COMPETITIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1610, 29 November 1912, Page 6

COMPETITIONS.

jy-V . ... ■>-: :' END OF THE SECTI'ONS. " JUDGES DECLARE THE CHAMPIONS. DRAWING-ROOM AMENITIES. ;. So -far -as the .competitive sections aie | jonoerned*. the.doni'petitiohs .of .1912 came ; to an. end lastr.cveningj jand,.all. that now ' remains for those concerned to do is to ' "demonstrate," which they intend to do S this and to-morrow evening. TJieso are ! .usually, the "big,nights, .when all the heat . talent nnjte ( in/ providing, especially attractive/'programmes for tho * delectation r. of the 1 - patient piiblic which has- watched their'-progross through the programme. | during- the past fortnight. - The classes ; . iheard yesterday consisted of the gentleman's solo (operatic or oratorio and a ballad) the euphonium solo, and the ladies'., .song! (own selection) to , own accompaniment.- */-.-,•<•/• ' r vr ; A FEW IMPRESSIONS. Only ten out of twenty-one-entries faced ! iir. >\ ? olf..in the. song. Xiie : ' (principle' of "scratching," without good and;sufficient reason,.is not one to be up'lielji.;., ,At. times .it • leads to little embarrassment, for the committee in the arrangements, ■*. as" the section's all ; worked out to time; based necessarily on ' the number Of-entries received. At the end. of- the • Competitions there are,.. one assumes,- a number 01 competitors- who in' other - ciasses -. unsuc- ' cessfully. and have become /disheartened, bu,t it. would, be profitable in then* case always to "face the music/ and have ! • their faults pointed out in a kindly man--1 ner, in order that they : luay bei\eht thereiby., and _perhaps do bettor next tiine. .Therein*lies.the - -/very soul of the gocd in competitions, l -which ; are or should be milestones,iii the a .student ot music, singing, or elocution; ; The class produced 'softie . : lKudable and'many overambitious efforts. • ' The latter.: perhaps, is expected, - as.' .the singer is .compelled to ; , select' one song from - .oratorio or opera, \ and m . those spheres. .. ;the range easy songs -is -not ani extensive one. One ot • the--most'' pleasurable performances was. . ~that of -Mr: -W.'.-r.- HdwSe, ivlwse light miisicil 'tenor was hctird to.. distinct : a(l-- ■ vantage in "In .Native -Worth," and ' 1 ' Seek for Thee, in Every. Flower,, both ot ■ which numbers.', the' Wellington singer treated most artistically. Mr. H. i. Greenj one of the .valiant who are not cast down by defeat, sang' "Comfort le and "'.."livery; Tallov,".'' the .recitative and \ ariar ahd "My l'retty Jiiiie." Mr. Green has a voice of ; g'ood quality,. andwejiWetfded re'gisteif, but 1 his singing.is litej' less and 'colourless, and he does not 'feel whaf hs'sings) and is therefore the reverse of connnoingi r ' % He saiig the ballad in. precisely the same :mabher : and toile- as "Every and 'correspondingly uninteresting. Mr. Harry Phipps,' > ,ot '.Wellington,: ' .always •' sings -with taste. He was not at.his best, however,, yesterday;'. Mr. ilrtliur M'Donnld, of .Christcliurch, has a. good baritone ;voice; and.' from,;a purely; .vocal point , of'view- isi well" aheadM,.niany . who. have. headed him- jn'.thej morks.-. With: niore experience in - interpretation he will, yet prove a winner, at ~ competitions. His . voice is,-musical, Jii.s.. style .robust and pleasing, and moreover; he is a "good 'Bport." i{r. IT. W. Lay cock sang "Lord God'of Abraham", very carefully, and correctly, but hardly suggested that dramatic, 'eei'iness which " permeates o' the- • iWisp." . ■■ . In the ; afternoon' the'ouplioiiiuin, : plaj>. eis performed iii great' styje for'.nearly- ' on' .hour. Some'of'■' the'l'.players'' were •V bothered with this 1 hcconipaiiimeiitj and othei-s bothered.,.the' accompanist.-- For cla'Hty and precision -in-.the; , runs , ■ and triple-tongned- passages, the • winner, Mr. Coyle, was rightly, placed. He, too,-got a .little- feeling into his-work. . Both ho and' the "winner of the cornet solo are . inembars-.of. the. .-Wellington City. ..Band'After the audience.'had recovered from tho spoil'■put.'upon ■them->by the overdose of ouphony, they sat ..up .and took notice ■ of the> young' ladies, who sang to their own accompaniment... .. Tlie - class was as disappointing,as the .judge's' decision.. Of the five .competitors. Miss' V. J. Bainford v.*as in our opinion niiich superior, both : in re4pe.ct;to,'the.finish.''shown in the' placing of-her''accompaniment, and the fivnipatby.she'pbured into her sbug. How she • ca.me'• not' •to be placed at all-baffled the judgment of most people present....', Miss Muriel Benuett (who was .... recalled) little-more than, whispered Mal- • linsoii's "Four. -by .the- Clock." . She was , 60 siibdued that ;her;;words'coidd. not be caiight- half 'n dozen , yards away. Miss ■Ethel,i Carter , ivas devoid, of feeling in a Mallinson sang ("Eleanore"). that literally bulges with feelm? > nf- the most poignantly . ead- ,order s ' ,:.Jlisa', Coralie. Stanley w-as dainijr.-.'in/:• style,, but vocally-• deficient; After.allj-voicQ-lis iiceded in'.the singing of "a" - song—hers was small' in volume, f and did v 7iot rcaclt the • aiidience. ' .That she could do.better "ifarie Xbuisn" offers testimony,.. ; : : . : . .. ...