DELECTABLE SONG

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 62, 6 December 1930, Page 10

DELECTABLE SONG

Mrs. I. F. Ginn’s Pupils Evidence of intelligent training in the virtues essential to good singing, was present at a concert given by the pupils of Mrs. I. F. Ginn, in Kimmo’s Hall, last evening. If for nothing else, Mrs. Ginn deserves the thanks of the community for introducing Miss Ruth Perry to a Wellington audience. This young lady has the good fortune to possess a singularly fine contralto voice, strong in fibre, rich in musical quality, and used with an artistry and enthusiasm that is ever so rare. Miss Perry sang with deep expression Schubert’s beautiful song, “Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel;” but struck an even deeper note in the dramatic song, "The Glory of the Sea” (Sanderson), in which Is plumbed the grief of a woman who gives up her man for the honour of England in a grim seafight. Another singer of rare promise was Miss Phyllis Liddell, a sunny-toned soprano, who sang with nice freedom and resonance Elgar’s great song, “Like to the Damask Rose,” and Bantoek’s “Lament of Isis.” A little gem of song was Bach’s “Give Me Thy Heart,” very sweetly and daintily sung by Miss Nora Gray, who also sang the less interesting ballad, “To Daisies” (Roger Quitter). Mrs. L. P. Hayward, a mezzo-soprano, was successful in “A Lament” (Head), and “Clair de Lune” (Faure). the latter song in French, and Mrs. J. E. Ramsay, contralto, sang “A Memory” (Thomas) and "Tally-ho” (Leoni). Miss Ettna Greig, a promising light soprano, would do better were she to cultivate a little abandon. She was rather overweighted in Godard's “Angels Guard Thee,” but showed vocal quality in a gay lilt from Donizetti’s “Daughter of the Regiment.” Miss Muriel Adams showed promise in “Chinese Mandarin” and “The Break o’ Day.” as did also Mrs. E. F. Hollands in “April Morn” (Batten). Others who contributed acceptably to the long programme were Misses Edith Adams, Pearl Brodie, Lillian Beere, Mollie Fenton. Ettna Greig. Elspeth Bath. Mavis Chamberlain. Nea Jervis and Ella Fair. The programme was brought to a conclusion by the singing of Percy Grainger’s rather weird but eharming "Colonial Song” (from his "Sentimentals”). with Miss Lalla Vondersloot at the pianoforte and Misses Perry and Liddell as vocalists, a number marred by the pianiste’s creaking chair. At the close of the concert Mrs. Ginn was presented with a lovely bouquet by her pupils as a token of their regard.