BAND NOTES

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1914, Page 6

BAND NOTES

.+. (By "B Flat.") An announcement has been made that a band marchlfcg competition is to be promoted in connection with the 1 1 sports meeting- 'o be held at West--1 port during the latter end of October. I The success which which has attend--1 ed the holding of these events at-Grey-i mouth and Reef ton has evidently not , been lost sight of by our Westpott j neighbour, and there is not :he slightest doubt that if the competition eventuates it will be well supported by , Coast bands, and prove, as it did at' i Grey and Reef ton, that the event is i well worth its place on the programme., and a decided attraction from thes public point of view. In the meantime, bandsmen- should keep • themselves in form. The winter .months provide .an excellent t opportunity ; for steady (practice; and by' the .time the Westi port competition eventuates should be , in the best of form. , y , The Brunner Band^has a fine mm- ) slrel company connected with its mem.- i -bership, which ha^ofiven many excel- I lent entertainments in various parts of the district. A request was recently made for the services of the troupe , to assist in a-benefit entertainment to J be given in Greynouth in a, few weeks' { time. The" band jeplied that they j would be happy to assist in any way and would do aJI- th<^y could to, make the function a success. Little graceful acts of this kind are keenly apjfre-, dated, and go a lon?<Avay an , assistin gto remove \the dull grey patches :n~ our existence, and install in their stead a brighter and happier tone in thr Surrounding atmosphere/ ' The success wh ; rh has attended the marching competitions whjch have been held since 'March ha.s no doubt been a pleasant surprise /to the Societies promoting them. *The gentleman who mooted th Greymouth event, which was the- first .of the series, deserve 'the thanks of the various bands which have participated 1 in them r and in th"s connection it will not be out .oi .place to hoartily congratulate Mt. Barton for his initiative in the matter. The bass end of the Battalion Band < will also thank for the several little competitions promoted ; for their benefit. - - ' An ex-Coast bandsman, now in New South Wales /writes that one-day band contests it^ greatly in vogrue m Australia. The contest consists of a march, a short selection and a hymn, and the musical points are estimated v orKthe plavinq: of the threp selections, the highest in the aggregate being* the winner. This appears a good, all- i round test, and >ono that might be 'adopted with advantage in the DonvJnibn* The Battalion JV?ti-1 .is., in steady practice with.-" * n- --f preparing; a good proerftmTnp. 1 "* ' rv "> Mnd intend giving 1 a cnno-fi ** -n early date. The band has been fortunate in adding *

HBHHH^ H [^ aM||iai||HH|aHHM B two new members to "?s ranks fhe last week 01 so. Band matters must be quiet in Canterbury just now according to a Christ<urch correspondent who writes to one of the local papers as follows: — Bands in Canterbury 'are not much in "ev'<dence just now— the worst feature is, perhaps, the passing of Linwood. Then I hear that Derry's have lost some of their members } who have migrated to Addington, and^ oter members of various bands are 1 not settled, which is likely to' cause other changes. Again, the weekly rehearsals are not so wgll attended as they should be. This is in itself ' a serious thing, for it shows there is a lack of interest, both, from an, indivjdiual and a band standpoints No conductor -tan improve a band if its members do --- ~o to the regular rehearsals A man may practise regularly ever}; day at home, but that does not carry Jiim more than halfway. If these important practices are neglected injhe —^ler months, "then one thing is certain the ba.id cannot advance.- and whejx the summer season arrives wo shall have another season of poor music, or, in other works, good music badly flayed. Wake up bandsmen, and try to improve your position and set a good example to otfier - banMs of thi* DoI'mini'on. V«m talk of your .sbiliiiirs a« i players, that you have, good soloists and good conductrs, but ]/uo have yet to prove that you • have ifood ; hands. 'In tfacr" th'er,e is ju.ixch tooxn 1 for imprqvemveiit. ' r* . - \ " BE-'A'GpjODLISTENEF. , - Thus a writer in the British Bandsman : A brass instrumentalist nt> mat--1 ter what his' position may^ be in the r band, can become a true artij.t with practice and by- listening ; and I unhesitatingly affirm that quartette jhtjicj tice :-s the best' wav for him to «»e---j velop his '-artistic' instinct. By^.listunihg carefully too thers he. will slowly and Purely find what to .'ivjid a,id Mat to strive to attain, by p'lay.vnjr *3 his fellows (instead of, as often happ.ens at them), blending and balancing at.d nice feeling for correct intonation, ha will inspire hiis confrere?; wi;h at similar spirit. And ty the ?,a»»; rule in time the whole band will be imbued i — so does the artistic ' instinct of fib* perfect listener 1 permeate all that work with him. Simply: .Sympathy fceg«fci sympathy — art j^jmulates art. 7iV>" i. bandmasters and -foists advice is I given. Listen keenly all thc> tlnc.e with a view to correct balance, and perfect intonation. Hear the best orchestras and finely trained musical "bodies. Listen to the performance — for the soft shadings, the delicate nuances and accents, s'flbtln ris»j aud tali of tone, the caderoes, the> daintily ' suggested rhythm in 'ha ?piaijissimos, the (fine treatment of the anticlimaxes and thr complete culminating grand .climaxes, veil aifocltid and satisfying". Cultivate ' -moat assiduously the art of listejiingr Develop the habit of - clearing ",gut of the hea<l all

extr/ineous innurr^;^-. -js, incidentally, all the be at adjudicators do. If you do this you will coon become a perfecr hearer — to i.ear musical performances as they aic. ,to_ fully appreciate the, best wth itb piofound pleasuregiving quality; 'n ' ntioise wiln authority (which accompliskmont is always taken seriously and ue,\tcd w:th deference by musicians), ajid moreover— -no mean essential — able l«» converse intelligently on musical perform .-«•-'— - with rultured musicians.