COMPETITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1277, 4 November 1911, Page 6

COMPETITIONS.

VOCAL, INSTRUMENTAL AND | ELOCUTIONARY. NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY'S FIRST CARNIVAL. YESTERDAY'S RESULTS. As the competitions progress cheerily at tho Town Hall, the daylight audiences continue to incrcaso in bulk. There was an excellent attendance to hear the humorous recital contest in the morning and the musical monologue (for ladies) at midday), and the largest afternoon audience vet seen was present at the Irish song competition in tho big hall. The songs in this class included all tho old-time favourite airs associated with St. Patrick's Day concerts, and, on the whole, tho singing was of an order of merit which did fair justice to

"tho soul of minstrelsy." All the |>opuJnr favourites who have already niado their mark on (he prize list came to tho top in the musical monologue for ladies, tho "recalls" !>cing Misses Lilian Prichard, Tholma Browne, Helen Gardner, and ITorencu I'.icey, who engaged in a happy encounter for first place last evening. Tho results of yesterday's competitions are as follow-.--HUMOROUS RECITAL. (For Gentlemen.) Humorous Recital (Gentlemen)— Own selection. First prize, JS2; second prize, ill; third prize, certificate.—Entrants—F. do J. Robin (Wellington), "Modern Logic"; J. C. Bell (Lower Hutt), "The Lamentations of a Commercial Traveller"; 11. P. Weston (Wellington), "The Groom's Story"; 11. Gray (Wellington), "Poor Richard's Savings"; 1). Patterson (Wc.lingkm), "O'Connoil and the Irish Widow"; E. V. Plyfiold (Dunedin), "Tummv and Mcary"; 0. D. Avison (Hastings), "The Man With the Single Uair"; C. 11. Gray (Petone), "Snorkins"; F. W. Ward (Wellington), "In an Oven with Jcrrybim"; W. Parker (Upper Waikato), "Shanius O'Brien"; C. 11. Pullyn (Christchurch), "How I Got To-morrow"; J. B. M'Neill (Wellington); C. S. Girdlestone (Wellington), "Charge of the Light Brigade"; Dr. D. N. Isaacs (Wellington), "A Melodrama in Five Acts"; H. Breakcspearo (Wellington), "The Fanner's Blunder"; F. R. Picot (Wellington), "The Funeral of the Late Mrs. Hodson"; K. E Shorr.ey (Wellington), "Tho Groom's Story"; F. S. Gard'ner (Auckland), "Wot vur do 'oc lov oi?"; E. Lyon (Otaki), "Snorkins"; Claud Smith (Wellington), "Tho Cynic"j Frank Blandford (Wellington); J. .P. Delahuntly (Petone), "Pat and Mick"; E. G. Peek (Wellington S.), "Jones' Minor's Recitation"; Zanto Wood (Auckland), "Tlio Anatomical Tragedian"; J. Withers (Wellington), "The Post that Fitted"; G. Remington (Napier), "The Cynic";" P. A. Dovereux (Dunedin), "The Groom's Story"; George Cokcr (Petone), "Misadventures at Margate." Selected for final test—H. Gray, Dr. D. N. Isaacs, E. Lyon, Zanto Wood, and F. Blandford.

At the conclusion of the section in the morning Mr. Baoyertz, referring to Mr. Gray's effort, said, amidst laughter—"l think that you will agree with me that that is the cleverest thing we have had in these competitions. (Applause.) Ido not suppose Ma-. Gray is really competing in this section, but we would be very glad if you will come along and assist us to-night. (Applause.) Mr. Gray's effort is not a mere memory test, but an originality and cleverness which could not be taught and could not be learned." It is innate!" Subsequently Mr. Gray stated that he was a competitor, and was included in the final test.

Final test—Zanto Wood and Dr. D. N. Isaacs (equal), 11G marks, 1; E. Lyon and F. Blnndlord (equal), 112 marks, 2.

In declaring his award, Mr. Baoyertz said he had decided to recommend tho .committeo to give a special prize of three guineas to Mr. H. Gray for his original recital. If the committee did not feci disposed to do as he recommended, ho would lie only too pleased to douato the three guineas. himself. Of the two gentlemen bracketed'first, one had shown some very clever work which was frankly farcical, but astonishingly well- done, and tho other had given some very refined original comedy.

Mr. Gray's recital was in the nature of an impromptu speech, supposed to have been made by a zealous but disgusted competitor who had not been given first prize tor. his recitation of "The Ballad ot the Bollivar." Out of it Mr. Gray mado a lot of fun at the expense of himself, Mr. Bacyortz, the audience, and the stage-manager. TENOR SOLO. (For competitors who havo never received a fee.) Tenor Solo (for competitors who have never received a fee).—Test piece, "Sercnado," Raff. First prize, silver medal; second prize, bronze modal; third prize, certificate. Entrants—Thomas David Collins (Hataitai), Walter Frederick Houso (Wellington), Thomas M'Dowcll (Wellington), George F. Brisbane (Duuedin), Percival Martin (Wellington). Arthur Hose (Blenheim), 11. V. Rowc (Petone), Wm. Edward Saunders (Lower Hutt), Oswald D. Avison (Hastings), K. Porteous (Wellington). Selected for final test-Thomas D. Collins. George F. Brisbane, and Walter House.

Final test—Walter House, 110 marks, 1; George F. Brisbano, 107, 2; Thomas D. Collins, 10G, 3.

