NATIVES PROGRESS IN ART

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 29, 4 February 1935, Page 8

NATIVES PROGRESS IN ART

TRANSVAAL EISTEDDFOD. JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 14. The fourth Transvaal African Eisteddfod opened yesterday with more .entries than in previous years and with even more enthusiasm. Competitors—from little boys and girls with shining faces to adult poets and elocutionists in their best clothes—gathered in the hall at the Bantu Men’s Social Centre, long before the Mayor of Johannesburg, Mr. M. Freeman, was due to arrive.

When the Mayor arrived the entire company joined in the singing of the impressive African National Anthem, “ Nkosi Sikelele Afrika.” Mr. R. J. Nicholas, secretary to the Rand Pioneers (Inc.) and who is one of the adjudicators at the Eisteddfod, welcomed the Mayor.

The festival was intended to develop the individuality of African native music, he said, and to encourage the finer refinements of European music. It had the effect of bringing to the public notice promising musicians and of inducing a more diligent study of the arts. Improvement. “ Those of you who have been at our previous festivals,” he continued, “ will notice the improvement made in the various sections. People are apt to view the Bantu somewhat as a. child, incapable of progressive development and cultured attainment, but there are men and women among them possessed of high University degrees. The progress made in music, both vocal and instrumental, literature and the kindred arts, is very marked, and reflects credit, on those responsible for the training of -the competitors.’’ One of the most charming expres-

sions of the native culture was its music, said Mr. Freeman. He was glad to see that the entries were particularly good this year and that there were so many men among them. “ It is pleasing to me to realise,” he went on, “ that in the Bantu people we have an asset of no mean cultural value to the country.” The Eisteddfod gave great oppor tunities for latent talent. There was a wealth of folk song belonging to lhe Bantu people and the festival was the climax of much work which should bring about a better appreciation of this music. Set Pieces. Among the set pieces in the competilions are “ I’ll Sing Thee Songs of Araby,” for baritones; “Drake Goes West,'” for basses; “ O Dry Those Tears” (Del Riego), for mezzo sopranos; " Dear Love of Mine (Thomas), for mixed duets; the “ Soldiers’ Chorus ’’ (from Gounod’s Faust, for mixed choirs), Handel’s Prelude in G, for preliminary piano; and Elgar’s “Salut d’Amour,” for junior violin. In the English elocution competitions seniors are. required to recite “ As the Kindling Glances,” by Mathew Arnold, and juniors ” Comfort,” by Robert Herrick. In the literary section there is a prize for the best poem, written in a native language or English, on Chaka, Hintsa, or Khama.