WEST COAST BAND CONTEST

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1910, Page 2

WEST COAST BAND CONTEST

FIRST DAY.

Owing to the fact Unit the funeral of HiS Majesty King Edward VII was being held yesterday afternoon the arrangements for the conduct of the West Coast Band Contest, were somewhat interfered with, and the solo and quartette, competitions did not begin till yesterday evening and were continued throughout the night,- finishing about two o’clock this morning, so as to allow of the programme being continued to-day as previously arranged. The attendance was only limited last night owing doubtless to the solo competitions not attracting, but those present were treated to a reallv good competition and the judge’s verdicts being given immediately after the close of each item enabled every ong to enjoy them thoroughly. As Mr P. F. Daniel, the supervisor, stated at the commencement of the proceedings, this was a very desirable innovation, and it is evident that it was fully appreciated, as whenever the judge appeared he was applauded to the echo. The following is the result of the competitions as far as thev have gone:—

SOPRANO SOLOS. W. Stevenson (Reefton) SOpts .... 1 E. Franklin (Brunner) 51pts .. .. 2 0. Backman (Grey Battalion) 35pts .. 3 R. Phillips (Hokitika) .. .. • • W. Stevenson. —A little mistake at the start, but immediately right. At crescendo lip a little unsteady, and intonation suffers. Tone is fair quality. Thema was very creditable and following semiquaver passage was good with exception of all G sharps which were not clear. After the seventh bar rest of playing was very fine. The second variation was not exactly clear in articulation and got worse towards the close. Third variation was fine work up to demi-semiquavers, which were not played exactly as written, the tongued notes being blurred very often. The last movement was a good attempt. The melody showing out clearly in the - variation. The last few bars were rather mixed and intonation went off. Still a very creditable effort of a difficult solo. , Marks 80.

E. Franklin. —Opens with fair tone. Andante was mechanical, lack's taste. Thema was better, phrase ends were felt too abruptly. Tone is pood, wants style. Variation one, articulation was fair, but your intonation is not true. The last bar you had a bad break before the repeat.’ Variation was bur. Why play the repeats? And the triplets were too detached. Finish was again weak as though lip was failinb minor. This was not good, not by any means. Too stiff, no style shown. Finale was only fair. Plenty of slips. Apparently lip tired. Very moderate effort. Marks 51.

O - . Backman. —Made a false start on second phrase. At lolce the beginning quavers of each tenuto. Thema very stiff and mechanical phrasing only moderate breath after crochet in bar 26, which was very bad. Why not go to end of bar? Vari. I. very 'unsatisfactory and many notes missed. I don’t think the player would be satisfied with this performance himself. Vari. 11. Was too cappy after each group of , triplets made it very amateurish. Andante. Here is where you should have shown your tone, but really you bad not. Were you nervous? Finale. Now, mv dear boy, what do you expect me to sav to this? This is all a mix up. No grace notes are played, the legato and staccato ■is not done according to copy. Very poor performance. Stick to it, you will get there in time. Marks 35.

R. Phillips.—Opening only fair, should no't breathe after each trill. Descending scale passages not true. Player is in difficulties from the start. You will never play this solo to-night, _my boy. Andante. Phrasing is noor. You generally get your breath in every bar. Allegro resolute. Very, very shaky, and later the player collapsed and left the stage. No marks. YOUTHS UNDER 16 YEARS. W. Cooper (Dennistonl .... 1 This was the only competitor, Mr Daniel explaining that McMasters and Payne, the other entrants, were suffering from sore throats. Cooper showed his ability and the judge made very complimentary reference to the ability he displayed and said he fully merited the prize which the Committee had decided to award him. B FLAT CORNET SOLOS. T. Ooodall (Citizens) 96pts .. .. 1 T. McKain (Hokitika) 69pts .. .. A. McMasters (Denniston) 60pts .. 3 V. Robinson (Denniston) 60pts .. 3 T. Campbell (Brunner) 52pts .... 4 T. Goodall.—A splendid opening. At bar 6 it would improve by playing tfta last three quavers a little longer. Still the opening movement was going most artistically. This is a pleasure to listen to. The variation was treated in p. very musicianly manner. .Che chromatic scale being beautifully played. The finale. I have nothing but praise for you. Tone is excellent and treatment of the solo was artistic,—Marks :6.

