AMUSEMENTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 55, 29 February 1912, Page 4

AMUSEMENTS.

MISS ROSIN A BUCKMAN. TO-NIGHT. The .rift of song is one of Mother Nature's most precious bemsons, ami .dl ages, times, and countries, the sin-rer has weilded greater power than tlm statesman. The beginning of all art is in the outburst of passionate nature in’untutored song. We Dace hstorv bv the crude rock-drawings of the ancients, and the folk songs they sunfi Songs nobly sung have stmed the earth, have spurred nations, have effected changes impossiole to any other means. There never yet was a great sin« r er who learned how to sing. ,e mother who wrote the music for Die thrush’s matin is chary ot her gifts to the human kind, for there could be no D'nvcv in song if all could sing equally well To-night Stratford will greet Miss Rosina Hackman, a favoured child of the good mother, who sings ■because she must sing, for the mother , r ; Ve s all her children talent for the use of all humanity. Miss Buckmaids natural gift has been burnished by the art that so assists nature, and she comes to her nat ve town with a voice that is m its early maturity, and temperamentally inclined to appeal profoundly to vac sense of beauty. She has happily been persuaded to siug those songs that are dear to the people, and to sing them in the language that all understand. It is a concession that many eminent singers do .not grant, a presumption that hut a few of the musically acute arc worth singing to. In the programme there are some very beautiful semi-Maori songs, and Italian is not a more beautiful vehicle for song than Maori. There is a point that Taranaki people should show their pride in M iss Buckman, not merely because she is one of. them, but because she has achieved a definite and desirable place in art. In the few years that Have •elapsed since Miss Buckman was welcomed as a coming singer, she has fulfilled every expectation of the art-lov-ing prophets, who promised that she had a great career before her. With Miss Buckman are Mr. Hamilton Hodges, a singer of unquestioned power, and who is at the moment doing better work than ever ; Mr. Herbert Bloy, a brilliant violinist; Mr. Arthur Carbines, an excellent pianist, and other artists of distinction. “A. 8.” writes:—“As one who has heard Miss Buckman in opera in Melbourne, will you permit me to say a few words in reference to our New Zealand artiste who is making a short stay with us. 1 may say that this young lady has made marvellous strides in her profession. Possessing a beautifully clear soprano voice of great power) which she uses with tact, ami further, being naturally studious, I was not in the least surprised when Madame Melba selected her ,to take an important role in her company. This position she filled to entire satisfaction of Madame Melba, and with great ■pleasure to large audiences in Australia. Personally I am looking forward to a musical treat at. Miss Buckman’s concert to-night, and I hope to see a packed house-as a compliment to •a Now Zealand-born artiste. Miss Buckman is going to sing a typical Maori love song, specially composed for her by Alfred Hill. As I have bad the' pleasure of hearing her sing this, I think that both in the vocal bind instrumental passages of this song; she -i will .fairly startle her• axidiencC; *. The words 1 of'"the song are as follows:

come lovely brown-eyed creature.,, Flax-tobed and dark in feature, Come and chant thy plaintive lay. And thou >stern dusky Maori, Sturdy as thine own kauri, Dance, then, thy wild weird dance, Shake thou the earth—come. Come, lovely brown-eyed creature, Flax-robed and dark in feature, f/ome and chant thy quaint lay, mi List ! the maiden croons a song, Hold hold'tanu mai te wairua o te tan, Ki te awhi Reinga ki tenei kiri e te.tau, ’Tis a song of love, sad and tender, ,■ Ki to awhi Reinga ki tenei kiri e. With flashing eye and lolling tongue, With gesture wild and fierce grimace, The warrior, leaping into the air, Shouts his defiant song— Karo ate kainate kaora kaora kamate kamate koara koara Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti tc ra hupane hupan© Htipane kapane wniti te ra ha! Again is heard the song of love— Hold hold tonu mai te wairua o tetau Ki te awhi Reinga ki tenei kiri ete tau. M is a song of love, sad and tender— Ki to awhi Reinga ki tenei kiri e te tau. Aue! Auc!