BANDS AND BANDSMEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1905, Page 10

BANDS AND BANDSMEN.

(By Presto.)

To-morrow the united bands of Auck- | land will give a grand performance in the Domain Cricket Ground in aid of the widow and family of the late Harold Penno, of Waihi. The massed bands will open with the "Dead March" from "Saul," and then each band will play a selection or march, closing with a massed march. This is a particularly distressing ease, the widow being left, I understand, with four children, and as Aucklanders have a good name for being generous for a cause such as this I trust when the collection is taken up the contest treasurer (Mr Hill) may be üble to hand over a good amount. The following letter from Mr XV. S. King, the judge at the late contest, came to hand this week:—"Dear Presto'—l have just perused the letter written by Mr Parker, solo cornettist of the Wellington Garrison Band, which appeared in your column on March 4th, and with .your permission will reply, as it- appeas >from Mr Parker's remarks that he '-Wfja somewhat afraid that his style would not please mc. He has done himself and mc an injustice—himself first, in not placing confidence in m .V judgment of his musical worth, as did all the soloists of repute who were present at the Auckland contest, and to mc for several reasons, one of which is his statement that I judged him at Tiniaru in October, 1903, and the impression likely to be conveyed is that he played in the solo competition, which, however, is not the case. However, in the rendering of the selection, Mr Parker played solo cornet for Kaikorai, and I preferred Mr Buckley's playing to his. I have never judged Mr Parker in solo competition, and 1 had looked forward with some pleasure to hearing him at Auckland. Every artiste shows to advantage in a different way, and that I was well pleased with Mr Parker at Auckland was shown in my remarks of his excellent rendering of the bolero movement solo in 'La Straniera.' This particular effort of his was very charming, but I do not altogether admire his rendering of the cornet solo in 'Mendelssohn,' but he probably played as lie was instructed to. An artistic performance always appeals to mc, and had Mr Parleer 'faced the music' in the solo event his reputation would not have suffered in any one's estimation even had he been beaten by the ■wonderful exhibition of the winner, Mr Kerr. Besides, there was just room enough to have won the cornet contest if something sensational in the way of a performance had been put np after No. 1 player's effort. Bandsmen look to artistes of Mr Parker's standing , to give on great occasions masterly renderings of a solo as did Mr Kerr. I feel that Mr Parker has perhaps unconsciously misunderstood mc and my methods, and probably on reflection will himself feel that he should, as all the great artistes did at Auckland, have submitted himself to the test, and shown that confidence in the judge which his brother-bandsmen did. I trust if again Mr Parker should have the opportunity to play under my adjudication that he will 'embrace it and eliminate from his mind any such idea that he may 'play at a disadvantage and not do himself justice.' If he is the artiste I take him to be, he will never fail to at least do himself justice." With reference to this matter, my footnote to Parker's letter has been taken in the wrong light. I said Parker was justified in doing what he did— that is, if he didn't want to play there was no one could make him; but I did not say that I agreed with him that Mr King was biassed, and he was right in not playing before him. Mr King has answered Mr Parker, and the public can judge for themselves, as the matter, as far as this column is concerned is closed. * I purpose giving a review of the new scheme for judging put forward by Mr Eugene Hulse of this pity. In his fetter to mc this gentleman states that he has been watching our contests for some years, and he notices there is always d lS satisf.iction at them, and that after a good deal of time and thought he puts forward a new idea, but as he docs not claim infallibility for it. he would be pleased to receive any suggestions from my numerous readers. He starts with two judges for first class contests, and one for second ela=s. but instead of the old way of each judging the whole band I the work under the Hulse scheme is divided into fourteen sections, each judge having half. John Brown takes the sections under the following headings:—Attack and precision, mvi -(•«<*, ensemble, balance, intonation, interpretation, dynamics. The maximum number of marks under each heading is as follows:—No. 1 15, 2 15, 3 15, 4 15, 5 15, C 25, 7 5, total 105. Now comes the point which strikes mc as being the kernal of the whole thing. At the present time a judge makes his remarks to the shorthand writer, and after the performance he makes up his points and (say for attack the maximum is 20) says his performance warrants mc taking off 4 points, leaving J6 to their credit. Now, there may be six movements in the selection in qnestion, and how is the conductor or hand to find where their ;attack was incorrect? It is an impos-

sibility. I am not finding fault with the judge, but the system. Under the Hulse system, the conditions are altered. For instance Mr Hulse has taken one of J. Ord. Hume's judgments and moulded them into his system, with the following result:—Allo. brill—Good attack but too noisy for indoor "work, as loud as can be possibly blown (interpretation 2). Maestoso —A little better now, and the band do well; letter A, is far too dreary and dead, good hand nevertheless, but far too slow (interpretation 2). Andante —Again far too slow and striving for effect (interpretation 1). Cornets are not in tune at B (intonation 1). Allegretto —Very good. Andante —Band all right, although the weary tendency prevails, good band, but not correct style of rendering (interpretation 2); Moderato —Very much too accented, in every detail, by quartette (dynamics 2). Graso—Very fine playing, although accents too N much marked (dynamics 1). Pomp—Good, although loud nuances 1), letter F excellent; repiano breaks note at opening (intonation 1); accompts are detached (ensemble 2). Allegro—Good playing, but letter H is deadly in vengeance (interpretation 2). And. Espress—Nice duo cornets, and this movement plays well; quartette not directly in tune (intonation 1). Allegro —Aecompts are a shade too prominent (balance 1). —John Brown, Adjudicator.