DUNEDIN COMPETITIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 15915, 22 September 1915, Page 7

DUNEDIN COMPETITIONS.

Sixth Dat.— Tuesday. The aixih evening of the Dunedin Competitions Society's festival provided an excellent entertainment in the finals of some of the most important sections in the contests. There was a large audience housed in His Majesty's Theatre, and Mr C. G. White presided. Results : MUSIC. PIANO DUET, professionals or amateurs.— * Midsummer Night's Dream ' (Mendelssohn). Prizes, £2 2s and 10s 6d. Misses Vera Rankin and Louie Gray (Oamaru), 83 ... ... 1 Miss Mabel Currie and Mr Walter James (Oamaru), 59 2 The judge said that this most original and beautiful of tone pictures was written by Mendelssohn when he was 70 years of age. It was very difficult to execute, and -he did not remember ever before having heard it played by memory as the two young ladies (Misses Eankin and Gray) had played it. Personally, he did not know that the " game was worth the candle" in playing such pieces. However, according to the scheme of marking 10 points were allowed for memorising. The treble (in the case of the other recall) displayed brilliancy and good expression, but was not supported quite adequately by the bass. At times there was a tendency to force the pace. As to the winners, admirable taste was displayed in the opening. The second subject was taken with precision, the parts being well balanced. The dolce movement was taken with expression, and the whole performance was well under command, and more restrained than that of those ho placed second. With the 10 points for memorising they won 83 points. SACRED SOLO, bass, amateurs.— 'Though Faithless Men' (Holering). Prizes, £2 2s and 10s 6d. Mr W. A. Atwill, 69 1 Mr J. B. M'Connell, 66 2 Mr J. W. Oaten, 61 3 The judge said that this piece was written by a noted French composer, popular in Paris many years ago. It was in the old style, fitted for display of voice as _ well as sentiment. All these works finished with a gymnastic cadence. In the rendition of Mr M'Connell the voice was rather heavy and muffled in tone. The intonation was fair, but the production of tone uneven. As to the winner, his tempo was slightly more animated, and all the better for that. Intonation was clear, and the cadence'on the whole good. It -was a more impressive interpretation. PIANO SOLO, 12 years and under 14 years—* Spring Seng' (Mendelssohn). Prizes, £1 Is and 10s 6d. Neenie Kenny. 80 1 Muriel MaeLaren, 73 2 Gladys Benton, 70 5 Also competed:—Muriel Eagar 30, Jean Irvine 45, Mvra M'Kinlav 32, Nina Graham 45, Cathy Anderson .39, Kathleen o'Regan 40, Marie R. Himmell 68, Nancy Aslin 66, Wainoni Arthur 30, Florence M". Kerr 35, Hazel Bedford 46, Mabel 13. M'lvor 49, Ida A. Lungley 67, Evelyn I. Hey wood 59, Lorna Begg 64, Isabel F. Maxwell 35. Elva Baker 67, Alix Eaton 41. The judge said this was No. 30 of the famous Lieder Ohne Worte, and psrhaps the most popular of the whole four books. There was a large number of talented competitors, and the difference in many eases was small. The winner opened delicately, well sustaining the melody. She picked out the chords cleanly and neatly, and it was a capital performance. Miss Benton began with a slip of memory. The melody was fairly well sustained, 'but the ciescendos rather weak. The chords were well picked out. Miss MaeLaren made avery nice opening. Crescendos were more marked, but the accents were sometimes too 6trong. VOCAL DUET, amateurs, ladies—'Nocturne' (Chaminadc). Prizes, £2 2e and 10s 6d. Misses Goldsmith (Dunedin) and Le Fevre (Palmeo-ston), 75 1 Misses Eva Hoskins and Meda Paine, 60 o Misses Annie Yuill and Mrs E, Camel ron, 52 3 The judge said that the " second " voice of the winning duo opened very nicely, the voices were well balanced, and a nice atmosphere was created. Their marks increased from 68 in the dav session to 75. In the ca&e of Misses Hoskins and Pame the second voice had opened nicelv. and uio unison had been verv fair. The 56 marks bad been raised to 60. The competitors placed third attained the same confidential atmospkr-re, but the opening was a trifle loud There was a slight vi brato in both voices. Their marks," too had increased from 49 to 52. ' ELOCUTION. SHAKESPEAREAN RECITATION gentlemen, amateurs—' Henrv Sentencing the Ivaiters' {'Henry V.,' act 'ii., scene 2). Prizes, £2 2s and 10s 6d. Mr G. T. M'llrov, 74 ... . 1 Mr J. B. M'Coi.neil, 70 \ "' \\\ 2 Also competed: Messrs W. L. Sutherland 64, G. Hendry 59, Stanley I„iwson °4;. A. A. Low (Invercargill) 60. The Judge said that the competitors all experienced difficulty in creating an atmosphere round then- character. Neither of the only two competitors he had been able to .bring forward for the final had seemed to grasp the character of Henrv v. RECITATION, Girls 14 and under 16 years—'Legend of St. Gregory' (J B. O'HaiM). Prizes, 10s 6d and book Vera White, 74 i Laura Ford, 7L \ ... ... ... '" 2 Monica. Christie, 70 ... ... ... ... ... 3 Also competed: Ar.nie Moir (Invercargill) 67, Moana Poppelwell 62, Olive Chap, man 60, Monica Rodgers 59, Florence lempleton 58, Lilian F. Berry 60, Dorothy Stanaway 59, Gladys M. I. Black 68. The Judge said this was a selection written by the principal of the South Melbourne College. As he had told competitors in the morning, no one -seemed to realise the beauties of the little poem. He hoped they would all make a, point of meeting him the following afternoon, wOien he would read to them his version of it. SHAKESPEAREAN DLILOGUE, amateurs, lady and gentleman—' Rosalind's Wooing' ('As You Like It,' act iv., scene 1). Prizes, £3 2s and £1 le. Mr S. Lawson and Miss Thruston, 82... 1 Miss Lizzie Adams and Mi- Moloney, 80 2 Also competed: Miss E. M'Peak and Mr G. T. MTlroy 78. Mr Paine said he thought it necessary to remind the audience that in connection with the dialogue Rosalind was in the costumo of a youth, not as heiself. One of the young ladies got a little more jaiuitiness into her work than did the other, thereby giving more suggestion of tho supposed character of the male. The entrance of the Orlando was in both cases decidedly bad. He had in his apportionment of marks fixed -a, possible of 25 marks for acting. HALF-HOUR ENTERTAINMENT. The evening's recitals concluded with the first of the half-hour entertainments. The combination providing this performance consisted 01 Sophie Vivian, May Brown, Audrey Eagar, Flo Lennox, Ralph Vivian, Olive Vivian, Jimmie Duncan. Miss L. M'Laren acted as accompanist.