The winner, said Mr. Bacycrtz, showed a slight lack of variety in his treatment, but lie had given altogether a good reading, and he had a very promising voice. The second prize winner had a rather poor attack and release, and his phrasing was not always perfect. Mr. Collins had the advantage of singing the song in tho language for which it was written, hut his German diction was not always uorl'cct. B FLAT CORNET SOLO. B Flat Cornet' Solo—Fnntasio, "Nach Lango aus dem Zellothal." Theo Hook, First prize, .£2; second prize, £1 ; third prize, certificate—Entrants — Fletcher Walter Faber (Wellington), Robert William Jones (Petone). Hosult—K. W. Jones, of Petone. PIANO SOLO. (For players under 18 years.) Piano Solo (under IS)—Test piece, "Impromptu in A Flat" (op. 29), Chopin. First prize, £1 10s.; second prize, 155.; third prize, certificate—Entrants—Eglantine Fay Rayward (Wellington), Graco E. Bird (Miramar), Richard Allan Wiechcrn (Wellington), Elsie May Chapman (Wellington), Ada Louise Gaddick (Wellington), Rlioda Dettmcr (Richmond, Christchurcli), Edith Mary Keyworth (Wellington), II P. Briapco (Napier), Rubi Hilda Astou (Hutt), Miss Hazel Cuthbertson (Marlborough), Mr. John Cuming (Wellington).

Final tost—John Cummin!;, 134 marks, 1; Hazel Cuthbertsou, 125 marks, 2; Eglantine Pay Rayward, 115 marks, 3. MUSICAL MONOLOGUE. (For Ladies.) Musical Monolopuo (ladies)— Own selection, dramatic or pathetic, not humorous. First prize, £2; second prize, jCIj third prize, certificate.Selected for final test—Lilian Prichard, Florence Paccy, G. Helen Gard'ner, and Thclma Erownc. Final Test—Lilian Prichard, 15S marks, 1; Theluia Brown, 2; G. Helen Gardner., 3. Mr. Bacyertz said he thought it very likely that his announcement would ho an unpopular one. He reminded tho audience, however, that the artist sought to achieve great efl'ecls with simple appearances. Miss Prichard hnd chosen an old hackneyed piece, whicJi was vwv often done very badly, hut she had done it exceedingly well. Miss Brown had attempted a piece that was enormously difficult, and she had not succeeded so well as tho first prize-winner had with her piece. IRISH SONG. For Ladies or Gentlemen. Irish Sons -Own selection. Fjrsl prize, .£2; second prize, XI; third prize, certificate. Selected for final test:—Miss P. ,) Pacey, Mrs. P. Lewis, William Aspinall] C. G. Chambers. Award:—Miss Pacey, 131 marks, 1; C. G. Chambers, 12S marks, 2; W. Asninall, 12G marks, 3. The judge said (hat Miss Pacev gave a beautiful rendering of the song. 'She had not naturally as good a voice as many others in tho competition, but she managed it witli discretion, and her enunciation was Dorfect, Mr. Chambers eauij

hi J song with excellent artistic reserve-, and his rending of it was, in tho mam, vory effective. THE EVENING ENTERTAINMENT. H was in every way a splendid on« tcrtainmeut. which the largo audionco in the Town Hall came to hear last night First there was the humorous recital for gentlemen, which included an impromptu speech by Mr. 11. Gray, about the pains he had taken to win a first prize, and his disgust with his failure. It kept the audience in a state of only partially supmessed merriment for ten minutes or so. Jno other competitors disclosed to tho audience points that were equally clever Ittrliaps, hut not quite so original or nriiiisiiif». Id tho musical monologue final test, Miss Lilian Prichard, of Melbourne, was declared the winner for her rendering w 'lie old story about the mill-wbool and \r ,m"J wl " cn drivos it; ' anA P nsscs Gneiss Ihelma Brown, of Lnuncoston, won nigh praise from tho audience. Her selection was difficult, but her interpretation ol it held the audience. In the musical items the competitions decided were tbo piano so o (under IS), tenor solo, and Irish «Jiig. Mr. Haeyerlz (the judge) said of ns work generally for the evening that ho ii.ij never been required to do more difficult judging. Two of the comediettas in si etch, ln „ mu „ , To-night Mr. C. Wilson, judge in the literary sections, w_ilt 'hif awards TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME. The following is the programme of competitions for to-day:-At 9 a.m.-Drnmatic IteciUl (gentlemen). Tost-"Mark Antony's Oration* Ironi Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." ~A | ! J;3O, a.m.-Piano Solo (over 18). lest— Kh.ipsodi© Ilongroise in K Flat." At 11.30 a.m.—Piano Solo (over 16 years)—sight reading. At 11.30 a.m.—Prepared reading. Time '"'""'"s. Choice of subjects— (1) .Scientific Progress of the Last HalfCentury'; (2) "Universal Peace-In it a Dream or a Possibility?"; (3) "Tho Future of New Zealand." (To be continued on Monday.) .„,«' 2 P/ m -Sacred Bass Solo. TestIbrough Faithless Men," from "Tho Jewess (Halsey). v\' X ,P-""--S a W'cd Contralto Solp. Test- But tho Lord is Mindful of Ilia Own," from "St. Paul." At 4.15 p.m.—Bass Solo (for competitori who have never received a fco). Test— Ich Grolle Nicht" (Schumann). During tho afternoon there will be competitions m physical drill, and "first aid and shelter-building competitions for Hoy Scouts.

Jho evening's programme will include items by Die winners of the day's competitions, the quartet competition (open to all), "Sweet and Low," and a "Story without words" competition.