T. McKain (Hokitika).— Opens with a weak style and time is not safe. Gained time at bar 9. Cadenza. —You were not hanpy here, especially at close in taking the groups of two semi-auavers. Descendins it was very poor there. v Thema.— This is an improvement and 1 commend you for good phrasing. Yuri. I was rather slow and your treatment of the .runs of demi-semiquavers was not artistic. II. —This was very creditable. A few. slips again let you down. Andante —A very fine effort this. Phrasing is a good point with you. A pity your lip was not safer. Finale—Triple tonguing wants cultivating. Gave a fair performance generally speaking. Marks 59. A. McMasters (Denniston). —Not a firm opening. Feeling your way too much. Thema* went very well up to the bars of demisemis when all was confusion. Variation I was very unsatisfactory. Scarcely a bar clear. I am sure this did not please*you. Finale was fair in parts, but it was really too much for you. It was very,labored. Not by any means pleasant to listen to. Take something easier next time. Marks 60.

V. Robinson (Denniston). —You are flat. Onening was a very poor effort. Intonation is very bad. Andante, really you do not appear to have any control of your lip. The upper notes (top B) were very mysterious. I could not make out what they were. Cadenza was too stiff and mechanical. No style whatever. Andante was fair up to close when your lip again failed. Andante, your instrument is awfully flat. This solo is too big for you. Why notAry one that you could master properly? Finale was a great struggle. Marks 60. T. - Campbell (Brunner).— Opening was flat and style was poor. Thema was only a fair effort. It did not appeal to me in any way. Vari I, all the low notes are weak or missed altogether. Andante.— Fair up to bar 13. When you missed half a bar out. Finale.—Wants smartening up'; it is too stiff 1 and labored. A very moderate effort. Finish, you got very flat. Marks 52. .

SLIDE TROMBONE SOLOS. r iCe.iQ) ÜBAipng Sara (Reefton) 72pts i 2 Cummings (Denniston) 71pts .. 3 Ross (Hokitika) 68pts .. .. .. 4 Kear (Grey Battalion) 63pts .. .. 5 A. Sullivan (Grey Battalion). —“Lend me your aid.’’ Started rather roughly. Tone good and playing improved wonderfully as he proceeded-. Once or twice phrase ends were forced out too strongly instead of demisemi rending. Generally the solo was well played towards the close. Phrasing good. Marks 74. J. Sara (Reefton).— “Jeanette and eanot.”—Opens nicely. Andante, not sufficient difference between quavers _ and semi-quavers after dotted notes. Not a success at slurred group in cadenza. Thema was well played and phrased well also. The quavers should be played in cadenza the, same as the quavers in the thema. The finale was a good tone and the technique clear. The intonation also wris good. .. A creditable performance. Marks . 72. , t ■ '

' j„ Gumming (Denniston). “Air Vari."— Phrasing and time decidedly weak. Tone good. Marks of expression "not observed, especially the fortizando marks. The Ronda was very, nice up to the 12 bars, but time very erratic. A fine tone, but the player should look well after, his tirhe. Marks 71. ;; ;■ G. Ross (Hokitika), “Crystal Palace.”— Opening cadenza only fair. Thema very tamo.- Expression marks not observed,

especially at last bar. Allegro wants more dash, intonation only fair. Presto a ” good effort.; Andante was played with due attention to marks and went well to end of movement when lips failed. Finale was,fair. A more pointed delivery of th equaver would improve this movement. Marks 68. G. Rear, Grey Battalion “Crystal Palace.” —Shows a bad method of sliming in the first cadenza. Andante intonation very poor as the player has not sufficient •control over his lips, many times a nasty wolf coming in. Allegro started well, then came a false note / or two and inline- 1 diately started to play rough, as though in revenge for previous errors. Presto tone was very husky. Player has a fan technique, but his lips are not under conCOMPETITION. Greymouth Citizens, 128 pis .. ’’ n Greymouth Battalion, 120pts .. ••. •* Reefton, lllpts • • • • • • Denniston, llOpts •• •• •• Grey Citizens ‘ ‘Fidelio. ’’— Opens well and in tune. Allegro con brio: Going well, a-little quicker would improve ; a little loose at Qin Tento ; after that part played well together with good balance and taste. Adagio—Horn was good at opening, same cornet later ; all is going very well indeed; don’t get too fast. Moderate—Finely balanced, a little out of tune at tempo. After all parts made a good finish. A fine performance. Marks 128. Grey Battalion “Preciosa.”— A good opening; pause out of tune; marks well observed ; dim after repeat duly noted; horn blurred on his little figure. Moderate —Horn and euphonium. well in time ; the accented quavers in repeat strain could be made more of; party is well balanced ; phrasing by horn is not too good in langetto ; this movement not near so refined as I expected ; conductor does not improve matters by shouting out the tune ; this is very objectionable. —Allegro Horn was very good here; cornet cadenza was good until finish when he got a wrong note. Finish was creditable, precise and tone and balance good. Marks 120. ' Reefton.—(Stevenson’s) “Martha. No difference between forte and double forte ; party lacks in attack; should have a good bright and firm opening here ; party is fairly well in tune ; horn plays his solo very well indeed ; page 3 of score at first forte cornet was very uncertain, otherwise this page was very nice balance ; moderati not as precise as I would have liked; party does not take sufficient notice of marks and lacked vim.—Marks 111. Denniston ;—“Precioso.” — Out of tune at pause ; after repeat forte should be louder to enable you to get the dim ; cornet was fair in bis work here ; moderate was fair ; horn and euphonium not exactly in tune. In the repeat strain the accent marks were not made enough of; a fine effect lost here. Eup. cad. was very well done. Langhetto went well until cornet lost his lip. Allegro—Second cornet rather weak in this movement. Allegro—Horn doe svery nicely; cornet cadenza was only fair, lacks dash, not enough life. Allegro fuoco. —This movement was very loose and not by any means precise ; party is fair for tune and bidance ; no score submitted ; horns, do, I know what you have got?—Marks 110. Reefton : (McKeown) ‘ ‘Lucretia Borgia.” : Party not smart enough with the tongue; a more pointed delivery would improve matters here; bar 22 was very poor ; party is not precise ; solo cornet appears very nervous; euphonium also is very shaky. In Langhetto at bar 12 euphonium wuis very tame : in horn solo accompaniments far too heavy; horn was doing well until bar 17 when he failed ; cornet too soon at bar 19. Moderate—All this was very unsatisfactory and the Repeat was worse the second time ; cornet failing; party lacks style; balance only fair; a very moderate effort. —Marks 103. Reefton : —(Austin’s) “Rienzi” ; Poor start; euphonium missing many notes. Allegro.—This is too tame, and balance is not good ; Allegro agitato was fair, much better than previous work and the euphonium surprised me after his previous failure. Lento—Generally this was nicely played ; tune was fair and balance also; a pity euphonium failed at commencement. Maestoso unison pasagse not in tune; finale very loose. —Marks 101.

