THE NATIONAL HYMN.

Evening Star, Issue 4316, 27 December 1876, Page 2

THE NATIONAL HYMN.

To the Editor Sir, —In the absence of Mr J. J. Woods, the gentleman who obtained the. ' Saturday Advertiser's' prize for the best national air, allow me to make a few observations on the criticism of his composition which appeared in this morning's ' Guardian.' Ido not object to the ' Guardiau' critic's expressing his condemnation of the work if it were done in a fair and impartial manner, bnt I do object to the spirit which animated the unfair attack on " the gentleman who dubs himself the composer." Knowing as I do the source whence the remarks in question were inspired, 1 was quite prepared for even a stronger and a coarser attack on Mr Woods in the columns of your High street contemporary.; and I should not have noticed the matter were it not for the fact that the general public are unaware of the existence of a' small musical clique in this City .the members of which make it a point to hound down everything that does not emanate from their own circle. I understand that a prominent member of this clique happens to be a defeated competitor for the ' Saturday Advertiser's' prize, and if this is a fact it is only natural that he should seek a channel wherein to vent the spleen of his disappointment. Mr Woods's composition was unanimously 1 awarded the prize by Messrs Zelman, Siedie, and Zeplin, who gave it as their opinion that his melody was the " most original" of all the competitive aire, and with the favorable criticism of such eminent musicians he can afford to laugh at the petty jealousies of local "strummera."—l am, &c, ThsS. Erackbk. I%Min, tfefc'&ib»*27.