Singers—and Singers

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 490, 12 November 1948, Page 18

Singers—and Singers

| HAVE been listening over the past few months to a considerable number of local singers, with pleasure at the generally high level of ability, . The microphone gives volume to a _ voice which might be too small to satisfy in

the flesh, but it ‘is also merciless to sae Inspiring singing should of colrse not be expected from local performers, almost all amateurs, but it is surprising how good they often are. One thing which frequently causes me astonishment is to hear a young singer broadcast a group of songs containing the "Sapphic Ode," "Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel," "Death and _ the Maiden," and so on-the greatest of songs, familiar in recordings by the finest singers in the world, and at once inviting comparison. How much better is it to hear a local performer pick songs less well known, and give additional pleasure by introducing listeners to. music they perhaps have not heard before. I am past being surprised to hear a woman sing songs whose words obviously make them men’s.songs; men singers invariably have more sense. The woman who does this is usually one who makes no effort to have her words heard at all, and obviously doesn’t care tuppence what the words are about. ‘Blessed is the singer whose words can be heard, for she shall be listened to again!