THOMAS MOORE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1919, Page 22

THOMAS MOORE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

A DUNEDIN.. The concert. given 'in St. Joseph's Hall on Wednesday evening, May 28, by St. Joseph's Glee Club, in celebration of the anniversary of Thomas Moore, bard of Ireland, was entirely successful, and the rendition of the lengthy programme was most creditable to the members of the Glee Club, and to their indefatigable conductor, Mr. T. J. Anthony. The hall was filled to overflowing, and the large audience thoroughly enjoyed the feast of Irish national melody so generously provided. Each number on the programme was a selection from Moore s works, and recalls were numerous. While the singing of the various items was, on the whole, praiseworthy, the part-singing was really admirable. As in the Glee Club’s initial concert some months ago, a pleasing feature of the evening’s fine entertainment was the avoidance of tiresome delays between each item. The following is the programme submitted: —Part song {.Let Erin Remember the Days of Old”), St. Joseph’s Glee. Club; song (‘‘Oft in the Stilly Night”), Mr. D. Fogarty; song (‘‘Rich and Rare Were the Gems She Wore”), Miss K. Leonard; duet (‘‘Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms”), Miss C. Dillon and Mr. M. "Goughian ;' song (“When Daylight Was Yet Sleeping Under the Billow”’). Mr. R. A. Power ; song ( ‘She Is, Far From the Land)”), Miss M. Carter'; quar-

teL(“-Tis 5, the Last Rose of Summer”), Misses G. Davis and A. McCready and Messrs. D. Fogarty and L. Forrest; song (“The Meeting of the Waters”), Mr. F. Fogarty; song (“The, Young May Moon”), Mrs. W. Murdoch; part song, female voices (“When Through Life blest We Rove”), Mesdames M. Goughian and L. Forrest and Misses L. Holden’ A. McCready, J. Tooraey, M. McKenzie, M. Campbell, and B. Meade; part song (“Has Sorrow Thy Young Days Shaded?”), St. Joseph’s Glee Club; song (“The Minstrel Boy”) v Mr. M. Goughian; song (“Oh, Breathe Not His Name”), Miss C. Dillon; duet (“What the Bee Is to the Flow let ), Miss K. Leonard and Mr. D.. Fogarty; song (“Love’s Young Dream”), Mr. J. Higgins; .song (“Erin, the Tear and the Smile in Thine Eye”), Miss A. McCready ; double quartet (“I’d Mourn the Hopes that Leave Me”), Mrs. W. Murdoch, Misses A. McCready, C. Dillon, and J. Toomey, and Messrs. M. Goughian, R. A. Power, F. Fogarty, and W. Olson; song (“Fill the Bumper Fair”), Mr. W. Olson; song ( The Harp that Once”), Miss Iv. Burk; part song (“Go Where Glory Waits Thee”), St. Joseph’s Glee Club. Mr. T. J. Apthony was the musical director, and Mrs. C. Fennell accompanist. The business arrangements were efficiently carried out by Mr. M. Goughian (secretary). At an interval, Father Ardagh, in thanking the ow ded audience for the generous and encouraging support extended to the Glee Club on the occasion, very warmly complimented the members of the club on their spirited enterprise in inaugurating the Thomas Moore celebration in Dunedin, and in presenting and artistically rendering so comprehensive a programme of Moore’s melodies. The Glee Club (he said) deserved the warmest thanks of all lovers of Irish national music, and such a talented performance would assuredly attract an audience which would fill the largest local theatre, and next , year’s celebration, he trusted, would be given under such conditions.

