THE COMPETITIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17348, 13 May 1924, Page 7

THE COMPETITIONS.

THIRD DAY. The following are results;— RECITATION - . Boys 9 and under 12—“ Perseverance.” Recalls. Fred Stevens (Riccarton). Kerwyn Staples (Riccarton). G. Suckling (Tai Tapu). Also Competed—Jack Dawson (SpreyDawson Douglas (Christchurch), Wallie Moses (St Albans), Jack Wilton WLinwood), Varian Wilson (Spreydon)Lawrence Mahar (Lyttelton), Reg Stokes (Brighton), Malcolm Richard (Christchurch), Alan Handisides (Linwood), George Goodland (Brighton). RECITATION. Boys 12 and under 16—“ lea res.” Recalls. Ricard Woodward (Waltham). Ronald Foster (Woolston). Jack Watts (Christchurchl. Also competed—Laurie Williams (Richmond), Wilfred Sherlock (Brighton), Trevor Shaw (Linwood). Bert Goodland (Brighton), lan Smith (St. Albans), Roy Campbell (Brighton). PIANO SOLO. Ten and under 12—" Arbutus ” (Bliss). Recalls. Mervyn Averls (Beckenham). Alexandra Wheeler (Opawa). Elwj-n Cleemns (Spreydon). Beryl Roberts (Christchurch). There were forty-eight competitors. BARITONE SOLO. " Oh, Soft was the Song.” , Recalls. Johnson Mayfield ißichmond). Robert Allison (Christchurch). Robert Samson (Sydenham). David Bishop (St Albans). T oin Pet«d—W. Toomey (St Alba is), Leslie Stewart (Linwood).

YESTERDAY’S KESULTS. PIANO SOLO. Under 10—" The Bees’ Holiday.” Isabel Drake (Christchurch), 89 points 1 Lilian Pollan (Christchurch), 86 points 2 Lthel Carpenter (Christchurch), 85 points . , * RECITATION. Girls 12 and Under 16—" The Singers.” Roberta Williams (Dunedin). 88 points 1 Alice Greenlees (Linwood), g? points . 2 Colleen Costello (Christchurch), 86 Points VOCAL SOLO. Contralto—Own Selection. Miss Dorothy Skinner (Dunedin), "My Dear Soul,” 91 points . ... i Miss Dorothy Spiller (Addington)! “ Dawn,’’ 88 points . o Miss Ella Dailey (Riccarton), “Song of Thanksgiving,” 84 points . . .3 RECITATION. Girls, 16 and under 18. “ *>ay That I Have Loved ” (Brooke). Miss Anita Winkel (Dunedin), 09 points 1 Miss Enid English (Woolston), 8S pomts • Miss Edna Miles (St Albans), 80 points 3 VOCAL SOLO. Gentlemen (N.Z. Composer)—Own Selec* tion. Robert A. Allison (Christchurc l). “ Waiata Poi,” 92 points . . . 1 David Bishop (St Albans), ” iei Gipsy,” 83 points .... 2 Johnson Mayfield (Richmond), J To Mary,” 80 points 3 HUMOROUS RECITATION. Girls under 12—Own Selection. Eunice Penhailuriack (Richmond), "Jenny Reads the Paper,” 90 points . 1 May Herriott (St Albans), “ At the Dentist’s,” 84 points ..... 2 Kathleen Chappie (Sydenham), ” Mistakes in Manners,” 83 points . . 3 SONG. Girls, 14 and under 16.—Own Selection. Doreen Steel (Christchurch), “ Beneath Thy Window,” 83 points . .1 Eileen Grennell (Christchurch), " Moonlight Elves.” 8S points .... 2 Kathleen Philpott (Riccarton), "The Brown Owl,” 87 points- .... 3 Dorbthy Manhire (Riccarton), highly commended. SCOTTISH SONG. Ladies. Own selection. Miss Dorothy Skinner (Dunedin), “ Ihe Rowan Tree,” 89 points . . .3 Miss Waverney Bowbyes (Pa'panui), "Annie Laurie,” 88 points . ... * Miss Agnes Ryan (Christchurch), "Ye Banks and Braes,” 79 points . . S MUSICAL MONOLOGUE. Gentlemen. Not humorous. V. H. Moses (Christchurch), “ The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God,” 76 points ....... 1 A. Johnson (St Albans), " Auld Lang Sync,” 73 points . . . . .0 Leslie Anderson (Wellington), " Road of a Thousand Crosses.” 70 points . . 3 COMMENT BY THE WAT. “ Where does tho talent get to when the competitions are over?” was the question that Mr Mongomery Stuart, elocutionary judge, attempted to answer last night in n n informative little speech. It is undeniable that good talent has been brought forward at the different festivals during the last fourteen years and it is equally undeniable that the bulk of it has faded like a brief meteor flame. It seems to bo a regrettable thing, but the puzzling question is how can it be avoided.

