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New Zealand Listener, Volume 30, Issue 771, 30 April 1954, Page 5

Sir,-I hope Mr. Heawood and "J.M." (Gisborne) will admit that a good brass band, whatever the music, is much better to hear than an_ indifferent orchestra. Do they not find also that, in a good brass band, with perfect intonation, the harmonics ‘supply the full range of tonal colour? I often play myself a brass band record to supply the warmth and precision lacking in a preceding orchestral recording. It would be most enlightening to most of us, if we could have an analysis by Sir Malcolm Sargent of the pleasure he gets in conducting brass bands, which he has done quite often in transpositions and otherwise, and, I believe, solely for the pleasure he experiences in doing so. Personally, after the first 70 years, we seem to flit from flower to flower, musically, remembering the tit-bits and forgetting the tedium which can, with the help of the willing knob, be so easily transposed. In the latter (tit-bit) connection, who will ever forget the purity and delicacy of Mr. Braithwaite’s interpretation of the Jupiter Symphony at 1YC on April 8? Finally, even in a poor combination, think of the pleasure the performers get (or are striving for) and thank the NZBS for the opportunity given us to make our choice for listening,

WILL

CRANSTON

(Auckland).