PIANO, HARP AND SONG.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 250, 22 October 1935, Page 3

PIANO, HARP AND SONG.

INTERESTING RECITAL. An interesting recital was given in the Lewis Eady Hall last evening when Miss Pearl Wallace (pianist), Miss Sheila Mackenzie (harpist) and Miss Girleen Clarke (soprano), combined to present a well-varied programme of music. The rapidly increasing practice of two or more students holding joint recitals deserves every encouragement, for thes.? public appearances help t 0 bring to light much hidden talent and the ordeal of appearing before an audience, even whea ;t is composed mostly of sympathetic Iriends, provides useful experience for the performers, while any ensuing candid expressions of opinion offered, taken in tiie right spirit, should enable tham to check any erroneous tendencies that may be developing. Last night's performances naturally were not perfect, still, they were obviously enjoyed by the audience and demonstrated that we have a number of excellent teachers in our midst.

Miss Pearl Wallace's pianoforte selections were as follow: Organ Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Bach-Tausig); a. Chopin group, Preludes, Op. 28, Nos. 21 and 22, Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1. and Polonaise in A Major, Op. 40. Xo. 1; a modern group, Prelude in Gr Minor (Pouishnoff), "La Danse d'OlaE" (Piciv - Mangiagalli) and "Polichinelle" (Rachmaninoff). The player, who has a facile 'Touch, was most successful in the latter group, for the performance of whia-i 6he was warmly applauded. In her earlier numbers Miss Wallace was inclined to sacrifice accuracy for brilliance of rendition, with the result that there was more than a sprinkling of wrong notes at times.

Miss Girleen Clarke, a young singer with a sweet, fresh soprano voice, opened with two arias, "Of -Flowers the Fairest" (Bach) and "With Verdure Clad" (Haydn), both 6ung very prettily, although her phrasing left something to be desired. Miss Clarke's other numbers were two operatic arias, "In quelle 1 trine morbide" (Puccini) and "La Wally" (Catalini); a group of three songs, "Higaland Lament," sung to a harp accompaniment played by Miss Sheila Mackenzie, "The Wren" (Lehmann), "The Gardener"' (Wolf). These were all sung with purity of tone and commendable clarity o r " diction. An encore number was addel in response to warm applause.

Tlie harp is not often heard as a solo instrument on cyir concert platforms, and Miss Sheila Mackenzie's playing of her beautiful instrument was all the more appreciated by the audience. Her selections were "Fruhlingsglaube" (Schubert"). •'At Dawning" (Cadman). ''•Last Rose of Summer" (Irish), "Relic of Wales," "Traumerei" (Schumann) and "I Love b it Thee" (Irish). In al! of these Miss Mackenzie brought out the lovely tones oi her instrument. Her playing at times, however, lacked rhythm, especially in th? air of the "March of the Men of Harlech."

It might be added that the instrument would have been even more appreciated had not one or two of fclie bass strings been so noticeably out of tune. The accompaniments, save one, were played bv the Misses Rita .Haresnape and Pearl Wallace.