BRASS AND PIPE BANDS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 9 March 1934, Page 6

BRASS AND PIPE BANDS

TARANAKI CONTEST AWARDS IN QUICKSTEP. STRATFORD AND INGLEWOOD. HAWERA WINS PIPES AWARDS. A crowd of over a thousand people assembled at the Manaia Domain yesterday for the quickstep in the sixth Taranaki Brass and Pipe Bands Contest, and for the test selection, ini the evening the Town Hall was crowded to the doors. In the brass hands, both Quickstep and Test were won by Stratford iu the B grade and by Inglewood in the 0 grade. Manaia was close up iff the Test for the former grade, being beaten by two points omy. In the aggregate Stratford and Inglewood also secured first places.

In the, Pipes section, the Hawera Band was again an easy winner and did excellent work. Auroa made a creditable showing throughout.

The .judge of -the brass hands was Mr R. .T. Estall, of Woolston, and Air S. Clothier, of Hamilton, judged the pipes.

The officials of the Taranaki Union were as follow: Patron, Air P. Thomson; president, Air P. Skoglund; vicepresidents, Messrs J. D. Alclvay, J. L>. Campbell, J. Gibbs, A. N. Brown and P. S. Finlay son; committee, Alcssts H. Beasley, F. S. Nicholson, A. C. Alorlison, H. H. Yarrow and W. Clark; hon. secretary, Air H. Burmeister; Alanaia executive committee, Messrs' L. C. Harrison (chairman)> H. Mead, J. Sc Alclvay, E. Long, A. H. Yarrow, L. A.; Walters, W. Bourke, G. R. Watts and Colonel L. W. Fairbrother; hon. secretarids, Messrs A. J. Christie and J. Rodie; timekeepers, Alessrs P. F. Hammonds and B. Badland ; supervisors, Captain A. Hastiie and Air J. A. Hansen; judge of instruments, Air J. Humphries; military judges, Alajor Conway, Lieut. J. N. Henry, S.S.M. J. L. O. Rowe and H. Bell. At the conclusion, Air Estall addressed the bands, complimenting them on their good work and .said, all could W ell be proud of their performances, lie said the playing was a distinct ad- 1 vance oil la st yea its and complimented the winners on their work. Mr P. Skoglund, wnen presenting the shields, specially remarked on the o-ood spirit and sportsmanship pievailnig. He regretted the absence of Patea, Opunako. Kaponga and Waitara owing to lean year’s and hoped that, tlie other bands of the province would attend future contests. He complimented the Manaia Band on entering for the B grade when it was found that Stratford was the only entry. Mr. L. C. Harrison, chairman of the executive, thanked the public for loyal support and .said the results j were very successful. He cordially thanked all who had co-operated m I the contest and paid a tribute to the I secretaries for t-lieir excellent work. Air J. G, Osborne, tlie Dominion s secretary, was present and assisted ‘. in the organising work of the contest, i Among other visitors to the contest 1 were Air J. J. Drew, conductor of the 1 Port Nicholson Silver Band, and Mr C. Patchett a member of the Dominion Executive. The Auroa 'school drum and file hand played several selections, marching past in good .style. The hoys were given a great reception.

BRASS BAND AWARDS

The brass band awards, the figures being respectively musical points, military points and total, were as follows : B Grade. Stratford .'7B 102-1 2401 Manaia 69 157 * 2261 C Grade. Inglewood 71 1701 2411 Eitham 70 160:* 2303 Military Points. The military points were awarded as follows, the maximum s being: Forming line 71, dressing 15, appearance 10, order 74 A to B 10, first counter march 10. C to D 10, second counter march 10 left turn 10, march to E 10 right turn 10, E to F 10, right wheel 'lO. to G and halt 10, paces 25, time 25, total military points 200. B Grade. Stratford; 6. 114. 91, 10, oj, 8,9, 8 85, 74- 75, 84, 7y. 84, 8,2 18, total 1624. Manaia: 64, 134, 9-4, 10. 6, 64, 64, 6, 6-J, 6). 64, 6-3, 64, 7, 64, 224. 25, total 1574C Grade, Inglewood: 6, 13, 9,9, 7, 84, 74, 84, 74 8,8, 84. 74, 7, 8. 24. 24. total 1704. Eitham: 54, 124 , 94, 10, 5, 84 , 74 , 8 8, 73, 8, 84, 73, 73, 74, 19, 204, total J6otf ‘ PIPE BANDS. | lHawera 180 1564 3364 •Stratford 467 152 319 Auroa 166 1394 3054 Military Points. Hawera: —, 133, 84, —, —, 9, 84, S 3, 84, 84, 84, 9,9, 94, 84, 24, 224, total 1564. Stratford: —, 124, 84, —, —, 84, 84, 8, 84, 8-4, 8, 84 84, 9, 74, 244, 244, total 152

Auroa: —, 14, 9, —, —, 73, 84, S, 84, 8.4, 73, s, 84, 83, S, 184, 164, total 1394.

