THE COMPETITIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1934, Page 7

THE COMPETITIONS

ARTISTS IN GOOD POEM

BIBLE AND SHAKESPEARE

COMMENTS OF JUDGES

The competitions attracted a good iittendance last night and the contesting of tho finals provided souio excellent entertainment. The standard has been commented upou very favourably by all tho judges, and it is ovident that tho amateur artists in the running for championship and scholarship honours are warming to their work. A plea for the wider reading and reciting of Shakespearean works was made by Mr. J. Howlett Boss, of Melbourne, one of tho elocutionary judges. Ho was disappointed, he said, that the entries in the Shakespearean classes were small. Ho expressed his sincere congratulations to the winners of the New .Zealand Test recital, who in their own selections chose Shakespearean pieces, and upon their renderings; they had delivered them with naturalness and power.. Mr. Boss commended to all » students of the spoken word the beauties of language most adequately revealed orally, to be found in the Bible and in Shakespeare whose thought was expressed so subtly and so beautifully in small compass. Tho .singers received special commendation, high marks and helpful guidance from Mr. B. Bennett North. Mr. T. Vcrnon Griffiths reviewed the form shown, in the only piano class of the day. All' judges, of course, make special suggestions and apraisals in their individual reports to competitors. Besulta and tho brief comments of the judges in. respect to last night'a recalls are as follows: — VOCAL. .' (Judge: Air. E. Bennett Korth.) GIRLS' SONG, under 12 (a) "A Necklace of Love" (Kevin); (b) own selection. Final. Georcina Crossley ("Sleep Little .Bird") 87pts 1 Nancy True ("Lullaby"), 84pts ............ S Highly commended: Rita Casa, Nona Hood. antl Audrey McCluggage. A. very interesting class, salcl the judga. Quite a number had been too nervous to give of their best at tho rccall3. Tho winner possessed a voico of beautiful sweet quality, with possibilities. She sang nicely in tune and enunciated refreshingly clearly, which quality was a feature of the class as a whole. The second competitor was also a very promising singer. KXGLISH FOLK SONG, Men; own selection; any voice. final. .Mr..'Herbert Scaton ("Dashing Away Wllo a Smoothing Iron"), 92pts I Mr. Franklin-Browne, Wanganul ("Twelve Days of Christmas"), SOpts 2 Highly commended: Mr. John Withers and Mr. Kay Trewern. Commended:- Mr. Walter Bentley and Mr. Kenneth Macaulay. A very attractive competition and some very good work, said the judge. The winner made a good choice and possessed a flne voice for tho .purpose. Diction was splendid. The second competitor failed with his- sense of time. He sang always as though he enjoyed lite work. He would have won bad his time been correct. OPEKATIC SOLO, Ladles, any voice; own selection. Final. Miss Boreen Hunt, Walroa ("Depuis Le Jour"). 94pts I Jliss Kathleen. Chappie, Christchurch (From ' Louise), Olpts i Highly commended: Miss Kathleen Sawyer. Jliss K. Mullariy, and Mrs. C. K. Wllliam3. The winner sang her song In the original French and very nice French in an artislle manner; .Hers was a rendering of outstanding merit. The second competitor secured considerable emotional Intensity. CONTRALTO SOLO, "The Last Hour" (Kramer). Final. Miss Kathleen Sawyer, To Horo, 04pts .... 1 Miss Una. Thomas, 92pt3 2 Highly commended: Mrs. C. K. Williams aDd Mltuußae Bond. The winner was Just inclined to urge ncr voice and lose quality and beauty, but socured charm and appeal with much vocal finesse. The second competitor showed variety and resource. Poignancy was never overdone find her work, well poised, wa3 on the right' lines. INSTRUMENTAL. . (Judgo: Mr. T. Vernon Griffiths.) I'IANO SOLO, 14 under IG. "Romanze" (Sibelius). Final. Mias Nola Frltchard, OOpts 1 Master.Paul Magill, BSpts 2 Highly 'commended: Miss Laurie Jones, Mls3 Pamela Beauchamp, Miss Bhona Thomas, and Miss Gwcnnetb Smith. . ' Remarks. 