THE MASTERTON COMPETITIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10285, 13 July 1911, Page 5

THE MASTERTON COMPETITIONS.

YESTERDAY'S SESSION

OFFICERS.—Patron. His Excellency the Governor; President, . His Worship the Mayor; Vice-Presid-ents, Dr Cook and Mr G. R. Sykes; Treasurer, Mr James Pryor; Judges, Dr Bradshaw (Christchurch), and Mr C. N. Bacyort/. (Wellington), Accompaniste, Mrs F. Montague; Committee, Messrs G. C. Branson, H. S. Olaughton, J. C. Cooper, Alex. Donald, D. Hobenton, Rev. A. Hodge, J. T. M. Hornsby, F. H;;,:n, Geo. Hutchinson, 11. C. L. Robinson, R. W. Robson, 0. Pvagneii, M. R. Varnham, A. H. Vilo, Rav. H.. Watson, E. R. Wilson, Puree!! Webb, and R. J. Young; Secretary, Mr William Gillespie.

The competitions under the auspices of the Masterton Musical *aud Literary Competitions Society were continued yesterday morning, afternoon and evening, in the Town Hall and Methodist Schoolroom. Very few of those who entered failed to put in an appearance. The audiences were, perhaps, even better than on the previous day.

A very acceptable innovation yesterday was the provision of refreshments in the Methodist Schoolroom.

An interesting competition set down for this afternoon' is the action song for squads of school elr' Iren, This afternoon's ."ompet'.ii-.as will all he judged m the Town Hall, and in consequence the prices have been raised, to 2s upstairs and Is downstairs.

The programme this evening will commence at 7 o'clock, and the committee has fixed, the charges of admission at 3s, 2s, and Is. This has been done because it is anticipated that a, large audience will assemble to hear the choir contest. The will be observed for the final contest to-morrow evening.

Seats may be rescerved at the Secretary's ofreo in the Town Hall tlxis afternoon for this evening and to-

morrow evening. " The ore will open at G. 30 o'clock sharp to-night, and patrons would oblige'the officials by getting seated 1 as early as possible. Yesterday's awards were as follow : PIANO SOLO (under 13). Causerie in F, "Anecdotes Musicales," No. 6, (Neustedi).- First prize value 15s, second prize value 7s 6d.— Miss Nella Pfagnell, Masterton 1 Miss Isa Jones, Masterton 2 Nine competitors. BASS SONti.—"l Feel the Deity," "Arm, Ann, Ye Brave." (Judas Maccabeus), (Handel). First prize value £1 10s, second prize value 10s. Edward L. Lees (49) . 1 Harry Holland (44) 2 Five competitors. SACRED'sONG (Ladies).— Own selection. First prize value £1 10s, second prize value 10s: Mrs David Ogilvy (50) * 1 Miss J. McGregor (48) 2 Eight competitors. ' PiANO SOLO.—(Any age). Test, reading at sight. First prize value £l, second prize value 10s.— Miss Ina Hastweir, Eketahuna (39) 1 Mr Wilfrid Hampton, Masterton (36) 2 Ten competitors. SAORED SOLO— (Gentlemen). Own seledtdon. First prize value £1 10s, second prize value 10s.— H. F. Green (51) 1 Edward L. Lees (49) 2 Twelve competitors. HUMOROUS SONG.— (Own selection).' First' prize value £l, second prize vahie 10s.— Mrs J. Edwards (44) 1 i B. P. L. .Ckyson (42) 2 Five competitors. I PIANO SOLO (Pupils 16 and under).— "Nocturne Eb.'? Op. 9, No. 2 (Chopin). First prize value £l. Miss Hebna Kummer (38) I Leopold von Keisenberg (36) 2 Two competitor®. "J ELOCUTIONARY. | PREPARED READING (Lady or • Gentleman) — "London*" (Hon. Roden Noel. First prize value £2, second prize value 10s.— Byron Brown, Otaki (110) 1 Miss W. Daniell, Masterton (104) 2 ; Miss N. Hogg, Masterton (103) 3 j Twelve competitors. Other competitors were: — R. M. Oliver (Tinui), Miss C. Clarke, David Hehenton, Claud Smith (Wellington), H. H. Reynolds, Mrs Barclay (Waikanae). The judged remarks on 4&a& competition were as follow:-—The-art of reading aloud seems to be a lost art! This piece is inordinately long, and altogether pretty poor stuff, so, out of consideration for the feelings of the audience and my owm, I &ave curt out about two-thirds of it. A prepared reading should be prose. Next year I hope you will have a sight reading selection. The chief; defects were wrong rising and ' falling inflexions, especially dropping I the voice at commas and semi-ool-j on®, making the reading hopelessly inconsequential. There were also many mispronounciations, as:— Inisphered, ensphered; illustruss, il- ' lustrious; venedferous, vociferous; gor-jee-yus and gorjeece, gorgeous; palussuz, palace®; Babbil-un, Babylon; kin-vulsive, convulsive; roo-und, ruined; sorrowful; pee-ity piety; ree-jeeuns and ree-jins, reg ions; diff-for-mitt-tee, deformity; dun-jee-ons, dungeons illustrious. RECITATION (Ladies, any age) - "A Spring Chorus." First prize value £1 10s, second prize value 10s. Miss Pauline Brown 1 Miss Nellie Hogg 2 Six competitors. No. I. Inclined to overdo the sentiment at times. This young lady hasi a lot of natural ability and a fine voice. In spite of exaggeration she does paint the picture, even if it is a little too full, of high lights. No. 2.—Lack of pause and a little tame. Some false emphases. Intelligent, but voice wants placing and balancing, and lacks lower register. I SHAKESPBRIAN RECITATION ((Gentlemen)—Henry V., Act 3, £cene

