RALLY OF BANDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 99, 24 October 1938, Page 7

RALLY OF BANDS

SALVATION ARMY

MUSICAL FESTIVALS

The major portion of the programme of the 12 Salvation Army bands assembled in Wellington for the Dominion rally was finished over the weekend. Musical festivals were held en Saturday and yesterday evening and yesterday there was a council of bandsmen.

The rally is under the direction of LieutenantrCommissioner F. Adams, Territorial Commander for New Zealand, assisted by Mrs. Adams, Lieutehanl>Colonel and Mrs. Grattan, Major Coffin, bands secretary, and the territorial and divisional staff.}. The bands taking part in the festivals are: Newton (Territorial Band Instructor Davies), Hastings (Bandmaster Pedersen), Napier (Bandmaster Salthouse), St. Albans (Bandmaster Stone), Greymouth (Bandmaster Best), Petone (Territorial Band Instructor Dutton), Wellington City (Bandmaster Neeve), Wellington South (Bandmaster Goffin), Kilbirnie (Bandmaster Gospei\, Lower Hutt (Bandmaster Calcott), Upper Hutt (Bandmaster Francis), Miramar (Bandmaster Ramage). In the opening festival at the Citadel, Vivian Street, on "Saturday afternoon, six. of the smaller bands took part in a second series festival. The bands participating were St. Albans, Up]; ." and Lower Hutt, Miramar, Kilbirnie, and Greymouth. Individual items were a vocal solo by Songster Lilian Smith, a violin solo by Bandmaster Ramage/Miramar, a vocal solo by Miss Jean Rimmer, Upper Hutt, a cornet solo by Bandsman Tones, Greymouth, and a brass quartet by the Calcott brothers, Lower Hutt. TOWN HALL FESTIVAL.

Band music of a high order was enjoyed by a large attendance at the Town Hall in the evening. The Hastings Band played the march "Certitude" and the selection- "New Zealand Melodies"; the Napier Band played the selection "The Banner of Liberty" and the suite "The Pilgrim Way"; the Petone Band played the selection "Elijah"; the Wellington South Band the tone poem "Exodus" and the selection "Haydn No. 1"; the Wellington City Band the selection "Praise and Exaltation"; and the Newton Band the selection "Great Masters No. 6."

Other items were a vocal solo by Sister Mrs. Bossiter, a cornet solo by Deputy Bandmaster Gerard, a male octet by Newton bandsmen, a monologue by Sister B. Tremain, a vocal trio by Sisters B. and J. Kirk and N. Hawker, a violin solo by Bandsman Davis, a xylophone solo by Bandsman Mason, and a male octet by the Wellington City bandsmen. Mr. H. Maddams was at the grand organ. Speakers at the council in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on Sunday morning were Commissioner Adams, LieutenanirColonel Grattah, Bandmasters Argyle (Ashburton) and Neeve ■ (Wellington City), and Envoy. Dixon, Hawthorn, Australia. The commissioner expressed his gratification at the progress being made, by Army bands in the Dominion, saying that during the past four years the number of bands had increased from 48 to 59, and the number of bandsmen from 789 to 856. In addition there were seven young people's bands with a membership of 101, an increase'<?of four1 'bands and'so boys. A number of lads -were also in training. SUNDAY FESTIVAL. Another festival was held in, the Town Hall in the afternoon, opening with the selection" "Scandinavian Songs" by the combined Wellington City, Wellington South, and Petone Bands. The Greymouth Band played the selection "Waves of Peace," the Newton Band "Moments with Tschaikowsky," the St. Albans Band "War Songs," the Napier Band "Memories of the Masters," and the Hastings Band "Exaltation." Other items were a male octet by Petone bandsmen, a vocal solo by Deputy. Bandmaster Pike, a violin solo by Bandsman Fitzwater, a song by the girls of the Owen Street Home, "Love Puts the Whole World Right," a xylophone solo by Bandsman Mason, and an octet, "The Soldiers' Chorus," by Wellington South bandsmen.

The grand finale was the playing of the Hallelujah Chorus by three bands with grand organ accompaniment by Mr. C. Howe.

At night the visiting bands were at various corps as follows:—Newton, Wellington City with LieutenantColonel Grattan; Greymouth, Wellington South with Lieutenant-Colonel Burton; Napier, Petone with Major Goffin; Ha§tings, Kilbirnie, with Major Hayes; St, Albans, Lower Hutt with Lieutenant-Colonel Walls.