EXHIBITION BAND CONTEST NOTES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 14289, 6 February 1907, Page 3

EXHIBITION BAND CONTEST NOTES

(By TROMBONE, in “Canterbury Times.”) The various bauds of New Zealand which intend to take part in the Exhibition contest will be leaving their towns this week, and all are expected to be in Christchurch by Saturday night, or at latest by Sunday, some from tho north probably arriving on that morning. The Auckland and Wanganui Bands will leave to-day (Wednesday), while all the other northern combinations are expected to make a move tor Christchurch by Thursday. Lieutenant Bentley, who will judge the full-band events at the Exhibition, will arrive in Christchurch from Sydney on Thursday morning. The Newcastle Band left Sydney on Saturday by the Maheno, so that we may expect'the Australian champions to arrive at Lyttelton on Thursday next, unless they break their journey at Wellington. Bandsmen will join with me in extending a hearty welcome to the first Australian band that has ever visited New Zealand Mr George Collins, the popular conductor of the Lyttelton Marine Band, has been confined to his bed for some time, much to the regret of his many friends, his comrades of the Marines, and to his own bitter disappointment in having to miss hearing the Bcesee-p’-th’-Barn Band during its recent season at the Exhibition. Mr Collins,, too. was to have been one of the supervisors at the Exhibition band cent st, which commences on Monday, but illness has compelled an abandonment of his share in that function. Mr Collins fears that he may not even be well enough to attend the contest at all, which will indeed be hard luck for as enthusiastic and popular a bandmaster as there is in this colony. Most sincerely do I sympathise with Mr Collins, and I trust that he may recover speedily. The judging at the Exhibition contest should prove very satisfactory. To cope with the enormous task throe judges have been engaged. The fullband renderings and the side drum solos will be adjudicated upon by Lieutenant Bentley, of Sydney, and the solos, quartets and trombone trios by Mr W. S. King, of Christchurch, and Mr 0. Schwartz, of Wellington. The players in each section will be heard by one or other of th© judges in a preliminary trial. The soloists will be given a fair chance to display tbei" ability, and all the competitors will be stopped as the judge direct®. The selected players in each class will take part in a final test, when they will perform their solos in the ordinary way before both judges, conferring. The (mo judges will not give separate opinions, and one result only will be announced. Mr King and Mr Schwartz have judged so many contests in this colony that it is unnecessary to c-ay anything about them. Bandsmen have frequently been under their adjudication. A sketch of Lieutenant Bentley's career appears in another part of this column. The following are, I understand, the arrangements in connection with the hearing of the preliminary competitions in connection with the New Zealand Exhibition solo, quartet and trio even's at the band contest:—The B-flat and 88-flat basses, baritones, euphoniums, G trombones B-flat trombones and trombone trios will be heard by Mr King, and the E-fiat and B-flat cornets, flugel and tenor horns, E-flat basses and quart'el® will be heard bv Mr Schwartz. Lieutenant Bentley will adjudicate on the side-drum competition. The following letter is being circulated among®!, band.siiion by the president of the North Island Braes Bands Association : —-“ Dear Sir, —As, in my opinion, an unique opportunity will be afforded during the Exhibition Contest of securing a large and representative meeting of bands throughout the colony of New Zealand and elsewhere, and as I feel that tho time has come when the scope and influence of the North Island Brass Bands Association should be enlarged, I respectfully and cordially invite all bandts to appoint an accredited delegate or delegates, not to exceed two, for the purpose of discussing wicli me a project I have long since had in mind of welding togetherband interests throughout this colony in one large and comprehensive Association, including both islands, and probably an amalgamation of one or more of tho Australian States. To this end, therefore, I purpose calling a special meeting, apart from the annual general meeting of the North Island Brass Bands Association, at whicir the project can be discussed freely and from all points of .view, and the result of such deliberation duly communicated to the North Island Brass Bands Association at its annual meeti g. The propriety of this course will be obvious when I state that since my return from the East I have been unable to acquaint my Executive with the details of the project and seeing they have had no opportunity of endorsing it, I cannot see my way clear to commit them without giving them an. opportunity of prior discussion. It would, perhaps, be too much to go further into details at the present moment, and I will leave for your consideration the outline of tho project as indicated above. I shall, therefore, feel obliged if, in the

