ELOCUTIONARY AND MUSICAL COMPETITIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1065, 4 July 1912, Page 3

ELOCUTIONARY AND MUSICAL COMPETITIONS.

The Levin elocutionary and musical competitions were brought to a conclusion last night. They opened on Tuesday morning and sessions were continued morning, afternoon and evening. A final concert, in which all first prize winners will take part, will be held this evening. The attendances of the public at all the sessions were good, only standing room being available during the evening performances. The audiences were representative of the whole district between Palmerston and Otaki. The executive committee. Messrs Rev. Randersou (chairman) Porteous (secretary), K. Aitken, W. Hughes, D. W. Mathesou and C. F. Rockel, are to be congratulated upon the success ,which attended their herculean efforts. The strenuous work these gentlemen pul in to organise and carry out such a gigantic affair and the worry and expense incidental thereto is evidence of a collective enthusiasm almost unparalleled in the history of competitions ot this nature. Levin should be proud of such wholesouled citizens. Not a hitch marred the carrying out of the details. The competitions had two objects in view, viz., to bring out and encourage musical and elocutionary talent in the district and to financially assist in the liquidation of a debt on the Presbyterian Church. The latter object, in a sense, limited the executive’s operations in respect to awards —although the prizes given were on a fairly liberal scale —and the engagement of extra judges. The hall in which the competitions were held was hardly suitable, for the reasons that it was too squatty, confining the sound vibrations so that toning down essential to success. Mr IT. K. Gunter (Palmerston N.), was the judge ui musical competitions and Mr A. V. Buruard (Palmerston N.), of the elocutionary, while Miss Eva Rash, of Wellington, was the official accompanist. Mr Gunter’s ability as a judge of pianoforte music is not to be denied, but we cannot say the same in reference to his adjudications in vocal effort, and we may add that it is not fair to a judge or competitors to place him in a dual capacity. Vocal and instrumental items should be judged by separate experts. The same thing might be said in reference to elocution. It is not to be expected that a Shakesperian or classical expert has the same conception ot the humorous or comic. Therefore, separate judges should be appointed in these sections. It is impossible to give general satisfaction if these rules are not observed. The elocutionary judge certainly did not possess the sense of proportion, if we may use this term, m the humorous recitations. There is just as much talent required ou the part of a performer to get down to correct impersonation and pronounciatiou oi dialect as there is in dainty humour. The judge overlooked this. Anyhow, test pieces in humorous items should be set out as well as own selections. A judge of elocution requires correct conception of the performer's effort to interpret the author’s ideas as well as to detect a correct pronunciation and the right emphasis ot vowels and conjunctions, which arc secondary. The judging on the whole, gave general satisfaction although there were instances where it failed to square with the opinions of the audience —but this is not unusual. All the Foxton entrants, excepting Mrs Hall, faced the ordeal. Messrs Jeuks and Buglass won the vocal duet, Mr Hornblovv was defeated by one point in the humorous song and came third in the humorous recitation, Mr Yates secured second place in the comic singing. It has been suggested that the next district competition be held at Foxton and we see no reason why Foxton should not rise to the occasion. The promoters ot the Levin affair have signified their willingness to assist us in this connection —in fact the suggestion is their’s. We hope the matter will be given serious consideration.