BAND CONTEST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 59, 28 February 1908, Page 3

BAND CONTEST.

nil-: oricKsj'j;p coum-mox.

TAIi.iXAKI liAlililSoN J; VNjJ VICTOKKHS. Ureal a-. had been tin- truwds in tlii K&reation Sports i (round 01l \v r dncs il.'.v afternoon ami evening, (lie ( -v,t |»>|>iiliir mau-hing competitions in con wction witli the Hand Contest ycsier 'lay afternoon attracted a contour,c that easily eclipsed those «.f (he two prcviou, j;,y,. From near and far tho people poured into town (lining tin. wind,, of tlit' illuming and the early part til Iho afternoon. Two train., fruiii the M.iuth brought in ~v i. r lifteoii Imndrcd e\cur,ionisls, and tin- .streets el New Plymouth. |irior tu tiie commen.v- ---[ meut of the competitions, presented an animated sc , the throng boiog -welled liv |ieople arriving by road fro.ii the whole of the surrounding district. At aliout 1 o'clock the crowd lined the route to the Recreation .Sports Ground, and presently the bauds, mustering in Kgmoiit-street marched to the con-vincing-ground, playing lively quicksteps. By this time the immense gathering of people was converging on the -ports arena, and soon almost evenavailable niche of seating accoiuuioda-

tion was taken up. Hundreds liued the rails, and the terraces were "doubl.' hanked." people sitting along the hank-

[ -\nd above the terrace- the people male thcmsclve- as comfortable as ciraim--tanee- would permit. And hundreds "I visitors trolled alwut the grounds themselves. I'robably (his beautiful spot lias never before looked .so attractive. The bands drew for places and formed up along the north side of the arena, where they were inspected by -Major Maloue, whilst Mr. (J. 11. lawn judged the instruments. It was a splendid panoramic scene. Then MorningI ton. which ha,l drawn first place, I »p to the starting-point, and from this | time until about 5 o'clock there was an almost continuous volume of music from ] I the eleven competing liands. .Mr. C Trussells march "X.1.&8.A." having been chosen for rendition, fn passing, it may be as well to quote the opinion' of a competent musician that the quickstep is -too severe to be played on the march and too embellished'to march to." The piece, however, whilst not

. exactly one tliat would be chosen by I the conductor of any military band for i Playing on the march, was an attractive setting, and was splendidly treated bv the majority of the competing bands. I The greatest interest was evinced :n I the military evolutions, the public being ! quick to recognise and applaud go.id marching and wheeling. The Taranaki Harrison Band received a very flatterin" reception, and its whole performance drew forth hearty plaudits from the visitors as well as Irom the local people. The judge did not keep the public waiting long for the results, which were received with loud cheering. Taranaki's win wis a very popular one. This band has always given a good account of itself hi the quickstep contest, and at the 19U2 contest in New I'lyinouth it finished third (dead heat with Dennistou), Wanganui and l'almerston tilling the other two place,. From a study of the points awarded by the judges it will be seen that Taranaki led in the military points, and no baud scored higher -n music. Bandmaster Mt-Counell and Drum-Major Lister were the recipients of hearty congratulations. The plucky Manaia Band, the only real count v band ill the contest, put'up an excellent performance for so young a combination. Mr. t'osgrove has only had charge lor a few months, and some of the player, in leading parts have had less than a year's experience. Added to this, it must be taken into consideration that -Manaia ha, no local military organisation for the training of the" men. The public, proliably fully aware of these difficulties heartily "applauded the efforts of the budding contestants, who. !

by entering in competition with the best lands in the Dominion, had showed i thir-t for knowledge that does not seem to lie shared by many of our provincial band-.

The heat during the afternoon was very oppressive at ti s. anil the bands had a rather warm task. The heat and

nervous strain proved too much for Mr. McLeod. 'conductor of the Ma-ter'ton Band, anil he had to be removed in a cab.

A word of praise i, duo to the .supervisor, the secretary, and to the marshal, as well as to the other officers of the day, for the prompt and smooth-run-ning management. After the contest the drum solos wo-p decided, and then the uia» s ed bauds played the quiek-tep "N.1.8.8.A." under the Ibton of Mr. M. Cohen, president of the North Island Brass Rands Asso-

ciation. This was a magnificent performance, whose memory will probably long endure.

Military Music Points Points Total Taranaki Gar'n ISOi W> 276J Hasterton ... 17'Ji U3 272 J WooUton ... 17a 'j(j 271 Palmerston >"... 177 1.(1 '.12 2<iy 1-0 Nelson Garrison 172 A 1)5 2071 Auckland Bat. 171 115 2lilj Morning ton ... 171 i 88 251) 3 Hastings ... ltiti 1-ti 81) 255 1-0 Mart n ... 17UJ 81 251J Manna ... 150 811 2;W Auckland Hides MS 82 230

We give below a detailed list of the points sound by ttic competing bands, naming them in the order ol playing. Mi'ruiugton.—Dressing 8, intervals 8, steadiness !». general appearance S, forming inarching order 7, cleanliness ol instruments in, march from point A I" II S'/ s . first lounienn.uch BVs. march ir..in li to A!l 1 ti. second counterniarcli s i :;. Irfi nun !•. in,tub to point C 8, lighi turn s. hi.irt-li lioin point Cto D s J-:;, right whorl 4 l-ii. inarch to point K ami halt t l-:i. lime IT, paces HI iKli.ll iii.in-hiiig [minis 7b 2-:>i: total mililarv [iiiiiils 171. mti-ic 88: gland ! total. 2511 ■>:;.