Grey Battalion : —(W. Garth) “Der Ereisehutz. ” —Party is not well balanced nor in tune ; party was very loose at times, but the combination does not suit the quartette, the tones of the cornets being too far from the lower instruments; in the finale party lacked vim; more spirit could have been infused into it. Marks 100.

Denniston : —(McMasters) ’"The Hugenots” : Badly out of tune at start, and balance is very poor. Audanti—Party is very loose here; no precision whatever and tune is still bad; cornet cadenzo was very well played. Allegro con spirito—A smart one here; boys don’t drag it; too big a gap at end of bar A in Lento. Molto moderate—This started well, but again that terrible out of tuneness crept in; frombone is the worst offender; phrase ends are cut of too abruptly in this movement. Allegro moderato—This is not pianissimmo; a very moderate performance ; poor balance and badly out of tune. Marks 98. Reefton : —(Allison) “Des Freischutz” —Party are no tin tone .at opening; bass badly out. This combination does not suit this quartette, but the bass is so badly out of tune, in fact the whole quartette wants overhauling. A very unsatisfactory performance. TROMBONE TRIO. Reefton 110 pts. 1 1 Grey Battalion 108 pts ... 2 Denniston 102 pts. 3 Reefton : —“The Anvil” : —Party has a fair tone, but fails in intonation on long sustained notes. The first two movements got very tame before the close ; no variation in tone or style ; too much of a sameness all the way. Poco meno was fair, only party getting loose and out of tune towards close. —Marks 110.

Grey Battalion: —“The Anvil”;— Opens with good tone, but tune is out, especially on pause bar; first and second trombone are badly out of tune. Meno mosso was very broken up; far too choppy, but the worst feature is being so badly out of tune; but for this serious trouble you might have won.— Marks 103.

Dennistop : “Pensioners” : —Starts fairly precise; the dotted notes not in proper tune 1 ; too much like 12j8 time. Longhetto—Phrased was not always unanimous, and bass trombone was decidedly weak at times. Bolero —The bass trombone generally failed if he had to play by himself. I was sorry for him, but i don’t suppose that was any good ; better luck next time.— Marks 102.

BARITONE. E, O’Brien (Grey Battalion) 92 pts 1 J. Williams (Reefton) 72pts. 2 W. Cosgrove (Brunner) 68pts. 3 EUPHONIUM SOLO. J. Williams (Reefton) 92pts 1 B. Holmes (Denniston) 80pts 2 W. G reenough (Grey Battalion) 77 3 C. Quartermain (Grey Citizens) 76pts. TENOR HORN SOLOS. D. Weber (Grey Battalion) 83pts 1 C. Cuthberlet (Grey Citizens) 82pts 2 J; McDonald (Denniston) 73pts 3 Seven competed. In the afternoon the several bands engaged in the March test on Victoria Park started from the Druid’s Hall, Tainui Street, at intervals of five minutes between each and they played the whole way to the Park where a large concourse of ppople assembled to hear them.