HEBRIDEAN SONGS

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 13, 15 July 1936, Page 17

HEBRIDEAN SONGS

E.S.U. RECEPTION

OVERSEAS GUESTS

A charmingly informal afternoon reception was given by the Englishspeaking Union at the Hotel St. George yesterday afternoon in honour of Miss Russell Ferguson, who is.visitring Wellington in the course • of. a world tour with Hebridean folk songs, for which she plays her own harp accompaniments. Her fellow-guests were j Misses E. Kellogg and E. Vogel, American teachers from Hawaii.

Many members were present, and were received by Mrs. H. L. Cummings and Mrs. D. V. Claridge. The ladies of the committee who also acted as hostesses were Mesdames M. Phelan, E. D. Good, Hay-MacKenzie, W. Duncan, and Miss E. M. Black.

A fascinating word picture of the Hebridean islands arid its people, was given by Miss Ferguson, who described the stone-walled, thatched cottages, the heather-covered hillsides and vivid blue seas which made the setting in

which the folk-songs., originated. r , "There is no 'time' in the Hebrides, no hurry to start or finish and, know- t< Ing this, the type of songs may be bet- s | ter understood," said the speaker. s A French critic had said: "In a pro- v gramme of Hebridean songs like those s ! presented we see the whole life of the k people, from the cradle to the 'land o of youth,' which is the Celtic Heaven;" Art and labour, two of the finest f, things in the world, were linked to- y gether in song. There were songs for a spinning, songs for reaping, and others a with rhythmic choruses to be sung while rowing. Miss Ferguson remarked that before sophisticated audiences had been won by the individual charm of this music, they had been suspicious of the very simplicity of it, "and it is sometimes difficult to understand complete simplicity," she said. The Hebridean songs had been passed down from father to son, the origin of some being lost in the mists of time, but all were a vast heritage to English-speaking peoples, and were superior to all other folk songs. Interesting experiences in Brittany, Sweden, and Finland were also included in this excellent address. Interesting talks were also given by the American guests. In expressing a wish that arrangements be made for exchanges between teachers of Hawaii and New Zealand, Miss Vogel said there was a growing desire to visit New Zealand, and theirs was the fourth party to spend the summer vacation here. "It has been very worth while, even if, as was prophesied before we left Hawaii, our feet have been cold since we- landed. But, as they say in America, "We can take it.' Miss Vogel paid a tribute to the efficiency of the Government Tourist Department. "We feel that the idea here is not to get all you can from tourists, but to give all you can. We wish you would start summer excursions to our country, which we know you would enjoy as much as we are enjoying yours." Miss Kellogg, who is principal of a plantation school near Honolulu, spoke interestingly of the big problems, which had to be met there' and told of the work which was being done to improve the health of the children by diet, hygiene, and proper supervision, also the establishment of dental clinics. , A vote of thanks to the speakers was passed. During the serving of tea, Miss Doris Black sang, Mrs. McDonald playing the accompaniment. Among those present were Mesdames J. Abernethy, Black, A. Burnard, E. C. Carter, Crisp, Cartwright, H. L. Cummings, W. J. Donaldson, A. Bannister, Carrington, D. V. Claridge, C. Doctor, Durey, A. and W. Duncan, S. Eaton, W. A. Fraser, Flitch, Freeman, C. Gray, S. D. Good, W. J.' Gray, C. A. Gordon, J.; Gordon, Garland, Gyles, Hay MacKenzie, Hewitt, McWhinney, Johnson, Jeffries, Luke, Lockwood, Lightbody, McGreavy, Marshall, H. C Murray. Murphy, Gifford-Moore, Nannestead, A. H. Wise, Fordham, Marshall, Jorgensen, N. Ash, A. Chalmers, Ornstein, Rowe, Phelan, Preston, P. R. Paris, Sydney Smith, Scott, R. Stringer, Sticht, Toomey, Turnbull, Quigley, Wilson, W. G. Morrison, Hunter, Wise, J. Trayes, Sharpe; Misses E. M. Black, J. Bligh, Boyd, Dawson, Denton, Gyles, Hayes, McWhinney, M. and N. Jordan, Roberts, O'Reilly, O. Rose, Robertson, E. Scott, M. L. Thompson, Thornhill, D. Tanner, M. Atkinson.

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