Brentwood College School - Brentonian Yearbook (Mill Bay, British Columbia Canada)

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Brentwood College Magazine , Music Memoranda A PARTY of ten boys attended the performance of the San Francisco Opera Ballet held in the Empire Theatre in November; the forerunner of many interesting forms of entertainment provided for the artistically-minded element of the school. Worthy of note was the recital played by Mr. Bott on the newly installed Hammond organ. For this purpose, the organ had been placed in the gymnas- ium. The programme of selections, made up of three groups, had been designed to illustrate the evolution of organ music, and represented the various schools from Orlando Gibbons (1583-1 625) to the French composer, Guilmant (1837-191 1 ). Compositions by J. S. Bach, Gounod, S. S. Wesley, and Le- marte, were included in the selection. The assisting artist, David Berger, a baritone from Portland, who had given a previous concert at the college, sang three groups of numbers; his first, made up of sacred solos sung to organ ac- companiment; a second comprised of French songs, while the third consisted en- tirely of contemporary composers. The singer ' s effortless vocalizing captivated the entire audience, and he was recalled to sing three encores. A happy addition to the programme was the Instrumental Trio comprised of Herbert Botten, ' Cellist, and Peter Hinton, Violinist, with Mr. Bott at the piano. The Loeillet Sonata No. 2 in B Minor, in the course of its four movements — largo, Allegro, adagio, and allegro con spirito — gave each of the instruments good scope, and some beautiful resonant tone was developed. Hinton also contributed the ever lovely Bach choral, Jesu, Joy of Man ' s Desiring on the violin. Soon after the Lent term began, a party of forty, boys and staff, journeyed to Victoria for the annual performance of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Contrary to custom, this event was held in the Armouries, where a vast audience gave a clamorous ovation to the orchestra under the baton of its new conductor, Nicolai Sokoloff. The affair was given added interest in the appearance of Rose Bampton, Metropolitan Soprano, who appeared as guest soloist. Her charming stage presence and glorious voice, charmed every listener in the lar e audience. The programme proved a feast of good music, making the event one long to be remembered by all who attended. Summer-term was an exceedingly full one for the music-lovers. The mem- bers of the choir, for their annual treat, were fortunate in being permitted to attend the violin recital played by Selma Reyes, in the ballroom of the Empress Hotel. The splendid programme, revealing a happy union of the old masters with the contemporaries, gave the artist ample opportunity to display her un- disputed virtuosity. [Page Eight}

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Brentwood College Magazine Competition was at once keen, and for days as we passed the door we could hear a steady plunck, plunck, as the darts struck home. We are told that Cap- tain Levien holds the record despite Mr. Hincks ' most valiant attempts. We are further informed that Mr. Hincks has tried all positions save that of standing on his head in a vain attempt to devise a scientific method of defeating the record. The Headmaster and Mrs. Ellis took a trip down through the States as far as California, where they visited the San Francisco World Fair. They were gone about six weeks, and during this time Mr. Privett acted as Headmaster. Manual Training has now been made optional to the senior grades, and the workshop has been moved into the room below the Grade XI classroom. The former shop is now used for the matriculation classes. Under Scout supervision a tuck shop has been established under the gym. It never lacks customers (indeed, on the contrary) and is proving a profitable venture. A contribution of $25.00 has already been made to the Organ Fund. Mr. Osier ' s marriage and Mr. Taylor ' s engagement have abolished the long standing bachelor majority, leaving only Mr. Bott, Captain Levien, and Mr. Hincks in the ranks of the unmarried. The Library has increased in size during the year, and we owe our thanks to Mrs. Edwardes-Davis for a gift of ten beautifully bound volumes of Colliers National Encyclopedia, and to Major F. IV. Longstaff for three volumes of The King and His Empire, Silver Jubilee Issue. We are pleased that A. K. Johnston, our best all-round athlete, and Captain of Cricket, has been chosen to represent Brentwood on the Canadian Schools cricket team that is to tour England this summer. R. R. Pooley and W. Bibee, under the direction of Captain Levien, have built up a Mechanical Shop that has proved itself capable of handling a multi- tude of useful jobs. The shop is now housed in a room below the gymnasium, and is gradually acquiring a variety of equipment. The forge has been much in use, one of the results of this being a serviceable and well made screen for the library fireplace. Another important accomplishment of the Shop workers was the rewiring of the Chapel for a new lighting system, and the installation of a power line to the electric organ. [Page Seven]

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Brentwood College Magazine To further supplement the Curtis-Hope Memorial organ fund, Mr. Bott sponsored a recital played by Helen Louise Oles and John Hopper, duo-pianists of Seattle. The very large turnout of parents, and Victoria music-lovers, was treated to an evening of artistically played music. Their first group, con- sisting of the Frescobaldi ' Toccato ' and the Gouvy ' Phantasie ' in four move- ments, proved a little beyond the musical knowledge of most of the school, though cleverly executed and played in perfect accord. The beginning of the Arensky group however, lifted the spirits of everyone, and from this point, the two artists were given spontaneous acclaim after every number. The event was by far the finest of its kind that we have been privileged to enjoy at Brentwood, and the general support of this initial effort augurs well for future recitals, if artists of this same standing can be procured. The last musical effort was the visit of Sir Ernest MacMillan, President of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, and Director of the Toronto Symphony orchestra. Mr. Bott was host to the members of the Victoria branch of the Toronto Conservatory Alumni on this occasion, which had been arranged to coincide with the visit of Sir Ernest to Victoria. During the informal pro- gramme in the school chapel, Sir Ernest played the first and second movements of Mendelssohn ' s Second Organ Sonata, giving them a most expressive read- ing, with delightful variety and interest. Edward Parsons and Cyril Warren, two organists from Victoria, played selections, and the evening came to a close with vocal selections by Miss Dorothy Parsons and Dudley Wickett, Mr. Bott playing the accompaniments. These notes would hardly be complete without reference to the expressive manner in which Galusha rendered the Malotte setting to ' The Lord ' s Prayer ' on Sunday, May 7, during the Confirmation service in the chapel, and the effective playing by Hinton, of a Bach Chorale on his violin to an organ accom- paniment, before the service. [ Page Nine ]