BAND CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 46, 23 February 1934, Page 7

BAND CONTEST

B GRADE CHAMPIONSHIP, WELLINGTON ARTILLERY WINS VETERAN'S SUCCESS* By sound musicianship the voteraa conductor, Captain T. Herd, led the Wellington Artillery Band to victory; in this year's B grade band championship, thereby displacing Westport Municipal, last year's; winners. ■ The second test, played boforo * • largo audience in the Town Hall last evening, was an arrangement of Gounod's opera "The Mock Doctor." Generally speaking, the playing was not up to the standard of that in the first test on Tuesday evening; but this was probably due to the fact that the score of last night's selection presented moro difficulties than the work selected for tho 'first test. The playing, however, was for the most' part all that could be desired, some of the bands giving renditions that would not have, disgraced A grade performers. The principal faults were overblowing and faulty intonation. Some of the performances last evening were spoiled by; a tendency to strive for volume-—the resultant overblowing destroying the tonal quality. It is a coincidence that the. judge last evening,. Captain Buckley, played under Captain Herd's leadership in contest work many yean ago and, as he stated to a "Post""representative at the conclusion of the test, ho gained practically all his experience from him. ... ■'■■.. ; PLACINGS OF TWO TESTS. In, view of the fact that,the points, have now been awarded for both tests, and the championship honours awarded, there is no need to comment' oii tne individual performances of the competing bands. The placing of the bands in the two tests, however, is of interest, as it gives an ; indication of their respective performances.:' In the following table the placings hi 'the first and second- tests are Bhown:-— ! ' ■'■'■■ \ • ' First- Bocon<l - Test. Test. . Welllnßton Artillery ....;....; 3 ;. -1. Hastings Citizens ....:.;;'.;■ 7!' "2 ' Westport: Municipal .......,■ 4 '3 > Danuevirke Municipal ~....• 6- .■ 4' ' Chrlstchurcb Municipal ..;.. 2' 8' Glsborne Hcglmental .. 6 . . 5' .Southland Battalion ....'..., 10 :: 9 ,: Wellington: Boys' Institute ..9 (eg.) ' -6: Ist Battalion Welllnßton v... 8' ' 10? . Masterton ■• , 1 . .7; Jupp's Silver .. 8 (eg.) llj .The- points awarded in -;th c ■ two test! are as < follows, with aggregates-arid placing of; the bands. ' :;• / ' i• , -; :■',■; ' '' ■■ Ist 2nd ' '« Test. Test Tl. Wellington Artillery .. 142 Ml 283 I Westport .... 141 138 279 1 Mastetton Municipal ... 145 134 2?9 2 Hastings Citizens ..... 138 .138 2T7 ,3 Dahheylrke Municipal .. 139 137 276 4 Cbrlstchurch Municipal . 143 133 276 4 Glsborne Regimental .... 140 136 276 4 Wgtn.'.Boys' .Institute - . 136 135 271 5 Ist Battalion Welllncton 137 131 268 6 Southland Battalion .... 135 . 132 267 T Jupp's.Silver ...';...... 138 130 266 I , VERY HIGH STANDASD. Commenting on the performances, tha judge.'stated-, that the standard was particularly high . and compared favourablyVwitti thatof A grade bands a few; years'ago. Ho was'very pleased that' Captain Herd had again led a band to championship honours. He re- . called the fact that Captain Herd had trained some of New Zealand's cham- ■ pion bands in the; past, and ; many conductors, as well as;bandsmen, owed a great, deal to him. Overblowing was one of the principal faults in all the playing ho had heard, and.this' must be got rid of. Music was what wat wanted—^not noise. . . ,