AUCKLAND COMPETITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14853, 2 December 1911, Page 8

AUCKLAND COMPETITIONS

THE PIANO RECITALS.

CHOIR '• CONTEST FINISHED.

TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME.

The Auckland Competitions Society's festival was continued yesterday in His Majesty's Theatre. There was a large audience morning and afternoon, and the theatre was filled in all part's in the evening. The day was a specially interesting one, for it saw the nominal conclusion of the preliminary tests in the solo pianist recitals, the finals of the church choirs' competition, and the character dialogues.

SOLO PIANIST RECITALS.

PLACES FOR SOUTHERNERS.

The preliminary tests in the most important contest in the programme, that for solo pianist recitals, were concluded nominally yesterday morning, but actually there will be a further elimination this morning. Altogether 33 competitors, out of 41 entrants, have played the Beethoven Sonata (Op. 26) and the Chopin Waltz No. 1 (Op. 64). They played in four sections on successive mornings, and on the basis of the marks awarded the judge was to have selected three players to repeat their performances on Saturday evening. The performers yesterday morning were: — Misses "C. Brook (Epsom), N. Ridley (Dunedin), B. Snodgrass (Te Puke), L. Harper (Christchurch),. C. Wilkie (Fordell), A. Thearsby (Wanganui), and Q. Foster (Dunedin) ; Mrs. G. A. Martin (Ellcrslie), Mrs. Ingram (Te Aroha), and Messrs. J. McGuirc (Ponsonby), W. Wool- i ford (Mount Eden), and Baxter Buckley I (Gore). When they had finished Professor Ives said he was sorry, in that the audience would be disappointed that he could not then announce his selection of three players to compete in the final. Miss Foster (Dunedin) and .Miss E. McLaren (Dunedin) were definitely selected} but for the third position, four competitors would have to appear again. These were • Miss M. Mitchell (Dunedin), Miss N. Ridley (Dunedin), Miss Barry Snodgrass (Te Puke), and Mr. Baxter Buckley (Gore). The four "possibles "- will meet the examiner again at nine a.m. to-day, and when the performances are over, lie will, in addition to announcing the name of the third selected player, give his criticisms on the performances of the unsuccessful players, and a general review of the playing in the contest. The final performances will be given at intervals in ■ this evening's programme, and the award will be announced after the third performance. The outcome of the preliminaries shows a remarkable success for Otago. All the tentatively placed players come from Dunedin (Mr.'Buckley is virtually from that city) except one, who is from Te Puke. Naturally, the decision as far as it has yet gone, has not been unanimously approved ; few musical judgments are. The semi-finals this morning, and the finals to-night, will undoubtedly be among the most interesting events in the whole of the festival programme. •

VOCAL SOLOS.

SOPRANO SOLO (AMATEUR).

The soprano solo for amateurs who had never-won a prize at competitions was "O Flower of all the World" (Amy Wood, forde Finden). The class was a small one, k the following ladies competing:—Misses R. Pajker (Remuera), C. : Fray (Kingsland), and B. Price (Wellington), and Mrs. L. Matthews (Auckland). The judge selected Misses Parker, Fray, and Price to sing again in the final test in the evening. The award was:—

Miss Parker (Remuera), 87 marks ... 1 Miss B. Price (Wellington), 86 marks 2 Miss C. Fray (Kingsland) ■ ... ... 3 CONTRALTO SOLO (AMATEUR). The contralto class, subject to the same limitations as the soprano, comprised the following singers:—Misses I. Scanlon (Tuakau), E. Bell (Cambridge), F. Hare (Mount Albert), E. Fletcher (Rewiti),ahd J. Harvey (Hawera), and Mrs. A. Jenkins (Hamilton). The solo was Stanford's ''* I'll Rock You to Rest." The following were selected to sing again this V evening— Misses Fletcher and Harvey and Mrs. Jenkins. . ..SACRED BASS SOLO. Twelve competitors sang the sacred has* solo, the recitative and aria, " Honour and Arms," "from/Handel's "Samson." They were: Messrs. J. Ryan (Mount Eden), 0. F. Gardner (New Lynn), J. Littler (Auckland), E. J. Gatland (Onchunga), B. S. Angus (Birkenhead), P. W. Powell (Waihi), W. E. Browne (Mount Eden) W. Ellis. (Auckland), R. Dellow (Mount Eden); E. Watson (Thames) t and J. Atkinson (Morningside). The morning's work left the prizes amongst Messrs. Ryan, Powell, and Atkinson. The judge found occasion to praise Messrs. Ellis, Dellow, and Watson upon their good singing,, awarding them 81, 83, and 82 marks respectively. The judge pointed 1 out that only one competitor (Mr. Atkinson) gave- sufficient attention to.the dramatic requirements of the song, and expressed in face and voice the ecorn and derision necessary. The award was :

Mr. J. Atkinson (Morningside), 90 marks ... ... 1 Mr. P. W. Powell (Waihi), 86 marks 2 Mr. J. Ryan (Mount Eden), 84 marks 3 BASS SOLO—AMATEUR, Some good singing was heard in the bass solo restricted class, the test for which was Wallace's pretty song, "Son of Mine." The competitors were: Messrs. S. Fritchard (Auckland), C. Can* (Ponsonby), I', Gardner (New Lynn), A. Pacey (Dunedin), E. Watson (Thames), T. Harris (Auckland), C. Taylor (Mount Eden), and B. Angus (Birkenhead). The performers selected in the afternoon were Messrs. Pritchard, Pacey, and Harris, and they will repeat the song this evening, when the award will be made.

