THE BAND CONTEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8036, 25 January 1906, Page 2

THE BAND CONTEST.

AT lIA WEB A. WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS. (liy our Special Reporter.) Jlawuiia, January 21. The solos were continued this morning, and resulted :-- Ji Kbit Bass.-C. Gallop (Woolston) US, I;_N. Allen (Taranaki Garrison) '.M, i. These were the only performers, llie playing of eneh being characterised by the judge as very line. V, Flat Bass.---S. Signal (Wunganui) ,M, 1 ; T. Wilson (Woolston) ill), 2 ; 11. Segar (South Canterbury Battalion) <S7,:). F. Hutcheiis (Rua'hmc) 8(1, J. Hiirwood (Palmerstou North) Ho, and J. lioch (Taranaki (larrisou) St, also played. The playing all round was very good.

FIIiST TKST SULFATION. WON BY WANGANUI GARRISON. SOME SPLENDID PLAYfNG. (By our Special Reporter.) Hawhiia, Midnight. "L'Etoilc du Nord," the first test selection, was played to-night in the Show Grounds, which were very effectively illuminated by multi-coloured electric lights. A temporary rotunda had been erected near the grand-stand, on which the competing bands took their stand in turns. There were over Mill) people on the ground, and everyone was pleased with the innovation of having the test selections played in the open air.

Five bands competed, Woolston leading oil', and their effort was well received. South Canterbury Battalion next occupied the rotunda ; then followed Taranaki Garrison, Palinerston North, and Wangamii Garrison in that order. Each band was loudly applauded. Woolston seemed to find favour with the public, very early, and the liking for their efforts was strengthened until Wanganui came on to the stand. The filler band received n big hearing, but there was still some doubt as to which of the two would secure the judge s verdict. The piece is, undoubtedly, a very fine one, giving plenty of scope for magnificent and artistic music.

liESULTS. The judge, Mr King, prior to announcing (lie result, said (hey bad been treated to some very tine mid excellent playing. The maximum nuinlier of points mis 120. He awarded : Wanganui Garrison, 115 points ~, 1 Woolsron (Christeliureli), 11:1 points 2 South Canterbury Battalion ,„ 3 Palmcrstou North, lot points ~, ;! f.iranaki Garrison, till points. ... 5

JUDGE'S CIUTICISM. No. 1 Band (Woolston).—A very line performance. Features of the performance were attack and precision, so'.idily. good combination and interprelalim; in fact all the points that go to make up a first-class band. Eupoii in in solo was very excellently played, and I lie Horn and Trombone were very satisfactory. "I awarded points for a very excellent performance indeed."

No. 2 Band (South Canterbury Batlalli 'iii.-This bund showed very good features. They bad plenty of dasli and were very tuneful generally spent ing, though weaknesses were apparent. The opening movement was mncli faster I ban metronome, and in the Euphonium solo was very slow. Tilt Horn was not quite satisfactory. Tronibo ic was fair. Euphonium did a lot ol good honest work, but tone wanted ti be richer in quality. The spirit ol " the drinking song " movement wa> well interpreted. There was a great deal to please in the performance but it lacked many of the liner features ol the preceding band.

No. :i Bund (Taranaki Garrison).— Tliis bund opened out ol' tunc, and there were weaknesses in tune for some tune, but it became better. The bnml did not: work together well in the earlier part of the seleetion. There was a want of spontaneity in the manipulation of many passages. There was much lo please, and an excellent appreciation of movements required. The solo Cornet played prettily in places, and I lie Soprano was very good in places. The Euphonium was good I and I lorn and Trombone i'.iir.

No, I Hand (PalmeMon North.)— This Band in the heavy passages played with u good deal of firmness, but there was a good deal of looseness in some solo movements among the accompanying parts. (Solo cornctist played well. The soprano wanted a little more power. Un the whole very much the same class of perforinanw as that of No. 2, although, of course, different features wero apparent in either rendering. The bass end did not seem to be too strong in this Band. \

No. 5 Baud (Wangiinui).—A very excellent all-round performance, in which time, tone, attack, precision and solo playing were all admirable features. There was a line compact body of rich musical t me. The solo cornet playing was very beautiful. Two or three of the movements were a good deal astray from metronome lime, and I had to penalise this baud more than any other in this respect.