ELTHAM COMPETITIONS

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 19 July 1929, Page 10

ELTHAM COMPETITIONS

t OaL nLStON (J’F FESTIVAL.

LIST OF BRIZE-WINNERS

The Eltham Competitions Society’ssecond .annua.ii ie.suval was continued yesterday in the Fit-ham To-wn fiii.li , and was brought to a. successiul oon-o.nsi-on last evening.

File general opinion, was expressed that a great improvement on toe- previous year’s worg was shown mi -every leature of the competitions, more especially in tlie juvenile sections, and m none moie so than the to ; k dunce and drill classes i>y school clnlJren, whose ease and utter abandon, : reed on; riom restraint, ancl mtectious gaiety made their quota, the. most enjoyable Phase anti furnished at keynote to the entire assemblage. In the judicial eye tault'S in polity were no. -doubt tiisiunlble, but the audience saw only appropriate costumes', pleasing colours, the poetry of motion and contentedly left the judging in other hands.

Results of the afternoon judging were :

Pianoforte. .Solo (Grade B) : (a) 'Jest piece, “Durand’s Fi-rsit Wartz. ’—bliss M. Ma.ckie, 82 per cent., 1; Miss M. Gower, 79 per cent., 2. Other competitors were Misses H. Willox, 35. ‘Wi. ls, T. Jones. L. McOready, R. Moßeith, R. Mills and Mr D. Silver. Judge’s comments: The winner could improve by .attention to higher notes ; she dicl not change the- mood sufficiently. Miss Gower’s time between the opening chord 1 bars and the running bars wag not correct.

) Folk Dancing (Part 2). —Recalls for evening: Te Roti School No. 4. Alangatokj School No. 2, Alanaia, Scliool No. 2, and Eltham Scliool No. 2. The finall placing,s tor parts 1 laind 2 combined were: Manga,toki School No. 2 (Maypole dance’). 1; Te Roti School Nos. ’ 1 and 4 (equal) 2. Singing Game, own selection.—This competition was subjected to dual judging, Mr Jcnner allotting points for harmony and rhythm and Miss Blaekie adjudicating on action. Mr .Tenner’s selection was: JCchain School No. 2,1; I'.Mthnm Convent School, 2; Eltham School No. 1, 3. Commenting on the qualification.si of competing sets, the 'judge said that with regard to his first choice the character of the music was baldly expressed bv movements; he placed the Convent pupils musically higher, though speed interfered with movements, while the singing was not sufficiently care-free; the set in third position rather lacked rhythm. Miss Rleckie’s niacin,gs were: Eltham So:aool Nos. 1 and 2 (equal), 1; Eltham Convent Scliool, 3. The plaoings on combined points were; With am School No. 2. 1- Eltham Convent School, 2; Eltham School. No.

Brass So o, own selection (Part 1). — TT. Slater (cornet). “Beneath Tliv Window,” 77 nor cent., 1; R. Bourke (tenor horn). “Brink to Me Only With Thine Eyes.” 7G per cent., 2. Two of the following competitors attained 74 . cent: Andrews (euphonium), Thine Only”; H. Taylor (E flat bass), dlcrhi'd in the Cradle of the Deep” ; • X ,J’. e “Somewhere a Voice is Caf ine” • C. Gilman (cornet), “Tn Happy Moments” ; E. Trask (B flat ba,ss), “Son of My Soul”; B. Ward (E fi:a,t bassl “Rocked in the Cradle of olio lleep : F. Egarr (baritone), “In Happy Moments.”

Commenting on hi* first and second placingy. Mr Jennor said of the winner that his tone was intrined fo be patchy and marked with, little gushes of unintentional crescndos. On file whole there was not enough, contrast in tone. His sense of lime was greater than that of rhythm. Of Mr Bou.rke’s piaying, the fudge, said it was hardly smooth enough, arid hi,si length, of note

