THE BAND CONTEST.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 443, 27 February 1909, Page 13

THE BAND CONTEST.

THE TEST SELECTIONS. \ COMMENTS ON THE PLAYING. fBT TBLKOEArB.—SPKCIAL COIIKISrOhDBKT.J . / Hastings, February 26l Attraoted by the playing of tho first selection and a beautifulcoof evening; a crowd of about 5000 people paid, for admission to the racecourse last night, and two or three hundred jumped the-'fence'.;; i V; ', The B grade competition : was taken first, the selection being "Songs of ; Northern Scotland," arranged by that prince of brass'band arrangers, J. Ord Hume. In many ways tho selection was not suitable for. a "test," hut the playing on tho whole was'excellent, although there was a big'difference of opinion among' tho' conductors as to the: interpretation and tempo. ,'•,.;•. ■.:-.■.■■■'.:-r-.!.-o-'- : >.-'- The bands played in the following order:— Hastings, Hawera, Gisborne, Manaia ■. (Taranaki), Petono Citizens, and.Stratford.,. -.'"'. The judge said his! maximum;points/were 200, and ho awarded Hastings, Town 163, Petone Citizens 160, Gisborne 150, Stratford 146, Hawera 140, and Mahaiai' 135. This.decision pleased the, local .'enthusiasts ' tremendously, but nas hot in accordance'with the general opinion. "The' issue :was'between Petone and Hastings, but'in my opinion the former won. Hastings, put up a splendid performance, but was, marred by 'being '■■: verymuch out of tune. The solo cornet was of great assistance in bringing the band to' victory, his tone being beautiful and'even, and his execution clean.; It-was a splendid achievement for their, young conductor, Mr. A. J. Berryraan. ■■".. The Petone Citizens Band .was the"dark horse' in the B grade, and they played in' a. manner that completely astonished, visitinoWellingtonians. Lieut. Herd; has •had the band for about a month, and during: that time he has worked wonders. The band gave a fine rendering of the selection/ and were beautifully,in tune,-; and..the interpretation showed, the master hand of their conductor. The points gained last night count'with those gained to-night for.-the.Boosey Shield, so' that it is within the range of possibility that Petone will take back, the shield.■-'-■ - ■■-.■■■■■'■■■<■ The plajing of the;other bands calls for'no' special reference beyond, the fact, that the standard of plajing in this year's "B" com-! was much higher-' than '•■'.last year. One point must be remembered,".that last year Hastings competed, in the >'A" grade',' while Potone is only;a:hew band. -' It was about 10.30-when the ''A" grade competition commenced,' the bands - playing in the following order;—Wanganui"Newton; and Palmerston. The result was the same order as they drew, points.being allotted -as' follow:—Wanganui 194, Newton 181, : Palmer:ton 178. t v l -','^'.-;-:;?.■ -■-;,-.;

