BAND OF HOPE UNION CONTESTS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 198, 25 September 1914, Page 9

BAND OF HOPE UNION CONTESTS.

WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS. The most successful evening of the Canterbury Band of Hope Union's contest was held last evening, when the Choral Hall was well filled. A most interesting programme was provided, no fewer than 10 different classes being competed for. The following are Wednesday's results: — Piano duet, class B: Miss M. Nixon and Master H. Smith (Oxford Terrace) 75 marks 1. , Piano duet, class E: Misses H. Beardsell and Kay (Sydenham United) 81 marks 1. "Vocal solo, class D, male: Mr H. B. Wykes (Woolston) 80 marks 1, Mrs H. H. Falla (Oxford Terrace) 66 marks 2. -■ Vocal solo, class C, female: Miss Doris Miller (Sydenham United) 82 marks 1, Miss M: Gebbie (Moorehouse Avenue) 81 marks 2, Miss Iris Bettel (Addington) • 80 marks 3. Band of Hope oral addresses, female: Section I, Miss A. Eldridge (Avonside) 67 marke 1. Section 11, Mrs M. H. Langford (Moorhouse Avenue) 63 marks 1. Impromptu speech, female: Mrs M. H. Langford (Moorhouse Avenue) 65 marks 1. Impromptu speech, male: Mr Wigglesworth (Linwood Methodist) 72 marks 1, Mr J. Pugh (Linwood Methodist) 71 marks 2, Mr A. G. Williams (Richmond) 68 marks 3. •Dumbbell drill, section 2: Crescent Road 108 marks 1. \ This evening's programme will be chiefly a juvenile one, consisting of pianoforte solo, class C; vocal solo, class A; vocal duet,, glasses B and C. and A; pianoforte duet, class A; Scripture reading, open; mandolin solo. To-morrow evening an excellent programme, consisting of first-class performers, will be given. The prizes, will also be presented. The prices for. this concert have been reduced j to—Adults 6d and children 3d. Mr J. Caughley, the judge, makes the following report ort the recitation: — The recitation of the two poems "Don't Drink" and "Recessional" illustrate in a special manner some points that reciters should note. Three of tlfose who recited "Don't Drink" showed considerable dramatic power, and command over the arts and graces of elocution. These powers were, however, much 1 misused." Gesture, modulation,' emphasis, and expression were often badly exaggerated, or used where: they were not suitable. The poem was: a persuasive pleading with boys, yet competitors neglected this j spirit and used the poem to display all the j powers they could command, much as if a, painter used., all the pretty colours on his j palette regardless of whether he was truly ] painting the scene before him. Some simply! scolded, some were haughtily imperious, and | as a result they spoiled, the meaning of the poem. They lost marks for unnecessary dis-1 play or misuse of effects. The winner was J in clear contrast ta these. She was in turn

pleading, persuasive, advising, warning, and always impressive and unaffected. This kept in their proper places'the changes of manner and expression suitable to the changing ideas of the poem. The defects above stated were also noticeable in the' reciting of Kipling's "Recessional." One reciter said it as she would deliver a battle scene, yet the poem is really

a prayer, or confession, for a nation prone to over-confidence, an entreaty for forgiveness for forgetting God. The dramatic delivery, as if it were describing a battle scene, might he very attractive as far as style goes, and might show a good deal of ability to produce certain effects, but the performer's work is to make the poem mean what the poet made it mean, and to produce the effect on the audience that the : poet wished it to have.

These remarks are plainly stated, but kindly meant. It is a pity to see some of the best talent misused because the performer thinks that the main thing is to produce as many effects as possible. The very first thing to do, even before learning the words, is to study the purpose oc the poem, as a whole. It should then be divided into sections in which the whole manner and attitude of the reciter may need to be changed, from bright to sad, or from warning to encouraging. When these larger parts are grasped, the lesser points' of expression and emphasis will fall into their {daces easily and naturally, and therefore effectively. Instead of doing this, the performers described above relied almost entirely on emphasising words and phrases, without regard to their place in the plan of the poem.