THE RECENT BAND CONTEST.

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 June 1906, Page 1

THE RECENT BAND CONTEST.

Tlio following arc the judge’s comments upon the Greymouth and Reefton soloists;

8.8. BASS—K. GALBRAITH (Grey Battalion Baud.)

(Woiderkcr.) Tempo di marcia.—G crotchet in bar 3 slightly out of tune ; A in bar 4 very much out of tune, also bottom C at lento bar; intonation very faulty in places; missed several notes, evidently nervous; tempo a little too hurried ; cadenza wrongly phrased ; intonation somewhat faulty also ; on the whole moderately well played. Theme. - —Tongued F instead of slurring at bar 7 ; tempo just a little too hurried; on the whole very fairly played. Var. 1. —Semiquavers indistinctly given in bar 15; playing with fair tone, though not strictly in tune; on the whole very fairly rendered ; this player is improving. Var. 2.—lst triplet indistinctly given. One or two wrong notes observed here; staccato properly observed ; taken as a whole very fairly rendered indeed. Andante Sostcnuto.—lst note out of tune; Dat bar 4 slightly out of time; bar 7 wrongly phrased; not enough made of (ho marks of expression ; lento bar very well done indeed; slh bar of lento played B natural instead of B flat ; playing with nice tone and expression here ; cadenza very fairly rendered. Allegro Brilliante.—ln bars 9 and 10 semiquavers indistinct; a wrong note observed in this variation. On the whole a fairly good performance—34 points.

II FLAT CORNET—T. GOODALL Catholic Band ,Grevmouth.

(“Haydn.”) Reeit.—jSplit top B flat in cadenza, otherwise very well played indeed; tone rather hard at commencement of reeit. Andante—Tone improving hero; shook slightly on bottom A, split top !’> in cadenza ; very well played, taken as a whole. Andanfino.—Pretty tone here, though a little thin. I would advise this player to cultivate a fuller tone, and he would make a magnificent player; phrasing correctly, very nicety played. Var. I.—Very well played, indeed; given with nice even tone. Var. 2.—Split (op C slightly; taken as a whole, very nicely played,- indeed. Andante.—Just a little too much tremolo here for my liking. I do not object too a little; playing very well nevertheless; very nicely played. Var. 4.—One or two notes split here; ill-'

though I do not quite hold with tills style of triple (onguing, nevertheless taken as a whole the solo has been magnilicettlly rendered —58 points. Ist prize. I) FLAT CORNET—B. iMIILLU’S, Grey Battalion Band. ("Kiange tins Steiermark.”) .Moderate. Intonation soniewliat faulty; staccato notes not short enough ; phrasing rather faulty; also (one a lilt I e hard; 1 do not like (he

delivery of the notes; top (pause) B split in cadenza; articulation somewhat indistinct in Ist group of demisemiquavers; on the whole cadenza moderately well played. Andantino. --Tone ti little belter here; not strictly in tune in places ; very fairly played nevertheless. Beeitando.—in bar 2 l> out of tune; played somewhat mechanically. Adagio.—Missed top B in bar 3; split top B very badly; moderately well played, taken on the whole. -Moderate.—Tempo too quick for moderate; I commend him for omitting the German roll. A passionfate very fairly rendered. Allegro -Moderate.— Playing much better now than lie has done previously; very fairly rendered. On the whole a moderately good performance.—3s points. BAUiTOXBS—VV. MUX 80, Grey Battalion Band. ("Singvogoleheit.") Andanlino Cadenza.—Opens with a niee warm tone ; cadenza very nicely played ; at bar 7 intonation a shade faulty: split up B natural in second cadenza; this cadenza was very nicely played nevertheless. Andanlino. — Playing with nice tone and expression; articulation indistinct in pp of cadenza, otherwise very well played. Theme. A. little too heavy tit 11 ad lib. ; cadenza in following bar very nicely played ; (liema very nicely played. Var. 1. Split top 1! in bar 3, very fairly played indeed taken as a whole. \ ttf. 2.—Split A very slightly tit 13; split top C and Bat 17; otherwise very nicely played. Adagio Sosliineto.—Tone a little 100 thick from 10 to 14 ; at 24 A slightly out of tune; nevertheless very well rendered. I’olattca. Split Ist A slightly; liars 1 to 3 very well plated. Pni Lento.—-Play-ing with nice tune and good expression here, and nice free style; 1 ..commend him t"f halting out the German roll;

