A NATIONAL EVENT IN MUSIC.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 10 March 1923, Page 8

A NATIONAL EVENT IN MUSIC.

"All choral singers in London or in reach of Loiftkm should be interested in ,the; particulars of the .forthcoming Jilizabethan Music Competitive Festival' which, under the auspices of many of our principal musicians, is to combine two modern,, movements of value—the .choral competition, which m th© north especially has done immense work for the cause of music, and the new cult for the long-neglected English composers of 300-350 years ago, who are incoiitestably among the great glories of our land and race," says tiie mail. 3 .■.--. .-..-' *7

"ISext year is^the centenary of the death of; two most .eminent among these—Wilham Byrd, and Thomas Weelkes—and exquisite niusic -ly both is scheduled m various classes of the festival. They are two of a score and more who ought to be household words with English people, for music in that period _bloomed with no less genius than did poetry. Even . unsuccessful competitors in such a festival must richly profit, when the test pieces are one and all so faultlessly beautiful and pure in style. -March 2 and 3is the date of the festival, but now is Hie moment for choirmasters and choral singers to decide to work for the greater success of an event which promises to- throw, for the world in general,, new hght on the lovely/English musical art j of Shakespeare's day.'' I