IMPRESSIONS OF BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27226, 18 December 1953, Page 2

IMPRESSIONS OF BRITAIN

MISS E. A. PREBBLE’S VISIT Concerts in London and programmes presented at the Edinburgh Festival of music and drama were interesting highlights of a visit to Britain by Miss E. A. Prebble, of Stanmore road, Christchurch. Miss Prebble, who is a music teacher, returned to New Zealand this week after an absence of 11 months.

In an interview in Christchurch yesterday. Miss Prebble said she had spent three weeks in Edinburgh, and had attended the opening of the Edinburgh Festival. It took the form of a service of praise held in the Cathedral Church of St. Giles, and was attended by the Princess Reyal and the Earl and Countess of Harexyood. Miss Prebble said she had heard many of the festival programmes, and those she enjoyed most included concerts by the Rome Symphony Orchestra. the 8.8. C. Symphony Orchestra, with Solomon as the guest artist a Beethoven concert by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and chamber music played by the Virtuosi di Roma.

She also enjoyed presentations by the Glyndebourne Opera Company, and was greatly impressed by the stage production of “Hamlet” and Richard Burton’s portrayal of the title role. “I also saw the much-discussed play, ‘The Confidential Clerk.’ by T. S. Eliot.” Miss Prebble added.

In London. Miss Prebble saw an Italian child prodigy. Giannella de Marco, aged eight, conduct a performance by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. She saw the Coronation procession. and attended the Royal banquet given by the combined Empire societies in the Grosvenor Hotel, and was present at the Spithead naval review.

With a friend. Miss Prebble attended a garden party given by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr. Geoffrey Fisher), and Mrs Fisher at Lambeth Palace. Later they were conducted round the palace library, where they were shown many relics, including the Bibles used at the Coronation ceremonies of British monarchs.

Miss Prebble spent some time at Trinity ’College, London, and had several Consultations on present-day methods of teaching music and speech training. She said she felt that in Britain music teachers generally were more conservative in their teaching methods. They also took longer to prepare their pupils for diploma work than New Zealand teachers, and insisted that they should have a wide knowledge of the classics.