THE BAND CONTEST.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 89, 8 January 1908, Page 8

THE BAND CONTEST.

A DISCORDANT NOTE. jEUTENANT HERD REPLIES TO ■ ' ; CRITICS.;' m our issue .of yesterday there appeared a statement (telegraphed from Dunedin) from the Secretary of tho Kaikorai Band, Mr. J. G. Osborne,. giving reasons why that band had decided to withdraw from tho coming band contest. This statement was' published in the Dunedin "Star" following upon a paragraph in. tho Dominion of December 31, in which it was suggested that the selection of a local bandmaster, as judge for tho contest was justified by Lieutenant Herd's high qualities as a musician. , Further, the Secretary. of tho Kaikorai Band, in his statement, alleges-that Lieutenant Herd, at the Mastertori contest had obtained from the judge (Mr. J. Ord Humo) the points.for the first night's selection the same..evening. • "Again," says the telegrain, "on unimpeachable authority, we aro informed that, Mr. Herd found out thenamo of one of the test selections Jor tho last New Plymouth contest', and cabled Homo, and also to Italy, and thus procured the full score of 'L'Ebreo' before it was given outto the bands, thus giving him an advantage. In the face,of these facts, we ask,the public, whether wo were not justified in deciding not to spend . £200 in going to a contest to play under Mr. Herd." '■'('■ LIEUTENANT HERD'S REPLY. V . A representative of the. Dominion .inters viewed Lieutenant Herd yesterday afternoon with reference to tho above statement.,, "The' Secretary of the Kaikorai Band is entirely wrongs" remarked Lioutenant Herd. "The position, with regard to the Masterton; incident/Was this:—l was staying at the same hotel as Mr. Hume, and after the' first selection had been played I was going to bed when Mr. Dixon (agent for Messrs. Boosey, instrument makers) invited; mo. to como into Mr. Hume's room. • Mr. Humo, without any suggestion whatsoever from me, gavo : mb the resets of the first selection. I was disgusted, and said so. Mr. Hume remarked that it was customary, in English contests, for tho marks to be announced immediately after each selection. I thereupon informed the Secretary of tho Association (Mr. Fi J. Oakes), who called a meeting of bandsmen. Mr.'Hume was present at. the ■ meeting, as also was Mr.'Dixon, who supported my statement as to what had oc- ! . curred in Mr. Hume's room. ■ The. meeting,with ono exception, approved of. my action in informing the Secretary of the Association, and the matter, then dropped.

With regard: to the second allegation contained in ,-Mr. Osborne's statement; 'in which he accuses me of having obtained an unfair advantage, over my opponents by procuring tho score of .'L'Ebreo'in advance, my reply is that immediately the name,. of the selection was made jjublic, I cabled Homo for tho score. Any. other enterprising: bandmaster would have done tho same thing." . HOW THE "TEST PIECE'; IS SELECTED.

.The procedure with respect to band contest selections is stated to be as follows When a contest has been decided upon, the secretary of the executive of tho . Bands' Association- is - instructed 'to ' write Homo' 'to a firm of (usually.. Messrs. R. Smith and-;.C0.), asidng them t-o selecta suitable test piece, for a contest of grade ""A" or, "B," as. tho case/raay be. Tho. particular pieco solected is-not known to. the local; executive.. Immediately, upon tho arrival in the Dpminion of tho muSic; tho shipment is handed over- either to tile President -of the Bands' Association, or' the Mayor of the town-in which the contest is to take place. Precisely three months from the date of the contest. ,the music is distributed to the competing bands; so that each . may practise on tho 'set piece on equal - terms. An enterprising, conductor, on receipt of his score, may cable Home for the " opera' score," containing the' words',' .as' this is of great assistance to him in arriving st an artistic interpretation of the music. I THE ' ELECTION OF JUDGE. " Opinions diffor as to the method of appointing judges for band contests. At present, the rule is that oiily competing bands have, a voto. It is held. by. some that , the election-should be conducted under the auspices of the fall Association, each.; affiliated band baring a vote, whether competing in the contest, or not. In tho opinion of some, a band should have tho option of withdrawing from the contest if the result of the election does not meet with. its approval, although tho more sportsmanlike courso would certainly be to accept the ruling of the majority. ENTRIES 'FOB THE CONTEST. (BT TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Eiew Plymouth, January 7. Twelve bands have entered in tho A grade at the approaching contest, and seven in tho B grade. Following are additional ontrios Baritone solo, 17; flugel horn, 10; E-flat bass, 15; B-ilat. bass, 8; 88. bass, 12; euphonium, 14; B-flat cornet, 36; E-flat comot (soprano), 13; tenor trombone, 20; bass trombone, 8; tenor horn, 2"; trombone trio, 11; quartette, 18; drums, 7 each. So far no bands have notified withdrawal from the contest.