BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 247, 21 November 1914, Page 4

BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

The Ballarat Contest. Although the Rozelle Band carried off the chief honours by winning the first prize (£225) and the BoOsey shield, valued at 75 guineas, the two Ballarat bands, i.e., Ballarat City and the Orphanage Bands, had a good share between them. They-accounted for seven out of the nine events. Mr Percy Code, their conductor, was the recipient of many congratulatory messages on his meritorious win. The boys were carried shoulder high near the City Hall, but notwithstanding this they continued play big. • .

Ballarat City won the B grade selection, test, own choice, first prize £6O and cup valued at 75 guineas, 144 points and 143 points,' total 287. They also won the A grade quickstep, with a total of 184 1-5 points, £3O, and the B grade quickstep with a total of 176 3-5 points, £2OO. They won the Hawke's Shield with a total of 915 3-5 points, and were second in the A grade with 457 1-5. The Orphanage won the C grade (test), 143 points, and own choice .133 points, total 276 points, "and the quickstep with a total of 1.82* points, and the Button Cup with "SBQi points. The test pieces were as follow: A grade, '' Dinorah "; B gra de, '' Viva,'' Beethoven; C grade, "Mirella." Rozelle played "Beethoven" as their own choice, Ballarat City. "Valkyrie," and the Orphanage Band "Verdi." As Christchurch bandsmen are not to be favoured with a personal criticism of their playing by this very able adjudicator, I give here a specimen of Mr Beswick's remarks on the playing of the Rozelle Band of the "Dinorah" selection. Allegretto 2-4. Ensemble,opening clear; chorus.'not cheerful enough, though good playing; andantino quasi allegretto, accompaniments neat, shade long, though cornet nice tone and style, marks and entries fair, tempo feels slow a shade, cadenza good. ; .Allegretto moderato 2-4: The light accompaniments neat to a degree; comet evidently good player; various details nice here; cadenza, good cornet. Allegretto moderato to C: Trombone opens nicely with quality; blending of tone pretty indeed; working out from tutti too loud; careful of marks; p. 14 fair. Allegretto, 3-4: Attack good distinctly, and rhythm in chorus joyful, good; expression marks praiseworthy; a nice section, very, is this. Allegretto Con spirito: Attack and precision in ensemble good again here, together. Andante quasi allegretto: Accompaniments neat, entries carefully managed; euphonium in light theme neat, but vary tone more; cadenza good euphonium. Molto vivace, 6-16: Opens out well, crisp rendering; andantino allegretto, accompaniments quiet, please, or well together; trombone solo very careful, could stand out more; semi-figure, bar 15, very fairly detailed; general

(By "MAESTRO.' 9 )

effect onwards with cornet good, lento pretty indeed. Andantino; allegretto, 6-8: Rhythm and entries noted well; one good player here; nice section onwards; allegretto agitato, short section neat, smart playing. Allegretto moderate, to 3-4: Aria opens out well; good; as sung in the opera; rhythm and marks good; well rehearsed; fine cornet; soprano not heard in 38 and £0 bars ) ensemble of band line indeed;! all along a fine general performance. .Points, 146. I should like to give the other, but short space forbids. Big Improvements. Mr Beswick spoke highly of the A grade bands, and said that there was a remarkable improvement in tone and balance since he was there seven years ago. He attributes this to the visits of the '' Besses- 'o-the-Barn'' : Band. He says there is still something wanting in getting that lovely organ tone and perfect balance of all the instruments. The Har-. hour Trust's playing in their own choice was a thrilling performance—one that you would remember for a lifetime. The different instrumentalists calling for special mention w r ere as follow: —The cornets were excellent, the euphoniums good, and the sopranos not so good. He was delighted with the Orphanage boys for their volume and quality of tone and their steadiness. He thinks that Mr Code's experience with..B(3sscs and his tour in England has much to do with this, coupled with the fact that he is a young man and would get more out of the boys as a rosult. Mr Beswick suggests having a preliminary contest for the< soloists, and have ; only those who can reach a certain standard of excellence to play at the solo contest proper. Tins is the third year in succession in which Mr Code lias won the B grade contest. In 1912 he led the band of Warrnambool City to victory, and this is his second year with Ballarat City. An Enthusiastic Band. Mr W. Partington, of Rozelle, nays that his baud did not practice very much for this contest, and that it was a hard job for them to get there; but they had worked very hard for the Brisbane contest in August last. They have already won £(500 in prize money this year, and secured" three firsts. They have not cut up any of the money, or of what they have got for engagements among themselves. It has all gone to the band funds, and they have received nothing for lost time. They have won the Boosey Shield three times in succession at South Street, and have now got one win on the new one — tywy won the Besson Cup outright in Sydney last January. They have been to Victoria five times in three years. Mr Partington says that his men would not stay in the band if he did not take them to two or three contests in a year. They can see what other bands are doing; at the same time it's a bit of excitement. Most of the members of the band are engaged in work in Sydney connected with shipping, etc.

