Mrs G. Gray Presents Swedish Song Recital

Northern Advocate, 24 May 1949, Page 3

Mrs G. Gray Presents Swedish Song Recital

SONGS and stories of Sweden were presented to a capacity audience at the Whangarei Salvation Army Citadel last night when Mrs G. Gray, wife of the officer in charge of the Salvation Army here, presented a recital of her country’s songs. Her accompanist at the piano was her 11-year-old daughter Astrid, or, in English, Olive.* ' . 1 ' Mrs Gray is a native of Stockholm. When m her teens she was chosen to travel Denmark and Sweden with a group representing the. Swedish provinces, singing folk songs and dressed in national costume. - At 21 she was made president of a club of 1000 young Swedish women.

She married Captain Gray, of New Zealand, when he was in Sweden in 1936 in the course of a world tour, during which he visited 22 countries. Last February Captain and Mrs Gray came from Eltham to take over command of the Whangarei Salvation Army Corps. Mrs Gray last night sang in the Swedish tongue the songs of the Vikings, and of the provinces, explaining each to her audience. The stage had been specially decorated with Christmas trees ,and, with the colourful costumes of Mrs Gray and her daughter, provided a pleasing setting. Mrs Gray opened the recital by singing the national hymn. Her daughter followed by reciting the 23rd Psalm, Mrs Gray translating each verse into Swedish. DISTINCTIVE COSTUMES Between songs Mrs Gray told her audience of her homeland, and how she had first found it difficult to learn New Zealand, customs and the finer points of the language. There were 25 provinces, each with its distinctive costume, in Sweden, Mrs Gray said. She explained the difference between the headgear of single and married women. Nowadays traditional costumes were worn only on gala days. Speaking of Swedish Lapland Mrs Gray said its inhabitants wex*e very tiny. To add to their height they wore tall hats with big tassels. They obtained their living from the reindeer. In Lapland the sun never sets during part of the summer while in winter 24 hours of darkness were experienced at a time. COFFEE IN “PRAM” The national drink of Sweden was coffee, Mrs Gray said. She was once asked in New Zealand how she made coffee, and she replied, “In a perambulator.” In Sweden lump-sugar was used, the lump being held in the mouth while drinking the coffee. ' Referring to King George V., Mrs Gray said Sweden mourned his death ,as if he were their own King. Their King, Gustav V, was the oldest reigning monarch in the world, being almost 91.

compulsory subject in all Swedish schools. •

“To get anywhere at all in Sweden one must know foreign languages.” she said. FLAGS ON UNIFORMS Tram conductors and policemen wore five or six flags on their uniforms, denoting the number of languages they could speak. Explaining the Swedish flag, Mrs Gray said the yellow cross on the blue background represented the sun shining in the sky. One day, when still new in New Zealand, she asked the landlady how much a “peent” was. The landlady said she did not know. Mrs Gray thereupon produced her cookery book and pointed to the sentence which said “one pint of water.” She also found it difficult to starch her husband’s collars until she found she was using icing-sugar. LIQUOR RATIONED Mrs Gray referred to the impossibility of 17-year-old boys getting drink in Sweden. Each person over 21 had to have a ration book for liquor, while people under 21 could not obtain liquor at all. Mrs Gray also spoke of the legend of Santa Lucia, who was burned at the stake rather than marry a heathen, and whose memory was honoured in Sweden every December 13. During the ceremony it was the custom for a girl to sing the song ‘Santa Lucia," Mrs Gray said. > To give the audience an idea of the ceremony Miss Marion Burns, of the Whangarei Salvation Army, sang the song, Astrid accompanying her on the piano.

the supper adjournment, Swedish doughnuts and coffee were served to each person, and were obviously enjoyed. Further Swedish songs, with explanations, were presented by Mrs Gray after supper.

His son and heir was killed in a plane crash in Denmark. The singer and film star, Miss Grace Moore, died in the same crash.

Then the King’s nephew, Count Bernadotte, was killed in Palestine.

CENTRAL HEATING

The electrolux was a Swedish invention, as was a certain brand of milking machine, she went on. “I don’t know much about them—you just press a button and off comes the milk.”

She had never experienced mildew or used hot-water bottles until she came to Dunedin, said Mrs Gray, when speaking of the desirability of central heating which was the rule in her cohntry. ■ Central heating ivas more economical and cleaner.

A bride-to-be in Sweden always prepared a large glory-box, with dozens of items, because it was impossible to wash every week in an apartment house, she explained. ' NAMED RINGS Swedish girls who became engaged received a plain golden ring bearing the boy’s name and the date of the engagement. At the wedding a similar ring would be presented, this one bearing both names, and also the date. Most Swedes could speak other languages besides their own, Mrs Gray continued. English was now the recognised second language and was a