BAND COLUMN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 70

BAND COLUMN.

Notes bt Cobnet.

Secretaries of bands are invited to send in interesting paragraphs, also brief reports of parades and other functions in which their bands take part. nAII communications should be addressed to " Cornet," Otago Witness office. Congratulations to the Mornington Band. Though quite unsuccessful in the minor competitions of the North Island Bands' Association's band contest at New Plymouth, a Dunedin band managed to secure the big contest, and for the second year in succession the championship comes to Duncdin — a record. Assiduous practice for three months has brought its reward to the " hi!l " men, and it is to be hoped that tho members will stick together and maintain ihe- proud position they have reached. Thf first test selection, " Gems of Schumann," was played at night on the Recreation Grounds. The first band started about 7 o'clock, the competition terminating about 11.30 p.m. An audience of 4-000 attended. This number was considerably reduced by a shower coming on at 10 o'clock. Ten minutes after the last band had finished Lieutenant Herd ascended the platform with the N.1.8.8.A. Executive, the Local Contest Committee, and bandmasters. Ths decision, to say the least of it, was unexpected, the great mass of the public favouring Woo'ston, Masterton, and Hastings, jn that order, for the A Grade. The B Grade bands were warmly congratulated on their performances by the senior bands. In the second test piece, "William Tell,"' the points awarded were : — Mornington, 146 ; Auckland let Battalion, 142 ; Woolston, 140; Nelson, 130; Taranaki. 125; Hastings, 124; Masterton, 125. The- Mornington Band, therefore, took first prize, of £100, in the A Grade for most points in the two selections with 282 points, Auckland Ist Battalion being second with 286 points, and Woolston (275 points) third. The Besson Shield, for highest points in music, including the march, was won by Auckland Ist Battalion, with 381 points. For the B Grade bands the first prize, of £00, went to Paimerston North, the Auckland Mounted Rifles being second, and Manaia third. The Boosey Shield, for most points in all music in the B Grade, went to Palmerston North. Before the start of the solo ompetitions the Executive Committee met to consider the advisability of postponing the opening till the afternoon, so that the competitors arriving: later could compete. However, a number failed to appear when piaees were drawn The judge remarked that in the baiitone solo competition the placing was I eood, and in one or two cases excellent. [ Gould (Waneranui) scored an easy win in the flugel horn contest. ! Th.3 quartet content was won by Nelson Garrison (" Operatic Gems "), with 77 points; Auckland Ist Battalion (" Oberon '") I scoml 75 points; Wool&ton No. 1 (" Hugue[nots"), third with 74 points. Other results were: Mornington. 73; Hastings. 73; Ma.sterton, 72; Wooiston, 71: Auckland No. 2, 71 ; Taranaki, 68. The winners' fine performance was characterised by good tone, tempo, and balance. The second prizeparty als •. gave a good performance. Lieutenant Herd made reference to the fine playing of the Hastings quartet in "Faust," and said it was a tuneful performance. The judge, in announcing the result of the sopi'ano cornet contest, complimented Williams (Woolston), the winner, on his performance. He said he had been associated with " Tancredi " for many years, and the winner had given a very intelligent rendition of it. Th« B flat cornet section attracted a large attendance, and the piaying was full of m'-nt. Lieutenant Herd, in announcing the result, stated that his task had been a most difficult one. He had thought, after the trombone competition, that he had had his heaviest task, but the cornets were equally as difficult, inasmuch as there were so many really good performances, and there was no e^at difference hctween the first i*nd last placers. After announcing tho lOsuHs. the judge 6tated that he had great difficulty in settling the second place owing to the great disparity between the two solos selected. They were entirely different, one principally showing on"y the ability of the performer in the upper register. He had, however, been unable to separate them. Mr Fox's <yin was very popular. In the E flat bass content R. Wilson (Woolfeton). "In Cellar Cool,"' 60 points, was first; E. Stock (Taranaki), "Will Ye No Come Back," 59 points, second : and S. Signal (Wanganui)" "Ponderous," 58 points, third. Other competitors -were: G. Hurst (Manaia), 54; F. G. Hail (Mornington), 55 ; W. Coughlan (Mornington), 56: J. Hollows (Palmerston), 56; C. Winter (Masterton), 57; "E. Ivensen (Stratford), 54; W. White (Hastings), 57. The judge, in announcing Jie results of tho BB bass and G trombones, said he mU6t compliment the competitors on their performances, especially those in the Q trombone section. The winner's performance was as fine an exliibition of bass trombone playing ac he had heard for many a lonff J

