LITERARY AND MUSICAL COMPETITIONS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13738, 20 May 1910, Page 8

LITERARY AND MUSICAL COMPETITIONS.

TRIED DAY

The third day's competitions of the Christchurch Literary and Musical Competitions Society were continued yesterday. The afternoon session, at which the principal items were tho musical monologuo contest and the sacred solo for mezzo soprano, was very well attended, whilst at the evening session (over which Mr P. L. Hallenstein presided) His Majesty's Theatre was filled in every part. The largo attendance in tho evening was no doubt due to the fact that the choir contest*; wero on the programme, and the performances given by tho two contesting choirs were such as deserved so large a gathering. Some of the impromptu speeches proved most amusing, whilst the speech mado by the first prize winner was almost as near perfection as could bo expected in the circumstances. The finals of the musical monologuo contest also added to tho amusement of the audience, whilst the piano solos by three little dots under twelve years of age wero highly appreciated, thc applause being spontaneous and warm. The Chairman, in opening thei evening's proceedings, stated that the committee had decided (subject to the approval of the judge) "to award two prizes in the choir contest, despite the fact that there were only two entries. This was done in appreciation of tho fact that the Greymonth chcir had pluckily come a long distance to compote, and also to encourage more entries in this section ot future contests. When announcing his decision in theso contests, the judge '(Mr Baeyertz) statefi that the performance, of the (second prize-winners warranted the giving of a scconel nrizo. The results of yesterday's contests were as follows :— PREPARED HEADING. There was an entry of forty-one. ladies and gentlemen (of which number thirty-four comfor the prepared reading, the test piece being a selection from Edmund Burke on the subject of Marie Antoinette. Burkes 0n,0.t0 oratorical style, of which the extract chesen is a iairiy good examDle, proved, somewhat difficult for conic of the competitors, whoso interpretation showed the ab»<-nce of detailed study of the piece. Practically oil thc contestants read clearly but many "failed to bring out to the full extent the author's meaning. Generally speaking the enunciation and pro-