iirst crimp <•{ ii<• imiso lll n lll .i\i -rs in caienza wrongly phrased, accents misplaced, otherwise very well played inlei'd. I’olacca was fairly played. On rlk» whole a very good performance, me to which 1 have listened with very great pleasure.—sß points. Second prize. HOYS' SOLOS. MANTML’M MARKS; 40. B FLAT CORNET —AV. STEVENSON i lleefton. ("Wiodcrkw.”) Andanlitio. —Split top F slightly in har 2 and 0 bar 7 ; lento very fairly played indeed ; playing with very nice lone for it bay ; very nicely played. Cadenza very fairly played, excepting for one or two split notes ; on the whole, very fairly rendered indeed. Theina.—Maestoso staccato correctly done, with nice tone; one or two notes slightly split; this was played very carefully, and with nice tone. Vnr. 1. I can at once hear that this boy is being taught on proper lines; very fairly played indeed. Var. 2.—Should strike the notes a little harder with the tip of the tongue, as the articulation was a little indistinct; one or

two notes slightly split; on the whole very creditably rendered. Andante sostonuto. Did not hold the minims quite long enough in two of the bars; cadenza very nicely rendered, except for one or two split notes; the whole movement was very nicely played. Allegro Bril linn to. —Very nicely played on the whole; a very creditable rendering, and much better than some of the renderings given by adult players.—36 points. First prize.

TENOR HORN—W. SARA, Rcefton. (“Zenobia.”) Maestoso.—Bars 2 anil 5 wrongly road; tone very fair; cadenza ail lib very fairly played indeed. Andantino G in bar 4 slightly out of tune. Agitato. —Playing with very fair tone, and nice expression, though a little out of tune in places; one or two slight blemishes noticed in cadenza, otherwise very fairly played indeed. Allegretto.—lntonation faulty in places ; ono or two notes slightly split; otherwise playing very fairly indeed. Split I) in cadenza ad lib ; otherwise very nicely played. Semiquavers given indistinctly; on the whole a very nice performance; another boy who is being taught on proper lines and ought to make a good players.—34 points.

TENOR HORN—F. MUNRO, Grey

Battalion Band. (“0 Lovely Night.”) Andante.—lntonation slightly at fault at tho commencement. Pru Allegro.—Semiquavers indistinctly rendered, otherwise very fairly played; bottom B in cadenza a little out of tune, otherwise very nicely done.; allegretto moderately well played; faltored slightly on Din ad lib. Thema. —Better in tune and playing with very fair tone indeed; very nicely played. Yar. I.—G’s in bar 2 not closely m tune; cri the whole very well played,

Var. 2.—Split I) slightly iu bar 3; playing with nice tone and style now. Taken as a whole, very well rendered. Var. 3.—Wrong note at bar 22, but taken as a whole very well given. Var. 4,—Taken on the whole, this variation has been very well played ;in fact the whole solo has been faithfully, given. 1 commend this player for maintaining good tone in the quicker passages; he also plays very capably—a good performance. 38 points.

TKXOB JIORX— K. GARTH. Grey Battalion Band. ("Longing for Home.")

Andante.— Tone rather tineiitial in triplets; !•’ in Jirst space out of tune, likewise lirst bottom A in cadenza and third also; cadenza moderately well given ; tone too thick in semiquavers. A Tempo.—Bar 5 wrongly phrased ; split G in second cadenza; intonation faulty here also : moderately well done. Thema.—Split ].) in bar 3 ; U‘s in Ist space slightly out of tune; playing somewhat mechanically and rather tamely ; tone not quite bright enough for my liking; moderately well played. Var. 1. —Much out of tunc in

places ; executive ability very good, nevertheless; tone uneven in semiquaver passages and rather thick ; nevertheless, on the whole, very nicely rendered. Does net strike the notes sntartly enough with the longue, consequently they do not reach me distinctly; intonation very faulty in this variation ; very fairly rendered. Pitt Lento.—Tone very thick and hard in quality; style rather mechanical; fairly well played. Pin Allegro.—

Split (up ’Asin bar 6; last three notes out of tune. On the whole a very fair performance. —36 points.

TKXOB HOBX--.T. LAWN', Inatiga him Band, Beeflott. ("0 Lovely Night.")