Mr Partington is not the founder of.the band," but it is certainly a monument to his handiwork, . A Strange Thing. ■*._.. I am indebted to the Ballarat "Courier" for these particulars, kindly lent by a friend. One of the-strangest things iu connection with the Rozelle Band winning this Boopey Cup is that they have been beaten in. the A Gmde selections every ■year exeept this year. • Here are the results:—l9ll—St. Augustine's (Geelong) 1, Rozelle (N.S.W.). 2, Prahran :•{.' Quickstep—Rozelle 1, St. Augustine's 2. Prahran 3. The Boosey. Shield (first year)—Rozelle 1, St. Augustine's 2, Prahran 3. 1012 —Geelong Municipal 1, Rozelle 2, Geelong Harbour Trust -T. , Quickstep—Rozelle ,1., Manly 2, Geelong H.T. 3 Boosey Cup (second year)—rßbzelle Si Augustine's'2, Adelaide Tramways J. Short Trumpet—The Rozelle Ban*. .191.* -Geelong H.T. Jy St; AugustineV<Geelong) 2, Rozelle 3. Quickstep-Bozelle 1, St Augustine's 2, Prahya* f. Cup—Rozelle 1, St. Augustine » -2. . The Lytteltoiri Marine Band.

The above band gave their .first eon-j cert for the Christclmrch Council Thursday, night at Victoria Sqirare. Thef programme, was an easy one. *o»owv m«- are a few remarks on the band s performance:—March, "Octavius " not, good in. attack, and th>- tone b± band thin. The parts were not well tmanceed. This march is a good one, but its performance showed several weak points, especially .ill technique- and ensemble. The cornet solo, "Come Sing to Me, was very well played by the soloist, but the accompaniments were too heavy, and there was far too many featheryedged chords in evidence. The band was lacking in ensemble. Waltz, Gold and Silver," not neat in opening, and chords not well balanced. The * ' Rose of England" selection, opening fanfare not good in divisi for -cornets, the inner also were much too weak in rhythm, and the harmony was poorly balanced, and a distinct falling away of tone, at allargando and triplets weak. Horn solo ("Pray Goodly'") was g iven Wlth good tone, but it was too tame,, r and lacking in metrical accent; There was no sense of inspiration felt all through this movement. The "Maypole Dance" was given in good style, but the band fell away towards the end. "Down Among the Dead Men" was a number Jacking in chpaeter, and the band lost tone after f, tand from the ff the bass was distinctly poor. The country dance, also the dance following at L, was not up to the standard. In " The White Squall," the trombone was too tame altogether, and this is a 6-g rhythm, not 2-4. The band from Oto P ; began to fall away. The cornet duet, * 'lda and Dot," has been done to jfleath on programmes here, and this time was far below the standard of previous performances, both-cornets having different styles, and also different methods of production. "Queen Anne" was the best played piece on the programme. In many places the band played well, but it lacked uniformity. An extra march was given here, including the French National Anthem. '' Through Bolts and Bars'' concluded the programme. The band seemed as though they had not had any rehearsals. C.Y.C. The C.Y.C. will play the following programme at Victoria Square next week: —March, "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" (ar. by Colin Thorn); overture, "Sylvian Glade '■' (Villiers); fantasia, ••'' National Melodies" (Godfrey); cornet solo, "Rio Grande" (ar. by Colin Thorn); soloist, Band-Sergeant F. J. Haughey; two-step, "Noisy Ned" (L. Parkinson); selection, "Wilkie Bard's Songs" (J. Ord Hume); new round dance, '' Hurndilla'' (Thurley Beale); march, "Our Defenders" (Ord Hume); "God Save-the King." ' ■