iiuncution- of tlio reader*'were cootL i I fairly l:irs;o number stumbled over S. *» $ "splendour" and gave to the vofc*>l' N I ia the second syllable the sound of "S*» I he«rd in the word "but" instrnti of lV~t*t I "o" heard in thc word "or." In tw ot 2!S! | instances "lenp't" was K*vr-n a? "loBtft" i& 1 judge ucciiicd to ret-all Mi-sc*. Vj to *V I GarrVner, Una H. Owen, ami FlorL? 1 *? i IWv-ail from Dunedin. The judfiT? X I "iff his derision. said : -"The,,. I .will do a swit uork if tliev f,„t w .T**** 1 rendins; aloud -.Union » in-.' „_-» j**!* S Micccst that next year the .-niiim-liVei.?* I that end—include -a reading at -vcbTlSj* 1 Few competitor* in this stef.ori a D I the cusnitv nml th.> elevated style Vf^ l * S lament thoueh •mcthiiiks. »urke £ n ;L •*» I ,v„ st «l ~,«,! tin, Mar.a Theresa, who sacrificed her k»2 *I Loin* XVI.. to her ol.rtinwv ard SSI Tn this section there were mum-inij-proiiiinctationn. suck a*' 'reverf **•»« (revolu'.ionV f,-Mwl-liii' (exaltedl *Id**wl tee' vfercTityl. 'slmn-' (riom *ir*.«Vi -?**■ .•lobed). cmoshm' temoticn). • R ,C..(t-l <*übmi.ssinrO. 'miv.chin' mat-on., u>d oth.-r*. These thi, !g , should aol i' ,J !g<l were thsoe Wulv intellittort rt^J? 0 * ..die you w, I observe Tho nin^ B^ -*, Miss l'acey Ut:sl .",. "Tit*, PIAXO SOLO The pure solo for competitor:. l»»!-, and nucler broucht Joith uir.o rEtn^. 3 '* s * all competed. Tho test yiiu-o «,«*.?.**» oj, -;,. X,, . lul . when -.ess ot the competitor* ;s uUn sidi-rulion. muny ~i th- inUrprctjlic-, '*• jdMMnn. and showed that the S** uad a ti.irlv ccod conception ol the njifft ' jwdse decided to recall Mi S9 (; y \Cs**» tlnverear S ,U). Mi,, 1). L. TWU. ' S2¥« and Mis, U. W. W. Balk (IWd,„ 'H' his decision Mr Baraett raid that l 7* «.r» tuat the audience en/ojed .ll "i&* "' ,hl ; th J. l ,!a >»!« "t the litt'e pcrfoiJSi? «..n he first pr IM . The thirerStf* years. Probably the fiiuU V,th a' IIJaS of the recalled performer, WB .! mi; tono was oeea.ionallv too hkrA •& aw ;l rns were-—Mies H. W UVi irL. T l * 1. M.,» D. L. T.ibot (Uunedm; i. Klha "*s ML'SICAL MONOLOGVE. i Kor this content there was a pood „,, 1 tnc pcriormnnces were, upon U.e whole ere ; t, ah o. Ihe sel-vlion of piwe> lelt to the individual comcMaat naulwT*S a : ,ood ..dmisturo of ,r,ve and l M Lesson of the \V«t»nnifr «-ns oheWw 2S ot tho eoiupetitors. and a similar yZ__B chose "ChriMroa.- bells." »Jjl "Ihc Game of Life. ' Of the humoronl tions. "When tho Minister Cornea to %M Kivcii hy Misa Luhi Arnold Si A ;vovol on the Bovnl Principle." rri»„ vi Mr It. H. Webb ;St. Albans) wS itfl worthy. "Christma.s Bells, a-. Riven by _]B V. J. Paccy iDmiedin), «nd also by Inu? 1 ! M. Ucvercux tChristrlmrch), »nd "Littlt B~| lilue." civru by Mi?s Giird'ncr (Duntdj?! stood out prominent Iv in tbouc that «n»am[l mis in charai-ter. The- judge, in annoiadi!! Ins- awards, said:—"ln this section, pos-ihle.it has l>e<>n 'accounted unto tieafci ri-htrousness' wh > played their own punirucnU, as indeed the ■musical should. Most of the comnetitora lg._ not yet mastered tho art of 'talking to{l,| piano.' Tho winner save a very escjJUjl pt-rformance of a difficult piece, ejrfSi Bcond prize-winner was no less excellent SB in a less exacting selection. Tho third rg&fi winner did very well, indeed, but did Btftji company herself. The winners urei—FiSljj Miss PaceA", 111 marks; second. Miss' Gel S nrr 132; third. Miss Arnold. 120. Mr "WitcH effort was clever, but hardly o musical B>3a,ffl logue." R SACKED SOLO. ' 1 Tho tost sacred solo for mezzo Kopnioni "I'iela Signov" (Stradelln), tuid thoiwli ftii liiuubcr who competed was «mftll thera>e<l sonic- good interpretations "of this' diffitsl'l devotional composition. The firwda ef tbal contest will be decided next Wednesday «nM ing, tho competitors recalled bernsT—iCa! Rita Lyons (Wclliiißton), .Mim May Nmnei (Wellinplou). and Mis* P. J, Pacry (t)ußf4it)| 'Pie juclg-o says of the sinpng of tha thml contestants recti lied that- he \raa great l ;! pleased with their interpretations, "ilywjntl cneniy," he continued, "will hardly■ accnw rjii of ovcr-indulecuce to the amateur, but.lhtni is no dmibt that each of theee- three psrforfc. ances war artistio in the extreme, and I atn never hrard, in any competition, or at am amateur concert for that nittitcr, Si vocal work. Thoao who enjoy really artiitii fiiißiug should make n note'of thorkie-w which the tinals will be decided." - ■ CHOIR COXT£ST£3. ' 1 For tho two choir contest?—Mondolisolis'i "As tho Heart Pants" and 'Wagner'a "Hi; Bright Abode " ("TannhaUßer," Act, IL)*-ciS two choirs entered, * the Ginyraouth and lis Sydouham Methodist choirs. . In, both » lections both choirs did cxcelleutly, aad ti»s; interprota.tiona were, kceidy enjoyed by ih audience. In givinff his decision, the jtrip anjd:—"ln the Mendelssohn it*ra {'As & Heart Pants") the winning choir paid xcti ; attention to light and shade thiia Ihu oiae, and tho voices were a. little, bettor balnKw and'altogether it was a -slightly moto ttf» tio reading. I'won't keep you in .injjamj any longer. In this sootior> Uio 1 poos to tho Groyniouth .JJcthodiai drds—l (great applause)—with 113 marku out olStl The Sydcnhom Methodist cJioir scored !S| murks. Both woro very good porfornwistaj indeed, and gui to worthy of a mcx:li Ittjtj ond more cven'.y balanced choirs. No*,'*! to tho Tannhauser selection. ' H«dl. Brigfaj Abode,' this was won by tho Crreymoutt choir—(great applause)—with 133 marks,. t«| Sydenham's 122 marks. I may u.y that tb the highest enoomiumg to be passed on tbsj choir to attempt, and both choirs deaem tho highest enconi-ums tc ho passed on thai for their ■ pluck in undertaking; it. Orr>At] part of both choiis it vv*a a vary 'i™ lachievemcnt." ', -. j

IMPROMPTU SPEECHES.Tho conditions under which the conttiUst in this section competed wero that each"!)* ono minute, in which to irarae'his remiri after tho subject was announced to him, us had eight minutes is which to give espra eion to them. Tho subject gives '« " Castles in the Air." Five out of tho ibts ■who entered competed. Tho judge, in eiyia his decisions, esid:—"l demt think thri myself should havo liked to make • spied on tho subject I set. Hardly any of ft competitors altogether /grasped tho. 'Ire meaninar of he subject, ox treated it_ jrti that light find graceful touch that it ><!* mauded; they were nil too" heavy. .ChuA two competitors showed tho poßsea»ioß idi gTeat amount of humour, and one of .»',*«•* cmount of -unconscious humour. Motttjltl" speakers began well, but only ono ltt«t# to go tniou-idi to the end as ho I>ogaj_u" usj lest his chance by vulgarising nil-tag meat of tho subject towards tho end. jwj speeches; as a, wbolo were not unsatufatM as regards fluonoy, but many coaipt]i\4 showed a frreat deal of confusion in_wii*H ject and in their treatment of i-*',fS tTeatod it altogether too narrowly," 'Sj awards were: First, Mr L. H. Hunt (In lulls), 130 out of 200 marks; (second, St-I .7. Hoighway (Dunedin), 110 marks, '-sj Tho competitions will ho to-day, but will bo resumed to-njai.| morning with tho recitation for lo****] 15 yeans of age and-under 21 Jttflj commencing at 10.30 o'clcck. A' Ififl number of other contests wijf ti% place during the day, and tho finJtljVfl bo decided in tho evening. ] >■ Messrs Wobley, Sons mid GoftbhJW informed the secretary that givo a special prize of one gtlinja ß each of the following sections solo,. "On Wings of Song"; pianolas "Fantasic Impromptu," and pianodriii "To Voglio Bene Asseje." _'.".-' ==s ' .#