Andante.—Tone very nice at opening; split F’s in har 5. i’iu Allegro. Semiquavers played in rather a still manner; cadenza very fairly played, though the last three quavers should he played a little longer; rather belter now; too boisterous here and coarse in lone. Ad Lib. -Shook slightly on one or two notes, otherwise very nicely played. Ihema.-- 1 cannot understand why Ibis allegretto should be played as andante by so many players. First G following ril bar slightly of tune; on tin? wln-le very nicely played. Var. 1 —Sonic cf the semiquavers played very indistinctly, (one too thick ; articulation not neat enough ; one wrong note observed; only moderately played. Var. 2.—Articulation thick; triplets somewhat tines only played; accent wrongly placed at fit har; several wrong notes observed ; only moderately played. A ar. 3. —Bar 1 semiquavers very indistinctly given, bar 9 also; several wrong notes observed ; not a success. A ar. 4. —Wrong notes in bar 1, bar 5 likewise ; wrong notes hero; only a moderate performance.—33 points.

TENOR TROMBONES. J. SARA, ' Inaagahua Band, Rocfton. , ‘•0 Lovely Night.") I Andante.—Opens with fair tone, bar 6 wrongly phrased. I’ni allegro. -- Aeiy . fairly rendered, cadenza also. Allegietlo. Intonation a little faulty here. Ad lib— I very fairly played. Allegretto nt - bar wrongly phrased. Should take breath after G minim in following bar; playing with nice tone, on the whole very nicely rendered. Var. 1-Iu bar 8 crochet is marked staccato and should be played as such; in bar 16 look breath before the pause instead of after. Played with nice tone - on the whole nicely rendered, wi ... --Split Ein 4th space bar 1; intonation a little faulty in places. Took breath be me Hie pause instead of after it, otherwise very nicely played. Var 3-1 n bar 6 1c beat of the quaver followed by two S ' quavers, the first quaver suould bo math.

much shorter; this is bad style, utus remark applies to similar passages., quavers made in some bars almost as long s crochets. I would prefer them a title shorter: nevertheless, very nie.elv p,a.\cd Var 4—Took breath before pause msaad of after, playing with very nice tone, and shows fair executive ability; on the whom very well rendered. 36 points. TE'NOR HORN.—J. WHITE, Imingatuia Band, Reefton.

("Send Forth the Call.”—Treble cler.) Rent.—Much out of limp at the openjn„ style very stiff and mechanical. Ad lib—-Intonation faulty here, o Herw. e very fairly played. Anilante-Gs out ot tunc, grace notes wrongly played, first nnuse U in cadenza much out of tune, otherwise very fairly played Maoslpsp--I,'ir 11 nlavcd F sharp inst,pas of natural.;‘this should ho played ■md maiestic style, tho subject demand. ■ iSKjSS V”, too short in last bar; taken as a whole 1 vorv fairly played, though style too 3 stiff! should play with greater freedom. ■ Ad lih very nicely rendered. >ar o—r Loses lone in semi-quaver passages ; no,L s strictly in tune in several bars, playing 1 very fairly, indeed, nevertheless, % due appreciation of the marks; split t p Cin vivace. On the whole, another \erj good performance. 34 points. v EUPHONIUMS.— J. HARRIS, Inanga-

lina Band, Reefton. “Wiedorker.” Andantino.—lst A slightly out of tune in bar 4, tone rather hard in quality; lento wrongly phrased, otherwise fairy played. Mezzo staccato quavers too pointed, method of delivery not good, split on top G and B flat m cadenza, moderately ell played. Them • strictly in tune, articulation int ] lst " ict "] several bays. Hit weU nnanagcd ist aml 2nd valve notes slightly out of tune. Played B fiat instead of B natural at ia 11 in repeat. Moderately well played, I cannot s P ay that I admire *e tone .gs there is not enough warmth in it, vat i

Not strictly iji tunc, and (one a little hc.rd, otherwise playing very nicely, except that the semiquavers arc played a little unevenly as regards lone. On the whole very well rendered. Var 2—Aerents properly placed hero, executive ability good: on the whole, very well played. Andante soslenuto. At bar 4 U slightly out of tune; bar It wrongly phrased, lento well managed at 19, turn too much hurried. Same remark applies to the turn' iu the cadenza, which on (ho whole was very well played. Allegro Bar 5 split top F. playing ver ynieely, nevertheless; split pause 0 slightly. Pin presto very fairly played; taken as a whole, a good rendering of the solo. 54 points.