SONG OF A SEAL.
The remarkable origin of ono of Mrs. Kennedy-Fraser's folk songs is described by an English paper.
Mrs. Kennedv-Fraser was sitting by the sea-shore at Barra, with two musical friends, and on some rocks lay basking somo grey seals. It occurred to her to test the creatures' powers of musical appreciation and sho began singing to them. The seals replied in chorus . , " Then, from out a few seconds' intense silence, came a beautiful solo voice . . . The voice of the sea] was so beautiful (of a rich mezzo-soprano quality) and the cantabile so perfect that I should almost have believed I had been dreaming but for the corroboration of my two musician fellow-hearers."
Mrs. Ivennedy-Fraser had her note-book with her and on the spot she wroto down the seal's song which is now perpetuated in her collection.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19290430.2.10.9
Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 7
Word Count
139SONG OF A SEAL. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 7
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the New Zealand Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Auckland Libraries and NZME.