Feilding Band Contest .

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 124, 11 April 1891, Page 3

Feilding Band Contest .

SIR. MACKINTOSH'S CRITICISMS. 'We -have pleasure in publishing the subjoined criticisms on the band contest, - which tobk-'place iv the Assembly Booms on the 27th and 28th of March : — - The bands were judged under the headings of "Time," "Tune," " Style," and " iSoloists ;" twelve points being • the maximum under each, or a total of 48 points each evening; grand maximum, 96. " Rienzi " was by far the best piece of music presented ; it contained eleven ■ changes of time, and solos for all the leading instruments. " Queen of Harmony " is simply a quick step, with three cadenzas. It is written in common time, and was beaten under the ■' Time " and " Solo " columns before a note was played. The selections performed by the Gray, Feilding and Marton bands contained much that was common to all, a drawn battle being the result. " Linda di Chainouni," however,- settled the question by placing _ - Gray's • Band at the head of the poll. " * "Rienzi" by the Garrison Band, and " Linda di Chainouni," by Gray 'a Band, were, performed in a manner that would have done credit to the giants of the South Island, and would certainly have placed them among the prize winners in a first- " class contest. The following are the points scored by each band : —

Wellington Garrison Band. i . " Eienzi." was performed by the ' above band in a manner that calls jfor the highest praise ; time was simply perfect, a metromone could not have, been truer than the conductor's baton. The style in which the various movements were rendered evidenced careful study and hard work. There was no indication of overblowing, and the instruments had been carefully tuned. The cornet soloist ranks as a player of : high .attainments, tone and timbre being excelleut. Good work was also done by the soprano and trombone players. The euphonium .excels in legrato and p. passages,- but lacks strengh and gusto in general. " Linda dv Chamouni" was only fairly rendered; there were many excellent qualities discernable, but these were marred by set offs, in the shape of numerous jars in the various movements. Time was good ; tune not so ; style was forced; tone and body were generally poor. Among the soloists the cornet player alone can be commended. The trombone, baritone and euphonium were played' in a half-hearted manner, as if the players had lost their strength and' ■confidence — weak or broken lips produced an unpleasant quality of sound that" nothing could atone for. Coming first on the programme may haye had something to do with this ; be this as it may, the band suffered under all the tests as the result of the effect produced, when compared with, the closing effort of the ■^contest; .*" '." Gray's Band. " Excelsior," as performed by the above land has not many signatures, but a -number of metronomed "changes. It will .not bear comparison with " Rienzi" in I .the matter of providing opportunities for Excelling. ..As to the manner in which it was presented my- notes are generally unfavorable. The 2nd cornet played several faulty notes ; the band was brassy and rough ; tone very poor ; the solo playing was weak ; the band drove right over the ra I . in the second last movepent, .and the maeitoso 84 was played in marching time. " Linda di Chamouni " was exceptionally well played; all the instruments distin--1 guißhed themselves in the opening movement ; the effect produced in the ff. pas.sages was grand and sublime ; the band .was in perfect tune, volume and tone -being all that could be desired. Baritone weak in - 63 ; trombone medium in <;are iza — a broken note with a reservation re soprano shake, and I have ai i. all that a critic can say in qualification of as fine a rendering as it is possible to conceive of. The basses deserve honorable mention. Feilding Band. The following is a copy of notes taken during the performance of " Maritana" by the above band. First movement, start very good ; bass note missed in 3rd bar ; tone and timbre r good. Allegretto — 2nd " horn out of tune, ' bad time, note struck during rest. Larghetto — Time varying; «iiphonium medium.' Cadenza — very good. Alas those Chimes— Basses and accompaniments badly out of tune. Of Fairy Wand — Tone good ; tune the weak point. There is a Flower — Trombone weak in . tone and power. 0 my Courage — Euphonium played like a horn. Cornet recitative good ; horn out of tune. King of Spain— Well played. Turn on old time — "R&ih&r slow; euphonium out o£ tune. Finale — well played by all ; cornet the best soloist in band. " Linda di Chamouni" : — Larghetto — <Jood time at start ; good bass ; horn out of tune; cornet and euphonium well played ; good quality. Allegro — Well played; bass note before time. Piu . Allegro— Well taken. Andante— Baritone fair ; soprano medium ; enphonium fair ; inner parts out of tune. Allegretto— Time marred ; trombone fair ; style not good ; next three movements well played ; basses very good in finale. Band — Good body of tone. Marton Band. ." Martha " is a weak selection for contest purposes, the horn solo alone being up to the standard. The time changes -were the strong, point from a judge's standpoint.' The playing was rough ; And the tone yery poor ; there were two -wrong notes , the trills were omitted by the euphonium ; the band was only fairly -well in tune. Style, indicative of first principles. " Linda- di Chamouni " opened in an -uncertain manner — time, varying ; tune, >only fair ; soprano, not heard in second movement,; allegro, well played ; andante, j baritone weak; cornet, poor start, and | weak in tone ; bad tune m inner parts ; ■euphonium out of tune; allegro, bad .time; soprano, weak in. Bhake; trombone, missed "A " in cadenza ; solo, fair ; andante, wrong mote in accompaniment ; allegro, good tempo, poor style ; horns, out of tune ; tone and timbre, only <foir ; accelerando, not a change of metronome, only a gradual increase. JPalmerston Band. " Queen of Harmony" is wnolly un•Buited .for a contest piece ; ifthecaden■zas "were cut out it would make a good inarching tune ; there are no solos worth speaking of, and the general style is very poor indeed; it certainly belies its name ; it was not -well played and will not' bear .criticism/,- *" -'I Linda di Chamouni" was not well - rendered ; its faults are so numerous that J feel criticism would be out of place. I .." beg therefore to allow my notes to speak . ' , for themselves and I trust they will be of "' ~v!jervi<je.V : J [ .... ;. ■ *• To- «laj Messrs Power and Bussell pt M»ngao n S»' ta 4vertwM- for sale clean . - «i)cksfooj gc&& Seed.' '-

First Second Grand Bands— Night. Night. 'Total. Garrison ... 42 36 78 J Gray's • ... 30 43 73 FeiMing ... 30 36 66 Marton ... 30 26 56 j Palinerstbn .... 24 26 50