ORPHANAGES’ CONCERT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 18

ORPHANAGES’ CONCERT

♦ SUCCESSFUL MUSICAL EVENING It was a rare pleasure to hear Ihe Cathedral Grammar School boys in the concert hall, and last night at the Combined Orphanages' Concert in the Radiant Hall these boys had a prominent part. They opened with Handel’s “As When the Dove,” and one enjoyed at once their beautifully placed, entirely unforced voices, their direct, clean rhythm, and their fine contrasts in tone-amount. After this came Schubert’s “To Music,” calmly and smoothly interpreted, and with full attention to shapeliness of structure —one of the chief things that interpretation must always make, clear to the listener. Equally attractive was Purcell’s “Fairest Isle." It is delightful to hear boys use their voices so beautifully and so safely. Such tone is truly a pattern for all schools to emulate. Miss Clarice Inglis came next with a bracket of two pleasing songs, “Thr Heart That’s Free” (Robyn) and “Mandy and the Spiders” (Tombo), the one bright, the other humorous. Her clear, musical voice, and very distinct speech made of these two songs a highly enjoyable presentation. The “Nursery Rhymes” of Maughan BarnettT sung by a special group from the Grammar School Choir, proved thoroughly attractive, both on account of the pleasant musical humour of the writing itself, and also of the joyous, neat singing of the boys. These delightful songs were deservedly encored. The two violin solos. Drdla’s “Souvenir” and Poldini’s “Poupee Valsante” (and her encore piece also), very neatly played by Miss Thelma Cusack, made pleasing, recreative listening, her work being greatly appreciated by the audience. The Cathedral Grammar School boys made two more appearances in the first half of the programme, on these two occasions singing folk music. Of the five enjoyable songs, “Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron,” “Kitty My Love." and the inspiring “Kishmul’s Galley” were outstanding. All the items by the Cathedral Grammar School boys were very ably directed and accompanied by Mr C. Foster Browne, the headmaster of the school. A radio play, “The Mule,” broadcast from the studio and very clearly received in the hall by means of a set lent by Messrs Charles Begg and Company, Ltd., was highly entertaining. This humorous playlet was excellently performed by “The Civic Flayers” (Mrs A. L. Haslam, Mr T. W. Tothill, and Mr Harold Shaw). The Negro song, “De Glory Road,” was stirringly interpreted, both in its descriptive monologue sections and in its melodic portions by Mr Rex Harrison, with Mr Noel Newson at the piano. , For his encore Mr Harrison sang “Nearer My God.” The second. B.alt ot tbe ■programme was arranged by the Christchurch Liedertafel under its conductor, Mr Victor Peters. Making use of the presence of the Cathedral Grammar School Choir on this programme, the Liedertafel opened its section of the programme with three items for the Liedertafel and the boys: “Rolling Down to Rio” (German), “Evening’s Pastorale” (Shaw), and “Hail, Smiling Morn,” part songs very warmly received by the audience, the third being repeated as an encore. The programme continued with part songs for male voices: “O, No, John,” “Tally Ho,” “Summer Lullaby,” “Waltzing Matilda,” “My Little Banjo,” and two for solo-voice and male chorus, “Neighbours” (W. Davies) and "Spin, Spin” (Jungst), the soloists being Mr R. Allison and Mr J. H. Cocks respectively. Of these seven items, particularly effective were “Neighbours,” “Tally Ho,” and the subdued “Spin, Spin.” Part two of the programme included in addition to the work of the male singers two contralto songs, the tender “O Lovely Night” (Ronald), the bright “Love’s a Merchant” (Carew), and the encore, “Drink to Me Only,” beautifully sung by Miss Vera Martin. The accompanists to the solos in both halves of the programme were effectively and sympathetically played by Miss Bessie Pollard, and those for the Liedertafel by Mr George Martin. (E.J.)