| Main Performers | Madame Annie Williams,
Mr. Lucas Williams,
Miss Beata Lloyd Francis,
Miss Mary Davies,
Miss Eleanor Rees,
Mr. Dyfed Lewys,
Mr. James Sauvage,
Eos Morlais,
Mr. Edward Owen,
Miss Marian Price,
Miss Blodwen Jones,
Mr. D. Hughes
John Thomas - harp,
Federic W. Griffiths - flute,
Edith Wynne |
| Secondary Performers | Alderman David Evans - speaker |
| Choirs | The Successful Choir in the Chief Choral Competition |
| Set List | 11:00 - Presidential Address (Alderman David Evans)
Concert of English, Welsh, Scotch and Irish Ballads:
'Wretched Lovers', Handel,
'O Bid you Faithful Ariel Fly', Linley,
'The Star of Bethlehem', Adams,
'When the Wind Blows in from the Sea', Smart,
'Softly Sighs', Weber,
'The Young Mountaineer', Randegger,
'Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn', Thomas,
'Clychau Aberdyfi',
'Killarney', Balfe,
'Honour and Glory', Costa,
'Only to Love Thee', Lloyd Edwards,
'Alone on the Raft', P. Rodney,
'I Wrestle and Pray', Bach,
'O Memory', H. Leslie,
'Tally-Ho', Bending,
'Angus McDonald', Roeckel,
'Welsh Airs', F.W. Griffiths,
'Queen of the Night', Smart,
'I Will Extol Thee', Costa,
'Flow Gently, Deva', John Parry,
'Sunshine and Rain', Blumenthal,
'I Fear No Foe', Pinsuti,
'Come with Torches', Mendelssohn |
| Performance Notes | The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important festival held annually in Wales, dating back to 1861 and usually takes place in the first week of August. When it was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1887, it was the fifth time it had been held outside of Wales since its foundation - the other non-Welsh locations being Chester (1866), Birkenhead (1878-1879), Liverpool (1884).
The event spread over four days consisted of competitions in the Welsh language in Music, Poetry, and Art. £800 in musical prizes were awarded. A £200 prize was awarded for the best performance by choirs of Bach's 'I Wrestle and Pray, Lover's 'Acis and Galatea', and Beethoven's 'Come With Torches'. A prize of £100 for Welsh choirs and a prize of £50 was awarded for male voices only (open internationally), for the best performance of Sullivan's 'Beleagulred' and 'Is This He?', and Beethoven's 'Engedi'.
The musical adjudicators included Sir Arthur Sullivan, Randegger, Sir Wlter Macfarren, Dr Parry, Jenkins, John Thomas (harpist to Queen Victoria), John Thomas, Llanwytwd, Gwanwyn D Emlyn, Dew Lydd Moddfa and J H Roberts.
"It is anticipated that the London gathering will eclipse all others, and that there we united action between North and South Wales, not withstanding a certain feud caused at the Liverpool gathering."
(South Wales Daily News, 4 September 1886)
Mr J H Puleston MP - Cymmrodorion Society - Chairman of organising committee,
Mt Stephen Evans JP - Cymmrodorion Society - Chairman of the executive committee,
Robert Arthur Williams - Chair
John Cadfan Davies - Crown |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1887/2),
Illustrations |
| Ticket Prices | 1s (gallery)-6s (stalls) or 25s (back arena season ticket)-40s (stalls seaon ticket) |