MUSICAL AND LITERARY COMPETITIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 11683, 15 February 1902, Page 1

MUSICAL AND LITERARY COMPETITIONS.

Thk attention of .the public has been already drawn in our columns to the subject of the competitions in the adjacent colonies and the marvellous success with which they have been conducted. A brief outline of the subjects is, however, necessary to enable our readers to form an estimate of tbe value of these competitions, whether regarded as a means of entertainment or as an educative force. Music occupies the place of honor in tbe list of subjects, having tbe largest number of items for competition and the most valuable prizes. This subject embraces solos and duets (vocal and instrumental), trios, quartets, choir and baud contests. The literary subjects include essays, criticisms, original poems, original tales, orations, debates, dialogues, and comediettas. As evidence of tbe success ni tbe last competitions held in Ballarat, where they originated, we may state that (exclusive of quartet parties, choirs, bands, etc.) there were about 1,800 competitors, who entered singly or in pairs, while the total number of competitors for the year (1901) was about 5,000. Public interest in these entertainments may be gauged from the fact of crowded halls for tbe concerts and from tbe generous support accorded by the public: in subscriptions. The Ballarat City Council give a donation of £IOO, and citizens of light and leading sums ranging from 100 guineas to a modest sovereign. The total receipts of the year’s competitions were about £3,000. The most important aspect of these competitions, however, is their value or otherwise as a means of education, and on that point we may form our own eon elusions from the class of work prescribed and tbe number of candidates who are attracted to the competitions. For the original poem there were fifty-five entries, and for the original tale ninety-five. For the oratorical display f Sheridan’s Invective’) twenty-two entries; recitations (Ttfacbeth’s Soliloquy ’ and ‘Queen Mab’), twenty entries; essay (‘ Citizenship: Its Doties and Responsibilities ’), thirty-six entries; essay Tbe True Place of Women in tbe State ’) —open to ladies only—sixty-one entries; criticism (‘Matthew Arnold as Poet and Critic’), twenty-one entries. For the dialogue (‘ Othello and lago ’) there were only seven entries, and the criticisms of tbe judge on this item and on others Shakespearian go to indicate tbe necessity of a more careful study of the great dramatist’s works. For piano solos there were entries of sixty, forty, and fifty-seven; for reading at sight twenty-two; for church choir contests

•even; and for sacred songs forty -and twenty-eight. For the brass band contests eighteen bands entered, Mr Herd, of the Wellington Garrison Band, being chosen as sdle judge. The musical critics are unanimously of opinion that there has been, a most marked improvement in both vocal and instrumental music since the inauguration of these competitions. Mr Herd, in the course of an interview touching tbe band contests, stated that, taking the performances as a whole, tbe playirig had been of a very high standard of excellence. In his opinion the competitions had been of incalculable benefit to the bands, and the contests just then concluded had never been excelled in Australasia. Experience of similar contests in New Zealand had led to the belief that two test pieces were better than one test piece and one “ own choice ” selection. With regard to the quartet, double quartet, and choir contests, the criticisms, while not neglecting to point t > various weaknesses and suggesting means of improvement, indicated that in the cases of the winning combinations a very high order of proficiency had been reached. The “Art” sections included “ Painting of a head from life ” in oil color, “ Painting of a landscape or marine subject from nature ” in oil color, the same subjects in water color, an original design for a concert programme suitable for reproduction by lithography, examples of wood carving, chip carving, art needlework, and lace work. In Geelong similar entertainments have been carried out, necessarily on a smaller scale, as there the series has been only four years in operation. One of tbe novelties to be introduced at Geelong this year will be a drawing room entertainment, with to restriction as to the method of conducting it. For the first year their prize-list totalled £74, while last year it reached the respectable sum of £4OO. Most of the towns in Victoria have adopted these competitions, and in towns of the size of Mosgiel, Milton, or Oamaru successful exhibitions have been held.

It has been urged against the British race that they take- their pleasures sadly, but in some respects we do not take them seriously enough. As a race we prefer the lightest of comic l opera to anything musical of a more cultured type. We patronise melodrama more than Shakespearian, and the class of melodrama most in favor with us is not distinctly complimentary to our taste. If the introduction of the Australian competitions succeeds in producing a more eclectic type of musical and dramatic student we shall have something to be grateful for. We are mostly too busy to have time to devote to the beauties of creation around us, richly dowered ,'n that respect as New Zealand is. We are, with probably one or two exceptions, more favored by Providence with natural scenic beauties than any country in the world. We have not yet, however, achieved a literature that may be called racial, and our art schools should command the presence of many more students. It is to be hoped that these competitions may be the means of creating—or rather developing—a taste for characteristic literature and a love of Art that will go band in hand with a love of Nature. More humble branches of the competitions-—the readings, recitations, and character studies—cannot fail also to be of great benefit; and in this connection we should like to point out the necessity for choosing literary material that is likely to foster a taste for reading and to produce a better style of expression than at present prevails with us. We are of opinion that church and secular choir contests would be very successful in New Zealand, as there is at present a very large amount of latent talent in several of our large centres. If these exhibitions are to be introduced into New Zealand we should like to see the tests at first not made so difficult as to lead to the discouragement of any young competitor. In conclusion, we may say that we shall be very pleased to see such competitions established here, and to give thorn all the assistance in our power. __________