WEEK-END MUSIC

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23967, 7 June 1943, Page 3

WEEK-END MUSIC

The musical weather in Christchurch on Saturday evening was fine but conflicting. In the Canterbury University College Hall, the Society of Music Teachers gave a programme of some noble works of eighteenth century Italian music; in Begg’s concert hall pupils of Mrs Sen Jowett sang songs to Shakespeare’s words by Thomas Morley, Robert Jones, Dr. Arne and others. This was a sorry clash! but good music was played. From all reports, the finely-conceiv-ed programme by the Music Teachers’ Society was well carried out. Instrumental sonatas by Terrasini, Veracini, Senaille. and Galuppi were played by Misses Nancy Estall, Gwen McLeod, Eve Christeller, Lillian Harper, Joan Stocker, Messrs Claude Davis and Noel Newson. Songs by Marcello and Scarlatti were sung by Miss Helen Hodgins. The music teachers might profitably stay in the eighteenth century for the whole year. . , At Begg’s, Mrs Sen Jowett had prepared an interesting programme. The settings of Shakespeare, in addition to those listed above, went on to versions by Sullivan, Julius Harrison. Alec Rowley, and Frederick Keel. Such a grouping held together well, though, as music, the later settings compared poorly with the earlier. All the freshness and spontaneity were gone. One wishes that a wider selection of earlier settings had been made, and a finer one from contemporary sources. Even of the earlier, quite the finest was the unaccompanied, anonymous setting of “0, Mistress Mine”; Mrs Jowett caught the spirit of this very well. The simplicity of her students’ voices added much to the clear, direct songs. Miss Vera Yager’s accompaniments, in this part of the programme, were musicaE In addition, songs by Purcell and Arne, and some traditional Irish and Welsh melodies, were given. The last were attractively sung. The singers were Misses Nancy Woodard. Billie Walden. Denise Blackman. Gwenda Paul Peggy Burn, and Ethel Cumberpatch After the Shakespearean songs, Mr Ernest Jenner played Glazounov s Theme and Variations, op. 72. Though these struck an incongruous note in the programme, they were commandIngly played.—F.J.P.