CARNIVAL COMPETITIONS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2491, 18 June 1915, Page 3

CARNIVAL COMPETITIONS

VOCAL AND ELOCUTIONARY INTERESTING DAY IN CONCERT CHAMBER, . Vocal, instrumental, and elocutionary competitions, which became a. vogue in Wellington a few year.? ago, have been 'revived by tho Wellington Patriotic Sooioty in connection with the Carnival now in progress. Capital entries wore received in most of the sections, and judging by the form shown in the classes taken yesterday, the contests ot to-day and to-morrow (they are in progress from 11.30 a.m. until S p.m.) should be well worth a visit. The children's classes are particularly good, and in nominating the recalls the task of the judges (Messrs. G. Osborne and H. Plimmer) was by iiomeans an eas£ one. It should be explained that it is the duty of the adjudicators to select the two or tliivc best in each section, leaving the placing of the recalled competitors to the audience at the evening concert. Mr. Ronald Lyon acted as director, Mr. Bell announced the names of the competitors and the title of their selections (in each class th« selection is left open to the competitor), and Miss Pickett, of Gisborne, who i.' spending a holiday in Wellington, kindly volunteered to aot as accompanist. Tho competitors and recalls were as under:— Ladies' Recitation. Mrs. C. e: Watson, "The War of the League" (Macaulay). Hiss W. Harkom, "How He Saved St. Michael's."' Miss Norma Snow, "When" (Thomas Brown). Miss Joy Sutherland, "In au Indian Garden" (Anon), Miss Marjorie Willcocks, "The Hero of the Commune" (Preston). Miss Gow, "Corporal Dick's Promotion" (Conan Doyle). Miss Violet Johnson, "Marie." Miss Logan, "The Minister." Mrs. E. Griffiths, "The Trooper's Defence." Miss E. M. Phillips, Psalm of Life" (Longfellow). Miss Freda Beale, "Ail Incident of the French Camp" (Browning). Miss Gwen Shepherd, "Ann Boleyn's Appeal to Henry VIII" (Shakespeare). Miss Vera Petherick, "The Song of the Sword." Mrs. Sydney Tingey,"The Pride of Battery B." Miss E. M. Aitcheson, "Smiting the Bock." Recalls—Mioses E. Griffiths, Gwen Shepherd, and Mrs. Sydney Tingey. The most common • faults among the ladies were monotony of tone, wrong emphasis, and inability to express a phrase conversationally. In addition to the recalls who reached a fairly high standard, Miss Joy Sutherland, Miss Gow, and Miss I'reda Beale recited interestingly. Miss Griffiths possesses the dramatic sense in no ordinary degree, and with her temperament and poise she is capable of doing notably good work. Miss Shepherd is hardly strong enough vocally to do full justice to Ann's heroic speech, but she spoke the lines with ripe intelligence, and that, with certain womanly sweetness of manner, combined in the making o£ a sympathetic appeal.

Musical Monologue (Men). Mr. F. R. Picot, "His Pipe"; Mr. H. G. Shakes, "Spotty"; Mr. J. Laurenson, "Only a Soldier"; Mr. E. Evans, "The Game of Life"; Mr. Kevin S. Dillon, "My Pal Tim"; Mr. L. W. Hanlon, "The. Old Bachelor"; Mr. H. B. Cooper. "0 Memory." . Recalls—Messrs. H. G'. Shakes, Kevin S; Dillon, and L. W. Hanlon. Musical monologues should be selfaccompanied. It was remarkable that none of yesterday's competitors possessed the combined graces of elocutionist and accompanist. Musical monologues lose two-thirds of their charm when the affinity between the words and music is not established. Prepared Patriotic Speech. Miss, Gwen Shepherd, "The Empire's Crisis"; Mr. B. Sutherland, "Patrick Henry's Address on British Government in America"; Mr. J. Laurenson; Mrs. B. Jansen, "Home and Country"; Mr. T.. W. Hanlon. Eecalls- -Hiss Shepherd and Mr. Hiuilon. The matter ill Mr. Hanlon's speech was very good, if it was on conventional lines, and his platform, his style, and voice were excellent, and he gave his points proper emphasis. Miss Shepherd delivered a speech which she had by heart with commendable spirit. Mrs. B. Jansen introduced an element of humour, She confessed on more than one occasion that she had lost the thread of her discourse, and in perfect good humour joined in the laughter against herself, and finally gained the good opinion of the audience, and was applauded at the conclusion. Song (Men). Mr. L. C. Travers, "Shipmates of Mine." Mr.- J. Boyce, "Never More. - " Capt.' J. B. MacFarlane, "Tho Diver.'" Mr. T. H. Heketa, "Love, Could I' Oniv Tell Thee." Mr. E.. V. Bundle, "Good Night, Beloved" Mr. Cattell, "Tho Pa?an." Mr. V. Jones, "Trooper Johnny Ludlow." Mr. H. J. Gillmour, "The Last Watch." Mr. H. D. Grimes, "Till till! Sands of tho Desert Grow Cold." Eecalls—Messrs. L. 0. Travers, F. Cattell, and H. J. Gillmour. This was a fairly good class. The "recalls" were all well worth hearing. On the afternoon performance Mr. Traverß's effort was perhaps the best. He sang with spirit, and every word' could be clearly heard. Mr. Cattell sings with tasto, and has a serviceable baritone voicu of some power. His enunciation could be improved upon and yesterday his accompanist was phlegmatic. Shs was lute with a chord on several occasions.

