MADAME GOWER BURNS’ PUPILS GIVE RECITAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18016, 29 November 1926, Page 7

MADAME GOWER BURNS’ PUPILS GIVE RECITAL.

With the approach of Christmas, pupils’ concerts are becoming nightly occurrences. On Saturday evening Madame Gower Burns was the concert giver, introducing a number of vocal pupils to a small audience at the Choral Hall. The good rule set earlier in the week in the same hall of no encores for pupils’ concerts could have been advantageously observed on Saturday. Starting half an hour late (after the audience had given unmistakable signs of readiness), each performer took it as a matter of course that a second number -was to be given, with the result that the programme was very long spun out. Amongst the pupils, Mrs Madeleine Willcox proved the possessor of an excellent contralto voice, singing Beethoven's “Praise of God” with commendable effect. In Biddle’s “Abide With Me” Mrs Willcox also sang well. Miss Dulcie Haberfield gave Schubert’s “Ave Maria” with pleasing quality of tone. Miss Pauline Peacock’s soprano has a bright upper register. Bishop’s “Bid Me Discourse” was evidently found rather exacting in the matter of breath, with its long florid phrases. Mrs Anne Harper's contralto voice has strength. A sweet quality, with power yet to develop, marked Miss Lola Robbins's soprano. Miss Nancy Bowden showed a good full-toned contralto of dramatic calibre in songs of Bantoqk and Schubert. Misses Sylvia Goss, Myra Pollard, Rona Jenkin, Peggy Lance and I. Harris were also soloists. The Glee Club sang numbers by Goring Thomas and Elgar. In general, the singing of the pupils was tasteful. The principal feature of the evening, which was reached late, was the presentation of Liza Lehmann’s delightful cantata, “Lilies of the Valley,” consisting of favourite old English songs, arranged for female voices. Liza Lehmann was herself an esteemed singer with a beautiful voice, but suffering so much from nervousness that she never faced an audience without tremors. In a setting of green hedges and formal garden, the performers (who had trooped through the hall), clad in gay coloured country frocks and bonnets, sang the solos and choruses. Liza Lehmann has arranged them, according to the words of the songs, in such a sequence that there is a semblance of story. Tt was an amusing and pretty scene. The song “I've Been Roaming”

brought, as soloist, Mrs James Barnett, who was assisting as a member of the Glee Club. Her voice is a contralto of much sympathy and ample volume, a voice that should be heard more in Christchurch. Miss Olga Welliard-King had a small bit as an attractive bride Mrs Wilcox, Mrs Watts Ryan, Mrs Harper, Misses Robbins, Goss, Peacock and Bowden were the other soloists, with everybody in the chorus. In the course of the cantata, a minuet was charmingly danced by Miss Irene Mulvany Gray and Miss Mary Clifton Mogg. Mrs Russell had a heavy task through the evening as piano accompanist. SYDNEY FRANCIS HOBEN. ,