THE MILITARY MARCH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 9002, 26 January 1906, Page 5

THE MILITARY MARCH.

Th' 6 weather was beautifully fine except for a shower about half -past 3, which, however, passed off quickly. The bands assembled at the intersection of High and Princes streets before half-past 12, and each played a march of its own, choosing en roiit'e for the railway station. Here^ they took the 12 52 excursion train for :the course, and were accompanied by about 600 to 700 people. Two other trains' from the town, one from Wanganui, and one from New Plymouth, also were well lilted with passengers. It happened though, that in the morning it was raining both at the New Plymouth and , Wanganui ends of the district, and this no doubt kept very many people away. Besides this- cabs and drags' were plying busily and depositing scores oi people at the gates of the racecourse. It is estimated r-hat there were fully 4000 .people present. Both grandstands were packed and the lawns well .covered with spectators. The drawing for r places nesulted as follows :— Wanganui, Valmerston, Woolston, Ttiranaki, South Canterbury. Punctually at 2 o'clock the bands were lined up for the inspection of instruments by- .the judge of this department, •Mr J. i3,igham. .Throughout the marching the keenest interest was displayed by trie assemblage, each band receiving encouraging handclapping on. entering the deciding-ground and a round of appreciative applause, on returning. The business was despatched in a most able and expeditious manner, the whole of • the competition being completed in a little oxer an hour. One very unfortunate incident , occurred'.' Two minutes after the Woolston Band liad started marching, Mr J. Taylor (re-, piano comet) was observed to totter and fall heavily. Taylor being ,-in the reat rank was practically unobserved by t*he bandsmen, cut a moment later the ranks reversed, and the drum-major* coming through in the centre noticed Taylor: lying unconscious on the ground., Immediately dismissing the competition from his mind he stopped to assist his helpless comrade. It was at once made apparent that Taylor was in a fit they had him ,carrfcd off the field, and were .about to proceed when Drum-Major Anderson, of the Wanganui Garrison, volunteered ■to allow Woolston to replace Taylor from, the Wanganui ranks. , The offer was willingly accepted. Wanganui's\ best soloist (Buckley) was brought out,, and when the audience observed -what had taken place they signified approval -in hearty, rounds of ap ; plause. On returning Woolston were hear.: hly cheered, the crowd evidently sympathising, with -them, in ; tiheir ill-luck. The affair upset the whole,band. and no doubt militated very considerably against their chancifr of success. ... v The military judges were: -.Sergeantr Majors Coiclough, McNair, Williams ajk| 'Sanderson. Mr Hunter, of Dunedin, acted as timekeeper, and to his duties assiduously. It may be mentioned ihat if .was by request of the Contest Committee that Mr Hunter so generously came all the way from Dunedin to assist. The following was the announcement :— Points. Wanganui Gamson 296"£ South. Canterbury Battalion ... 292 Taranaki Battalion 290 Palmierston North ..., 283 ! Woolston - ,-,,-J 72 . After' the decision the march Mount Eemont"' was played' by the massed bandsunder the baton of Judge King. HOW THE POINTS WERE ALLOTTED Points were obtainable as follows:—Dressing 10. intervals 10, steadiness 10, general appearance 10, forming marching order 10, cleanliness of instruments 20, maTch from point A to B 10, first counter march 10, march from B to A 10, second counter march 10"; left turn 10, march to C 10, right tarn 10, march from C to D j 10, right wheel' 5, march toE and halt 5, j time 20, paces 20 ; total military points, j 200. The allotment of points was :—

QUICKSTEP MUSIC POINTS. Wanganui. Intonation, 20. Tone, 20. Attack and precision, 19. Phrasing and expression, 19. Interpretation, 14.' Ensemble, 19. Tempo, 15. Total; 126. South Canterbury Battalion. , Intonation, 197 „-• Tone, 19". . , \■ '. . , ', Attack and 'precision'," 191 Phrasing and expression, 1& , \ Interpretation, 14.' • Ensemble, 18. "' . Tempo, 14. ' -. . •> Total, 121. '„ WootSTON. Intonation,,, 20? Tone; 19* v " ' 1 Attack and -precision, 19i • Phrasing and expression; 18." ' Interpretation, 137 Ensemble. 18." Tempo, 12.' 1 ' Total, 119. ' , Taranaki, 1 Intonation, 19. Tone, 18! '.;!". s . Attack" and precision. 18. ' . Phrasing and expression, 18. x ' f Interpretation, 137 'I : Ensemble; 17T ' ' ' 1 , Tempo, 14J s " Total, 117.' , .. v . ; ' FxtMERSToN 'North. . Ihtoxcation; 18." "' "" "' • ' '

Tone. 18. Atttack and precifcion, 18. • Phrasing and oxpression, 17. i Interpretation, 13. Ensemble, 18. Tempo, 14. Total, 116. > REMARKS. BY THE JUDGE. Wanganui Garrison. — From beginning to. end a most excellent band performance^ both on the march and standing. Very, few flaws. Grand body of musical tone' and steady tempo. Side drum effective,,'* Soprano very sutc Trombones excep-^ tionally well in combination. { South Canterbury Battalion. — A steady and compact musical combination. March'" played with feeling and discretion. A .really good performance. - 4 j Taraaiaki Garrieon.-^A. steady aiid careful performance. Plays with good/ejom-' bination. Ragged tendencies conspicuous"* by their" absence. Trombones' a good!6ec-i-tion. Would prefer more", strength, from.' the , euphonium , and baritone . .sections,, Bass has good style and plays with discretion. • i Palmerston Noith.— A good rendering ofj the march, but not . up to. the very fine standard set by the preceding band. ( Wanganui). The tepipo was accelerated slightly at the Halt. Woolston. — A dashing combination. Good volume and, .richness of tone - color.: The performance was. slightly handicapped', by reason of the great pace .set,, by tjfe^ big drummea'. I repeatedly" timed' tjie band with tlie metronome, and on no" occa^ sion was the tempo" below 130, whereas^ it should not. exceed 120. How the bands 4 men grappled with the. difficulties un^er^. the trying circumstances is quite remarks able ; it is proof of the capabilities of thtr instrumentalists. - h , I would like to, add that on the whole, the playing has r been really excellent. Tjie, march is a, very etamxha-tesiting. one, and' the bands liave done, splendidly.