MISS EDNA THOMAS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18400, 5 June 1925, Page 10

MISS EDNA THOMAS.

A CHARMING RECITAL. In the quaint and charming crinoline costumes of the early nineteenth-cen-tury as worn by the ladies of the Southern States in pre-emaueipation ; days, Miss Edna Thomas, '/The Lady from Louisiana" and her two talented assisting artists, Miss Lucile Lawrence (harpist) and Miss .Constance Piper (pianiste) opened a return season in the Choral Hall last night beforo an audience wholly enamoured of the personality of the fair trio and wholly appreciative of the skill and artistry of their work. Miss Thomas followed in the main lines of her programmes as given during her inaugural season here some weeks ago and the recollection of the pleasures bestowed during that first season was such that before the recital started last night mauy requests for the repetition of favourite items were handed in and responded to by the lady. The "Negro Spirituals," a cult quite understandable and quite worthy, apart from their peculiar historic interest, found expression in numbers such as "Go Down, Moziz," "Some of Dose Davs," "Nobody Knows," "I Got Shoes," "I Wanna Be Beady," "Keep Inchin Along," "Gwinna' Lay Down Mali Burden," and "He Never Said a Mumblin' Word." Negro minstrel songs, which by being better known, made a more ready appeal, were."Old Black Joe" arid "Swannee River," and it was a delight to hear Miss Thomas sing those numbers. In striking contrast to all the foregoing by reason of their air of gaiety were the songs of the Creole negroes who worked • and lived under French or Spanish domination. Four of these sung by Miss Thomas with harp accompaniment were '' Ai Suzette," " Chere mo Lemme Toi,'' "Bon Dieu". and "Toucoutu." They were almost indistinguishable from those many charming little French Chansons so popular on, the Continent and so rarely heard out here. Additional Creole songs with piano accompaniment were "Clementine," "DanseCodaine," "Msieu Banjo,"" "De Do Solange," "Ca Qui To Mo Dit," and "Compari Lapin." The singing street calls of tho coloured . hawkers , and pedlars of New Orleans and Baltimore were reproduced by. Mis,s Thomas with all their beauty of melody and phrasing. Miss Lucille Lawrence played several compositions on the harp with a graceful action and a pretty touch Mendelssohn 's "Spring Song," the "Volga Boat Song," and a dainty composition by Hasselmans, "Will o' t\\> Wisp," were among her- leading.;items. Thackeray's celebrated opinion, of the harp as being a rather exploded instrument was certainly not shared by the audience last night. It is an instrument too seldom heard these days to become anything 'but an enjoyment. A harp and piano duet, "Kentucky Home," played by Miss Lawrence and Miss Piper, was one of the triumphs, of the evening. Miss Piper played the accompaniments to all the songs with a nice sense, for effect and a remarkable-sense for time. ' ■■ ' ..' At Miss Edna Thomas's farewell concert to-morrow night Miss Lucille Lawrence (harpist) will play-tho following: - "En .Bateau" . (.Claud Dubussy), "Mirage" (Carlos Selzedo), " Whirlwind" (Carlos s .Selzedo), "Largo" (Handel), "Folletts" (Hasselman), "Tambourin" (Eameau). _ Miss Edna Thomas's numbers will include:— "Maynight" (Brahms), Lullabv" (Brahms), "Romance of Eosamunde" (Schufet), "I Gneve". (Schumann), "Spring Nights (Schumann), "J'ai Pleure en Revo" (I Have Wept A Dreaming) (P ; .M "Tes Yeux" (Your ■ Eyes) (Eabey), "Was I Not.. a Blade of • Grass?" (Tschaikowsky), "Whether by Day Tschaikowsky). Miss Thomas- will also sing a group of spirituals by request, ..,..*