meantime, you will give the subject serious thougut so tnat your views will be semen liar matured w nen you have an opportunity of discussing them. The time and place of the meeting, which will be in Christchurch and during oontewt week, will be dn.y communicated to you.—l. am, etc., M, Cohen, president N.1.8.8.A.” ■lii. A correspondent complained last week, in a Duned.n new® j urnal. that Mr Owen, conduc or of the Be..6cS-o-.h TCrn Band, was coaciung the ivaikorai Band for the Exhibition contest, and he inferred that the band was ca.nlng an advantage eve.- others, lersohuilv, .1 fail to see that any' instiuct.on winch Mr Owen may have given is going to make any ■ erious ciftoren..©, so far as the other competitors are concerned. Tne Kaikorai Band rs m &ffy case a high-grade organisation, Mr Owen would probably not bo able to improve its tone or general methods in any’ way in the short time at his disposal. ' The band’s intonation is above reproach, and he could do little in that department. Where Mr 0) v ® a might accomplish something would he In the interpretation of a selection; but, after all, that is a matter of opinion, and, as Mr Owen will have nothing whatever to do with the judging of the contest, hjs ideas off interpretation may not coincide with those of Lieutenant Bentley, who is to adjudicate upon th© full-band renderings. The correspondent fails to appreciate thi® point, evidently. It is quite ceitain that unless Lieutenant Bentley s ideas are identical with Mr Owen s, the Kaikorai Band, in adopting the latter gentleman’s ideas, may suiter. In anv case, the Kaikorai Band, in arranging for a lesson or two from ilr Owen, did what it had a perfect right to do. • The .Wookton Band., ChnstcHirch, also received instruction from Mr Owen, and I have little doubt that all the contest bands would do the same thing bad they the opportunity. And who could blame them? Mr E. T. Code, of Code’s Melbourne Brass Band, in a letter to Mr John Dixon, regrets the inability of hi® hand to undertake the trip to Christchurch to take part in the Exhibition contest. He states that several important players were unable to obtain the neccesaiy leave of absence, and without them it was out of the question to think ot the trio. Mr Code ‘also mentions that be had' been invited to be one of the judges of the solo competitions, but he had be°n compered to decline, owincr to business arrangements which he had entered into when he found his band could not go to New Zealand. Mr Code remarks that_ bandsmen are eagerly awaiting for the time to come round when they will have the nleasur 0 of hearing the Bemcs-o’-th’-Bnrn Band. Bars the “ Camara Mad Tim Oamaru Garrison Band appears to he shaping very well, after a long period of hibernation. is bringing back tho old quality which made it so celebrated in tbe early days of brass bands. If it continues to improve at the same rate that has marked its progress during the oast few weeks it will he fit to take part in the Exhibition contest. It would, however, be folly for any but efficient bands to try conclusion’s wPh organisations which have attained high proficiency. The Australian and Wanganui Bands will probably exhibit the high-water mark of musical excellence in the contest. That will be the result of intelligent study and industrious myoHce, and what they have accomplished may be done by any oMier set of brass instrumentalists. In band contests, as in other straggles, the race is to the swift, and the swift are those who train themselves aesicluously and systematically. But, whilst two or three bands are mentioned in the foref'ont at th : s juncture, it is not at all unlikely that others may forge ahead during the next fortnight and make an effort fo win the honoir'® of the Exhibition contest that will occasion no little surprise. Band contesting in New Zealand is ahead of that of the Old Country in one respect, and that is in the inventive given to the bands, through c.ho quickstep competition, to dress well, to look well, to be smart in movements and to play well on the march. The Timaru Garrison Band has had its uniform refaced and a white military helmet has displaced the old peak cap. The band is s-id to look exceedingly smart in its full dress. ' The Nap’er Garrison has just been supolied with its new uniform, and W anganui Garrison also has a new outfit. It is certain that the bands taking part in the New Zealand Exhibition contest will look really well.