BAND CONCERT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 April 1925, Page 4

BAND CONCERT.

NEWCASTLE STEEL WORKS BAND. A MARVELLOUS PERFORMANCE

It was a revelation to the huge crowd of listeners at the. Opera House last might, when the famous Newcastle Steel Works Brass Band, fresh' from . the contest field in England, ivhere , they gained the highest honours pos- ■ sible to a brass .band, gave a capital i serie? of selections. These werei playi ed in such a masterly and finished l style that it seemed to take the listener .into a. ne\v world. Recollections. of the very best hands, that have been heard here- dii previous [ years were left far behind as the band ■ unfolded the glories and the ’.beauties i of tho.se great works they interpreted ■so well. Tlieir perfect attack and re~ • lease, the wondrous body of tone that at a suggestion from the man who eomt.rollled them showed a>n instant.'or a> gradual shading, and at. will he called out the full tone once more, and all without effort or seeming to strive for that which was haul to attain. These gradations of tone and volume were some of the many chprniis that invested their performance and gave the listeners sheer delight and kept them -speilllrboinid. The- conductor played on .that- body of pi aye ns. as a performer on a great instrument, and the result was wonderful. Tlieir executant ability was, too, as. marked as tlieir control of tone. It was alto-, gether a revelation as to the eapabilitv of a. hand. < Individually, too, they were artist’s of a very high. rank. Avs could he expected in a body of players who have won the highest- honours possible to a I,and, each 'man seemed to be a snloj.l. To bear them in the broad sustained effects necessary for the wonderful old hymn that was added as an encore, and for the many occasions during the evening* when it was .required, was to hear playing of the very greatest, showing a control of tone and volume that was most re-. markable. Nothing finer was listened to .by’that large audience. But- in the Liszt .selection, and perhaps most of alii in the T ehaikowsky number they showed a. power of execution which from that point, of view was more than even the most sanguine listener could'have anticipated, ft. held the whole audience rapt in delight and wonder. The selections gave the band. scope to sihow cheir greatest- powers. 'Phe brilliancy, of the bop instruments,. the fine breadth ,of tone, and the glorious effect of the bass was. something at which to won- , der. Their, performance .seemed to be without flaw or fault. It was not surprising, to learn that the Liszt number secured for the band the highest. honour in a field of the best bands in the Motherland. Perhaps, even their finest effects were secured in the extract from the great “ISIS Overture” of Tsohaikowsky. But even the lighter numbers were marked by the same perfection, of finish in style and tone. The “Potpourri’’ introducing a host of well known melodies; the march, “Honest Toil” (Rammer); the characteristic. “In a. Persian Market’’; the engaging foxtrot, “Toowoomba” (kith its vocal chorus, and the most fascinating selection, “McGregor’s. Wedding,” with its touches of humour, into which the men entered heartily—these were all played with as much care and in as good taste as their heaviest number. Of soloists the band have many of the highest attainments. The chain-' pion cornetist, Mr. A-. P. Rtender, played in a style and 'with'.' such powers of expression and execution that delighted all listeners. It was in every way a. most masterly performance and well deserved the very enthusiastic recall demanded. He responded with the well-known song, “'Hie Lost Chord.” the finale of which gave the effect- of a great, organ. It was a great performance. Mr. Dean showed also w.liat was possible on a trombone. His control was remarkable and quite took the fancy of his listeners. He was vociferously encored. ; ,

In. every way the , performance was one that. wjH live long in. the memory of everyone fortunate enough to hear this great lind famous hand. 'Their .work throughout. was of the highest clasts. A feature of the work of the conductor, was his simple, unostentatious style. He seemed to control the pi largely by his personality, and to his .slightest wish they responded in a way that was only- possible to .a weTl-jtrained and controlled body of players.* The whole concert was delightful throughout and was .received with an enthusiasm that must have IAT-f. TIA /Inililvf. Tin+.Vi nATirlnofAr o*nrl

his men ® to what wa>s the opinion of the audience. They enjoyed to the full every moment of a glorious performance. During the evening the Mayor expressed the pleasure felt by all at the remarkably fine concert given by the band and the honour felt by jieople of the town and district that Hawera was included in the tour. , > CIVIC WELCOME. To mark, the importance of the occasion, a civic welcome was given to the band by his Worship the Mayor (Mr L. A. Bone) ait the Savoy Rooms during the a I terncon. . After a dainty afternoon tea, the Mayor said it was his pleasure to welcome the. band after a victorious tour of the British Isles and Africa', and which, after including New Zealand, would conclude in Australia. He stressed the fact of the need in every band of a spirit of loyalty and co-operation* and said their work must be an inspiration to all hands. He wished them a. continued pleasant tour and the greatest success right to {heir home town, Lieut. , Fox, conductor of the Hawera Band, added a cordial welcome, and said that any country could he proud of such a band. He said that hearing such a hand as that from Newcastle was an education, and would, he hoped, inspire Ha wera players to continue hard practice. - ' - •Mr J.’ Higliam spoke as one of the joldest instrumental players in the town, and eulogised warmly the work of the great hand. In acknowledging the welcome, Mr Bailie, the conductor,- said the whole of the members were delighted with the warmth of the welcome given. He referred to some of the experiences they, had had in England and Africa, saying they w-ere naturally very proud of the success thqv had achieved. They considered themselves as Tielonging generally tr. these Dominions of. the Southern Hemisphere. They hoped very much that af some future time they would he enabled to play once more in this district.