DUNEDIN COMPETITIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 14998, 4 October 1912, Page 10

DUNEDIN COMPETITIONS.

Eighth Day.—Thursday. Tho interest shows no signs of waning, Mr J. L. Salmond took the chair last night, and was faced by a large audience. MUSIC. PIANO SOLO, • amateurs under 18 year; who have never won a first prize at the Dunedin competitions. ‘Caprice.’ op, 24, No. 3 (Sibelius). Prizes, £1 Is and 10s 6d. Miss Ruby North (Omimi), 93 3 Mies Edith Harris (MuSselburgh), 87 ... 2 Also recalled : Miss Jessie Christie (84). Other competitors: Miss Marion Coutl: 81, Miss R. Foord 79, Miss Elsie Squire 78, Miss Eva Aslin 77, Miss Hilda Bali 76, and Miss 'Betty Perry 64. Professor Helleman said that, referring to the preliminary and also the recalled playing, most of the competitors made the great mistake of using the pedal otherwise than as marked. Sibelius is a modern man, and inserted his own pedal marks, and it might be supposed that no one in Dunedin could improve on Sibelius. That had been the great mistake that day, and in choosing for recall as well as in his final adjudication he had to take those performers who were clear of that fault. There was an important rhythm right through the piece, and in_ the repeated passages some of the competitors missed it. Then in long scale passages some introduced the pedal, and the result was more like the rumbling oi thunder than a scale. Another thing was that the melody ought to have appeared more distinctly above the arpeggios. In another place the instruction to get quicker and quicker was not observed, and some again resorted to “ that terrible rubato ” which seemed to be so much favored in Dunedin. __ The official marking shows that Mies North won by 6 points, and this good mar. gin fairly represents merit. This young lady played well, with plenty of animation and a fine display of clean fingerwork. Miss Harris’s performance lacked the continuity and evenness of Miss North’s, yet it was a very fair study on a light scale. Miss Christie kept the thing going right through. ° VOCAL SOLO AND ACCOMPANIMENT, gentlemen, "both amateurs. Own selection. Prize for joint effort. Prizes, £2 2s and 10s 6d. Mr W. Gemmell (Wyndham), ‘My Friend,’ accompanist Mr G. Titchener. 93 ’ l Mr F. H. Taylor (Dunedin), ‘To Anthea,’ accompanist Mr H. Barr, 87 : 2 Also recalled: Mr D. Russell, ‘Best of All,’ accompanist Mr C. Martin, 86. Other competitors: (Mr D. T. Wright 84, (Mr T. W. Bobbie 83, (Mr G. Blackis 82, and Mr D. Robertson 78. The judge said he thought it a sapient act on the part of the committee to introduce this contest and thus bring out gentlemen as accompanists. A number of the competitors lost points on the choice of song and also on the matter of ensemble. As to the recalled performers, he thought Mr Taylor's words a little indistinct. Execution was fair. The accompaniment was at times a little heavy, thus destroying ensemble. He liked Mr Gemmell’s interpretation of ‘ My Friend ’; the voice was good, and the accompaniment just there. Mr Russell’s song was simple, and therefore not so good for this purpose as the others. Ilia song was well sung, but the accompaniment was sometimes soft and a little tame, and though the performance as a whole was good, it did not rise to any height, and lacked distinction. * Unofficial verdicts completely endorse Professor Helleman’s judging. Mr Gemmell certainly won. He sang confidently and with some sense of that boldness that was wanting in his previous performances. He seemed to enjoy the song himself, and “ let go ” in it, so for once in a way we heard the fine quality of the voice.' (Mr Taylor sang ‘To Anthea’ nicely in tune, and it was a good performance 'judged by the amateur standard of to-day. Santle'y was, of course, the world's authority on the interpretation of Hatton's song, and he did not so greatly vary the time. The last verse was by Santley taken with distinct impetuosity. Mr Russell has a particularly good voice, and in this competition he used it to better advantage than on any earlier day of the festival. All round it was a satisfying contest—one of the best we have had tins year. MEZZO-SOPRANO SACRED SOLO. ‘ Gome Unto Me ’ (R. Batten). Prizes, £2 2s and 10s 6d. Miss Maud Pitcher (Momington), 87... 1 Miss Annie Yuill (North-east Valley), 84 2 Also recalled: (Miss Rebecca Carr 83 and Miss May Walton 82. Other competitors; Miss Jessie Crawford 78, Miss Annie Ingiis 77, Miss Jessie MacGregor 76, Miss Lucy James 75, Miss Shepherd 74, Miss Edith Keinan 74, and Miss Cissy Flynn 63. The judge said that to get the true conception of a song like this the performers must get into the religious atmosphere, for they were absolutely interpreting the words of the Master when He said “ Come unto Me, ye weary, and I will give you rest.” He took into consideration in an interpretation of this sort that anything overdone in the way of expression and tending towards the dramatic was not in keeping with the spiritual atmosphere of the song. Another point to be borne in mind was that the song was for mezzosopranos, and that was why some did not qualify for the final—they were not mezzos. He liked the quality of Miss Yuill’s voice, and she was well in tune, out she could have made more points, especially with marks of punctuation, •which were overlooked. Also, she did not preserve the beautiful atmosphere that ought to be preserved right through. Miss Carr’s voice did not appeal to him as a true mezzo-soprano, although it went down with the public. Ho liked the voice, though, and she ought to be able to do Komething with it later on. Miss Pitcher Seemed t create the atmosphere required, and he liked her interpretation. It appealed to him more than any of the Others. It seemed to him that she was representing that very exalted Personage, He did not like (Miss Walton's voice so well as some of the others, and her interpretation lacked distinction. - Once more the judge’s finding is such as can be heartily supported by reasons. Miss Pitcher seemed to have partially recovered her voice last night, and one of the chief merits of her interpretation was that it presented no “ points,” nor anything to provoke comment, but was simply an unpretentious display of thoughtful vocalisation. Miss Yuill’s fresh voice sounded fresh and pure, she gave the words well, snd, though obviously nervous, she got her Intervals pretty well. This young lady will do even better when she gains experience. Miss Carr's performance outshone all the others for voice quality in the highei reaches, and she imported a nice touch oi affection and loving devotion into the song; but the singing in the evening was quite spoiled by restlessness and anxiety and continuous dramatic effects. She sana much better in the afternoon. HUMOROUS SONG (amateurs). Own selection (not in character). Prizes, £2 2s and 10s 6d. Miss Maud Pitcher (‘Rory o’More’),9s 1 Mr James Syme (‘Hey, Donal’), 65 ... 2 Mr Geo. Braxton (‘My Wife’s Cake’), 59 2 The other competitors were (Mrs J, Dreaver (67) and Mr Arthur Davie (52). Professor Helleman said he would throw out a few suggestions to any intending competitors in humorous song sections for the next 10 or 20 years. There were men and women who had good voices and a keen sense of refined humor, and they had written songs for that purpose. Among - the names he recommended were George Grosemith, jun., Barclay Gammon, Margaret Cooper, J. P. Huntley, and Mel B. tspurr. There was plenty of scope to get rj, refined humorous songs from these, they wanted to get good vaudeville nongs they'eould get those of George Roby, Little Tich, or Harry Lauder. He strongly believed in having everything refined, but only one of those they had heard that night came under that category. That was Miss Pitcher’s song, ‘ Rory O’Moye ’ Jot ,which jshe must receive every credit,

