STUDENTS’ RECITAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19961, 20 November 1934, Page 8

STUDENTS’ RECITAL

PUPILS OF MISS NEVILL-SMITH A finely balanced programme of vocal and violin items was presented to a large audience in the Little Playhouse last night by Miss Amy Nevill-Smith and her pupils at their annual recital. Miss Nevill-Smith’s pupils reached a high standard of achievement, both in technique and musical appreciation, and their performance generally redounded greatly to the credit of themselves and their tutor. Individually and collectively they made the recital an outstanding success, and provided a rare feast of classical music for a large number of music lovers. The programme opened with a bracketed number, (a) “Arise Oh Sun” (Lockton), (b) “Columbine’s Garden, sung by the Glee Class and conducted by Miss Nevill-Smith. Those taking part were Misses M. Martin, I. Nicholas, Hall, Ramsay, Buxton and Steward. Both these items were given with musicianly interpretation, good ensemble and remarkably fine tone. The class was even more successful in the three-part glee, “Fly, Singing Bird, Fly” (Elgar), with double violin obligato, played by Misses F. Munro and I. Carnegie. The Item showed what a rich tone-colour can be produced by a few trained voices. The violin duet, “Minuet" (Mozart) was played in a delightful manner by Ivy Carnegie and Isabel Widdup, while two charming songs, (a) "April is a Lady” (Philips), (b) "When the House is Asleep” (Haigh), were sung with great taste by Miss Margaret Martin. A very pleasing violin solo, “Thais” (Massenet) was most artistically played by Ivy Carnegie, who showed good command over her instrument and played with musical conception. Lloyd White gave a good account of himsell in “Walter’s Prize Song” (Wagner). Miss Florence Munro, a talented young violiniste, chose the beautiful solo “Kol Nidrei” (Max Bruch), her rendering of which was very fine. Depending as it does on the subtle nuance of tone and delicacy of treatment, it lost none of its beauty in her capable hands. Isabel Widdup played “Loure” (Bach) with artistic interpretation and considerable technique. Margaret Ramsay gave a very sweet rendering of the songs, (a) “Sweetest Flower That Blows” (Stucken), (b) “Red Rose Bud" (MurryGibbes). Perhaps the outstanding vocal number was a group of three songs, (a) “Who is Sylvia” (Schubert), (■_,) “In a Garden” (Hawley), (c) “Trees” (Kasbach), by Ida Nicholas, who won the open scholarship given by Miss Nevill-Smith at the end of last year. She is the possessor of a charming soprano voice of rare quality and power. Miss Nevill-Smith presented a cycle of three beautiful Rumanian songs, (a) “Blue Rumanian Mountains,” (b) “Life Has Sent Me Many Roses,” (c) “Rumanian Night Song.” These characteristic songs, all different in character, were sung with true artistic sense. Miss Nevill-Smith also sang (with violin obligato) the famous recitative and aria “Largo,” by Handel. Her violin contribution was a concerto, given for the first time in New Zealand, written by an American composer and sent direct to her. Miss Elma Newman proved a sympathetic accompaniste.