THE BAND CONTEST.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 43, 20 February 1905, Page 5

THE BAND CONTEST.

[ CHAMPIONSHIP WON BY WANGANUI. GREAT MARCHING TEST. WATCHED BY TWENTY THOUSAND. The North Island Brass Band Association's contest in Auckland came to a conclusion on Saturday afternoon with the great quickstep competition in tlie Domain. The eontegt was Witched by a crowd which must have numbered close on 20.000 people—one of the greatest crowds that ever paid for admission to the Domain. The contest itself was extremely interesting, although the music selected—a special march called "The Victor's Return," by J. Ord Hume—was in comparison with the rest of the test music very poor and commonplace. The Wanganui Baud completed its triumphal march through the contest by winning this contest by the narrow margin of a half-point from the Waihi Band, which did splendidly, Colonel White, Captain Bosworth, and Mr. E. Williams were the judges of accoutrements, instruments, apparel, etc., and Sergt.-Majors Rogers, Carpenter, and Chayter were the military judges. Mr. W. S. King was the judge of the music. Lieut. J. Enaean was marshal, and Mr. A. P. Johnson was deputy-marshal. On the whole it was a very interesting afternoon's amusement, and the crowd was very enthusiastic over the whole performance, the Auckland City Band, which deservedly won a very good place in the quickstep contest, coming in for a special display of enthusiasm. Wanganui got the championship shield ! with a total score for music of 385 points, Wellington Garrison scoring 36a, and Kaikorai 352 3-5. The total scores of the other bands for music were es follows: Waihi Federal. 340; First Battalion tAuckland), 332 4-5; Auckland Garrison, 317 1-5; Hauraki, 312 3-3; Ruahine Battalion, 311 2-5: Taranaki Garrison, 301 2-5; Gisborne City. 259; Devonport, 257 2r5. THE QUICKSTEP RESULTS. Wanganui Garr-'.son, IGGA marks (military, etc., 91*; music, 75) 1 Waihi Federal, IGS marks (military, etc., 91; music, 75) 2 first Battalion (Auckland), 163 marks (military, etc. S9; music, 74) 3 Also competed: Auckland Garrison. IGli (military, etc. 90$, music 71); Wellington Garrison, 151$ (military, etc. $l&, music 70): Hauraki (149 (military, etc. 80, music G3); Taranaki Garrison, 144.. (military, etc. 821, music 62); Kaikorai, 140_ (military, etc. 773, music 03); Ruahine Battalion, 139_ (military, etc. 77*, music 62); Gisborne City, 114 (military, etc. 59, music 55); Devonport, 103 (military, etc. 56, music 47). The mu-sical judge's criticisms were as follows: Wanganui Garrison (winners: The est rendering of the march so far (No. 9 band). Very steady iv time; good compact body of tone. There were shortcomings, of course, but not serious. Wanted, I thought, more vim in some of the ff passages. Soprano cornet not too £ood. A capable side drummer. Waihi Federal (second prize): Practically the same class of performance as the previous band (Wanganui). Very cleiiriy played and artistically rendered, with slight exceptions. Fully entitled to rank with the previous band. First Battalion, Auckland (third prir.e): A good performance also, just i tailing to reach the standard of the two previous bands (Wanganui and Waihi). Auckland Garrison (fourth prize): Also a. good rendering of the march. pleased mc more than the previous band (Wellington) owing to its brightness .niQ warmth. The cornets were more expressive, and the soprano played well; also a good side drum and bass drummer, though the weak section —the irombones—were inclined at times to interfere with the steadiness of the time, but it was only slight. Wellington: On the whole a good performance; effects in some movements not given as I liked, but much to please mc. I noted a good side drummer. Time was very steady. Hauraki: A good average performance, about equal to No. 2 band (Kaikorai). Rather much sameness. Taranaki Garrison: Very fairly rendered by the lower half of band, especially trombones, but too undecided in the cornet section. Great want of cohesion in this department. Tempo fairly steady, "but at opening some players inclined to anticipate the drummer. Kaikorai: Much better performance than No. 1 (Gisborne). Not a3 well bain need as I would like, and lower half oi band not firm enough in general work. Inclined to a ragged tendency at times, and the tempo was not always steady. On the whole a very fair performance. Ruahine Battalion: A fair performance, not calling for criticism here. Al-' most the _ame class of performance as one or two other bands. Gisborne City: Somewhat rough in general rendering. Wants steadiness. Side drum should assert himself more; too weak. Runs for cornets not kept together "by instrumentalists. I noted a pleasing euphonium. Devonport: Too much mixing and fundamental faults to criticise seriously. I trust persistent practice will effect an improvement. THE DRUMS. Kaikorai (J. Smith and J. D. Osborne) , 156_ points 1 Waihi Federal (R. Cos and R. Feeney), 155 points 2 Auckland Garrison No. 1 (H. Anderson and J. Gen-son). 1-17 points.... t Auckland Garrison No. 2 (D. Robertson aad E. Brinsden), 1-47 points.. + CONCERT AT ALEXANDRA PARK. The bands competing in the contest were to have given n concert yesterday at Alexandra Psrk in aid of tha Veterans' Home and the SJP.C.A., but owing to some misu_Q_der.tanr.iug, the only hand that put in an appearance was the Wanganui Garrison. This band was rather taken aback at being the only band to appear, but it did its best with the few pieces it had brought out. and the concert c_me to an ununtimely close at: about four o'clock. Mr Hume, the general manager of the M-—test, explained to the audience .the circumstances of the case, and said that the band would be pleased at any future time it might be in Auckland to give a "concert in .aid of the charities. The band was enthusiastically cheered at the end of the concert. R_sC___TON BY AUCKLAND MUSICIANS. The president of the North Island Band Association (Mr 'Cohen), the bandmasters of the ■visiting hands, and j Mr Holbein (secretary), were e*__er- [ * __e*V tjlrW.-E. We&bc (j_«i__at

