EDMONTON -
Canaries rarely make headlines these days, although they’re still referenced in
popular speech, as in “a canary in a coal mine” (an early warning) or “sing
like a canary,” (providing information about a crime to the police).
Sixty-seven
years ago, members of the Edmonton Roller Canary and Type Bird Society were
preparing to show off their fine feathered songbirds at the 11th-annual canary
show.
More than
100 canaries were judged in several categories for colour, type and singing.
Frank
Lajoy, a railroader and canary fancier from Portland, Ore.,
was brought in to judge the event held at the I.O.O.F. Hall on 103rd Street.
“As Mr.
Lajoy, with report sheet and pencil in hand, cocked his ear to the bass rolls,
glucke rolls, and flutes of four of the 147 canaries entered in the show, he
commented there was a possibility of finding an Enrico Caruso or maybe a Bing
Crosby in the group,” the Journal story said.
“Usually,
birds which sing baritone are preferred,” the judge said. “Their notes are
truer and have a musical value that is a requisite of a good singer, but many
good birds do sing in other ranges.”
For a
perfect performance, which was rare, the story noted, a canary must go through
10 tours, meaning it must sing 10 different little “ditties” without a break.
It could repeat any of the 10 as it went through general song, but each of the
group had to be included.
If a bird
is judged a bad singer, that doesn’t mean it lacks talent. The onus usually
falls on the trainer, who lacks the required ability to develop the canary’s
voice.
Before
getting its curtain call in a show, a canary is kept in the dark. “Then when
it’s time to perform, it gets the idea that it is sunrise, and consequently his
time to sing,” the story said.
“Mr. Lajoy
prefers to judge the birds in fours. He lets them build up a chorus or sing
individual solos, but always seems to be able to tell which bird is doing what
and credits them individually.
He was
having trouble getting one quartet into a singing mood, and he finally had to
do a little chirping and whistling of his own. The birds caught on in a hurry
and, not wishing to be outdone by any human, soon had the judge’s room
resounding with their own singing.”
The average
quartet was given about 30 minutes to do its bit before the judge.
Birds could
score a possible 56 marks and Lajoy said one bird entered in the show had
reached that mark.
An
exceptionally good singer could be sold for as much as $300, but the average
for this type of bird was $50-$150.
czdeb@edmontonjournal.com
