ASHBURTON BAND CONTEST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14498, 9 October 1907, Page 8

ASHBURTON BAND CONTEST.

THE OPENING DAY

Ashburton yesterday , experienced Komething unique in its 'history in a brass band contest, which was successfully begun after some months of careful preparation. It is tlio third annual competitions of the" Canterbury Braes Bands Association, wliich was formed during 1905. The first contest was held at Temuka and last year’s at Waimate, both being most successful. Ashburton is well suited to the requirements of a contest and yesterday’s proceedings were thoroughly satisfactory. The visiting bands are fortunate in being kept free of all expense, owing to the extreme liberality of the people of the district. All the bands but one are encamped in the Domain and excellent meals are served in the pavilion. Tho contest has been supported by an .energetic local committee, headed by the Mayor (Mr Hr Davis), and the completeness of the arrangements is in no small measure duo to the secretary (Mr Gates) and, his band of workers. Mr J. G. Purchase is supervisor, Lieutenant Herd (Wellington) judge of music, and the officials for the military department are Lieutenant-Colonel M’Kenzie, Lieutenant Hayes, Sergeants-Major Healey and Hoar, Major Dolman and Captain Hefford. Messrs M’Clurg and De Beer will be time-keepers for the quickstep competition on. the second day. The solo" events are being taken in the Oddfellows’ Hall, but for the test selection the bands will use the Arcade, which is more spacious. -The prize-list is attractive. There are four prizes for the selection, first £6O, second £3O, third £2O and fourth £lO. Messrs Begg arid Co. donated a special trophy for the baud scoring. the highest points in the music of the selection and tho quickstep. For the quickstep there are also four prizes, first £25, second £ls, third £lO and fourth £5. Messrs Begg and Co. and the Dresden Piano Company will give trophies to the first and second bands in the aggregate of die selection and quickstep. Jn the quartette competition, four gold medals nil 1 he given to tho winning party and four silver medals to the second, lor the solo events, the first prizes are gold medals and tho second silver medals. The drum-major of the band winning the quickstep will receive a gold medal, presented by tho Dresden Piano Company, and tho bandmaster of the successful hand in the test selection will win a geld medal given by Mr L.-43. M’Clurg. In the quickstep and. solo events, all the music is “own choice,” but in the selection the hands will play a test number. which is an arrangement from Julius Benedict’s “ Lily of Killarney,” the opera form of the drama “ Colleen Hawn.” The piece is bright, short and moderately difficult only, and will not severely test the bandsmen, a point oT some consideration for second-class bands. The following bands are taking part :—Nelson Citizens, . which gained second place in last year’s contest at Waimate; Lyttelton Marine, winners at Waimate; Elite (Christchurch); Ashburton Temperance; Ashburton County; Tinnn.ru Marine; Waimate: Young Men’s Christian Association gill)Proceedings commenced at mne o’clock yesterday morning with tho event for E-flat bass players. Six competed, and the playing was very even. Judge Herd expressing appreciation of the careful examples of bass playing. The first prize went to A. Bath (Y.M.0.A., Invercargill), 48 points. He was followed very closely by A. Scrirng'eour (Elite). 4/ points-. Then came Childs (Lyttelton) 46, Waters (Lyttelton) and Worsley (Waimate) 45 each, and Cotton (Nelson) 44. Bath played The Adh Grove,” and Scrimgeo-ur 0 rd-H u me’s ’ ; Wakatipu. ’ ’ Only two com]>9ted m tho B-flat bass competition, and Anthony (Lyttelton Marine). 40, won from Avery (Waiinate), 39. Judge Herd was not impressed with this section. An interesting event followed, the soprano contest, in which five competed, and a fairly high standard of ability wad displayed. Bandsman Thomn.i (Ashburton County), who showed brilliance combined with expressiveness and warm tone, won from Dix (Lyttelton Marine), last year’s champion. Dix was not in his best form, but showed a mastery of the instrument, especially in tho upper register. Thomas is clever and promising. The points were— Thomas 47, Dix 46. Hoskeii, eon of tho bandmaster of the Ashburton Temperance Band, wa® third with 45. Ho played “ The Vale of Llangollen.” Mitroy (Nelson), 43 points, essayed a, cavatina from c< Tuneredi.” Turner (Elite) opened well, but, becoming mixed in an early intricacy, gave up. Tho tenor trombone section was taken next, and eight played. Cummings (Nelson), last year’s winner, again won. He tackled an ambitious solo in “ Song Birds of Thnringcn Wood,” and the performance was not free from blemish, but on the whole his display was clever. Cummings uses the left hand in sliding, a rare experience. Wearne (Lyttelton Marine), who invariably gives a good account of himself, was an excellent second. His eolo, “ Jeanette and Jeanot,” did not present the difficulties of the winner’s, hut he played with good tone and was in tune, and showed careful qualities. Moody (Elite) well merited tho third place awarded him. His tone was good, and, were lie to adopt a more flexible style, he would become a pleasing soloist. The points of the leaders were Cummings 47, Wearno 46, Moody 42. Pierce (Ashburton Temperance.) scored 41 points, Ward (Stanmore) 40, Scales (Ashburton County) 39 and 11. Terris and D. Terris (Ashburton, Temperance) each 38 points. The bands assembled in tin; mam street and played to tho Domain, whore an interesting afternoon’s programme, wa.s gone through, including an official welcome by the Mayor, the solos for basn and side drums, the selections of each band and a massed display of all the bands under Lieutenant Herd. Tho placiiigs in the drum events were as follow :--F. Hindley and I’. Lily (Nelson), 31 points. 1; W. Boyle and. H. Sinclair (Win-mate), 29 points, 2; Pollock' and Mathespn (Ashburton Temperance), 27 v