Auckland Mounted Rille.. - - Dre-ing li. intervals 8. steadine:s I), general appearance 7, forming marching order u', cleanliness of instruments 20. march from A to 1! 8 5-li. first loiintcrmar.'h ft. march « to A B'/;, second cc lerni.irch 8 2-3, left turn 8. march to C 7, rigl'n turn V.. march C Im I) S. right v.! 1 t. march I" E and lull 4. time 7 . pare. II ,i..i.,| niiiivhing poinl- :■'■■■ . : total Hliiit.ll-. point- US. 0111-ii-SJ: -I .ili.l total. ?.UK N.'l-n. Ilie-iug :.. intervals 5. -loadillo-- '.I. general appearance S. fi'iniiiig ni.ii'eliing older 7. . le.iuliii.--i.f in-tiiinieul- 211. nun-h fnuii point A to II !!'_.. fil-t l»lllUellii,ll.ll '.I l-i;, march from li t" A 8',,. .croud miniiormaich 8 2-: i. left turn 8 2-: i. niar.h |.. I 8'.... right turn 8 2-Ji. march from C ... I) S'... right wheel I. march to F. and hal: 4 I-.'!, lime 2". p;ic-.-s 20 Iti.lal inarching points- 78'/.. 1: tc.ta! military p-.in!- 172'',. iniisic !>5: grand total. 2«7' : .

laranaki llarri.-uii.-Dre—iii" ii. in lei ...I- 7. St«>adine-- !t. general appearand- s. /..ruling i-[-liin« order P. clean- | line-- tif in-tniiiiont- ■•<>. march from \ I t" I! !>. lir-t i-utinl i-riiijtn-li !»','-• niiircli fr-. -i If in A S .Vii. .-.-cowl cou,ilerniar:li '-' I ■'■': left turn s 2 :>. march to (' !> l-.1. ri-lif turn !i 2:1. march from ( to i) '.I I ::. riylit «"l I 4 US. march l» K jiii>l iiilt ."i. time- IS. pace- ill (total mareliinj point- Kl ]-:(i: total military |x>ints 1.-o l-.1. mii-i.- !Mi: "rand total. 27H l-'l. Ma-teil.m. -leidin.--- '.I. ndieral appearance °. tririiiiii!.' nun onlor !i. eloauliiies- jf in-liiiiuent* -'». march from A to I! ll'/.. ti.-t countermarch II marcli from I! 'o A s •_'.:;. -..,,111(1 countermarch ,S oil. loft turn S 2 :i. inarch to T M .Vii. rijjlit tu.'n •■'■ march from f to 1) S 2-.'l. rijllit wheel I '■:!. much to K ami lialt 4 .ill. time 17. |MK>« 17 ftnla! innrchin" points u " '■■■'■ total niilitarv point- I7u l-'l. inu-ic !i;i: j-rand total 272 1 !!. ! .Marlon. 11r,.-i„ L , ,;. i„(,.| V „|. :;. i -'"•"'' "• general appearance S. ! i".i„i„._. ni:, r ,.liin« order 7. iit-triiment-j It', ni-.r.-ii (>..„. A to I! ,« ■_'.;(. tir-t ~„„ii. | I'" f!i *''.-. leant, n-,,,,1 I! io A H, I"" r| -""ntr-nnircli :i. 1,.f( |„ n , s l-.t. ! "■■'-' lor s :,.-,. ,;-M tn-ii S 141. mai-1, | f-:i r fo I) s ■•.::_ rijlil v 1,,.,.] 4 1 ii. 1 no.r..i, t „ T" arc! !,alt r. ihn,. \<M/... pace; | t.if military noiiiu I7'i I :i. inn-i- SI • "rand tot.', r-' 1-:!. H.-tin--. |).v-.in.. :. i-.1.-.-voK 11. -'..,.1ie., P. ~,-:,. -.1 ~„«.,ran.- 7. I'l. march A lo II X |.:i. fir-t c.mnf.intarcii n 1-ij. maun from 13 to & fl 2-.'i.

I EII'HO.MLM SOLOS. j The lupliuiiiiiiu -olos wen- decided J yesterday iimrnin;. -Seven soloi,is competed, and tne ju.ige s decision was: j It. Kstall ('.'umlMoiii, •I'iilii, li.md. • j 01 point i j 11. K. Cudby (laranaki), "Sung- j birds," 03 point- .. ■"• - I I. iluglie- i.\ei,onl, ••Songbird-." 1)2 j point- .. ".. .. 3 I Also competed: l-Jlder. Wiiiulc, U„u- • I ton. and lirubb. The judge eoinpliniei,!- I ed the winner on his performance, wlii.-h j wa-, lie -aid. a magnilicent exposition, the tone, expression, anil execution' being very line.