Vrystaat Confessions

Tag: Trudy Else

  • Update – Some of Mary’s Concerts

    Update – Some of Mary’s Concerts

    Hi Koos

    I remember you were “putting together” music played by Mum – I found these:

    From the programme “Musical Evening. In aid of the Hospital Fund” 8 March 1957

    Trio with Trudy Else & Esther Mouton –  “Eriskay Love Lilt” by Coleridge Taylor and “Passing By” by Edward Purcell and “Funiculi Funicula” by Danza

    Trio with Mona du Plessis and Esther Mouton.”Stil soos die nag”

    Verskeidenheidskonsert ten bate van Winburg Weeshuis 24 Mei 1957:

    Front cover billing:

    Damestrio: Ester Uys – Trudie Els – Mary Swanepoel

    Eriskay Love Lilt

    Passing By

    Wiegeliedjie – Mozart

    Somerstemming – Schubert

    In this hour of softened splendour – Pinsuti

    Funiculi Funicula – Danza

    From the programme of the “Hospitaal Konsert” 23 November 1957:

    Piano solo: Pierette by Cecile Chaminade

    Piano solo: Rustle of Spring by Sinding

    Trio with Trudy Else & Esther Mouton -“The dream of Olwyn” and “Come to the Fair”

    Sang en musiek konsert ten bate van M.O.T.H. 30 November 1957

    Piano solo “Autumn” and “Warsaw Concerto”

    Duet with Trudy Else “Somerstemming and One Alone”

    Now you know.

    Cheers

    Sheila

  • Treasure Chest

    Treasure Chest

    Sheila has just had a treasure chest smuggled to me by James, Mignon’s husband. A dozen books, old letters, a diary of her 1985 trip taking Mother Mary right around those small islands which made such a damn nuisance of themselves in the era they call the Breetish Empire Daze. Of course, they’d just say ‘The Empire.’

    So where to start among these riches, which could take ages to sort through?

    Here:

    I now know that in November 1957, a concert to raise funds for the Harrismith hospital was held in the ‘Kerksaal’ (that would have to have been the saal of the moederkerk in the middle of town, otherwise it couldn’t have just been called ‘kerksaal’).

    Mom Mary played this piano solo – Rustle of Spring by Christian Sinding. Close your eyes and listen:

    . and in March 1957 at an earlier concert – also funds for the hospital – Mignon’s Mom Mona du Plessis played Chopin’s waltz in E minor. Close your eyes:

    At the March concert, Mary also sang with Mona and Esther Mouton in a ‘vocal trio,’ and in another trio with Trudy Else and Esther, they sang ‘Come To The Fair.’

    Mary also played Cecile Chaminade’s ‘Pierette’

    Lucky Harrismith! To have these talented ladies perform for them. Our Moms! All their numbers would, of course, have been better than the motley youtube crew I’ve shown you above!

    ~~~oo0oo~~~

    Also in the treasure chest: My letters from America, from Veld and Vlei, from the army in Potchefstroom, and to Mom and Sheila in the UK. Lots of work!

    Oh – and under all this good old stuff there was a bottle of champers and a bottle of red! Sheila and James run a proper smuggling ring!