THE COMPETITIONS

Evening Star, Issue 23351, 22 August 1939, Page 7

THE COMPETITIONS

RESULTS OF THE FIFTH HIGH! ' INTERESTING CLASSES JUDGED HUMOROUS RECITATIONS CRITICISED Finality . was reached in . several interesting sections last night, when the fifth day of the Dunedin Competitions Society’s, annual festival concluded in His Majesty ’s Theatre. Mr E. J. Smith was chairman. Entertaining singing was provided in the open lieder. class, the judge being pleased with the finalists m what he considered the hardest type of vocal work. .The men’s national song and the sacred solo finalists were also heard to advantage. The fifth of the series of children’s action choruses was also presented, Miss Anita Winkel’s juveniles ' being responsible for ‘ Maoriland.’ Entries in this class will be placed to-morrow night. . . Included in the programme were piano solos,'recitations (both humorous and serious), and ballet and character dances, all of. which possessed a good deal' of merit. Results:— ; i VOCAL. Judge: Mr C. H. Adolph Mann. SACRED SOLO, ladies or men, own selection. First prise, £1; second, TOs. Donated by Mr W. Kershaw. Mr Raymond Wentworth, 83 points 1 Miss Lois Campbell, 81 points ... 2 Miss Nanna Newey, 79 points 3 Also competed: Mesdames N. E. Glass (Oamarn), E. D. M‘Rae (Timaru), Misses Nan Watt (Invercargill), Edna M‘Leau, J. Mearns, Dorothy Barron, Vera Goodohild, Dorothy Schmela, Pat Woods, Marion Gubb, Muriel Calverley, Noni Morland, Gwennyth Milne (Timaru), Doris Wilson, Ann Kerr (Timaru), Messrs L. R. Evans (Invercargill), A. G. Taylor, Kenneth Stewart, A. Thomson, ‘Eric Johnson,' Alick Munro, Colville Angus, Lionel Powell, Harold. Barnes. The winner ; possessed a voice of good range, well modulated, and his words were well enunuciated. Declamation was also good, and he brought a sense of variety to his singing. The second competitor i also had a good voice, enunciation was commendable, and she gave an expressive rendering of her selection.

SOLO, lieder, own selection, from Schubert, Brahms, Hugo Wolf, Greig, Strauss. Prizes; also cup donated by Miss E. I de Carle.

Miss Muriel Calverley, 82 points ... 1 Miss Eleanor Strachan, 79 points ... 2 Miss Edna M'Lean, 77. points ... 3 Highly commended: Mr Ken, Stewart.

Also competed: Mesdames N. E. Glass (Oamani), E. D. M'Rae (Timaru), Misses Thelma. Thomson, Vera Goodchild, Marion Gubb, J. Mearns, Gwennyth' Milne (Timaru), Alice Gillies. Noni Morland, Lois_ Campbell, Dorothy Barron, Eileen Gillies. _ Pat Woods. Nanria Newey, Doris Wilson, Anne Kerr (Timaru), Dorothy Riddell, Messrs A. Thomson. Colville, Angus, Lionel Powell, Harold Barnes r Norman Wilson, R. J. M'Laren, Harold Robinson, R. Marshall, Raymond Wentworth, L. R. Evans (Invercargill), Alicb Munro. " i ’■ •“ This is one bf the. more' important classes,” said Mr Mann: “ Some of the singers tended.' to treat their . songs with an emotional instability which affected the thoughts intended by the Heder composers. Some of the. competitors to-day : got a, little erratic and the rhythm side of. the. sdhge suffered. Time was .preposterous .in some cases.” The winner gave a very rhythmic and coloured rendering of Schubert’s | The Post.’ The second-placed candidate also gave a nice pointed rendering and showed she had a very fair quality of tone.

NATIONAL SONG, English, Welsh, Scottish. Irish, men, own selection. .First prize £1 second 10s. Donated ' by Dunedin Orphans’ Club. Mr Nevill Power. 84 points 1 Mr B. Wilkins (Mosgiel), 81 points 2 Sir Raymond Wentworth, 75 points 3 Also competed: Messrs Alan Dotting, Harold Barnes. Eric Johnson, R. J. M'Laren, R. Douglas, Harold LyderS, Walker M'Donald, Colville Angus, L. R. Evans (Invercargill), Charles M‘Arthur, Lionel' Powell, Harold Davidson, Norman Wilson, R. Marshall. lan M’Narey,' Hector Orchan. Mr Mann referred to the attractiveness of national songs, and he considered that the national feeling had been well brought'out. in the two recalls that night, particularly in the case of the winner. •

TENOR SOLO, ‘ Had I the Voice of Morven ’ (Colin Campbell). Mr Lionel Powell, 70 points 1 Mr Reginald Deason, .68 points ... 2 Also competed: Mr Charles MacArthur. This was a beautiful song, remarked the judge, but he thought it could have been rendered with a little more colour. ELOCUTION, ■ Judge:' Mr Rupert Harvey. RECITATION, humorous, girls under 12. own selection. Delia _Higgins, 83 points ... 1 Valerio Smith, 80 points ... ... ... 2 Pauline M'Grath, 79 points ■'... ... 3 Also competed -Nancy Smith, Valmai Gilmour, Nancye Callander, Valmae Farquharson, Olive Milburn, Alma M'Allan, Juno Tregilgus (Mosgiel), Dawn Duggan, Jean Grant, Velma Lobb (Mosgiel). RECITATION, own- selection from ‘ works by Sir Walter Scott. First prize £1 10s. second 10s, donated by Dunedin Burns Club. Miss Elsie Kirkham, 83 points ... 1 Miss,Billie Loan 81 points ... ~.. 2 Miss' Frances M'Namara, 75 points 3

Also competed: Misses lona Livingston, Norma Brown, Chris. Justin. Mr Cecil Oaten

It Was gratifying to see the interest displayed in Sir Walter Scott’s work, said Mr Harvey. The competitors had done exceptionally well, and had held his attention throughout.