Mr Stuart supplied the most reasonable solution when ho said that tho art heard tho compettons was not practiced throughout the year. Preparation was certainly made for the competitions, bnt there the matter ended.

bpeaking, of course, from the point of view of his own art, Mr Stuart said that tho best practice for the elocutionist was amateur theatricals. Since the war there had been a great deal of activity In this form of work, and he know of ‘no other from which so much good could be derived. Tlie founders of Christchurch vision and foresight, and he was certain that they would have desired to see an artistic activity in their city.

* n Sydney, said Mr Stuart, there was ™ e J ertol T Socie l r » ' vhich Produced ? lod 1 ( ‘ r l 1 P la Y3 each year. The society was backed by a strong firm, and at the \v« >er ° l T 3r rooms lectures and readings every week ’ ?rho Plays when audience attended hy a lar 8» critical

In a city like Christchurch where there was a large percentage of intelligent c P Zm ® that a Public-spirited “ ttee could form a permanent soci"Th pi ! odl ? ce S°od plays "ind if © JUBt a , B «e:sestion,” he said, * w ? r ® adopted there would be question about giving competition talont an opportunity then.” ai(d r if 4 *’ 11 ' 1 1, s ' ,s ? eßtion i» a. good one, and it has been )n the minda of many 8222? f £T lon f time - bat finance i« the dream. them and their . n iu ht T ° cal items were the main part of the programme, and the work though very good in one or two oases wai BkinuX eP a° n TL a L,” whole Miß » Dorothy ' r a Dunedin contralto, was the won among the ladies, and she solos b She k’ “ and tlle Scottish solos. She has a line resonant voice with l?“ e^ Utl /* Ul n ° tes in thc lowcr register. Her production and enunciation are both good. In addition, sho has the true musi?P*rit* a ud sings her songs with vigour and understanding. "My Dear Soul.” which was her choice in the contralto sec FUlt i e , d i be * ter than " Th « Rowan Tr ®®* she choso for the Scottish. Miss TVaveney Bowbyes. who was secon 1 in the Scottish section. sang "Annie Laurie pleasantly and with understand ing. .She has a sweet, stage personality, but suffers somewhat from nervousness. There is no need for her to b© nervous because she ha 3 a beautiful rich voice and with a few technical improvements she will certainlv develop well. Miss Dorothy Spiller. second in the con tralto section, is a -*-cung singer of pro raise. She has a rich strong voioe. bur her production is pot perfect, and the result is unevenness of tone.

The sonar for girl 3 under sixteen was a very bright section, and the final was close. Doreen Steel the winner, sang " Beneath thy Window." She ha* a light, flexible voice, and sang her number with exquisite feeling. She has faults, but time and training should remove most of these. Eileen Grennell. who came second, chose ' Moonlight F-lves.'’ She has a clear, sweet

voice, full of pleasing flexibility and tonat steadiness. She caught the spirit of her song, and gained some beautiful effects. Robert Allison, winner of the men’s vocal solo (New Zealand composer), sang Alfred Hill’s " Waiata Poi.” He has a big. clear, resonant voioe. his breathing *s good, and results *n tonal steadiness. He sang the song with spirit, and his attack and release were good. David Bishop chose “ Bea Gypsy ” a beautiful number, and he sang it well enough, but he was unsteady at times. Miss Anita Winkel deserved her w n in the recitation for girls under eigb een Rupert Brooke's poem. " Dav that T Loved.” was the piece and it is a difficult one. The phrasing is tricky, and it is hard to carrv on the rhythm. It was a test for intelligence as well as elocuMon. Mies Winkel used a rich, soft tone that seemed to fit in with th© melancholv beauty of the poem. She made it live as Brooke wrote it, and Brooke would hav© liked to hear it that way. for he hated blatant things. “ The Great Lover ” tells that. The other competitors attached all importance to single words, and lost rhvthm and sense through it. Eunice Penhailuriack did a brilliant piece of work in the humorous recitation for girls under twelve. "Jenny Reads the Paper ” is a new number, and a bright one. too. This little girl got the right moßT»here. and thoroughly appreciated the fun of the thing. In addition, she was delightfully natural, and drove each ooint home. The men’s musical monologue wma far from boin** 1 a brilliant section, and W. H. Moses, with " The Green Eye,” etc..” got first prize. Mad Carew must be one of tbi old soldiers who never die. and. at any rate, his harrowing end ha* been told of with more effect before. The musical and elocutionary competitions were continued to- day in the Choral and Caledonian Halls. TO-NIGHT’S CONCERT. Several interesting finals will be given at the concert in the Caledonian Hall this evening. Among the classes to b« decided are the piano solo " Arbntn*/’ 'recitation " Perseverance,” ladies’ solo. New* Zeaiand composer, ladies' Dominion recitation, baritone solo " O Soft was the Song," soorano solo " Bing, Blackbird.” men’s Shakespearean recitation, vocal eolo self-accompanied. and n story without words. On Wednesday the festival will be continued in the Choral Hall and Caledonian Hall, morning and afternoon, and there will be the u«ual evening concert in the Caledonian Hall.