AMUSEMENTS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15772, 13 December 1916, Page 12

AMUSEMENTS.

THE FESTIVAL OF NEW ZEALAND MUSIC The sccond concert of the festival scheme took place at the Theatre Royal last night, and was graccd by the prcj.curc of her ExccUcnry the Countess of Liverpool and suite. Ihcro was a. slightly improved audicnce. Mr Geo. T. Booth orrplained in felicitous terms the object of tho movement. In a country so favoured by Nature as New Zealand, he reasoned, there is bound to arise a rac© of artists and musicians, in whose works tho beauties of our land will be reflected. Itbehoved them to lend their aid. This prophetic forecast is. to some extent, realised already in the. compositions of Alfred Hill, who. although unfortunato in being born in Australia, is surely so far the only composer—and a composer of great ability—who has saturated not a few of his works with, local colour and Maori lore, and whom proudly for that reason wo may claim as our own. Ho has ccrtainly not composed works inspired by the aborigines of Australia. Tiio racy Maori songs of his, especially tho lino "Tangi" splendidly sung by "-Mr Ilex Harrison last, night, and his clever Maori string quartet, with the beautiful .allegro, well played by Messrs Zimmermano, Jiiordan, (Jookson, and L. Bonnington. gave ample support to the con tenti oti that we may regard him as a true New Zealander. When the contributions of tho Orchestral Society, under Mr_ A. J. Biinz "Feratnors" and "Valse Tristc —-aro added, the list, of tho artistic productions of the evening is exhausted. It was hardly fair to* entrust the works or the aspiring young composers to_in experienced singers and players. Every effort should have been made to place their artistic attcaopts in. the most favourable and perfect light. Mrs Harry Ellwood herself played pleasantly the amiable "Minuets'' from her pen. Tho little lady, Gladys Vincent, giving fair promise aDd commanding a good and true tone on her violin, cannot, or coui*sc, bo.a.cc£ptod as a qualified interpreter of the soli included in the programme for the instrument. Among other song-writers Mrs Alice Forrester s rccitativc and solo, "Search Me, O God,'' struck the' deepest note, as doubtless the best thinrr sho has cvex written. Songs by IT. M. . Johnson, Louis A. Benzoin, aud Arthur Lilly, Bun c by. Alu-.s MaeLean, Mrs Elizabeth Brown. 3tiss May Hounscll, Miss Elsie Large, and Mi" Montague GiljjTiore, call for no special comment. .Similarly it must be held that, with so good-an accompanist available as Mrs Tom Joll officiating for Mr Harrison, thercr wai no necessity for, and every objection to, introducing ajrv others not _ her | equals. Finally, "Mr Artbnr "Soldiers' Requiem" and "Life" sulfered a repetition, making the. programme one of over-largo dimensions. PAUL DUFAULT. The bos plan for the Paul Duf&ult conccrts are now on view at Tho Bristol. These three concerts will take place at the Theatre Royal on Friday and Saturday and tho following Monday. Tho programme for Friday's concert is a very fine one, and of special interest to Christchurch, as .the items on it aro all new with tho exception of "Lorraine," which. Mr Dufault has included owing to several requests. The tenor's big aria will be tho thrilling "Sound an Alarm." Other numbers will include a new son, "Requiem," by Sydney Homer, the composer of "How's My Boy ?"; a delightful song, whose title (translated; is "If 1 Were Gardener,'' by Chauiinadc; "Melisaiide," by Goots; Massenet's beautiful "Elegie," which will be sung with violin obbligato; and Scott's "The Secret." The duet of th eevening will be a melodious ono from Dc Kovcn's opera, "Robin Hood."

PICTURE ENTERTAINMENTS. Yalcska Suratt, in tho splendid photo-drama, '"The Soul of New STork," and Jilanchc Sweet, supported by the Japanese actor Scssue Hayak&wa, in "The rjccret Sin," drew a packed house to Starland last night, every eeat being early occupied. Both productions are of a very high orddlr. "Sons of the Sea," an cxciting romance of tho old smuggling days, proved ;v big attraction at His Majesty's Theatre (again ilast night. Tho Vita graph comedy, "Losing "Weight," and the various other pictures of tho current week's programme ■were very (HvoJl received, To-nigh!t tho same pictures ivill he shown. The final episode in the "Stingaree" serial, "The Darkest Hou,r," interested Rcores of patrons of the Globe Theatre yesterday. Each of the supporting films was well worth teeing. To-morrow evening Mary TMckford will be m:oii in "Mistress Nell." "Little Pal," in -which Miss Mary Pickford appears to tho best advantage, is at present proving a big attraction at Everybody'* Theatre. This firstclass film is only one of msny excellent pictures, all of which will he screened again to-d;iy at each session. The manoeuvres of the now famous "Tank" are to be seen in a Pa the Gazette ycries now being shown at the Queen's Theatre, which serie« also includes pit-turns of wounded New Ze&bmders embarking for Home, the Allied Fleet entering the Pirreus. and other tfipir-al war films. ""A Modern Joan of Arc/' and a number of other interesting and varied pictures make up a meritorious programme, which is to be submitted again to-day. There was a good attendance at the Sydenham Picture* last, evening, when "The AVhite Hope'' and other filma in the new programme -were much appreciated. The same pictures will be shown to-night. Edmund Brcese, in the fine. Metro picture '"The Weakness of Strength" a sain proved a great success at tie Grand Theatre yesterday. Tbe fifteenth series of "The Broken Coin" Woo a popular item on the programme. The latter will he shown for the last time to-night There will he a new supporting programme to-day.