At the conclusion the massed pipebands played ‘ ( Pibroch (Donald Dliu” and the massed brass bands “ Invercargill March,” Mr Ratall conducting. The marches played wore: Brass bands, Stratford, ‘‘lntegrity”;.. Mauaia, “Invercargill”; Inglewood, “Westward 'Ho”; Eitham, ‘‘King Carnival.” The drum-majors were: Stratford, Mr A. Dick; Manaia, Colonel Fairbrother; Inglewood, Mr Ft. Crossman; Eitham.’Capt, W. Picketts. Pipes: Hawera (Mr J. Nairn), “Edinburgh Review”; Stratford (Mr J. McKenzie), “Pibroch 'Donald Dim”; Auroa (Mr J. Bell), ‘‘The Earl of Mansfield. ’ ’ • TEST SELECTIONS. The Test selection results were: — B Grade. •Stratford, 82 points 1 Manaia, SO points 2 C Grade. Inglewood, 76 points 1 Eitham, 73 points 2 The aggregates were:— B Grade. Stratford, 160 points -1 Manaiaj 149 points 2

C Grade. Inglewood, 147 points 1 Eltham, 143 points 3 Pipe Bands. Hawera, I7G points .1 .Stratford, 'I4G points 2 Auroa, 145 points 3 JUDGE’S CO A! A! ENTS. Extracts from the judge’s comments are as follow: R GRADE, Tost Selection “Martha.” Stratford Band.—A nice tone in the opening bars, but intonation not quite true and close of first movement on tlie heavy side and a little chippy. Alost artistic middle .section, except that the accompaniment was a little heavy and should be more subdued because the cornet soloist is very good. The cadence was very good and artistic. The efiphonium soloist was excellent with right idea and style. Intonation, at times, however, was not good and reposeful enough. The trombones were very good and expressive, but accompaniment still heavy and needing more refinement. The ensemble was good, b>.t a little coarse. A little more liberty would add to the beauty of the playing, hut the .soloist played well. The bass did not respond too well and as quickly as should he the case. “You have played this selection excellently in general, the worst fault being the accompaniment and a slight lack of tune. I congratulate you on your excellence.”

Manaia.—Very fair 'opening and a. nice conception of the movement with splendid idea, but intonation somewhat faulty and time a little hurried. A fine cadence, the cornets playing with good expression though the accompaniment was only fair; .still a. very commendable interpretation. A few .slips occurred. but generally the middle movement was the best with nice subdued accompaniment. The cornet and bass were not quite in accord, but generally the ensemble was excellent, wanting, however, a little more rubato. The solo, was nicely executed, though a little, fast. A generally good conception and quite nmsicianly. Bad intonation was the worst fault, causing a. iac-k of tone. The judge remarked that possibly the band suffered from a poor set of instruments and they needed better and closer tuning. Ho congratulated the hand on a- good performance. C GR ADE. Eitham (“Carmen”). —All excellent opening with nice tone and expression, just a little fast and robbed, therefore, of its beauty. The lovely isolo was well played except that the spirit Was hardly well “caught” in the middle section. The right idea was secured, but a, little more rubato and crispness would be better. The general rendition showed excellent training in a difficult selection. The “Flower Song” was a. little disappointing and needed more artistry. On the whole, however, very good. Inglewood (“I Clapuletti”).—A very fair .opening, but needed a little more lift—style good and tone goodeuphonium very good with fine spirit and a great cadence in the middle section. A very fair rendition, but required more modulation in tone and a more reposeful style.

MARCHES

B Grade,

Manaia.—A. fair opening but a little hurried—better tonguing needed to improve tone—many faulty notes and needed more smartness and more martial rhythm—still most commendable. Stratford.—A good and rhythmical third measure—nice and expressive with fine bass solo—finale excellent and in good style. A very fine performance. O Grade. Inglewood.—Could be more melodic and less chippy—otherwise a. fair rendition. Very gooil for a- O grade band and mil the whole very commendable. Eitham.—A very good opening, hut instruments not well tuned. The trio was fair on the whole and very good movement. Move study oi the parts needed. PIPES MARCHES. Auroa. —-Time very good, but chanters needed bolter tuning. -V very difficult selection; tone very fair, but a lack of volume. The drummers were a credit to the hand. The band should make its mark in tin* next contest. Hawera.—A good attack, but drums not in unison at tin* opening Pipes and chanters were all in good tune. The tone was easily the best and the time very good, with an excellent, finish. Stratford.—The attack was weak, hut the movement improved, with tune and expression very fair. PIPES TEST SELECTION. Stratford. —-The attack and finish wore fairly good, but the reel a. little lagged and too fast. The final was quite good.

Hawera.—The pipes attack was verygood, but not exactly together. The tone was excellent and standard very satisfactory—leading side drummer inclined to be too fast. Tlie march and strathspey were excellent, hut the reel too fast. The finish was not So good, but on the whole a nice performance with good “breaks.” Auroa.—-The strathspey a bit ragged, but the drams Were 'excellent and gained many points The solo drummer was a little loud and overshadowed the pipes somewhat. The execution of “The Barren Itopks” wajs . quite good, but strathspey not so satisfactory.