Verney, Sir Edmund H., Bart., Claydon House, Winslow, Bucks. Vincent, James Edmund, 8, Carlyle Mansions, Cheyne Walk, S.W. Waddingham, T. J., M.A., J.P., D.L., Hafod, Devil's Bridge, Waddingham, Mrs. S., Hafod, Devil's Bridge, R.S.O. Watkin, Richard H., 2, Belle Vue Terrace, Rhyl. Wheldon, P. J., National and Provincial Bank of England, White, Mrs. J. Bell, Parson's Mead, Ashtead, Surrey. Williams, Aneurin, Hazeldene, Shotter-Mill, S.O. Surrey. Williams, Arthur J., Coed y Mwstwr, Bridgend, Glam. Williams, B. Francis, Q.C. (Recorder of Cardiff), Goldsmith Building, Temple, E.C. Williams, David, Bangkok, Siam. Williams, David, 110, Brecknock Road, N. Williams, D. R., Solicitor, Llanelly. Williams, E. Lloyd, M.D., 2, James Street, Buckingham Gate, S.W. Williams, G., Moorgate Station Buildings, 41, Finsbury Pavement, E.C. Williams, His Hon. Judge Gwilym, Miskin, Llantrissant, Williams, H. Lloyd, 2, Upper Wimpole Street, W. Williams, Professor Hugh, The Theological College, Bala, Williams, J. Ignatius, Plas-yn-Llan, Whitchurch, Cardiff. Williams, Sir John, Bart., M.D., 63, Brook Street, W. Williams, J. Mason, 17, Gresham House, Old Broad Street, E.C. Williams, Mrs. May, Plas Newydd, Neath. Williams, Miss, 4, Vicarage Gate, Kensington, W. Williams, Neville, M.D., Sydenham House, Harrogate. Williams, Owen, Mona House, Ham Frith Road, Stratford, E. Williams, Richard, F.R.H.S., Celynog, Newtown, Montgomeryshire. Williams, Richard, 263, Camden Road, N. Williams, Richard, M.D., 82, Rodney Street, Liverpool. Williams, Robert, F.R.I.B.A., 17, Effingham Road, Lee, S.E. Williams, Stephen W., F.S.A., Penralley, Rhayader, Radnorshire. Williams, Thomas, J.P., Llewesog Hall, Denbigh. Williams, T. Marchant, B.A., J.P., 353, Camden Road, N. Williams, W., H.M.I.S., Bron-heulog, St. David's Road, Aberystwyth (deceased). Williams, Wm., J.P., Maes Gwernen Hall, Swansea. Williams, Wm. P.R.V.C., New Veterinary College, Edinburgh. Williams, Llewelyn, 1, Queen Victoria Street, E.C. Willis-Bund, J. W., F.S.Á., 15, Old Sq., Lincoln's Inn, W.C. Winstone, Benjamin, 53, Russell Square, W.C. Witts, Mrs. Margaret, Fosse Cottage, Stow-on-the-Wold. Wood, R. H., F.S.A., Pantglas, Trawsfynydd, Merioneth, and Belmont, Sidmouth, S.O. Devon. Woosnam, W. W., 27, Chancery Lane, W.C. Wyndham-Quin, Major W. H., M.P., House of Commons, S.W. Wyatt, Sir Richard H., 38, Grosvenor Place, Hyde Park, W. Wynn, Charles W. Williams, 2, Lower Berkeley Street, Portman Square, W. (deceased). Wynn, Sir Watkin Williams, Bart., Wynnstay, Ruabon. Wynne-Jones, The Ven. Archdeacon, Chevet Hey, Wrex ham. Wynne, William R. M. (Lord Lieutenant of Merioneth), Peniarth, Towyn, Merionethshire. Zimmer, Dr. Heinrich (Professor of Sanskrit and Comparative Philology in the University of Greifswald), Prussia. Societies exchanging Transactions. Folk-Lore Society: F. A. Milne, Esq., 11, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn. Gaelic Union for the Preservation and Cultivation of the Irish Language: Rev. John Nolan, O.D.C., Honorary Secretary, 10, Kildare Street, Dublin. Hamilton Association: George Dickson, Corresponding Secretary, Alexandra Arcade, James Street North, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. National Eisteddfod Association: T. Marchant Williams, F. J. Furnivall, Honorary Secretary, 3, St. George's Powys-Land Club: T. Simpson Jones, Honorary Secretary, Royal Institution of Cornwall: Major Edward Parkyn, Secretary, Truro. Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland: Robert Cochrane, F.S.A., Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, 17, Highfield Road, Dublin: George Dames Burtchaell, M.A., Secretary, 7, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin. Smithsonian Institution: Washington, U.S.A. Society of Antiquaries: W. H. St. John Hope, M.A., Assistant Secretary, Burlington House, W. Society of Arts: Sir H. Trueman Wood, M.A., Secretary, 18 and 19, John Street, Adelphi, W.C. Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language: J. J. MacSweney, Secretary, 19, Kildare Street, Dublin. Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and Natural History: J. Machell Smith, Honorary Secretary, Bury St. Edmunds. TRANSACTIONS OF THE Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. SESSION 1896-97. MUSIC IN WALES." BY JOSEPH BENNETT. A FEW years ago I had the honour of reading, before the members of this Society, a paper on the same subject as that which I now offer to your attention. I then laid stress upon the importance of promoting the study of instrumental music in Wales. This attracted a great deal of attention, and some steps were taken towards the establishment of a National Musical Association, charged with the task of organising the resources of the Principality, with a view to widen and deepen its musical culture. The attempt came to nothing. Its energy soon faded away, and matters reverted to their former state. I shall not take up any of your time with speculations as to the reason of this collapse, since it is more important to look present facts in the face, and consider what may now be done in a different manner, perhaps, but with the old object in view. 1 Paper read before the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion at No. 20, Hanover Square, on Thursday, the 14th of January, 1897; Chairman, Mr. John Thomas (Pencerdd Gwalia), Harpist to Her Majesty the Queen. B In the paper to which reference has been made, I, while advocating the establishment of a National Musical Association, recognised the value of the Eisteddfod as an agent in promoting musical culture. On this occasion, a separate and independent organisation being apparently impossible, I shall ask you to consider with me whether Eisteddfodic procedure can be better adapted than it is to meet the needs of the time. On the face of it, and having regard to the conditions of modern progress, we are encouraged to conclude, even without investigation, that usages which have remained unchanged for many years must needs, in an age of advance, have fallen behind. My acquaintance with the Eisteddfod in its musical aspect extends over thirty years, and I am bound to say that its procedure now is unless memory has played me a sorry trick-pretty much what · it was in 1867. There are the same competitions, on the same subjects, and carried on under the same conditions. Meanwhile the needs of the art, as a popular study, have greatly increased, its standards have been everywhere raised, and its methods, as well as the principles upon which the methods are based, have changed. Is the old machinery capable, as it now stands, of dealing with so much that is new in material? General experience makes us pause before answering this question in the affirmative. It points, indeed, with resolute finger, to a negative reply. I have good reason to believe that the need of reform is widely felt among Welshmen of education and culture. Many letters have reached me from such persons, all of them expressing a more or less earnest conviction that the musical section of the Eisteddfod should be made to do better work than at present, and that both the character and method of its competitions are capable of great improvement. |