'the .playing of the candidates In this section, demonstrated the generally high standard of pianoforte teaching. Tho winner's performance was quite outstanding and full of exceptional promise, while the playing of the only boy candidate (who gained second prize), was almost as notable While several of tho other competitors gave ovidence of careful study, most of them would be well advised to devote more attention to the • whole subject of rhythm and to the uso of the pedal. For a proper understanding of the latter the study of harmony was essential. Above alt else, particular attention should be paid to tho spirit of the music The merely technical part of the students' work should have this one ultimate aim.. Naturally, the composer's directions must receive the most careful attention, but, in addition to this, the best students would find in all worth-while music, something which only sincere musical feeling could appreciate—something which only deep musical understanding could discern—the quality which makes music the highest form of human expression. : FANCY DANCING. (Judge: Miss Jeano Home,) TOE DANCE, 9 under 12. Final. Judy Lewis, 72pts ...-, .*,.... 1 Dawn Laraen, TOpts k.......... 2 Valeska Jenkins, 69pts 3 Highly commended: Malsle Hoskln, Constance Chalk, and Leah Kerr. Numbers of competitors had attempted pointo work without exercise, a procedure that was very unwise, said the Judge. The winner was one of the very few who evidently had had exercise In pointo work. CHARACTER DANCE, 12 under 16. FlnaL Peggy Black ("Carmencita"), 79pts 1 Marjorle Penman ("Satyr"), 77pts 2 Esme Chalk ("Tally Ho"), 76pts 3 Very highly commended: Joan llabln, Joan Clements, Norma Kommcrs, Alma Longhurst, Jack Glennie. Highly commended: Joyce Oliver and Lomab McKerclier. A good section, but with one common fauli— everyone taking twice as long to do the number as it should take. It needed a great artist to hold an audience two minutes, and some of them bad been twice as long. ELOCUTION. (Judges: Mr. J. Howlett Ross and Mr. Barton Ginger.) .V.Z. TEST RECITAL, men, open (a) "Cold Iron" (Kipling); (b) own selection. Final. Mr. William List ("Henry V Sentences the Traitors"), 154pts 1 .Mr. Robert Cheyne ("Buckingham's Speech"), WSpts 2 There was good work done in this section, and the winners had rendered Shakespearean work excellently, wltb natural ability and careful training. RECITATION, Girls. 9 under 12, "A Song From the Suds." Final. Beverley Peek, Slpta 1 Loris McEwan, 80pts 2 Highly commended: Noeline White, Pamela Hills, Betty Campbell, Frances Sharp, Margaret Wainwrlsht. Kathleen Bruce, and Hazel Black. A big class, 45 of them, and very flne work, said Mr. Barton Ginger. The winner mado good use of pausation. RECITATION IN CHARACTER, Girls, 12 under 16: own selection. Final. Miss Elaine Weeber ("Juliet"), Blpts .... t Miss Audrea Lawson ("Queen Katherlne's Defence"), 73pts , 2 Highly commended: Gwendoline Pragnell, Violet Potter, Josephine Peters, Mercia Hart, Moira McCluro, Doris Mildenhall, Ruby Cheyne. Very interesting work. Tho winner possessed a natural delicacy of treatment. KECITATION, Girl* under J6: (a) "Enelymion") : (b) own selection. Final. Miss Vivian Viollch (b) "The Vow," 16;ipta 1 Miss Monica Williams (b) "Tale of Old Japan," 356p!a 2 Highly commended: Misses Doris Mildenhall, .Moira McClure, Edna Gorrio, nud Joyco Guyton.

This was very fine work, s.iirt the Judue. The chief tasks nf a rtrlter vrrrn to nmko tlv atidicDco. listen aiu) innkc the story lire; then w,is' strnlevfrt snrnrriiin? nrtistfe. In two cnacs was that tusk ai'liiercfl.