Cambrian National Glee Singers

              CAMBRIAN NATIONAL GLEE SINGERS

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Exclusive Management


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THE SELECT FOLKS
QUALITY SEAL

CA

ARTHUR C. COIT.
President.

LOUIS J. ALBER
General Hanager.

THE
COIT LYCEUM BUREAU
CLEVELAND O.





JOHN STEPHENS
The Prize-Winning Tenor
One of Last Season's Big Hits



MR. WILLIAM RICHARDS, A.C.V.
Tenor and Violiniste



MR. LUTHER DAVIES
A Beautiful Tenor




The Best Singing Organization in Wales

Second American Tour
LAST season's tour of The Cambrian National Glee Singers proved that our claim that the company is superior to any other organization of Welsh singers is the simple truth.  In the stiffest singing test known in Wales, The Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales, several of the members of this organization have won highest honors, two members having won on not less than four occasions, while another of the members has led the choir to victory on three occasions, in the Chief Choral Competition, winning in prizes alone over $1,000.  Every member of this organization is a singer of wide repute.  They have the talent and ability to successfully uphold the prestige of the Land of Song.  We regret exceedingly that space will not permit our reproducing more than a few of the enthusiastic notices that were printed in the press on this company's first American tour.

The repertoire of the company is very extensive and a program suitable for all classes of people and for any occasion will be rendered.  Sacred, sentimental and humorous selections can be given in English, Welsh or Italian.  Unless otherwise requested, the program will be rendered in English, although practically every audience will wish to hear several numbers in Welsh.  Aside from the ensemble numbers rendered by the entire Club, quartettes, trios, duets, and solos, readings and violin solos are given, offering a most attractive program.  The character songs of Alf.  Thomas, the Welsh Harry Lauder, add a spice to the programme that makes it even more popular than last season.

This magnificent company is again brought to this country expressly to head our excellent and varied musical list.  We are confident that no stronger singing organization has ever before been offered in the history of the Lyceum.  Last season's tour was immensely successful, the company appearing on many of the largest courses of the United States and Canada.



A Few American Notices of Last Season

Manchester, Mass.—Heralded with success from their nine weeks' tour of America, the Cambrian National Glee Singers from the South of Wales, came to Manchester last evening and gave one of the finest musical concerts ever given in the city.  So far these singers have found American audiences very appreciative, and the large assembly in the Universalist church Wednesday night was not lacking in its demand for encores time and again during the evening's entertainment.  Chorus singing, quartet music and solos made up the program, with Richard Thomas, the greatest and most popular tenor in South Wales, a winner on five occasions in the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales as conductor.—
Union.


Hastings, Neb.—If every number of the Star entertainment course is as good as the Cambrian (Welsh) National Glee singers were Tuesday night, Hastings people will be doubly delighted.  The Republican believes no company has put on an entertainment here that more generally delighted and pleased.  The audience was specially charmed by the renditions of the folk-song variety which were sung with that sweet melody for which the singers of Wales are famed.—
Daily Republican.


Fremont, Ohio.—A successful season for the City Lecture course was assured Thursday evening when a large audience was present to hear the first number of the series of entertainments, the Cambrian National Glee Singers.  The twelve Welsh singers who presented a most delightful program last evening proved the significant fact that the Welsh people are distinctively a race of singers.  All their history and folklore has been set forth in songs and the folk songs rendered, descriptive of every phase of life, were delightful and beautifully interpreted.  All the ensemble work was especially fine and the voices blended beautifully.  The program was not confined alone to Welsh melodies but the songs familiar to all nations were sung with much of the same spirit and careful interpretation.  Several of the more familiar English songs were appreciated by the audience, among which was All Thro' the Night, and also Killarney, the popular Irish melody.  Among the solosits the tenor, John Stephens, was probably the most cordially appreciated.—
Daily News.


Fargo, N. D.—It was the unanimous opinion of the very large audience that attended the concert of the Cambrian National Glee Singers at the First Presbyterian church last night, given under the auspices of the Y. M. C. A. lecture course, that it was the finest vocal musical organization that has ever visited Fargo.  There are twelve members of the company, each a soloist of recognized ability, and each and every number, solos, choruses, duets and quintettes, were encored and the applause was deserving.  So pleased were all who attended that an effort is being made to have the Cambrians return here in the near future, and it is likely that this can be arranged.—
Daily News.




