GUIDE NOTES

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21198, 23 June 1934, Page 7

GUIDE NOTES

# [By THE PROVINCIAL SECRETARY.] Health Badge—The question papers for this badge will be forwarded to the candidates as soon as they have been received at the Guide Office. Badges for July—Needlewoman, pathfinder, home-maker, and scribe. Cook's badge—For those guides and rangers who do not attend coojjery classes, this badge test has had to be postponed until September 8, all those who attend cookery classes can have their certificates signed there if they are considered up to the standard by their instructress.

Headquarters levy—There are still some companies who have not yet paid in their full amounts. These are asked to do so immediately.

Tennyson street Company There was a splendid attendance of parents and friends on Saturday, June 16, when the Tennyson street Company celebrated its third birthday, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. The programme opened with the breaking of the flag and National Anthem, followed by camp fire songs, signalling, ambulance, and folk dancing. A short play was also presented by each patrol. The secretary read a report of the year's work, and the evening closed with the lowering of the flag, and taps. Supper was provided, at which there was a beautiful birthday cake, the three candles being lighted by the youngest member of the company. ,

District Captain Married A very pretty wedding took place last Wednesday at St. Luke's Church, when Miss M. Stewart, formerly district captain for South West Christchurch, and captain of the Eighth Adr dington Company, was married. Miss D. Anderson (Divisional Commissioner) and Mrs McKillop (District Commissioner) were present with other commissioners. About 40 guides from the district formed a guard of honour with staves. The only drawback was the bad weather.

Part-Singing The best introduction to part-sing-ing is through rounds, because in them are the essentials of part-sing-ing, i.e., the ability to sing one tune against another, and to come in at a different moment on a different note. So, in beginning to teach a company part-songs, it is as well to make sure first that they con sing rounds easily. Well-known rounds, too, make excellent wind-up to a lesson when the difficulties have been greater than the enjoyment. Canons are only rather more complicated rounds, usually longer, and with the subsequent parts not necessarily coming in on the same note as the original. They make the best two-part songs to begin with, as they provide all the interest of partsinging without so many of the difficulties. The hymn known as Tallis's Canon which in most books goes to the words "Glory to Thee my God this Night," can be sung "in canon" as a beginning, the second part coming four notes behind the first. Short canons can be found in many song books, and some delightful longer ones have been written by present British composers such as "The Ride of the Witch" by Wood, "The Song of the Lumbermen," I and "Clouds on the Summer Sky" by I Holt, and "A Shepherd Kept Sheep" iby Eric Theman. All these have sevI oral verses and are songs of ordinary length. Canons such as these are just as worth while musically as any other two-part songs and they are always rather easier to master. Descants are another means of evading the chief difficulties of part-singing, and of obtaining quiet results. A descant is merely a second tune sung against a well-known one. The descant is usually more elaborate and higher than the original one, but it is not always either of these things. Very often the descant moves underneath the other tune when that goes high. The most satisfactory descants are those written to simple and well-known tunes such as "Drink to Me Only," "All Through the Night," or a hymn such as "Rock of Ages." For the descant choose voices that are high and musical and able to keep their part and have about one to four in the main tune. In two and three part songs one of the problems is how to keep one group interested while the others are learning their part. The ideal is for everyone to learn all the parts. Then they can change about and sometimes sing one part,, and sometimes another, and they cacri have the same interest and the same importance. If this is not possible choose the reliable voices and cars for the underneath parts as they are the most difficult to sing. Although part-singing has some difficulties for the inexperienced, it is well worth persisting as results in the end have a beauty and satisfaction never got in unison singing. The chief thing is not to be too ambitious, but to attempt music easily within the powers of the singers, music which they can all take a pleasure in singing. Officers' Club The next meeting will be at the Jockey Club Rooms on Thursday, July 5. All district captains, rangers, and guides are asked to make a special point of attending. Miss Maxwell will speak from 7.30 p.m. to 7.45 p.m. on "Rangers." and from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Miss Candy will lecture on "The History of Early Canterbury."