THOMAS MOORE FESTIVAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3096, 29 May 1917, Page 6

THOMAS MOORE FESTIVAL

A HAPPY IDEA. Thomas Moore, the Irish poet and master lyrist, wliuse songs to-day aro as widely sung anil lueluuiimsly-pnrased as iiuy in the Language, was born 13S years ago yesterday, ami died at tho ago of 7a. Moore is responsible tor tho acute emotionalism oE tlie Irish to a. greater extent tivau nil the otlier writers of his time put together. Ho had the measure of tuu Irish Heart as well as its niiml, and the poems, in which he eang of the beauties of Erin, tho loyalty or disloyaity o£ her sous as the case may be, breathed the spirit of patriotism and loyo of country that still find an echo in every Irisu heart. It was a rathet good idea to celebrate the anniversary of the poet's birth by giving a concert in which only his works wero sung: The "festival,'' for that is what the Hibernian Society intends it to tie, was inaugurated in the Concert Chamber at 10 a.m. yesterday, when competitions in the singing of Mooro's songs wero held under the. Auspices of a special musical committeo, with' Mr. F. J. Oakes as judge and air. E. 13. L. Keado as stage director. There wero thrco competitions, all for juveniles — {\) for choirs in "Let llrin Remember"; (•2) for sopranos, "Tlie Meeting of tho AVatcrs"; and (3) for" boys, "Believe ALe If All Those Endearing Young Charms." As there were seven choirs and a host of soloists, Mr. Oakes was kept busy all day long, and at the concert last evening selected tho winner from -those recalled. Throughout the competitions Jlr. Oakes was enclosed in a, box-liko etructure, and only knew tho competitors by number. The finals of tho three competitions formed the opening numbers oi the programme last evening. Before announcing the result Jtr. Oakes said that the day had been one long feast of 6oug, and ha had tnjoyed every minute of it. Every performer, whether a -winner or not, had been well worth hearing. Ono outstanding feature had been the clear enunciation of the singers, without which any song was useless to the listener. In that i-cssiiect the. effect was good, and credit was clue to their teachers, whoever they were. The whole alfair had been a success. The society had accomplished ii part.of what it set out to do, and ho hoped it would be the ljcgriiuiiiiK of bigger tilings, and that they would take iu elocution. (Applause.) The results of tUu competitions were as follow :-

Choirs (for Begs: and Go's shield).— Marist Bros., llavkestonc Street. 61 iiturko, 1; Bouleott Street G.irls. 60 marks, 2; Marist Bros. A, New town, 50 marks, 3.

Girl Macarthy, 56 marks, 1; A. Leonard, 17 marks, 2.

Boy Sopranos—A. E. Quill, Jlarist Bros., Newtoivn. 1; — AVatcrs, JCarist jßros., llawkestone Street, 2. The competition was succeeded by a delightful concert, the programme of which cbnsisted wholly of the Irish bard's song.-i. AUss Agnes Scgrief sang with good taste and feeling "She is Far From the Land," and with Miss Teresa M'Enroe and Miss Bose Segrief gave a very beautiful interpretation of "The Coulan." The voices blended well, and the. phrasing was a pleasure to hear. Miss STEtiroe's cultured soprano, which she always uses to such excellent eft'ect in Trish souks, was admirably attuned to

"Tin; Last Rose of Summer." and equal pleasure was afforded when "Love's, Tonus Dream"-was tenderly sung as an encore Misses 1?. Seerief and'A. Ross, and Messrs. T. I). Collins and J. E. Elliott were associated in the quartet. "When Thro' Life Unblest We Rove," but (ho voices in this instance were not too well selected to produce those delie.nte harmonies with whirl) Moore's sonus abound. "The Minstrel Boy" was nicely suns in quartet form by Misses Annie Sullivan nnd Barry and "Messrs. C. Dew and W. Gamble. Mr. V. B. L. Reade sane "My Gentle Harp." Finally the massed choirs sane "Let Erin Rementber." "God Save Treland," and the National Anthem (with Sir. Bernard Page at the organ).