Daniel Protheroe, Composer and Director of the Central Church Choir, Chicago, (Dr. Gunsaulus' Church).—The Cambrian National Glee Singers possess excellent individual voices, well trained in ensemble work, and sing with artistic finish and expression.  Possessing plenty of temperament, they are able to give performances full of dramatic color, and I am sure will worthily uphold the musical honor of a little land which is called The Home of Song.  I wish them a prosperous tour.




RICHARD THOMAS, Conductor
The Greatest Tenor in Wales




Twelve Superb Soloists and the Welsh Harry Lauder

The Personnel
There are but few changes in the personnel, and every change made strengthens the company in such a way that the programs will be much more popular, while retaining their high standard of excellence.


FIRST TENORS
MR. RICHARD THOMAS, the greatest and most popular tenor in South Wales, National winner on five occasions.  A great hit last season.

MR. JOHN STEPHENS, winner of over two hundred first prizes, including five silver cups and three gold medals.

MR. JOHN JONES, a sweet, melodious singer, very popular at ballad concerts.



SECOND TENORS
MR. LUTHER DAVIES is a strong, robust tenor, favorite pupil of the great Welsh basso, David Hughes.

MR. WILLIAM RICHARDS, A. C. V., is a sweet tenor and an accomplished violinist.  Winner at the Royal National Eisteddfod in 1905.



FIRST BASSOS
MR. ANEURIN MORRIS is one of the most successful baritones in Wales today, possessing a very mellow voice.  He is very much in demand for concerts.  Has won over one hundred and fifty prizes.

MR. GEO. THOMAS, a splendid basso of many year's experience and winner of many prizes.



SECOND BASSOS
MR. WILLIAM LEWIS, R. A. M., a splendid bass, trained at the Royal Academy of Music, London, has sung at the Chief London and Provincial Concerts.

MR. GWILYM THOMAS, one of the heaviest bassos of Wales.

MR. NABOTH FRANCIS, is the possessor of a truly magnificent voice, very much in demand for ballad concerts and oratorios.  He is, furthermore, one of the most popular readers in Wales, and will appear in several readings.



SINGING HUMORIST
MR. ALF. THOMAS is the most popular Welsh humorist and character singer in the world.  He is known as the Welsh Harry Lauder.



ACCOMPANIST
MR. DAVID LEWIS, A. R. C. O., a brilliant pianist and organist, chief accompanist at the Royal National Eisteddfod of 1907.




A Few Foreign and American Notices

Schenectady. N. Y.—The concert was probably one of the finest which has been heard in this city for some time.  Each singer had been a prize winner in the national eisteddfod held yearly in Wales.  These musical contests are held yearly and are taken part in by a great many accomplished musicians.  The singers who took part in last night's concert have all won their laurels in the competitions, and are on a six-weeks' tour of the United States.  The program was well chosen and contained a good variety of selections.  Both in chorus singing, and in solos, the Glee Singers were well received, being obliged to respond to encores several times during the program.  The voices of the singers were well balanced.—
Daily News.


Stratford, Ont.—Certain it is that the Glee Singers captivated their heaers last night in the second concert of the Y. M. C. A. entertainment course which is proving such a well deserved success and is meeting with a magnificent patronage.  The Cambrian Glee Singers comprise, including the brilliant and sympathetic pianist, Mr. Lewis, twelve superb soloists.  Among these are Mr. Richard Thomas, who is admittedly the greatest tenor in Wales, and Mr. Gwilym Thomas, a magnificent basso profundo.  Every member of the Glee is a trained soloist of far above ordinary calibre.  But it is not alone individually that these singers so delight, for combined they make one grand harmonious whole as well balanced, tuned and vibrant as a stringed instrument.  The unaccompanied Glees were simply superb.  Indeed in the choruses, quartettes, duets and solos, there was scarcely room for even the suggestion of criticism.  Of the program of last night, it may be truly said that it was ideal in length, variety and the number of familiar selections which it contained.  Hence it was pleasing alike to the more critical trained ear and the less musical listener.  All were delighted and that is after all the best tribute that can be paid any organization of entertainers.—
Daily Herald.


Herald of Wales.
—Last Thursday, at Llenwntyd, that fine combination of Star Artists, the Cambrian National Glee Singers, gave what was unanimously voted to be the finest concert of the season, their selections of Welsh items (at the invitation of the Chairman, W. Llewelyn Williams, M. P.) being greatly appreciated.  For richness of tone, general execution, this party excels anything heard here.


