VICTORY BUD CONTEST

Evening Star, Issue 25745, 19 March 1946, Page 2

VICTORY BUD CONTEST

SOLO EVENTS DECIDES WIN FOB ST. XIIDA PLAYER (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 18. The New Zealand Victory Sand Contest was continued to-day with three solo events and one trio daring the day. In the evening the B grade bands played their own selections. Some of the bands apparently chose longer selections than was anticipated by the Contest Committee, with the result that the contest was still in progress a 11.45 p.m., and was not expected to finish until well after midnight. The results of the events today were as follows: Flugel Horn.—R. Rmlhall (St. Kilda), 92 points, 1; E. Ormrod (Wellington Waterside Silver Band), 90 points, 2; R. Frew (Christchurch Municipal). 87 points, 3. Amateur Cornet Solo. —Kenneth G. Smith (Westport Municipal), 93 points. 1; D. Christensen (Woclstcnj. 89 points, 2; Lloyd Lee (Auckland Waterside Silver), 88 points, 3. E Flat Soprano Comet.—E. Granville (Queen Alexandra) 1, P. Leswick (Wellington Waterside Silver Band) 2, N. A. Thorn (St. Kilda Municipal) 3. Euphonium Solo.—R. Jackson (Wellington Waterside Silver Band), S 3 points, 1; H. Parsonage (Wellington Waterside Silver Band), 81 points. 2; N. Anderson (Palmerston North City Silver Band), 80 points, 3. Trombone Trio.—Woolston Brass. SO points, 1; Wellington Waterside Silver (No. 1), 89 points, 2; Hawera Municipal, 87 points, 3. B GRADE CHAMPiONSHP NOTES ON THE PLAYISS (By Gladstone Hill, for the ‘ Star.’) (Special.) CHRISTCHURCH. March 19. Thirteen hands faced the judge last night for the first leg in the B grade championships, and it can be stated without hesitation that at no previous contest has there been such excellent playing as there was last night. The selections were “ own choice,” and the choice was on the highest possible standard—too high in some cases. Oamaru drew first place, and commenced playing at 10 minutes to 8— 50 -minutes behind schedule, and the Wellington Boys’ Institute, as the thirteenth band, finished at 45 minutes after midnight. At eight minutes to 1 o’clock the judge left his box, where he had been confined for over five hours. The audience sat there for six hours, and surely no audience in thn world would do that other thaw band enthusiasts. As the championship depends upon the result of the ” test ” selection to be played to-morrow night in addition to last night, the only results made known this morning were the first three places, but not necessarily in the order in which they are given. The placings by the judge were: Hawera Municipal, Nelson Garrison, and Christchurch Municipal. I have no hesitation in stating that their three performances were of A grade standard. In fact, we have bad inferior A grade work to either that of Nelson Garrison. Hawera and Auckland Waterside, with Asbburton-'and -Westport on the border line. In the early hours of this morning further questions were placed before hie. and; as promisedjjl wOl try. _tp answer %hfein, although T will find some of them most difficult, hut before 1 proceed to do this, let me give a brief summary on some of the playing. The most outstanding performance to my mind was that given by Hasvera Municipal, under Mr H. C. A. Fox* The selection was an arrangement by Alex Owen, of tne famous 'Besses o the Barn Band, of Meyerbeer’s ‘ Le Prophet.’ I cannot ..remember any performance by a B grade band over the years that was comparable with that given by the boys from Taranaki last night. The selection was most difficult, as all Owen’s arrangements are, but there was not a hitch in aa excellent rendition. The control of the band was outstanding, and should have been taken to heart by every conductor in the hall. Cornet and trombone soloists stood no to play, with the result that their solos came over the heads of the band rather than into the men in front of them as in all other cases. The whole selection. _ occupying 23 minutes, was a • musician's delight. Nelson Garrison also played an arrangement of Meyerbeer, and also gave an excellent rendition, although not so polished. The work of the conductor, Lieutenant Ray Trounson, calls for comment and praise. He was a human dynamo. He worked, and he made his men do likewise. Daring his conducting he pulled off his collar and tie with one hand while conducting with the other, then took np a soprano cornet which a non-playing bandsman held for him, and played a cadenza and solo magnificently. No 40-hour labour about Mr Trounson—the whole breathed life even if a little rugged at times. Still it is better to have life in the raw than to die of inertia.

In an excellent performance of A grade standard the Auckland Waterside Band chose * Labour and Lore/ by Percy Fletcher, and an exacting choice it proved, although Mr W. H., Craven showed that he also had worked and still continued to work with bet men. The tone of the band was like Nelson, full of life in the raw. but life that was dynamic, massive chorda that thrilled one with tonal quality like a big organ. The intonation was good, although once or twice there were slight lapses, but here again it was an A grade performance by any standard, and why this band was not amongst the first three is one of tne questions I am unable to answer, except to say this: In addition to what the public hear from a band, the has the score of the music, and the interpretation may not please him, with the result that the band is penalised for a technical fault according to The judge, but may have otherwise given a magnificent performance, as did the Auckland men last night. It is a problem which has faced bands all along the line, that of being penalised for a technical error in a positive performance or trying to adopt a negative attitude with sins of omission and commission reduced to a minimum. . Another performance of an entirely different character was given by Ashburton, which merited acknowledgment. It was less dynamic than the others, for the music did not call for this class of treatment, but it waa musical, interesting, and tuneful, and held the attention of the audience from start to finish. Mr 800 3lfliigaii is to be congratulated on this performance.