ELOCUTIONARY EVENTS.

CHARACTER DIALOGUE. Entertainment of a high order was afforded by six dialogues in character. The competitors and the scenes chosen by them were: Miss May Bain and Mr. J. Gallagher, " Rosalind and Orlando " ; Miss Hartley and Mr. H. • Borradale,"The Hunchback"; Miss K. Major and Mr. F. Gardner, "Rosalind and Orlando"; Miss Knight and Mr. V. Harris, "Richard 111. and Lady Anne"; Miss B. Purdom and Mr. N. Hall, "Lady Barbara and the Little Minister ; Miss Arnold (Wellington) and Mr. Lorking, " Roaaiind and Orlando.'' Ail the performances were excellent. Though Rosalind helped Orlando towards a' successful wooing three times, there was a variety in the methods, and all were pleasant. The. result was not announced, but the couples playing "Richard 111. and Lady Anne," and the scene from ; "The Hunchback" .*' were recalled to play them again this evening, to the manifest .satisfaction of the. audience... IMPROMPTU . SPEECHES. Those .who expected some fun .'in the' " stump: speeches" were not disappointed. Only four of the eight entrants faced the judge, but they provided some lively momenta. With Machiavellian ingenuity the judge propounded to each this poser: .'.' Do married, men live longer than single men, or does it only seem longer?" Naturally no one really had very much to say about it. Bill. Mr. E. Casey tilled.up his five minutes in lather a serious vien, with a vigorous defence of the married man as the happier and the better-living of : ,the two, even if

his years were not longer. Messrs. F. Leonard and; A. Harrison found the problem almost as much a joke as the audience did, while Mr. W. Mortimer, after gravely announcing that he had been married for 15 years, realised that he had committed himself sufficiently, and retired into the wings. The judge made the following award:

Mr. E. Casey (Ohakune), 88 marks ... 1 Mr. A. Harrison (Auckland), 74 marks 2

\ CHOIR CONTEST.

WIN FOR GRAFTON METHODISTS.

The choirs competition was concluded last night. At the first test the competing choirs sang Elvey's anthem, "I Was Glad. ' last night they gave the hymn, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," and Fanning's part song, "Moonlight." Then? were only three entries—the Unitarian Church choir, conducted by Mr. A. Bartley ; the Grafton Road Methodist choir, under Mr. E. J. Qatland; and the Trinity Methodist, conducted by Mr. J. "L. Innes. The Grafton Road choir gave a conspicuously better performance of the anthem on Wednesday than either of the other choirs, the parte being better balanced and the general effect excellent. The Unitarian choir suffered from want of breadth of tone and from faulty intonation. The Trinity choir lost points heavily by dropping till they were so far out of tune that the accompanist found it best to stop playing. Tho general quality of the performances last night was better. The Unitarian and Trinity choirs sang the part song best, and the Trinity choir's performance of "Moonlight," in its attention to light and shade, secured it the highest points of all the individual performances. The points awarded for the anthem, hymn, and part song respectively to the three choirs were as fol-lows.-—Grafton Road Methodist, 88, 88, 86, total 262; Trinity Methodist, 80, 86, 92, total 258; Unitarian, 71, 71, 79, \ total 227. Tho challenge shield and the conductor's baton goes accordingly to the Grafton Road Methodist' choir.

TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME.

WORK FOR THE SCOUTS.

Part of to-day's work will be done at the Federal Hall. A competition in first aid for scouts will be held, for squads of four, and six entries have been received. The tests will be in setting a broken bone, arresting hemorrhage, and restoring respiration in the apparently drowned. These events will commence in the morning. The rehearing of four competitors in the solo pianist recital will occupy His Majesty's. Theatre in tho morning. ,In the afternoon there will be a preliminary test to select two primary school choirs to compete in the final on Monday night. This will be followed by physical drill for junior cadets (three entries). The final test in the first aid competition will also he held. The clarionet solo and euphonium solos will follow.

In tho evening the programme will include the final performances in the solo pianist recital; the final in the character dialogue, and the finals in the sacred tenor solo, contralto solo, and bass solo restricted classes. In addition there will be a quartette contest for men, and a performance of the comedietta, "A Busv Dav."