PLEASING VOICES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 68, 14 December 1936, Page 3

PLEASING VOICES

Rongotai College Concert The care and attention paid to the musical side of the education of the boys of Rongotai College was demonstrated convincingly on Saturday night, when the annual concert was held in the Wellington Town Hall. In addition to vocal and instrumental solos there were items by a choir of 250 massed voices, choralspeaking by 80 boys, numbers by a selected choir of 40 voices, and selections by the college orchestra. Mr. J Todd AlcCaw was conductor, Mr. It. N. Grono choral-speaking conductor, Mr. E. Afeier orchestra conducr ‘ Kcrr y organist. Alr.fl F. Alartyn Renner, principal of. the college, extended a welcome to the Alinister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser and Mrs. Fraser, and to the Director of Education Mr. N. T. Lambourne, and Airs. Lambourne. The concert had two objects, he said. The first was to give friends and supporters of the school the pleasure of listening to the boys’ voices nnd the second to draw attention to that part of the school training which might otherwise be overlooked. Mr. Renner thanked Messrs. McCaw, Grono and Meier for their work on behalf of the boys, and Air, Kerry, whose plaving of the organ and sympathetic accompaniments had greatly assisted the concert. It was pleasing to hear the volume of the boys voices as well as such pleasin** quahty. the Minister said. Such work carried on in the schools was the greatest encouragement that those who‘worked tor education could possibly have— not theory or projected proposals, but actualities, accomplished facts. The work to winch he had been listening was tile finest that could be accomplished, but without Air. Renner s help and encouragement the musical hfe of Rongotai College would not be possible.

The programme was as follows :—Sonmassed voices, “Vagabond”: the orchestra, selections from "Alaritana” (Wal- ’■ ehprM-speakiiig, “Spring” (Ihomas Nashe) and “Throstle” (Tennison) .- song A. L. Dalby. “Ejrly in the Alormng (Montague Phillips) ; son’s massed voices. “Fair and True” (Peter Warlock), and “Silent Worship” (Handel) ; songs, the choir, “Pilgrims’ Chorus” (Wagner) and ‘An Eriskay Love Lilt": choral-speaking, “The Runnable Stag” (John Davidson) ; organ solo. Air. C W’ Kerry “Barcarolle" (Lemare) ; sings’ massed voices, “The Fellowship Song’’ nnd .Brother James's Air”: ’cello solo, L. AIcH. Berry, "Ave Verum” (Mozart), accompanied by Mr. A. Berrv; son-'s massed voices, “Who Doth Behold Al/ Mistress s Face” (Bartlet) and “I Wind Aly Horn in Sorrowland” (Brahms) Songs, massed voices. “A Song of Youth” and “Cast Awav Care”; the orchestra. ballet music from “Orpheus” (Gluck) and march from “Athalie” (Alendelssolm) ; choral-speaikng. “Drake’® Drum” (Henry Newbolt) ; song, IL Brown, “I Go My Way Singing” (Breville Smith) ; songs, massed voices, “The Rising of the Lark” and “The Owl and the 1 ujsy Cat”; songs, the ehior. “Rainbow” (Wassell) and “The Wild Brown Bee” (Bantock) ; choral-speaikng, “The Fighting Temeraire” (Henry Newbolt) and "Blow, Bugle, Blow” (Tennyson) ; organ solo, Mr. C. W. Kerry, “Finale in B Flat” (Wolstenholme) : songs, massed voices. "Desire for Spring” (Alozart) and “The Trout” (Schubert) : violin solo. Mr. D Jenkins. “Scene de Ballet” (De Berioti : accompanist, Mr. H. Kelly: songs, massec voices. “The Mountains of Mourne” and “Michael Finnagen.”