The other two were vaudeville songs, right enough in their place, but hardly suitable for such a competition. , ELOCUTION. HUMOROUS RECITATION (lady amar. tours). —Own selection. Prizes, £1 Is J( and lOfl 6d. Miss Maud Pitcher, 94 ... ... 1 Miss Lilian King, 93 y 2 Miss Maud Divers, 91 3 ' 5 The other recall was (Miss Ethel Church--0 ill, who obtained 86. ?• The other competitors were: Misses “ Isabel Forrester, Marjorie Lemon, Marie Muller, Molly Brennan, Florrio Reward, 1 Dorothy Blackie, Florence 8011, Iris Munro, 2 Ivy Barker, Annie Henelereon, Bertha Brookes, and Mrs Dreaver. is The judge said that Miss King got the ■o highest marks at the preliminary trials in 1c the Victoria Hall, obtaining 93, while (MiesDivers obtained 91, Miss Churchill 86, and g Miss Pitcher 82. In the evening it was a d case of the. last being first, the reason Q being that (Miss King’s recital, though an e excellent recital, charmingly natural, was , not always distinct to him in his box. t Miss Pitcher was in every particular n charming and natural. n No one can cavil at tho placing of the re- „ called competitors, though there may well ” be some doubt as to (Miss Churchill’s claim 0 to a recall in the face oi Miss Lemon's n much more humorous effort. In fact, Miss , Churchill appeared to have stepped sigh; e outside the boundaries of her talent. e Taken as a whole it was not a good comq petition. if RECITATION (amateurs, gentlemen. 35 s and under 21 years). ‘The Homes of d England' (Felicia Homans). Prizes, n £2 2s and 10s 6d. r Mr W. B. Reekie, 80 points 1 6 Mr A. J. Mazengarb, 74 jioints 2 Mr Stanley Foote, 70 points 5 n Other competitors were: (Messrs TTorhwt Flynn, W. Mavall, P. J. Middle elite hj s (Sawyers Bay), and W. J. Phillips. Before announcing the recalls in the E morning. Professor Macnlly said that eom--1 pared with the other recitals he had heard ‘The Homes of England’ was not up to the ■ standard. The emphases at time:- were t grossly exaggerated, and although (hero • was not room for much gesture, he had k noticed that in many of the pieces gar turc was rather lacking. There was ako a > want of variety of tone in the voices. In . the evening the judge said that this poem , was somewhat quiet in ilf character, anti it should suggest to tho reciter a mental picture. He ought not to keep looking on one side and piling one picture on lop of the other, but he ought to surround himself with the pictures a.nd make a variety. A pupil ought not to be taught merely lo y imitate the master. The host master would t always try to preserve the individuality of * the pupil, tho-igh he acknowledged that when they were young and commencing > there was'very little individuality in them. ’ A.recital should never appear to be merely the repetition of lines committed to k memory, but rather as a distillation of the ' author' through the personality of. the reciter. L It seemed to a good many that Mr Foote 3 won tho competition easily. ’ COMEDIETTA.—Mr E. C. R-'ynokb ' heard the second pair of competitors in the comedietta competition. These were- Miss ’ Pitcher and Mr Claud Smith in ‘ A Leap ’ Year Proposal.’