Boston.—In Chickering hall last evening, before a large audience.  The Cambrian National Glee Singers, a widely known Welsh singing organization, gave a very enjoyable concert.—
Globe.


Providence, R.I.—The programme was arranged to gratify the tastes of all hearers, and was rendered in a manner to please the most critical.  The numbers were of a varied character and gave the singers opportunity to show their voices to the best advantage, and all who heard the concert were loud in their praises of its excellence and of the enjoyment afforded by it.—
Daily Tribune.





ANEURIN MORRIS A Magnificent Baritone A Great Favorite Last Season



MR. NABOTH FRANCIS Basso and Reader



MR. MORRIS WALSH A Deep Basso





Alf. Thomas Singing Humorist
The Welsh Harry Lauder
WE ARE ESPECIALLY fortunate to be able to secure as a member of this already famous Company, ALF. THOMAS, known all over Europe as the Welsh Harry Lauder.  He is the most popular Welsh Humorist and Character Singer of the day and has been called the Welsh Harry Lauder because of his ability to imitate the famous Scotch Comedian in all his songs, which he does so well that it is difficult to say which is Lauder and which is Thomas.  He has a repertoire of songs of his own writing which are given in character costume, delineating Welsh Characters, as pictured on this page.


The South Wales Press.
—Alf. Thomas kept the risible muscles of all in good trim with his realistic version of Harry Lauder's success, She's Ma Daisy.  For an encore he sang another of the Scotch comedian's hits, I'm the Saftest o' the Family.


Swansea Herald.
—When Alf. Thomas made his appearance there was a perfect furore of applause.  Mr. Thomas is an entertainer of exceptional merit, and few finer things in the way of mimicry have been done than his impersonation of the famous Scotch comedian, Harry Lauder.


The Welsh Gazette.
—The star of the evening was Alf. Thomas, the clever comedian.  His costumed impersonations of Harry Lauder were cleverness itself, and Mr. Thomas is to be congratulated on the splendid manner in which he has caught the Scotch accent.  He was perhaps best in She's Ma Daisy, while the rendering of I'm the Saftest o' the Family also was exceptionally good.


Albert Sheppard, the Welsh Critic, in The Druid.
—The following evening the Cambrian National Glee Singers came to fulfill their engagement in the town.  What had been reported of these singers was sufficient to keep the musical circles in town on the tip-toe of expectation.  It was anticipated that this event would be the chief musical event of the season.  And they were not disappointed.  The storm had not ceased to rage, and we were fearing lest many of the people would be kept away in consequence.  Not so, however.  For when the curtain rose the Glee party were greeted with a full house, who were in a very expectant mood, keenly critical, and not disposed to allow their feelings to influence their judgment, even though the reports from other towns were so glowing; this Huron audience considered itself capable of judging for itself.  I was very apprehensive until they had sung the opening number.  After that, I settled back with the rest of the audience to enjoy myself.  Every item on the bill was enthusiastically encored.  And the very great expectations of the people were more than realized.  Every one of the singers is an artist to his finger tips.  Under the hands of Mr. Thomas, the conductor, they responded to the most exacting demands of the highest-class music, in a manner calculated to win the admiration of all those critical enough to appreciate the accomplishment.  They are equally happy and choice when dealing with something in a lighter vein.  The effect of the perfect training they have received, individually and as a party, is seen in the sympathetic blending of each with each.  They sing with their ears, as well as their voices.  Each voice is dove-tailed, as it were, with perfect nicety, into the voice next to it.  No individualism whatever—it is lost in the party.  If it is just to single one soloist from the others for special mention, when all are so excellent, I would mention Mr. Thomas.  He is the possessor of a tenor voice as full of music as any voice I have ever heard


The Welsh Gazette.
—Of the new-comers, the Welsh Harry Lauder must certainly be given the palm.  When at the last anniversary celebrations, Mr. Thomas impersonated Harry Lauder, he was hailed as a born comedian, and it was felt if he could only introdue some original songs, his reputation would be made.  He has done this and he made a big hit with his Tram Conductor.  He treated his audience to Scotch and Welsh humor and at both he succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectations.


Mr. Alf. Thomas in a Series of Character Songs