1, "Henry's speech before Haxfleur." First prize value £1 10s, second prize Marcus St. John ... 1 Byron Brown ... 2 Edmund R. Wilson ... 3 Thirteen competitors-. The great defect noticeable in all competitors in this section was almost entire lack of feeling for the music of Shakespeare's blank verse. It was recited as if it were flat and proso—"blank, blank, absolutely (blank." There was also a tendency to overdo it. It is a speech supposed to have been delivered by an English King, who would not recite to his army.

No. .I.—Fine voice. No gesture. Many technical faults. Lack of feeling for the music. No. 2. Overdone at times. Also lack of feeling for the music. Gestures not always convincing, but temperamental and more grip than the others. RjiXnTATION (Boys 15 and under) - —"Love of Country" (Scott). First prize value los, second prize value 7s 6d.— Wanton Brown (Otaki) 1 Harold Miller (Masterton) 2 Stephen Bishop (Masterton) 3 Eleven competitors. No. I. Beslt) gestures. Good voice. Lack of modulation and feeling for the music. Still, a very -n----telligent reading. No. 2. Intelligent idea, but lacks technique. Made one- aston'*hi g mistake: "Fathers that, like so MANY Alexanders." Poor gestures. '

RECITATION (Boys'll m,d nu*-r) —"The Battle of Blenheim*' <Southey). First prize value 10s, socoi'd prize value ss. Donald Wilde, Carterton 107; 1 Andrew Donald, Masterton Stephen Bishop, Masterton (102) 3 Ten competitors. The chief defects were a jack of naturalness, and wrong r.soig and falling inflexions.

No. 1 recited somewhat slowly. Intelligent boy, but rather prone to exaggeration, but makes an. attempt to colour his words. A i'ttle more reserve power would enha ir- r his work.

'No. 2. Rather lacking i.i temperament. Good modulation at nines, and variety of tfeament. A little monotonous.

No. 3. Far itoo many using irflexions and some false f-rnpaases, but some idea of the sigmiicuic-e of the words. IMPROMPTU SPEECH (Gentlement.) —"Nervousness." First prize value £l, second prize value it's.— William Kemp, Masterton (107) 1 Claud Smith, Wellington (93) 2