yoar. His tone wae warm and his expression 6plondid. In short, he had played almost faultlessly. The player of "Song Birds" had unwisely chosen too difficult a solo, and in future should play a simpler piece.

The Dunedin Garrison Band were engaged for the floral gymkhana on Saturday afternoon at Tahuna Park. In addition to the incidental music for the various programme items of the afternoon's entertainment, the band discoursed a few wcll-s-eleoted and much-appreciated pieces, which added greatly to the pleasure of the audience.

At the Volunteer parade of rifle companies on Sunday morning to church service, more than passing notice was taken of the Garrison Band, Lieutenant S. George in command. Every man of a good muster looked spiok and span in full regulation uniform, and marched well. The " mufti " members as in other bands, get no hearing in die Garrison. That is as it should be, even if the writer of these notes himself has, of late years, been a stranger to a uniform. Good marches were rendered for the parade.

Although out of my latitude in criticising the marohing of the whole parade (except the band) was simply execrable on King Edward road. No excuse could be offered as the Pipe Band was playing at the time. Crooked lines, men out of step, and an officer in kharki uniform (I think of tho Gaversham Rifles) striding along in his everyday step, utterly ignoring the musio and hie company. The Volunteers by their bearing and marching, gave the parade a rabble appearance. Lieutenant George, could he have seen the. marchingbehind, would have been pardoned for taking his band out of such (I must say an exceptional) a " rccruity " looking procession.

Perhaps the absence of female beauty on the sidewalks had a lot to do with the " don't-care-how-we-lcok-or-march appearance of the Volunteers." Slouch brothers, slouch ; and they did slouch. Favoured by an exceptionally fine night, the Kaikora.i Band gave another of the series of their projected open-air concerts, the location being the- St. Kilda rotunda. An audience numbering two thousand assembled in and around the enclosure, and contributed a substantial sum in aid of the Ballarat trip The applause bestowed on tho various numbers was ample proof of the music and playing being to the public taste. The playing of the National Anthem (complete, and let me add here, on that account highly appreciated, and on this occasion applauded) terminated the programme, made up of the following items :— March, " Collingwood " ; waltz, " Mello " (Waldteufel) ; American march, "Mr Thomas Cat " ; scottische, " CJorinda " ; descriptive piece, " Tho smithy in the wood " ; march. " The Challenge " ; selection, "In ole Kentucky." The secretary of the Kaikorai Band is in receipt from Mr W. D. Hill, secretary of the Ballarat "Competitions Society, of circulars and letters giving all information re- the contest in that city in October next. Mr Hill, on behalf of the competitions executive, writes that it will give himself and committee trreat pleasure to welcome the Kaikorai Band to Ballarat. He will do all in his power to make the trip a success, and probably substantial financial assistance will be- forthcoming in aid of the first band from New Zealand to attend the Ballarat contest. Accommodation arrangements will be left in Mr Hill's hands, while the band is on "the other side." If the proposed tour in Australia and 1 New Zealand of the R.A. (Royal Artillery) Band from England eventuates, bandsmen ■will hear what the London crack military bands can do. The R.A. is a doublehanded band (orchestral and military), and is regarded as the finest concert band in England. The writer, during the New Zealand Band's tour, Jiad the pleasure of hearing this fine combination at several concert* at the Albert Hall. Another musical feast (of a different order to Bee^a) is in store for the public of rsew Zealand.