THE INTERCOLONIAL BAND CONTEST.

Evening Star, Issue 10611, 30 April 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE INTERCOLONIAL BAND CONTEST.

THE JUDGES' REPORT,

The following is the full text of the judges' (Mesars Julius Siede and Alberto Zelrnan) report on the recent contest held in Melbourne, in which the Oamaru Garrison Band took part. The Oamaru men (remarks the ( Mail') had an unique exporience—top the first evening and last the second. The marching contest, strange to say, was lost on music—yet the Oamaru Band gained the maximum numher of points with the same march; ('The Challenge') at the laat New Zealand contest, and were of opinion that thoir Melbourne performance was superior: We have the honor to submit the report of ouf adjudication at the intercolonial band contest held at the Melbourne Town Hall on April 9 and 11,1598. The decisions have been based on a plan somewhat different to that of last year. Attack" and quality of tone and solo parts, each being given a maximum of 10 possible points; for intonation, expression, and ensemble, 8 possible points ; for phrasing and tempo, 6 possible points. We are pleased to record that the band-playing generally shows a decided improvement on that of last year. This is especially noticeable in the attack, which in most instances was splendid • of the quality of tone we can also speak highly, though on occasions coarseness was engendered through over-vigor. One of the most striking features was the skilful execution and mellow tone shown in the solo parts; in many instances they reached a high degree of excellence. The most noticeable weakness we observed was iu the phrasing and expression. Frequently passages were blurred and played staccato which should have been legato and vice versa. Expression also ia a feature which might be more assiduously cultivated. Praise is due to the varioua conductors for the skilful manner in which they have trained and directed their several bauda. Ine selections performed were generally of an interesting character.