of the Auckland'Socwty of Musicians) and Mr* W«bbe, *t their residence in Gxafton-road, on Saturday evening. The reception was arranged for the purpose of introducing the visitora to 'the members of the Council of the So- | ciety, of whom were present: Mr R. Leslie Hunt, vice-president; Miss A. Law, LJLAM., hon. sec; Mrs Neave, Miss M, Spponer, and Messrs E. Hulse and T. Midgley. An impromptu but very enjoj-abie musical programme was provided, in which Misses Maud Anderson, Spooner (2), and M. Webbe, and Miss Margot Somerset took part. At supper Mr Webbe proposed the - toast of the visitors, to which Mr Cohen responded, and in a veyy appropriate speech thanked the host and hostess and the ladies who contributed such an excellent programme. CONCLUSION. The issue of the contest satisfies the public Wanganui Garrison were favourites throughout, and though the public would have been equally pleased had Wellington Garrison or Kaikorai get the championship, it was evidently quite satisfied with the judge's decision in favour of Wanganui f° r all round merit. From the musician's point of view there is not the least doubt that Mr W. S. King's judgment was correct —'Wanganui Band played magnificently throughout the contest, and while Wellington was certainly its superior in "La Straniera," Wanganui easily beat it in the "Gems of Mendelssohn," which it interpreted with magnificent ability. Such brass band—one might say perhaps with accuracy, no orchestral—playing by a colonial combination of musicians has ever been heard in this colony as in the two pieces mentioned, and especially in the majestic "Gems," and for that reason alone the contest will be a red page in the musical history of the colony. It is gratifying to think that the most liberal support has been given by the public to the contest from' the" very : start, with a liberality that could not ' be exceeded. One cannot conclude a nqtic-e of the contest without complimentary reference to the officials who "ran" it so capably. Of these pre-eminent in the public eye were Messrs G- Hume (general manager), A, W. Tatton; (secretary), H. G, Hill (treasurer), C. H. Le Quesne (supervisor), and Mr J. D. Hunter, who has been official timekeeper for many contests, and came up from Dunedin to act as timekeeper at the contest. One cannot speak too highly of their good and unselfish work during and preceding the whole contest, j There were others who worked splendidly, and these . have already ! been mentioned in the, Ksts of officers already published. Concerning Mr King, the judge, we believe that his judgments gave satisfaction to the i majority, aud certainly they satisfied the people. Mr King had a very wearing duty, which he. discharged faithfully and well. He was good .'. enough to write out his brief criticisms ; of the bands for publication, and the thanks of the newspaper press are hereby extended to him for his numerous courtesies. We have also to thank the other officials of the Contest Committee for innumerable courtesies.