Humorous Recital (Men). Mr. H. Or. Shakes, "The J.P," Mr. L. W. Hanlon, "Snorkins." Mr. Kevin & Dillon, "It May be no, I Don't Know." Mr. J. Laurenson, '"The Colonel.'" Mr. C. H. Pullwyn, "Snorkins." Recalls—Messrs. Laurenson and Pullwyn. A poor class. The selection o£ matter euowed a restricted vision. Mr. Laurenson scored by sustaining the character he was impersonating admirably, and by selecting 'the best piece submitted. Recitathn (Girls under 12). Ngaire Lemmon, "Rock-a-bve, Baby." Rita Howe, "That Boy Jim." ' Doris Symes, "Vitae Lampada." Rita M'Ggo, "Little Boy Blue." ■ Aggie Atkins, "The Child Musician." Iris G. Wilkinson, "The Pipes of Lnoknow." Sylvia Misracki, "A Leap for Life." Hazel Faville, "Napoleon and the English Sailor Boy. Constance Grono, "The Dinner." Mavis Parker, "Sheridan's Bival." Irene Cain, "Admirals All." Josio Bailey, "Christmas Camp on itho Sandro Belle." Hazel Davies, "Vitae Lampada." Maisie Cain, "The Belgian Flag. Recalls-Rita M'Gee, Josie Bailey, Rita Howe, and Hazel Davies. Hon. mention, Sylvia Misracki. Juvenile reciters a,re always interesting. ■ The art brings the character of the child to the surface, especially when they are not over-taught. The moat difficult thing to do on the stage is to be natural, but it is not so difficult for the child as the adult, and at time 3 a ohild reveals all its sweetness and charm when prattling simple verses -learnt by heart. Song (Girls under 1B). Miss Gwen Aplin, "Blue is the Floweret"; Miss Irene Marsh, "Gretchen von Gretchen"; Miss Stella Boon, "Ere We Say Good-night"; Miss Myra Clogs', "My Little Grey Home in the West"; Miss Lesley Hatpin, "ISweet Bed of Roses" ; Miss Rita Howe, "I'd Love to Roll to Rio"; Miss Ivy Stewart, "For the Green"; Miss Doris Symes, "Who's For the Empire?"; Miss Irene Fairclough, "Dawn,, Gentle Flower"; Miss T. R. Beck, "The Minstrel Boy"; Miss Evelyn Adams, "A bowl of Rosiw"; Miss Lizzie Morris, "The Carnival"; Miss Theo Halnin, "Sleep and Roses"; Miss Eileen Clark, "You'll Get Heaps of Lickin's"; Miss Phyllis Dartnell, "Your King and _ Country Noed You." Ueealls—lrene Marsh, Irene Fairclough, Phyllis Dartnoll, Ivy Stewart. Hon. mention—Rita Howe and Stella Boon, This was really a splendid section, revealing some excellent voices "in the bud." Irene Marsh is only a tiny dot of five or six, but she was as 'cute and lively as an accomplished "serio" in "Gretchen von Gretchen." Ireno Fairclough has a resonant voice of uncommon quality, with a deeply sympathetic timbre which at once commanded attention. A voice that is well worth looking after, surely. The best and most matured voice was that of Ivy Stewart, whose worst fault is her enunciation. Plivilis Dartnell has a fine robust natural jjjico, pisfis with bold tpafideaso-r

taking a real joy in singing. Little Eita Howe sang charmingly without an accompaniment, even humming the symphony herself, and Miss .Etella Boon's rather husky voice 'is ' simply full of S-inpathy— a rare asset in a singer of any ass. THE FINAL TEST. . The Competitions concert in the Concert Chamber last evening consisted oi items supplied by those recalled by the judges during the day, and a very enjoyable concert it proved to be. The list of performers is too long to bo enumerated in detail, but it was interesting to note how the audience placed the performers in the different sections. This was decided by a show of hands after each section was completed. The results were as follow:— Boys' Eecitation.—l, Fergus Beeves; 2, K. Kiddcll; 3, Jas. Walsh. National Song.—l, Mrs. E. W. Alexander ("The Dear Little Shamrock"); 2, Miss R. Thompson ("Good Old New Zealand"). The above two competitions were the only ones not taken in the day-time. Men's Song—l, F. Cottell ("The Pagan"); 2, L'; Travers ("Shipmates o' Mine"); 3, H. J. Gillmour (' The Last Watch"). Humorous Eecitation—l, Laurenson; 2, C. H. Pullwyu. ' Prepared Speech.—l, L. W. Hanlon; 2, Miss Gwen Snepherd. Girls' Eecitation.—l, Josia Bailey; 2, Eita M'Gee; 3, Hazel Davies. Musical Monologue (men).—l, H. G. Shakes; 2, L. W. Hanlon. Girls' Song.—l, Irene FaiTclough; 2, Irene Marsh; 3, Ivy .'Stewart. Ladies' Eecitation.—l, Miss Gwen Shepherd; 2, Mrs. Tingey; 3, Miss Griffiths. To-day's competition will comprise a humorous recital for ladies, piano solo, song (ladies), humorous or comic song, humorous recital for' boys, character recital (for boys and girls), and recitation (for girls under 14). At the evening concert there will be the always interestinf; impromptu speechcompetition. The price of admission will be 6d. during the day-time and Is. in the evening to all parts of the hall.