points, 8; Jacobs and Faulkner, 25 points, 4. The competitions wore continued in the evening. Thirteen players competed in tho B-flat cornet section. This event is the “ blue riband” of tho solo competitions. Tito most polished performance was given by E. Sullivan (Lyttelton Marine), last year’s winner of the same event. For second place, opinions wore divided as between. Tucker (Ashburton Temperance) _ and Goss (Ashburton County), but the judge placed AV. Taylor (Timaru Marine) second and Gass third, while Tucker, who played with taste and. fooling, though ire made some slips, was not placed. Tho winner scored 43 point?, Taylor 44 and Gass 43. Tho remaining performers wore Amend (A'Vaimate) ami Morris (Timaru Marine) each 42, AY. AA’carne (Lyttelton) and Leitch (Ashburton Temperance) each 41, W. Hcsken (Ashburton Temperance) 41J, E. Tucker (Ashburton Temperance) and' AY. AVhitley each 40. H. Murphy (Nelson) 38 and H. M’Conachie (Nelson) 37. The playing of the leader® was very creditable, especially that of Sullivan, who outclassed his opponents. There was more coed plavin'w than bad. “

Tho quartette event followed. Tho Lyttelton Marino players were warm favourites with the audience. They won the event at th© Wainmto contest last year, when they played an arrangement from 'Beethoven’s “ Adesto Fidelesj” and this they repeated last evening. Mr Cummings gave an excellent interpretation. The tone, tune and work of the Nelson quartette party was also admirable. It was assisted by G. Parker, a well-known Wellington nlayer, who took tho loading r>art. Tho Lyttelton Marino No. 2 quartette was good. There was a freshness and brightness of tone which were pleasing, and the intonation was excellently level. Tho Elite party was the only one to play without the assistance of a conductor, and under the circumstances it did astonishingly well. Its rendering of “Town and Country” was bold and invigorating. The Timaru Marino party played the same work in a more finished manner. The Wannabe and Y.M.C.A. quartettes won* not expressive. The Ashburton County quartette gave a very fair rendering, but it lacked some essential qualities. It was unbalanced and the rendering was uneven. The following aro Lieutenant Herd’s awards:—Ashburton County, 76 points; Timaru Marine, 74; Nelson Citizens’, 73J; Y.M.C.A. (Invercargill), 73; Lyttelton Marine No. L 72: Lyttelton'Marine No. 2, 70; Waimate. 69.

Tbe baritone competitions will bo taken at 9 o’clock This morning, and will be - followed by tho euphonium contest, tho BB flat bass, and the baa? trombone competitions. At 1 p.m. the bands will muster for tbe Quickstep competition, and in tbe evening the test selection will bo played.