WELLINGTON CARILLON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 200, 23 August 1929, Page 10

WELLINGTON CARILLON

LADY PLAYER IN TRAINING BELLS PLEASE NEWCASTLE Writing from Warrghead, in Durham, England, the Rev. Nicholas Witfield, who was formerly Methodist minister stationed at Porirua, has the following to say to a friend in Wellington concerning the war memorial carillon: “Mrs IV. and I visited the Newcastle Exhibition three weeks ago. It is a great sight. We spent a whole day there, and then were unable to see it all. I noticed in last week’s Chronicle that over a million people had passed through the turnstiles. What I wish especially to mention are the New Zealand bells. I went especially on a Sunday night to hear a concert programme given on these bells. There wo-e £lOO,OOO present, and the concert lasted an hour and a-half. My word, when you hear them you will be amazed at the volume of music that peals out, and when you hear them play “At Even ’ere the Sun has Set,” “Abide With Me,” and “Oh, for the Wings of a Dove,” you will be thrilled through and through. “Late last night we went next door and heard the music of the carillon being broadcast throughout England from Newcastle. You may be sure I felt proud of you Wellington people, and I did not forget to tell the people I was with all about the place and its people. ’ ’ In connection with the carillon Miss Gladys Watkins, of Wellington, has taken lessons from Miss Johnson, of Croydon, and also from the master carilloneur at Alalines (Belgium), and is now a fairly accomplished carilloneuse. She has recently been touring the Continent with Miss Johnson, who is a skilful player, and, being an accomplished pianist, Miss Watkins has shown a ready aptitude in picking up the technicalities of the instrument. News has been received that Miss Watkins is returning to Wellington toward I the end of the year.