COMMUNITY SINGING.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXI, 18 April 1922, Page 8

COMMUNITY SINGING.

WELLINGTON’S JOY HOUR. C A .MUSICAL EXPERIMENT. • ■ (From our own Correspondent). Wellington, April 11. “Sing-songs” were popular in the Army during the war, and undoubtedly had good effect upon the ■ spirits of the soldiers. Wellington,, following the example of American and some Australian cities, is trying the experijnent of a communal “sing-song” to promote cheerfulness and genera) good feeling among alt classes during tire winter period. The initial experiment, led by an experienced organiser of such affairs took place in the concert chamber of the Town Hall, which has rarely contained such an enthusiastic crowd of vocahats.

“If you can’t .sing, just, make a joyful noise” was the opening advice ol Mr Cyril Mee, the leader of the proceedings. -Open and close your niouth,” he said, “make a musical noise or otherwise, and: join in. You will lx. entering into the spirit of the occasion you will b<- helping yourselves- and fooling me!”

The gathering received the blessingof the Mayor, who made up for lack of polish in has vocalism by some jocular urging to the audience to get into the spirit of a good thing. Anyone wh > didn’t attempt to sing, he declarol should be fined five pounds. There were no penalties, for it hardly took two minutes before the whole audience was in the proper mood, doing its best with a pftrodiy on “It’s a Long Way to Tij>perary.” in which appeared some clever local allusions. . Some of Mr Mee’s special items, with easy words and catelF music, were quickly picked up by the audience, for the leader had the able assistance of a soprano soloist and a good accoinpanist. There was a “Smiling Song, - ’ and another with the happ> title of “Keep on Humming.” The whole tendency of the programme was to create the idea that cheerfulness is a virtue to which everyone had an obligation to contribute. When the singsong was well under weigh, Mr Mee easily managed to get the ladies to smg by thenisches “just to let the men see how well you can manage.” The turn came of the male vocalists, and the latter section valiantly essayed —under good-humored urging from the stagetp whistle an accompaniment to the ladies in the popular chorus. Many well-known musical people watched the performance. Some were dispo ted to think the music “cheap, but there were tuneful old songs and ehornses which have woven themselves into the hearts of the populace, and they are not. to be regarded as “cheap. It is intended to issue a small book ol songs, and io take a great care in thee selection, so as to include the best o! the folk-songs of England, Scotland. Irfelanci and Wales, with any other selections having the merit of tunefulness. Musical taste may not be directly eicouraged, but it is bound to indirectly benefit, while the tone of the happy gathering constituted an asset worth much in these trying disputatious times Probably the Wellington experiment will spread, therefore a few details ot the methods of organising it are worth while. Collection boxes at the door enable the audience to cofflribute small sums for w. irking expenses. This week’s experiment produced £B, wbieh is more than suffieipnt lor average expenses. 1' has been -he experience of Adelaide where the community sing-song is well

established, that the collections durink the winter season pay expenses and leave a balance of over £7O. Hymns

are excluded from the programme, either© is some danger of raising religion* questions, and experience elsewhere 1* led to this rule. The song leaders an chosen by i local committee, and H®* lington ceems fortunate in having ” least half a dozen ready-witted music* men who esn fill the bill. They sek* l their own soloist and accompanist, an it is anticipated that these arranSf ments can lie made without fee. H ei lington v/ill carry on its community sing every Wednesday throughout tt winter. It starts at 12.30, and e» about 1.30. The audience is f ree wander in and out, which suits the co n ▼•oience of those who have to get away early or come late because of Jm" 1 arrangements. The first audience wathoroughly typical of the people » earn their living in city shops and 11 flees. There was a good sprinkling 0 men who hold good administrative potions, for it is realised by the tiumg ful leaders of the community that . thing making for general content ’= ■ good national asset.