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New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12621, 4 December 1926, Page 14

FINGERBOARD GYMNASTICS Every violinist strives for tonal effect, lie employs avery means of technique and expression in his power, and listens with tlxe. expectancy of a connoisseur. Yet in liis enthusiasm he often overlooks some of the simplest precautions against bad tone. One of these precautions is a steady hand that assumes the right position and retains it with consistency. Another is co-ordination of the hands, each assisting and supplementing the other. A third is the avoidance of jerks, plunges, scrambles, and other ill-directed attempts at the spectacular. Performances which are mere “fingerboard gymnastics” are apt to leave the ‘istener with a headache and a half wish that the player had never studied anything beyond scales in first position and hymn tunes.—“Etude.”

“HIS SECRETARY” COMING TO KING’S Nonna Shearer and Lew Cody are featured in the loading roles of “His Secretary,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture to he screened at the King’s Theatre shortly. The director, Hobart Henly, has treated a modern version of the "Ugly Duckling fable with sophistication and sublety, and has made one of the ycar’B most engaging light comedies from a story that depicts the romance ftf a business girl. Her role affords Mies Shearer an opportunity of display* ing her ability as a comedienne, a talent that has had an outlet in such dra-

matic piotures a© "He Who Gets Slapped" and "The Devil’s Circus." Other players are Willard Louis, Karl Dane, Mabel Van Buren, Gwen. Lee, and Ernest Gillen. * * * * "A KISS FOR CINDERELLA” One of the world’s oldest stories, and yet a story that is always new, is the tale of Cinderella. It was told in Rome in the third century, and 300 years before that it was told in Egypt. All ages, and all peoples have known it, but never has it been more charmingly related than by J. M. Barrie in "A Kiss for Cinderella," the new Paramount picture which Herbert Brennan has produced with Betty Bronson in the leading role. The story is familiar to the Kaffirs and Hottentots of South Africa; It is the favourite legend of the Finns; the Serbians have their curious versions of it. Russians have their own idea the Cinder girl; so that it may he said that Cinderella is of world-wide topute. In "A Kiss for Cinderella" J. M. Barrie used the legend as a dream sequence, but modernised it in his own whimsical way. Now that the play has

found its way to the screen, it means that for the first time a folk-play has been immortalised in celluloid. “A Kiss for Cinderella" will be released throughout New Zealand and Australia as a Hg Christmas attraction this year. UNITED ARTISTS FEATURES Perfect synchronisation of orchestral score and mood of the film is guaranteed the audiences which will witness the United Artists' picture 'The “Winning of Barbara Worth."

Dr. Edward Henkel, musical director of note, has been present during the making of the film, to enable him to catch the moods of the film as recorded in production. Dr. Henkel, during an interview, ©aid he felt himself carried away by the sweep of tho drama, and lie was deeply moved by the romance in the performance of Miss Banky and Mr Ronald Cohnan.