!.-;;.Much,-was expected of Wanganui, as this |-is :their>, first;contest.-under, their new :con;ducte:(MrrA;;Wade),; : and.it.did.not take 'sceptical, that the ; band/was playing as ; it: had'never played'be-'-.forei::;Jt ; was a .brilliant/and'magnificent performance, //and; .was':'only;/rnarred .by '■&• '■ few split:notes,;:else;the judge said he would;hare-givto,them-:the:-possible.■•;,■■■The: weakness of :-.Me^:band.^as-;tho:-'OTrne^i{c.-and-''the;>- , band' .sorely' /missed?;'that ..old <;champion :,'. George /Buckley.'- It -did riot ■ seem like the' Wanganui. Garrißon/;with6ut ; him .being.in.'it, : and lbss-to'the'bandciniist.bo/a matter; for ; :regret.'::VTq'.'"comment,' on .'the playing'-would ,'be,:to ;paintt'tho- ; lfly .white,V-but .one -.cannot ■M>%passing7a /few.'remarkfi <on Mr.,. Wade; .;He-;has:.come;tb:NewZealarid wjth a big 're-' ■,putati6ri::'.and ; . he/'sustained.,it' 'last night; The Wangahui:Band of.last;night is not.-the /Wangariui: of,former;years,' and 'this- is en:tirely. due:tb: ! Mr. ;Wade.- 'The band has lost: /that/sombre):pVawn-but"/.styles/and "whiia retemmg.';it3;;'6rsan-likO;-, qualities,.- ■;, it-,"is- '. brighter;- and.:; short,; it' is rbeing 'best; English principles, and lastypight "prie:; could-faricy ; ;it'-was;thefamous .'-Besses"/fibi wa"s' : listening -.to.':/; '■;*'.;.-''.' ■ 'J.^, : .u : ' /yNewton'/: put ;up, , ;:,a-.,nne ■performance,'': but Jacked- the' i finish: arid , of. the older .tromb6ne;callaV : '.mention, .his-fde;. cla'matbry , f.r'enderiiig:'of: his recitative;, being nia'gnificerft-, ;%irrea' only,,::hy;'; aV,,coupleitot, breaks.v;;He f outshone:.:the";AYangariui;: man,/ and'fthe'-samo; can'.' be-said:'of the■ solo hbrri (A./Taylor). was!,: -the --•-best' :heard;'.'Ms:;tonV- bgihg: beautiful jand/clear'.-'. ' ',':.Th6' : judge's'::placing'of;Palme'rston within of i Newton- occasioned 'not. a little' surprise,'';.,as."tlie ; 'fmargin'of difference: was; nearer;, 13,.:ppints.;-'lf; Mr;. Cater .can.-hold his;:bandVtogether,:-itss.hould, be heard, more ;6f in^theyneaf;;iEuture;;;;;-i;;;;;: ; '-; <X ;/-'■.''i.- x '■■ ?;Th^tonbr7/horns: ; played -thißlmbrriing,;;.L; laylorj'ot/Nen'tbnj'''' proving;the winner, with 86.'but-of ,:a;ppssible,;9oi points. r.J.\and.p; vMayy(HMtirigs) : spectivelyy•/vTaylbr,,gayeVa; /splendid' fender--ingj'playirigv.with.a'iovelytoneand thevariatioris:,.about;;:twiceV..:as;.;,fast;,as; any.; of -■ the bthersi" ■.;Forrest ; ,(Wangiriui)'was ;fifth. : , y, 'In; the;,b'aritone-ovent this. .afternoon,.'Jensen Carried off: ■■> ;The:weather.; is-iall ithatjcould.: be .desired, 'arid; .torriight's;. to bej a-'very: vsuccessfur.onej *-bpth/frbm;, a> financial; ,and ! ;rivusical'- stondpbinfc;,; ;^ )-. ri'i; ''^ t :-y^';>-..^ • ;■:;■;'■/ \:-+- •-0:'• f. ti('ft: f"v ll Hastings,; February -26.;' '• '• :'■■ .The;twelfth:'annual:meeting of';the, North Island Brass::Ba'rid was. hbld,.to-, day|:;Mr;' : ';M>,^Gohen;; : All ;: afflliated-ban& ;were/represbnted; ';';;:■; ; ; 'The' president of Hastings! for'.the': excellent arr'anginents,'. and 'success',of .the: .contest;;^ ;plaint' by'.baridsmen; that ;the.'cbntes't: had ex-; tended oyer;?tbb long-;'a] : period, ;he'bxpressed sympathy, with':members, who'could not leave their..iwprki'; and;;said he was' of "opinion that •a ! shorter';prbgramriib'.wouldV.enable.- (; :jii6rb bands .'to' .attend: contests! :J: '* •;' :,:.;■ ■:■.] :':' .Referring': to' -the disputo'with the;.Welling-' ton :,Barid;'::,the 'president said';; full details ex-' pr^se4>strbrig: : disapprpyal.:of -Hill's iii'. irhputing.,motivcs. to; Mr. ; Hblben.';;. i ;HiIJ: the;.;ppirit;they raised was; that'Mr.'.'Alffed'-Hill's.name.should not have;appeared ; ;on;tho ballot paper;:. If :they had ; i beenvteld;'that.:Mr.Hplben,-had 'made - a mistake'j'i'-the.;;''Wellington':. Garrison:: Band.' , would; riot have", taken; any,',- action; \ He:, had .no personal -.feeling iix"'theii'ma'ttor;; •■;. The;, oir- ' 1 cular -he sent- out; was,,to;-warn "the. Contest : Go'minitte,b''; that the. contest. wpu|d be illegal. His; letter fwas,;nbt, malicious;;.:;, i .'jThp'president; said the' actibri;pf;.the Wellington; Garrison ,was deplorable,,;and., moved:' ;,"lTMt' , to 'the executive •''within' .-one.';month, the association suspend'.the'membersV.of! ! '-.the; : Wellington pGarrison:-/during',-:.the4'pleasure;: of y the; j:bxecutive.'/'j;;-''; f ,::;.;' ''-...',V-' 1 .' : -v: , yv';-': ;■,:-:::, ! -This;was/'carried, 1 "Mr.;'Baker.;(Wellington): boirigithe"only dissentient.' ~ V : -.-. ;;:.'. ; -Mr.H. G. Hill,;fbr writing-to thosecretary of.; the. Hastbg's jContest;;' Conimittee,.'. and: ! failing: to; comply, with; the resolution' of. the .oxecutive, ;was' suspended during'..the,pleasure ;qf. the association; ■I::;;;;: ;; ;; ' ; ~ : .:(Br riLKGUirn.V-spictAi. coßiitspoNnENT.l ' Hastings,^February-26V -' rAt the.annual.meeting of the.'North;lsland .Brass Band.-Association-to-day, the .chief, intercst'.ceiitred;around.the action;of the Wellington. ;Gar'risori ;Band,:in,;circularisin'g the ■ bands "prior .'to, the:'contest; :■ " ;':.'"■" ':Baker.and;:Hill;' the bandls delegates, .'stated'/their case;':;lt;'was' pointed ; out :that;.tho : ciroular was only the. means to an 1 , end, : and that, 'was,'- tho:better control of the association's, affairs.'.. : '-.. :: .'•'•'■'-'•■ :fA;good; deal of discussion took place, arid, it; was evident very, early in : the meeting that those-Vpresent: did. riot agree with Wcl.lington's -'action,-in sending out the 'circular, and .a: resolution,' was' passed giving.'the'baud one month-in; which to withdraw the circular or: resign.'Th'e delegates were', asked whother they_.would'j'withdrafl'Hho'-.circular at' tho meeting,"'arid ;t!ieyreplied 'that such a .course was impossible;- 1 as tfiey. had no power frorii ;/•: '. ;; V ..;-• The : action taken at the 'meeting very strongly /savours of prejudice and an cxhibi■tiori of party feeling, for. outside tho meeting the Wellington- delegates have been, complimented ;pri.;tho stand thoy have' taken, .and certainly, "the business dono at, this afternoon's, session.is proof positive that Wellington's' action 'was'.jnstincd. Tho'.rulos referred :td-in : their/complaint'; as not being registered :havo siiice been'. registered,: and.; dift'oront evils they- poirited out have been remedied.•I intorviewed Messrs. Baker and Hill as to the stand the band 'is likely. to take,. but they refused to mako any statement without first consulting the band.' -