THE COMPETITIONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17350, 15 May 1924, Page 11

THE COMPETITIONS.

SIXTH DAY. The musical and elocutionary competitions wer© continued to-day in the Choral and Caledonian Halls. Th© following are the results:—. RECITATION. Ladies. ” Dedication to Idylls of the. King." Rena 11b. Miss Esther Jackman (Wellington). Miss Dorothv Wicks (Christchurch). Miss Marv Cooler (Wellington). s Xlso competed Miss Mavis Ritchie (Merivalp! and Mrs T. H. Norris (Wellington). HUMOROUS RECITATION. Ladies. Own Selection. * Itccn'lls. Miss Mavis Holliday (Wellington). Mis Mary Cooley (Wellington). Miss Mavis Ritchie (Mcrivale). Also competed—Misses .lean Murehie, Marjory Mounsey (Riecartnn). Esther Jackson (Wellington). May Trenberth (St Albans). Sadie Jackson (Cashmere), Nina Temple (Christchurch), Mtb T. H. Norris (Wellington). PIANO DUET. Ten and under thirteen. Own Selection. Recalls. Marjorie Laybourn (Sydenham) and Alice Chapman (Sydenham). Freda Moir (Lyttelton) and Jean Reid (Lyttelton). Edna Richards and Noel Neweon. There were twenty competitors. YESTERDAY’S RESULTS. SONG. Girl!?, fourteen and under sixteen — "Song of Florian ” (Godard). Eileen Grcnnell (Christchurch), 87 Doreen Steel (Christchurch). 86 points 2, Kathleen Philpott (Riccarton), 85 RECITATION. Girls under nine—“ The New Moon.” Joan Hughes (New Brighton), 87 points ) Kathleen Read (St Albans), 82 points 2 Valerie Carter (Linwood), 80 points . 3 , ’VOCAL SOLO. There were two competitors in this section. but as neither came up to standard no award was made. RECITATION. Boys twelve and under sixteen —“ Icarua.” Richard Woodward (Waltham), 84 Jack Watts (Christchurch), 70 points . 3 PIANO SOLO. Lady or Gentleman Own Selection. Miss Bessie Pollard (Sydenham), “ Rhapsodic No. 4 ” (L’szt). 80 points . . I Mias Thelma Martin (Oamani), “Barcarolle.” (Chopin). 88 points . . 2 Miss Helena Keane (Christchurch), “ Concert Study ” (Liszt), 80 points . 3 VOCAL SOTKL Mezzo-soprano—“ Homing ” (Del Reigo). Miss Carrie Hoare (Linwood), 82 points 1 Miss Eva Marshall (Oamr.ru), 81 points 2 Mias Jeasfe Ewart (Linwood). 80 points . 3 SHAKESPEAREAN RECITATION. Ladies—‘‘Constance's Grief on the Loss of Arthur.” Miss Mavis Ritchie (Merivale), 03 points ....... 1 Miss Many . Cooley (Wellington), 00 points 2 Miss Mavis Halliday (Wellington), 88 points 3 OPERATIC SOLO. Gentlemen. Own Select .on. Robert Allison (Christchurch), “ Toreador)." o2 points 1 D. N. Bishop (St Albans), " Prologue,” 90 points 2 R. Samson (Sydenham), ” Prologue,” 80 points, equal ..... 3 Les Dailey (Riccarton). “ Thy Tiny Hand is Frozen,” 80 points, equal . 8 YOCAL TRIO. Open Class. Own Selection. Miss Daphne Lawrence. Mies Phyllis Hogffan and Miss Hilda Smith, ” A Lullaby,” 77 points I JUNIOR CHAMPION RECITATION. Boys Under Sixteen. Not Humorous. Recalls: Varian Wilson (Spreydon). Richard Woodward (Waltham). Trevor Shaw (Linwood). Ronald Foster (Woolston). COMMENT BY THE WAT.

