Miss Porters School - Yearbook (Farmington, CT)

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Recitals and Concerts SPRING 1937 On April third, 1937, we had the pleasure of listening to the baritone, Hugh Sorensen, and the pianist, Louise Skorupa, who accompanied him, and also played several solos. Mr. Sorensen sang our favorite, Where'er You Walk by Handel, and Schumann's dramatic Widmung . Among Miss Skorapa's selections, the famous Cathedrale Engloutien was espe- cially well liked. A piano recital was presented on April fifteenth by Mr. and Mrs. Felix Fox. This annual event is always appreciated very much, and this time as always, the program fully justified our anticipation of it. Kenyon Congdon, a baritone, came to sing for us on May fifth. He was accompanied by Stanley Freedman at the piano. Our soloist sang four groups of songs, two English, one German, and one French. Michael Head's When I Think Upon the Maidens was well rendered, and the delightful Nicolette by Ravel was much appreciated by us. The pianist, Gertrude .Iosejy-Chase, and the violoncellist, Edwin Stuntzer, gave us a recital on May thirteenth. A Beethoven sonata, a Chopin Nocturne, and Ravel's famous Habanera were included in the program, as well as a very unusual modern composition by Octavio Pinto, Scenas Infantas which described in music scenes of childhood. The pupils of the Piano Department gave us their annual concert on May twenty-sixth. The program was highly entertaining. We appre- ciated the variety of selections, which were skilfully interpreted. Debussy, Chopin, Schubert, and 'Tschaikowsky were among the composers repre- sented.

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Lectures October 7. COLONEL FURLONG paid his annual visit to the school, and gave a very interesting lecture, with lantern slides, on the exploits of Old Ironsides and her sister ship, the Philadelphia , in the Mediter- ranean. October 14. MRS. NILSON discussed the Neutrality Bill and the appointment of Senator Black to the Supreme Court. October 19. MRS. NILSON, in her lecture, made us feel the signifi- cance of affairs in China and Japan. November 2. MRS. NILSON spoke on affairs in Spain, and their influence on the countries which are involved in the civil strife. November 11. Miss ELIZABETH DREW spoke on Stage versus Screen , a topic which interested us very much. November 18. MISS DREW spoke to us on Samuel Pepys' Diary , and revealed to us its many unusual and entertaining aspects. Nofuember 23. MRS. NILSON spoke on domestic affairs. Nofvember 30. MR. FRANK SPEAIGHT gave us a delightful reading of Dickens' Christmas Carol . December 7. MRS. NILSON spoke on the Russian elections, and affairs in Europe. January 13. MR. HUGH MACKARNESS read to us the works of English poets. We enjoyed the variety in the choice of poems, which were of many different types. January 18. MRS. NILSON gave a resume of Congressional affairs, and spoke about the prominent national leaders who had died during vaca- tion. January 20. Miss ANNE WIGGIN' gave us messages taken from the letters of the young people of European countries. They expressed a general desire for closer unity among the youth of the world. January 25. MRS. NILSON discussed the French Cabinet crisis, and made a general survey of European affairs. January 27. PROFESSOR CLARENCE WARD of Oberlin College spoke to us on Michelangelo. In his lecture, which was illustrated by slides, he portrayed clearly and vividly the life, and works, and philosophy of this colorful Renaissance artist. February 8. MRS. NILSON,S main topic was current affairs in the United States. February 10. MRS. JAMES DRUMMOND ERsK1NE-Three necessary characteristics for the attainment of good manners are Imagination, Ideals, and Initiative.

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Fall and Winter The tenor, Joseph Laumer, came on October thirteenth, 1937, and provided a very enjoyable evening's entertainment. Accompanied by Lois Lautner, he sang some lovely songs by Handel, Schumann, and Schubert, and the dramatic Verborgenheit by Wolf. VVe were very sorry to learn that he had intended to sing one of Mr. Fox's compositions, but could not, as he had not been able to obtain the music in time. On October twenty-seventh, the Stmdifvarius Quartette from New York presented a very entertaining program. They played a Mozart quartette, the famous Brahms quintette, and several short selections. Mr. Fox assisted in the quintette. On the fifteenth of November, the Hampton Quintette came to school to sing for us. Besides those old favorites The Old Ark's a-Moverin' , Deep River , and Go Down Moses , they sang a version of the currently popular The Deac' Went Down . One of the quintette talked to us for a few minutes about Hampton Institute. Judging by the enthusiastic applause which followed, it was obvious that the Hampton Quintette was greatly appreciated by the girls. On November twenty-seventh, Mr. John Niles, a recognized authority on folk songs, gave us an unusual concert. He accompanied his own singing by playing the piano, or one of his two dulcimers, rare instruments which he himself had made. All of the songs which he sang were compiled during his research tours in the southern states. The music was written in uncon- ventional measures which we found very interesting. On February second, a piano recital was presented by Mr. Felix Fox. The program was skilfully arranged. We enjoyed particularly Schumann's Carnival and a modern composition of Ravel, Alborada del Gracioso . As an encore, Mr. Fox played our special favorite, the Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde by Wagner.