At the conclusion of the concert, the members of the Glee Club presented the conductor (Mr. T. J. Anthony) with a gold-mounted walking-stick, the mounting bearing an inscription appropriate of Dunedin’s first celebration of Thomas Moore’s anniversary. Mr. Anthony, who was greatly surprised at this mark of appreciation on the part of the club members, made suitable acknowledgment. A gift was also made to Mrs. Fennell (accompanist), who was heartily thanked for the very efficient discharge of her arduous and exacting duties. "■ WELLINGTON. The Thomas Moore anniversary celebrations in this city were a great success .’(writes our Wellington correspondent). The competitions amongst the pupils attending the Catholic primary schools were held on Saturday, at the Sydney Street schoolroom, and the talent displayed reflected much credit on the devoted teachers, both Marist Brothers and nuns, who patiently, and at considerable sacrifice of leisure time, trained them. Mr. Frank J. Oakes, conductor of St. Gerard’s Choir, was adjudicator for the musical section, and Mr. P. J. O’Regan acted in a similar capacity for the elocutionary section. Roth judges, in announcing their decisions, expressed themselves as agreeably surprised at the excellent standard which the children had reached. The fine total of 78 entries were received for the various sections. The following was the result: Choirs— .Challenge Shield: Test pieces, “Erin, the Tear” (unaccompanied), “The Valley Lay Smiling Before Me” (accompanied)Marist ‘ Brothers', Tasman Street, Newtown, Ist ; Marist Brothers, Ilawkestone St., Thorndon, 2nd ; St. Patrick’s Convent School, Kilbirnie, 3rd. Girls’ Special Challenge Shield : Test pieces, “Oft in the Stilly Night” (unaccompanied), “Love’s Young Dream” (accompanied)—Petone Convent School, Ist; Guildford Terrace Convent School, 2nd. The Bristol Challenge Shield Test pieces, “I Saw from the Beach” (unaccompanied), “Canadian Boat Song” (accompanied) Brothers, Ilawkestone St., Thorn-

don, Ist; Marist Brothers, Tasman St., Newtown, 2nd; Petone Convent School (boys), 3rd.- Soprano solo (girls) : Test piece, “The Young May Moon”—Molly Keating, Petone Convent School, Ist ; Irene Ward, Petone Convent School, 2nd. Soprano solo (boys): Test piece, “She is Far from the Land”—Thos. George, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, Ist; John Watters, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, 2nd. Alto solo (boys) : Test piece, “O Breathe Not His Name”—Cecil Watters, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, Ist; Eric Murphy, Marist Brothers, Newtown, 2nd. Girls’ solo (open): Test piece, “The Last Rose of Summer”lrene Ward, Petone Convent School, Ist; Millicent McKay, Guildford Terrace Convent School, 2nd. Boys’ solo (open) : Test piece, “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms” —John Watters, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, Ist; Thomas George, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, 2nd. Girls’ duet: Test piece, “The Meeting of the Waters” — Molly Keating and Mazie Gaynor, Peton© Convent School, Ist; M. Keating and K. Cairns, 2nd. Boys’ duet: Test piece, “The Harp That Once”—John and Cecil Watters, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, Ist; Frank Whitley and William Cate, Petone Convent School, 2nd. Elocution (girls) : Test piece, “The Pilgrim” —Eileen Higgins, Guildford Terrace Convent, Thorndon, Ist; Millicent McKay, Guildford Terrace Convent, Thorndoh, 2nd. Elocution (boys) : Test piece, “The Dying Warrior”—C. Knight, Marist Brothers, Thorndon, Ist. The Concert. The concert was held on the date of the anniversary (May 28), at the Town Hall, which was well filled. Amongst those present were his. Grace Archbishop O’Shea and many of the clergy. The winners of the competitions mentioned above repeated their respective test pieces, and thus provided the first part of the programme, which was much appreciated by the large audience. The second half of the programme was contributed to by the following: — Mesdames Beauchamp, O. Ellis, and Emmersou, Misses Teresa McEnroe, Eileen Driscoll, Nellie Strickland, Gladys Watkins, and F. Outtrim. Mrs. Beauchamp, Miss Strickland, and Miss A. J. Fogarty sang as a quartet “The Minstrel Boy” most effectively, and responded to a recall. Messrs. A. J. Fogarty, E. B. L. Reade, E. J. Healy, and A. C. Melvin sang as- a male quartet, in first-class style, “Let Erin Remember.” Misses Eileen Driscoll and F. Outtrim and Messrs. A. J. Fogarty and A. C. Melvin formed another quartet, and sang most pleasingly “The Last Glimpse of Erin.” Much appreciated solos were contributed by Misses Teresa McEnroe (“She is Far from the Land”) and Eileen Driscoll (“Silent O Moyle”). Messrs. Fogarty and Read© sang, with pleasing effect, “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms.” Mr. Kevin Dillon gave “Erin ! Oh, Erin !” “Oh for the Swords of Former Times,” and “Ave Patria Hibernia,” the latter being a recall item specially composed for the occasion by Rev. Brother Fidelis. The final item was given by the combined competing choirs, prior to which the shields and cups were presented to the winners by Mr. P. D. Hoskins, on behalf of the committee. The office-bearers in connection with the celebrations are : Patrons, his Grace Archbishop Redwood and his Grace