The festival now seems to be in full swing, and during the days good audiences have gathered together for the preliminaries. The night sessions, too, have been quite satisfactory, and the standard of work in some of the classes more than justifies it. As the festival goes on, the attendances will improve even more, an 1 there can he little doubt about its ultimate success. One of the most interesting ,classes last night was the final of the piano solo, for ladies or gentlemen. In tho preliminaries I a very fair lot of ’work was heard, but j of course the technique of a good many ! players was a little weak, and the general i effect was thus spoiled. The selections j made by different competitors were good, i and some very- interesting numbers were performed. In the final the winner. Miss Bessie Pollard. played “ Rhapsodic No. 4 ” (T iszt). Miss Pollard has a good style, and there is restrained vigour in her playing. She has a good musical temperament, and can he relied upon to give a spirited interpretation of her piece. The “ llhapaoI die ” is a difficult number, and it is a really gruelling test, but Miss Pollard came through well. She caught the spirit of the work, and rose up to a splendid ecstatic finale. Miss Thelma Martin played “ Barcarolle " (Op. 60) of Chopin. This is a most difficult piece technically, and full of pitfalls. In addition, it required great ornamentation and colouring. In spite, of this. Miss Martin gave a good rendering, and kept a perfect control, and got a great deal out of the work. Mjsp Helena Keane played “ Concert Study" (Liszt). She is a very refined pianist, and there is an intriguing artistry about her work. Her fingering is light, and fluent, and in the “ Concert Study •’ she kept the melodic outline* sharply defined. The operatic solo for gentlemen drew a fairly good entry, and some bright work was done in the preliminary. There, were four recalls for the final, and Roller! AlllI son, who sang " The Toreador.” came out | eton^voice! and his song was a happy selection, for it suited his voice and his temperament. He caught the essential dra- ! imitic spirit, and sustained it right to the I ~etting U< an a even’TocaT flow. and in addi- ! tion has a good appreciation of time, j Tjovid Bishop enrae second Avith The ! Prologue." and he gave a very pleasing 1 rendering of it. Ho has a cigar enuncia- ; tion. and he docs try to be convincing. The general effect of h;.s singing Miss Mavis Ritchie did a splendid piece of work in die 0 waV°a John." and tells of Queen Constances grief at the loss of her son. Pr noe Arthur. It, is a poignant scene and the recitation is the speech of the srricfstricken queen. Miss Ritchie gave a quiet, dignified study of her character, and kept her work at an even emotional level and. as the judge said, she got legitimate effect*. Miss Mjiry Cooley made her character an hysterical woman. Her elocution was brilliant,, hut she moaned, clutched shadows, and almost reduced it. to melodramatic, level. There is no doubt about, the sincerity of her emotion, hut she should have beep a little more restrained. Tier's was not, quite, the right narf of her equipment, because her voice is rich and flexible enough to convey almost any emotion she liked to the audience. A make-believe sob is a. poor thing and for the actress a dangerous thing. Miss Carrie- Tloare. who won the mezzosonrc.no test ‘‘Homing,” has a pleasant voice, well enough produced. The only thing lacking was spirit.. She did not really en.re, much whether she was horn’"The' vocal trio, for which there ware ■only two entries, was won hr Misses , Daphne Lawrence, Phyllis Hogga.n and

Hilda Smith, who sang ” A Shepherd's Lullaby.” Tt was a nicely balanced trio, * and the voices blended fairly well. Eileen Oremidl. who won the test eone ” Florian.” for girls under 16. has a verv sweet voice. There is a fine ringing quality in th© upper register and her utteranon is crisp and ee!an. The boys’ recitation ** Icarus.” gave a somewhat colloquial account of tli© lad who soared sunward on wax-fastened wings. Tt was meant to have a semifrivolous turn, and Richard Woodward was the boy who appreciated this best.. Tie hns a clear voice, and his phrasing was good. Altogether he tjave a very fine Tittle Joan Hughes won the recitation '• New Moon.” for girls unde*- nine. She c-»Med a marvel Ion« atmosphere for a child, and the quality of her voice suggested moonlight and wonderment.