THE EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2517, 3 May 1882, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

There was a very large attendance of visitors at the Exhibition lost evening, when the first of the band contests took place. The contest was held in the concert hall, and the various bands performed in turn, decided by lot, on the dois used by the Austrian Band during the afternoon. The concert hall and the avenues leading thereto were crowded to excess. The order of playing, as determined by lot, was as follows :—No. 1, O Y.O. Band ; 2, Christchurch Artillery Band; 3, Timaru Artillery Band ; 4, Lyttelton Brass Bind ; 5, City Guards Band. The O. Y.O. Bund led off with a selection from “ Criapino e Oomare,” which was carefully played throughout. The only fault noticeable in the rendering of the piece was a hesitancy in taking up the change of movement. The (uphonium solo was well played. The Christchurch Artillery Band, reed and brass, came next with a pot pourri of national airs, which was nicely given. The Timaru Band, which followed, displayed excellent time and harmony of the instruments, the band being well balanced and the bass instruments especially capitally played. The addition of a side drum would greatly have improved the rendering of the piece chosen. The Lyttelton Brass Band, though playing fairly well, was overmatched, and the selection of the pieoe made was not a good one. The City Guards Band played selections from “ Z?. trips, ” with much care and effect. The only fault that could be found with this band was the preponderance of brass as compared with the reeds. Taken as a whole on the first performance the Timaru band and the City Guards stood about equal for first place, with a similar result between the 0.Y.0, and the Christchurch Artillery bands. The former, however, it should be remembered, played a more difficult piece of music than the latter, and here it msy be remarked that the fairer method of testing the efficiency of the competing bands would have been to have given each the same piece of music to play. The Christchurch Artillery Band played a second piece, Mendelssohn’s “ Wedding March,” the soft passages in which were hardly given with the effaot they should have been. The City Guards band played a fantasia by Smith, “Hororia,” very nicely indeed. The decision of the judges was announced to be as follows :—Timaru Artillery band, 1 ; City Guards band, 2; and Christchurch Artillery band, highly commended. The judges were, Meters Wells, Landergan, N. G. Barnett, Tendall, and R. Walton. The decision was received with loud cheers. After the judges’ award had been made known, the winning band played an excellent selection from “ Patience ” very nicely indeed. Tonight the Orchestral Society, under the baton of Signor Sorgr, will play. The number of persons paying for admission was 5357. It is much to be regretted that the Oamaru band, whoso playing was so much admired during their recent visit, was unable to take part in the competition.