important fact is that where it is the thing to be chivalrous, no one finds it hard where it is not the thing, there something must be done by leaders and workers and all well-disposed fellows to make it so. It is surely this something upon which we must generally agree to move. The abolition of all money-prizes at a stroke is not (in the light of my friend's sagacious diagnosis above) an impracticable thing when once the great public can be brought to see the need clearly. The National Eisteddfod Associa- tion have, I suppose, funds wherewith they could guarantee to make good any heroic loss on the policy suffered by the first local executive brave enough to make the splendid gesture to all musicians and choirs, to the whole country in fact, and announce that at their National Eis- teddfod, let us suppose in the year 1929, all competitors would compete not for money, but just for love-love of country, love of music, and for the love of heaven. Money grants towards railway expenses might be given in exceptional need to losers or winners alike, regardless of anything but their good effort and their need. Why not? The second important point to note seems this not only is chivalry entirely compatible with rivalry, but all rivalry without it is bound to be wrongly centred and at the last useless to music, as to all good causes. Chivalry never requires that I shall cease to stand for brother Bill whenever he competes but chivalry does re- quire that I shall be keen upon his true worth and not his comparative attainments. When he has done his best and been beaten, in my loyalty to him I can join with him in applauding the victor who has set him a yet higher task. We only want this to be just the thing everywhere. Can we see examples of it at every competition? I rather think (and we all may devoutly hope) that it really is present already at every eistedd- fod in some measure, as it was at the one I have mentioned above. But we have, I think, only to believe that it can be made the thing gener- ally and everywhere outwardly precisely because it is already the thing inwardly. Release nobility and lo it is there. Question it or fail to expect it and alas, though it is still there, it Just one last Song. Some joyous moments more we'll spend Together tried and trusty friend For Love is strong. Just one sweet strain Of golden harp, of mellow voice, That makes the pulsing heart rejoice; Forget its pain. JUST ONE LAST SONG. retreats and even doubts its own self. It seems clear that a breezy faith and a confident act go ever together. Let us all have the one and do the other. It is not sentiment but just the truth that compels one to add that the children await release in this respect. We must release them where musical Festivals and Eisteddfodau are concerned. The great success of the children's orchestra at Aberystwyth, of the children's concert at the Cardiganshire Festival, and of the Children's Festivals at Newtown have convincingly proved the sum. Money prizes were as remote from all these as the Sahara is from a Montgomeryshire valley, or the sweet shire of Cardigan. Nothing so dusty and desolating as a money-prize is needed for success here. Why hold on to the accursed thing? What is the supposed motive for the retention of money-prizes? They have been amply tried and proved worse than a nuisance. Music is heavenly. Late last night a letter reached me with a message from a man who had since died of angina that the Beethoven I broad- cast was a taste of heaven that helped him to bear the pain, a chance testimony of in- numerable ones at hand. Music-making in teams is the most neighbourly of pursuits. Does anyone doubt is ? Dear Wales! have done for ever with the spurious personal loyalty which caused one large town in Wales to be choirless because there were three conductors! Must there be no patrol of scouts in a town where there are three patrol-leaders? Let us agree together that we musicians are all music-centred not person-centred. We are comrades. We wish to maintain the true Eisteddfod spirit. Our aim is for ever the same we wish to increase the witness of loveliness to the goodness of God to men. Art is a pursuit of the Creator's own ordaining. We are all little sons of God, what- ever we may think or say, the moment we make a note of melody together. The chivalrous rivalry on the road to musical perfection is the true and central and only aim of all Eisteddfodau. And to frame a policy to carry out this truth is not hard. Active music clubs in every single centre in Wales, and eisteddfodic Festivals in every county are easily possible. Just one grand chord To rouse a rhapsody sublime And ring the rafters with the rhyme; One stirring word. Just one old song To bring back dear forgotten days Our inmost souls to thrill and raise To Heaven's throng Just one sweet Song. FREDERICK WARREN.