RECITATION, men, open, ‘ In the Eagle’s Ways’ (Binyon).

Mr T. A. Tarrant, 85 points ... ... 1 Mr Robert Bradley, 74 points ... 2 Air Glen Herbert, 73 points 3 Also competed: Mr Cecil Oaten. This was an exceptionally difficult poem, observed Mr Harvey. Only the winner realised it was a lyric poem and not the forthright and dramatic subject the other candidates made it.

RECITATION, humorous, boys under ■ 12, own selection. • • Alorgan Fahey, 85 points ... ... ... 1 Brian Parke, .83 points ... 2 Alan Smith, 82 points. ; ... 3 Also competed: Billie Chambers, Peter Dykes, Ronald Lobb (Mosgiel), Ken Goodey, Laurence Whale. Walter Perry, Alex Stevenson, Neville Madden, Eweh Cole. Ronnie Cain. “I should like to ■ point out' that comedians are made, not born,” said Air Harvey. The reciting of a poem more suited to reading than to elocution Work did not make a comedian, any more than exaggerated acting during the reciting. For.a comedian to be successful perfect timing was needed, together with the right word' at the right moment. It was not sufficient to possess an attractive personality. He had heard many humorous items during the day—mostly alleged humour, and'the subjects were not always suitable. There was rather a deplorable slackness in voice delivery, and the effect was completely spoilt if the spoken word could not he heard. The winner gave a good performance, his diction was clear, and vowel sounds and consonants .well enunciated.

RECITATION, humorous, girls 12 and under 16, own selection. Enid Carter, 88 points ... 1

Winnie Sanderson. 81 points ... ... 2 Noeline Moody, 79 points ... ... 3 Also competed: (Beverley Gibbs, Mary Hopewell, Shirley Chambers, Leone Cornish; Florence Murray (Milton), Winnie Dowie, Olive Scott (Abbotsford), Jean Roebuck, Lorraine Shaw, Patricia Campbell (Milton), Hilda Callander, Pamela Gilbert, Alma Keenan (Port Chalmers). “ The remarks I made to the boys’ humorous section apply also to this,” said the judge. Some of the pieces were more vulgar than funny, but the general standard was better than that of the boys. There ■ was good timing, shown, and.the winner did just sufficient ‘acting for her piece and did not overdo it.

INSTRUMENTAL. Judge: Mr Paul Schramm.

PIANO SOLO, 16 and under , 18. ‘ Rhapsody in G Minor ’ Opus 79 (Brahms). ■ Miss Kathleen Allan, 83 points ... 1 Mr Rai M'Nicoll, 82 points ... ... 2 Miss Claire Neale, 68 points .:. ... 3 • Also competed: Misses Noela Borrow (Mosgiel), Joyce Workman, Hazel Thomson, Messrs Gavin Bartlett, Robert M‘Vie (Oamaru), • “This was a difficult piece,” said the judge.. “ but the two placed competitors played it agreeably.” i . • , . DANCING. Judge: Mies Betty Carnochan. BALLET DANCE, operatic, other than toe, 10 and under 14. Pamela Page, 78 points ... 1 Beverley Wix, 73 points ... ... 3 .June Goodwin, 68 points 3 Also, competed : June Marlowe, Joan Lunam, Margaret Kane, Gwen Wilson, Moira.„G ray, Shirley Stewart, Winnie Paul, Valerie Brown, Margery Georgeson. Audrey- Edmonds, Betty Grant, Netta Leader,. Laureen Lethaby, Lorna Reid, Dorothy Tyrrell, Miriam Wilde, Betty Fletcher, Elaine Chapman. The three recalls were all very good, said Miss Carnochan, and the winner was really outstanding, showing exceptional ability for one in a junior section- , , ' BALLET DANCE, operatic, other than toe’, under 10. Philippa Young, 63 points , 1 Colleen Finlin and Ngaire Holland, 61 points (equal) ... 2 Highly- commended: Helen Fraser. Also competed: Alice Melville, Margaret' Gourley, Delia Higgins, Betty Applegate, Rule More, Lesley Reid, Marie More. Patricia O’Callaghan, Maureen ■ Keenan, Lorraine Stewart. Frances Elliott, Patsy Ward. The work in this section was too difficult for the competitors, said the judge, and she - would prefer to see them doing easier dances. She would advise teachers to pay -more attention to this point. Timing and deportment both suffered because of the difficulty of the dances. DEMI-CHARACTER OR CHARACTER DANCE, not to include ballet, Greek, or Egyptian, under . 10. Delia Higgins, 66 points . 1 Maureen Keenan, 64 points ... ... 2 Alma M‘Allan, 62 points 3 'Also competed: Helen Fraser, Valmai Gilmour, Lorraine Stewart, Marie More, Alice Melville, Ruie More, Lesley Reid, Olga Rowland. The competitors showed exceptionally good taste in their characterisations, said Miss Carnochan. The was possessed of excellent- miming ability, while the second had a sense of time and rhythm.