BAND CONTEST.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 8999, 23 January 1906, Page 5

BAND CONTEST.

THE COMPETITIONS BE6IN.

SOME INTERESTING PERFORM

ANCES.

EUPHONIUM AND HORN SOLOS.

OFFjrjj-jfKARTcns :— Contest Executive Committee, Messrs B. C. Bobbins (Chairman), R. W. Sargent, L. H. McAlpine, J. H. Stevens, J. S. Mcßobbie, E. DLxon, A. C. Atkinson, F. J. Wiigley, J. E. Roe, W. Sargeson, J. Brunette, J. E. Wilson, A. J. Whittaker, R. F. Page, J. E. Cowell : Musical Judge, Mr W. S. King; supervisor, Mr L. H. McAlpine ; shorthand reporter, Mr G. H. White ; marshal. Mr J. E. Cowell ; de-puty-marshal, Mr J. E. Ro&; Treasurer, Mr ;R. F. Page; Ticket Committee; Messrs J. S. Mcßobbie, W. Sargeson, t and W. McNiven; Accommodation Com1 mittee, Messrs J. E. Wilson, B. C. Robbins,', and J. Brunette; Secretary, Mr A. M. Cbnroy.

There was a good' attendance at the Opera House on- Monday evening to witness the opening of the solo competitions in. the Band Contest. Soloists representative of eight bands competed. The audience, being largely composed of bandsmen, was very enthusiastic, and received each player with a, hearty round of applause. The eompeti' tors' were encouraged' throughout their trials by the, audience" and given a good "send-off", when they had finished. B FLAT EUPHONIUM.. In the B flat euphonium solo (five competitors) it. Estall (Wooiston) was placed first, scoring 3 -points more,. than T. Gray ("Vyanganui). H. J, Flatt (Taranaki Battalion) was third. In announefng. his de-; cision the judge remarked that the playing was not quite so good as at the Auckland contest. He observed that Gray's playing was not quite polished enough. Following are the details :—

Points.

R. Estall-(Woolston)' 96 T Gray (Wanganui Garriaoni) .... 93 ; 1 H. J. Flatt (Taranaki Ganaeon): ... 90 D. Williams (S. .Canterbury ,'Babjftn.f , 85 , F. E. Langton (Auckland Regimhtl.) 79 4 Comments bv-thb Otjdge. . ] R. Estall (Woolston)., Played i'Fantasie. < Brilliante, Erinnering au,Prag') (T. Hock). >< —An- exceedingljr. good player." Showed < musicianly" qualities of a high order. la ] a master of execution, has a very fine tone > ? and plays with discretion." j T. Gray (Wanganui). Played. "Pretty j Jane." — A good broad-tuned euphonium c player. Lacking somewhat in! I tempera- t ment for this solo. . It gave me the feeling, t that it was being, top carefully treated r The t/riple-tonguing in the last-, movement j was somlewhaf uneven, the cause being v that ! in places' the soloist overran himself c in the matter- of speed. There, were .mi* „ struck notes occasionally throughout, the £ performance. On the whole a good. per- c formancte. . „ ■. ,' w «j * H. J. Flatt (Taranaki Garrison). Played t "Drink to me only, with thine eyes (Hart- t mann).-f-A very fair soloist, whose pros- r pects would be .improved very much were t he to impart, more brightness into has t eeneral rendering. Has a pretty tone, bu. { it is not always even' 'in qualaty. lxiple.- t tonguihg somewhat weak., , t D. Williams Canterbury Batta- a lion). Played "Fantesie Concertante' c .Hock).— This player lacks the &»s\ of , So 1 and No. 2 competitors, and he has A not the same tonal richness. I /*****; t f erred' in my shorthand notes to other c pokits which should be studied. Is a very r ■^^Cgton (Auckland Regimental). < Played "Song Birds of the Thunngen I Forest" (Hock).-This ™ft:^ *J° 18 JT ' vond the present capabilities of the solo- , kt. Tone wants improving, and general „ rotate of musical renditaon^ should be f studied. The solo is one to be ta-ied only by expert players. , ;j E FLAT HORN. j There were eight competitors in the E < flat horn solo. C. Forrest (Wanganui) beat „ J. McKersey (Wellington by 3. points, and , for third place G, Wilson , pnterbjiry , Engineers), W.. Ramsay Auckland Batta- j Uon), ani A. Really '(South Owtafca? i Battalion) tied. The, judge, m giving lm , decision, said that in this competition also „ the playing was- below what was heard at , the Auckland- contest. "It was not so good by a good bit," hie continued. Some , were' too rough" and, some too tame. The players want to liven up a bit. The details are:C. Forrest (Wanganui) ••• . ;•• J4J 4 J. McKersey (Wellington Garrison)... 91 G. Wilson (Cant^T^ry.Eng? ll^^)-" £? W. Ramsay. (Auckland llegHnntl.),.. 88 A Reilly"(S. Cantlrbury Battalion).. 88 • E. Beadle (Wanganui)..; o7 S. Cross (Ruahine Battalion),.; ... 87 F. Hawkey (S. Canterbury Battln.) 7o Comments by the Jtjdqe. C. Forrest (Wanganui) played "Pretty Jane" (Hartmann).— A very good' performance of a pretty .though difficult eolo. The player has a warm tone which might have been subdued at times. The executant did not escape without some mishits, but on the whole the rendering was very good. While the tone was strong there was no roughness and the* triple-tonguing was effectively manipulated. J. McKersey (Wellington Garrison). Played "Alexis" (Hartmann)— A very difficult $010. The .performer 6howed many good points, but the rendering . gave one the impression that the executant was not in good form. The tone was sweet at , times and rough at others, and the tripletonguing became very -labored.. Some severe lip tests were, well .managed. G. Wilson (Cantfibury Engineers). Played "The Dream of Love" (Millars).— The chief point of merit in this player is hie ability to execute. The solo was not . quite understood. Is a promising solo- ; ist who will do much better with proper study. • -.' W. Ramsay (Auckland Regimental). Played "0 Lovely Night",- (Round). . A [ fair player, who could do much better with a more pretentious solo.. The claes of t piece played is not good enough for contest purposes. I A. Reilly (South Canterbury Battalion). 1 Played "Fantneie, Varie". — A moderate performance, about equal to Nos. 4 and 6 p/ayers (Wilson 'arid Ramsay). ' ' ' I t E. Beadle (Wanganui). -Played "Wiedef- * kehr" (Hartmann);— A : fair performer, not- > however, displaying any striking features - beyond care. Wants ,tp impart brightness * into general rendering. * S. "Cross (Ruahine Battalion). Played " "Stradella" (Flotow).— A' sweet-toned in-. ■ siTumentalkt, but wanipg pn ! brightness. 8 Too much of - a sameness and the 'solo is > n«t understood sufficiently well. On the '•' whole a fair performance;. Would have j been much better "with more vim infused * into the, general rendering. I F. Hawfeey '(South Canterbury Batta- * lion). Played "Edelweiss." (Hock).— A per-

forroance not calling for any particular comment-.- The soloist was probably too ijervous to do himself justice.