SONG RECITAL BY MISS GEERIN

Evening Star, Issue 18137, 29 November 1922, Page 4

SONG RECITAL BY MISS GEERIN

Until yesterday Miss Kathleen Geerin bad only once sung publicly; that was at the concert given by Paul Saldaigne and his Dunedin pupils. It may be expected that she will sing often, in the years to come, hers and elsewhere, if Heaven continues to bless her with health and strength. For Misa Geerin is preparing to voyage to Rome early next year to pursue the study of music, and if the Italian masters make of her a much better singer than she is now she will bo able to bold a good place in any musical centre. This remark must not be construed as meaning that Miss Geerin has nothing to learn. Breathing needs attention, the voice registers have to be brought into true cor» respondence, and the master into whose hands she goes will probably have other things to say as well. But we do affirm, and look to yesterday’s guests at The Bristol Concert Chamber for corroboration, that Misa Geerin is already well grounded in many respects, and has but little to unlearn—that she possesses temperament and sings intellectually, also that she possesses a very fine dramatic mezzo-soprano voice that can respond when strength is called up, and, in a word, that she is a student who has begun well and ought to go on. All these things were in evidence at the recital. The guests were particularly pleased with Miss Geerin’« treatment of Rossini's cavatina ‘Eac nfc Portem,’ its interpretation being traditional and unhackneyed. The ‘ Romance de Mignon ’ may also be mentioned, it being conspicuous for soft expression; and we_ thought the old opera airs from 'Celestine’ and ‘ Rinaldo ’ were sung with a nice combination of sympathy and dignity; whilst the ballads, A Request’ and ‘Bide-a-wee,’ were tenderly given. At the end of the stated programme Miss Geerin was compelled to add an extra song, and she appropriately chose Mallinaon’-s ‘ O Thank Me Not.’ So now we—-that is, those who attend^ 1 the recital—know Miss Geerin not only as ‘ a gracious and charitable young lady, but as a in usical_ student whose progress it will be interesting to watch. Mr AV. Paget Gale played the aooompani- ' nients, and in so doing was a fount of encouragement to the vocalist. Mr Frank Bennett, also appeared, and his knowledge and skill were of immense service in the four piano solos which bo presented—the sfndv in C miner and the ‘Revolutionary’ study by Chopin, the ‘No. 6 Rhapsodic’ ,bv Liszt, and the Brahms waltz. The listeners much enjoyed the delicate ending of the first piece mentioned, and became quite enthusiastic over the masterly playing of the ‘Revolutionary’; but all Mr Bennett’s playing was worthy of him. The Hon. AA 7 . Downie Stewart occupied the chair, and said some nice thing.* about Miss Geerin and about her patriotic work; and the Rev. W. Trotter, on behalf of Miss Geerin, irdbumed thanks to Mr Stewart for presiding, and to Mr Gale and Mr Bennett for their co-operation.