SOCIETY OF WOMEN MUSICIANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24685, 14 August 1941, Page 12

SOCIETY OF WOMEN MUSICIANS

EVENING OF FOLK MUSIC Miss Logie and Miss Meda Paine were responsible for a delightful evening on “ Folk Song ” at the August meeting of the Society of Women Musicians. Introducing the subject, Miss Logie said that folk song gives special pleasure, for it provides a meeting ground for all sorts of people, expressing as it does the moods and feelings of men and women in every age and clime. ' The music is in a variety of modes and scales according to the feelings of joy or sorrow felt by the originators of the melody. Racial characteristics are manifest in folk tunes, and this was admirably illustrated by the programme presented by members. A typical Russian song in the usual minor key contrasted with two Czechoslovakian songs, “The Lovers’ Quarrel ” and “ The Broken Troth.” both in the major. In Hungary. a war-torn country throughout the centuries, the folk songs tend to be tragic. The rhapsodies which are generally associated with this country are believed by many to be the product of gipsies who borrowed and embroidered the simple folk tunes. These, therefore, may not be genuine, but “ Marishka ” and “ Shepherd. See thy Horse’s Foaming Mane,” illustrated well • the national characteristics. “ Spring Song,” a very pleasing song arranged as a trio, typified the Dutch folk music of which little is known. France has gay and lively melodies in the warm south, rhythmical tunes, with a slightly Spanish flavour in the southwest. songs with a more serious note in the north, while in Brittany the songs have a style all their own. Two shepherdess songs of the south proved a happy choice. In Canada, the French Canadians have some entirely French songs, but others, composed in Canada, differ from those of the Motherland. Of these was heard “ The Grey Duck ” —an amusing ditty. American Indians are wonderfully artistic and deeply religious. Their

artistry was shown to advantage in two delightful songs, “ Land of the Sky-blue Water ” and “ The White Dawp is Stealing.” The American negroes, who, in their slavery, heard of a land beyond, where they would be free, were inspired to write what we call negro spirituals. The two illustrations given were “ Deep River and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” in the form of a trio.

Perhaps the finest of Irish folk tunes are the finest of all folk songs. They possess a singular sensitiveness of feeling, and in form and melody are exceptionally well polished. Not the least of these are “The Flight of the Earls ” and “My Love’s an Arbutus.’ The Hebridean songs are closely related to the Irish in direct powers of utterance and beauty of form. This was illustrated effectively by “ Clydeside Love Lilt ” and “ The Cockle Gatherers.” The Lowland songs were represented by “Can Ye Sew Cushions ” and “ Down the Burn, Davie Love.” Comparatively few examples of Welsh folk songs remain, and “ Lullaby ” and ‘ Cuckoo Dear ” were much appreciated. The evening was concluded with the English folk sons "The Jolly Waggoner.” The members who helped to make this programme a success were Mesdames Whitworth and Beaumont and Misses Bradstock, West, Tyrie, Hawkridge, Adam, Barth and McLeod. Miss Mary Martin proposed a vote of thanks