YOUNG CHORALISTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 225, 23 September 1938, Page 11

YOUNG CHORALISTS.

AUCKLAND JUVENILE CHOIR.

PROMISING PERFORMANCES,

There wm a very fair attendance in the Lewi. Eady Hall last evening when the Auckland Juvenile Choir gave it* second concert of the season under the direction of its organiser and conductor, MiM Ida Holmes.

It was a most encouraging sight to music lovers to see these little bova and girls, about 36 of them, eyes centred upon J,ull> » Lonely Woods" and the duet "O _, from Handel's "Judas Maccabae.w" andl all from memory, too! with every word distinctly enunciated; for =r S Way t rc l at an 'mpressionable aße are enabled to hear and ajco appreei-a(-forrrctiv<: * the cheap or af +1, • f°° ° !f n hcar from the radio On at th ® P' ct " r e theatres, unfortunately. One would ha\e liked to have heard more of this class of composition in last nizht's programme. J he choral items also included several adaptations of popular numbers suc has Liebestraum (Liszt), "Rondino" Beetbovpn-Knesler), "Second Minuet." (Besil.v) .Mendelssohn's "Spring Hong" and Blue Danube Waltz (Strauss), sung in two parts and arranged by Miss Holme*, who also wrote the words in several instances.

The audience was most enthusiasts and all of these were repeated in full. Here it might be mentioned that the wisdom f allowing the«e complete repeat performances is doubtful, for the concerts are thereby prolonged to 10 p.m., a verv late hour for young children, many of whom are usually in bed three hours earlier.

However, Mis# Holme*, who ha* undertaken this service to good music m purely a labour of lore, is to be congratulated on the success achieved by her youthful choristers, who are showing improvement at every concert.

Other numbers given by the children werev ocal trio, "The Jyamb" (words, y\. Blake; mimic. Ida Holmes), filing by F de Senna, G. Macdonald, M. Cadnesi; Mozart s beautiful "Cradle Song," yiven by Clinton Greenwood, whose voice waa both sweet and true; "London Spring Song" (Oliver), snng prettily by Joan Ratcliffe. a miniature prima donna: "Cloud Boats (Cleaver), rendered by Marguerite Cadness. the ] 1-year-old contralto for whom Lawrence Tibbett has predicted great things; "Venetian Lullaby" (Walton), eling by Bettina Oliver, a mature performance; "Love's Echo" (Newton), given by .Tacqueline Heath-Preest, a very promising young soprano.

Instrumental items given by a trio composed of violin (Miss Leela Bloy), 'cello (Miss Lalla Hemiis) and piano (Mrs. Phvllis Bloy) were greatly appreciated by the audience. Miss Aileen Warren, at the piano, gave well-judged support to the young singers throughout the evening.