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Goldthorpe Musical Competition Festival

May 1929

Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 21 May 1929

Soloists’ Expressions.

What Goldthorpe Adjudicator Didn’t Mind.

Of the many pleasing features of the second annual Goldthorpe Musical Competition Festival, which commenced on Saturday and concluded yesterday, perhaps the most popular was the holding of the afternoon session yesterday in the grounds of Hickleton Hall, lent by Lord Halifax (President of the Festival), who handed over the Male Voice Choir Cup to Thurnscoe Harmonics in the presence of considerable gathering.

In the Hall grounds and at the Goldthorpe Church Hall, where yesterday’s morning and evening sessions were held, the adjudicator, Mr. S. Ward-Casey, Mus.Bac., commended several of the competitors for their good performances. To the bass and baritone soloists he said, “I don’t mind you pulling faces at me and putting your tongues out so long as the story goes across.” He added the advice, If you want bad patterns on how to sing, pay sixpence a record for them.”

Referring to the competing church and chapel choirs, he said, “The adjudicator should not say so, but I did not expect the best singing of church and chapel choirs to be comparable with that of choral societies. It is delightful to find two choirs singing the same hymn.” Looking round the big circle he added, I have a good mind to make you people sing it.” The response being eager, the large gathering sang the well-known hymn, “Fierce raged the tempest o’er the deep,” while the sun shone from the cloudless sky.

More effective mass singing came from the combination of the six male voice choirs, 300 voices being heard to advantage in “Pack clouds away,” specially composed by the adjudicator, who conducted the rendering.

Commenting on it, Mr. Ward-Casey said he did not think was possible to listen to finer male voice singing.

Elocution (open).—l, May Strachan, Mexborough, 182: 2, E. Bysouth, Doncaster, 180; 3, L. Fairbanks, Barnsley, 179.

Pianoforte Solo (open).—l, K. Watson, Pontefract, 191: 2, Barbara Kerslake, Barnsley, 190; 5, Florence Tofton, Grimsby, 187.

Soprano or Mezzo-soprano Solo (open).—1, Phyllis Oates, Carcroft, 90; 3, J. Elliott, Scunthorpe, 85; equal 3, Mary Lynn, Wombwell and Ivy Ogden, West Melton, 80

Contralto Solo (open).—1, Winifred M. Sands, Elsecar, 90; 2, Lily Guest, Little Houghton, 89.

Tenor Solo (open).—1, W. Waddington, Mexborough, 91; 2, C. Chapman, Barnsley, 90.

Bass or Baritone Solo (open).—1. K. Loveday Hoyland Common, 92; 2, S. Platts, Woodlands, 91 ; equal 5, G. Deighton, Edlington, and P. Kennedy, Armthorpe, 90.

Church and Chapel Choirs.—1, Pilley Church, 171; 2, Thurnscoe St. Hilda’s, 170.

Male Voice Choirs.—1, Thurnscoe Harmonic, 190 (winners of the Warde-Aldam Hooton-Pagnell Challenge Cup): 2, Sheffield Orpheus, 189; 3, Cudworth T.M.C.A., 188.