Slater Slated

NZ Truth, Issue 935, 27 October 1923, Page 6

Slater Slated

CANTON KEFWMJS CONDVCTOR^ : ' TenipJe White.Talks Tone. | (From '(Truth's", Wanganui Rep.) ;When\ Mr. H. : Temple White so severely castigated the two disgruntled conductors who saw fit to criticise his decision at the recent choral competitions he' showed that he was well able to take care of himself. However, the ttyo birds were not wise enough to hold, their peace. They wrote to the local papers trying to make good with the public. Fred W. Slater, conductor of the Westbourne Choir, . which he consWered should have got the award, took up a lot of space m his, reply to Mr. White. He said he had been broiight up m Idandudno, North Wales, a town i ;i-, : NOTED FOR MUSIC, m a musical country. 1 Hewent on, to detail his performances and his. record looked quite imposing, so much so that Mr. Temple White's friends were uneasy. ;It appeared v as if their man had really ■•. caught a \tartar,' and that- the poor judge was Apparently almost down and -,oUt ..when ' Mr."; Slater had finished with him, ,: Mi\ Emmett, the other, conductor* also took a hand In the discußsl6ri.;He admitted he . WAS QUITE SATISFIED with the; second. 'position awarded his choir,; but/Ke was indignant at the misplacing.'of the, Weatbourhe" Choral Society: • Those who read the correspondence, 1 or many of, them, thought that a good case had been, made out against ,Mr. ".Temple" White.' But that gentleman.showed that he was not one to take the count .so easily, ahd'he stepped into the ring again. He paid no attention to Mr. Emmett's effusion, but ho dealt.it out severely to Mr. Slater. He pointed out. that while all Mr. Slater's references to his own choir dealt with points of; technique, he had overlooked tho vital "matters of tone, quality and blend—what might be termed the es-' sence of choir singing. "The tone of the Westboume sopranos," said Mr. j White, ... - ) •/•. •: ' "WAS APPALLING— i that of the basses was worse, there was no blend at all. individual voices standing out m each part." This was staggering, but there was more to come. "The cold, rigid skeleton was there without either the warm flesh or the soul. In the Westboume own selection piece. 'Excelsior,' the interpretation was very poor." Other good scoring hits were: made by Mr. White, who finally let* drive a beautiful right. "If the members of the Westboume Choral Society ;; study tone production and blend; and . . can procure a conductor with sound ideas of interpretation, they should win a much more honorable: position m the future."/-. •;}•'■';.■. / . , - ■■