FORTHRIGHT CRITIC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 24 October 1941, Page 2

FORTHRIGHT CRITIC

COMPETITIONS SOCIETY’S FESTIVAL DR LYON’S METHODS DISCUSSED | The forthright public criticism of the , performance of competitions by the , musical adjudicator, Dr J. Lyon, Lon- , don, at the society's festival recently ! 1 was both criticised and defended by ; (speakers at the annual meeting of the ’ Wellington Competitions Society last : (night. Some members urged measures > to eliminate what they described as ■ ' lack of tact in future, and one retorted 1 that New’ Zealanders had a reputation ■ for being very thin skinned and could [ not “take it.” k \ The subject was introduced by Mrs ' E. R. Myers, who referred to the effect r of some of Dr Lyon’s statements on the competitors. 1 Mr G. W. Morgan said he was ashamed to hear the remarks Dr Lyon \ : made to two women competitors in or^ . ! class and he blushed to think that - j such a thing was being done in public i “I think it was a scandal,” he added. 1 ! The view’ that nothing could be done 1 about it was taken by Mrs Teward. | Once the*society employed a judge it t had to put up w r ith him. “One judge 1 1 once put on the report of a competitor, 1 ‘You would be better employed digging ' up potatoes,” she said. NO* INTENDED TO HURT ; ' Mr W. I. Cunninghame questioned r whether Dr Lyon had been as caustic e; or as severe as they were led to bei i lieve. He had been adjudicating for 40 3 years and had emphasised at the start a ; and at the close of the competitions • that there was nothing in his remarks I landers are said to have a reputation for being very thin skinned,” he added, j “and cannot take it.” * ' Voices: No, No. 0 “I do not think any fair-minded pere son could take exception to the general >’ run of his remarks.” Mr Cunninghame i_ continued. “It was his w r ay of putting e it. I do not think he intended to hurt h or offend anybody. He was absolutely > j sincere. He had a better knowledge ej of music than any judge this society »• has had in its history.” h Another member said the general :r I public liked to hear criticism. f j The view that if the concensus of '* opinion of competitors were obtained it would show that the majority appre- !; ciated and benefited from Dr Lyon s ’ remarks, was expressed by Mr J. A. Martin. He knew it was a little bit r hard to be singled out. but the competie tors on the whole took it pretty well. [] UNCONVENTIONAL WAY , The president. Mr D. J. Constable, said he thought a lot of the misunderd standing arose from the unconventional d way Dr Lyon had of doing things. 0 Mr Morgan said that in the case he referred to, a woman was asked to il stand up and she got a dressing down, e Mr Constable said those cases were n V °Mr E. R. Myers said Dr Lyon had ;e been quite prepared to do anything the ° society wanted him to.