«as not satisfactory. Rhythmi was ce- , cidcdly good. Traditional Song, own selection (women).—-Miss Herivea, 7G marks. 1 •Other competitor's’ were: Misses Hnrner, 0 Ilea . Massey and Mrs Symmans, the scailo of marks recorded* by three ot whom showed so- little variation that the judge, forebore making more than •one award! and: fotr the same reason declined to name the competitors- con corn,The choice of songs was commend- - ah e. Singers of traditional songs, said •ii T ennei h should oniiiib fancy runs, trills and ornamentation of any description. which in reality should never . have been introduced into them. Miss 1 Honied’x intonation was inclined to be faimv. and in places not in precision -and continuity. evening session. The attendance in the evening was the- best throughout the whole testival. Aippiau.se- was frequent, and testified to appreciation or the quality of tiio programme and its fau'itless presentation. Following are tlie details: — Dramatised Recitation (own selection). —Eltham School No, 3, '‘A Fair Division,” 81 per cent., 1; Fltliam School No. 1, •'David Copperfield and the Waiter,” 78 per cent., 2. E'ltham Seuool No. 2, “D-d and New,” also competed. 'I nc judge (Mr W. J. A. Fame 11) said the work of all three teams was very good, in elocution, accent and action. School Choirs, two part: (a) Test piece “Goiiden Slumbers Kiss Your ryes,” (b) own seeetion.—Maiia.ua School. So per cent., 1 ; Eltham School, 82 per cent.,'2. Manaia’s own selection was ‘‘All Through the- Night,” and that •of Jvltham ‘‘Annie Laurie.” Of the winners, the judge said the altos were surer and consequently safer. Eltham’s intonation was not too good. Prepared. Accompaniment (test piece. ‘•Alas, Those Chimes” (from iMaritana.).—Miss H. Willo-x, S 7 pen cent., 1; Mr D. Silver, SO per cent., 2. The winner’s .pedalling was rather weak. Very high marks were accorded for sympathetic accompaniment, the p-ianis te picking ut» places where the soloist cainc in too -soon. Mr Silver, who accompanied a. connetist, cxmhl have, produced a better balance .by increasing In’s tone. It was, however, an - excellent test. The other competitors in this class 1 were Misses T. Joneis. V. Beech, L. Mc-CYead-v. T. Maxwell, and M. Gower. ' National dance, own selection.— ! Miss B. Wilson (Highland Fling) 1. I The only entrant. w !

Operatic solo, own selection.—-Miss Massey and Miss Cocker (equal) 1, Mr. F. Silver, “The Vulcan's Song,” 3. In the judge’s words thi.s was a very good competition. Mesdames Harper and McCullough and Miss O’Dea aI so competed. \ iolin isolo, own selection. —Mr. R. Downey, “Danse Espagnole.” 1; Mr. G. Chamberlain. “Canzonetta.” 2. The winner was pronounced a promising performer and his tone production was good. Mr. Chamberlain was judged to have come in too soon, and that he should express himself more—not merely play.

Ballad, own selection (men). —Mr. F. E. Silver “The Bandalero,” 1 ; Mr. H. Reynolds, “The Admiral’s Broom,” 2. All’. G. Diver, “My Okl Shako,” was the only other competitor. This was, Mr. denner said, a good class, and not hard to make a selection. Mr. Silver’s experience and manner gaining him the verdict. There was a certain stiffness and want ol ease about Air. Reynolds, apparently not so much at home before an audience, but who would make an excel lent chorister.

Instrumental quartette, own selection.—.St. Mary’s Hows’ Club (Tlawera) No. 1,1; St. Alary’s Roys’ Club (Hawera) No. 2,2. The judge expressed himself as highly delighted with each quartette (piano, violin, flute and clarinet). Doth were surprisingly good, and such excellence was quite unexpected. It was his first experience of Ha went instrumentalists, of whom he had heard flattering reports. The latter were justified if the Boys’ Club representatives were a fair sample. No.

1 scored 70 per cent, and No. 2 73 per cent, of marks. “Gilbert and jSullivan splo, own , selection.—Mrs. McCullough 1. Sacred solo, own selection (men). — ; Mr. G. A. Anderson, 85 per cent., 1; | Mr. H. Reynolds, 83 per cent., 2. The judge’s comments on the winner were: “Very nice tone and beautifully subdued. An artistic rendering) which he (the judge) enjoyed immensely.” Mr. Reynolds showed a great improvement on his previous evening’s performance. “Gilbert and Sullivan” vocal quartette, own /selection.—Stratford, “A Regular Royal Queen,” and Eltliam, “A Merry Madrigal” (equal), 1. Finding difficulty in separating them, the judge awarded the competitors equal honours. JUDGE’S REVIEW. The drill and folk dance sections were reviewed in the following terms by the adjudicator, Miss Blackie, physical instructress under the Taranaki Education Board: “Musical and Swedish Drill sections (nine entries in all). —Both these classes showed careful training and the work was good. Conscious application of the individual was pleasingly evident. It was a pity that the subject was treated a:s a drill instead of exercises and calisthenics. It should be more than a detached sequence of movements; more variety and event would not only brighten these classes, but would increase the benefit and en- 1 joyment to the participants. Footwork has improved since last year, but enacting is still rather amateurish. “Folk Dancing.—Fourteen entries! showed an increase of eight over last! year—a good record, and probably a ' greater one than anywhere else in New Zealand. A very pleasing, colourful and effective display. Technique, ‘ rhythmic response, finish and exp res- ! sion were, generally, all good. The selection was varied and well carried 1 out, many of the arrangements being 1 original. Footwork has improved on last year, the dancing being marred in only a. few instances by heaviness and ( noise. .Some exception might bo taken ( to folk dancing being done in fancy ( dress, as that is rather foreign to the 1 idea of it. As far back as the 16th and 17th centuries these dances were indulged in by the country foils: of England in the lanes, at their fairs. - picnics, parties, etc.—and would, of course, he done in their ordinary cos-,1 tumes.” ‘ 1 1

DEMONSTR ATION CONGER T. A grand demonstration concert programme will be rendered at the town luill to-night by first prize winners, mid should attract a lax-ge audience.