Singing Competition

English Bible to the Chapel. We all felt very proud when the Head Master, before reading the lesson from it, acknowledged the gift.

The Carol Service went off particularly well with no less than six trebles singing solos, R. N. Collier, R. E. Hardie, H. E. D. Little, R. A. Howat, R. J. Mawer and C. R. Outhwaite as well as a quartet comprising J. R. Bailey, 0. G. Hodgson, C. J. Kitching and E. P. Raynes singing the verse in "In dulci jubilo" with distinction. We are sorry to have to say goodbye to Kitching and Raynes, who have both served the Choir with outstanding zeal during their time, and wish them every good wish for the future. E. P. Raynes sang the last solo in the Carol Service, "The Three Kings" by Peter Cornelius—a fitting swan song.

Other music sung during the term was : — 0 come ye servants of the Lord. Tye: C. Wood: 0 Thou the central Orb. Greene: Thou visitest the earth. Adrian Batten: Sing we merrily. Stanford: Evening Service in B flat (with congregation). Travers: Ascribe unto the Lord (first half only). C. Wood: Oculi omnium.

A.P.H. and R.A.S.

HOUSE SINGING COMPETITION

One was immediately struck by the calm manner in which the manoeuvres were organised: Mr. John Hind, our adjudicator and the Director of Music at Sedbergh, sat calmly considering his judgments whilst the select few representatives of one house decorously descended and the big battalions of the next house were marshalled by their confidentlooking conductor, and at a resounding tinkle from the adjudicator's table silence fell to be shattered at once with the gusto which only inter-house rivalry releases.

The Part Song section produced several very pleasing performances and each seemed to improve on its predecessor. The Grove were criticized for a lack of clarity of diction; The Rise, although praised for their bouncy rendering, were penalised for a lack of variety, as School House were for their uncertain chording despite their careful balance. Having set themselves the task of singing unaccompanied, Queen's nerves were not strong enough for the sustained requirements but their pleasing bass voices were praised. The very exact singing of The Manor's "Never weather beaten sail" was commended, but principal praise was reserved for Temple's rendering of Matyas Seiber's "The Handsome Butcher"; there was delightful balance, sharp diction and great flexibility in the group's response to Kitching's humorously alert treatment of the piece and their mark of 90 placed them in an enviable lead.

The second class, the Unison Song, showed the massed musicianship of some houses and the order of placing was considerably different. If The Manor flagged after a rousing opening and Queen's tended to let their coach run out of control, whilst the very numbers of The Grove party obscured the edge of their diction and The Rise sang "The Onset" in a 12