BAND CONTEST SCENE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20793, 9 February 1931, Page 16

BAND CONTEST SCENE.

ADJUD ICATOR MENACED. ; ./ CROWD RESENTS DECISION, jj

POLICE ESCORT NECESSARY.

A tumultuous and highly discreditabW scene marked the close of this year's band contests at the Sports Ground, Sydney,.; last week. The adjudicator, Dr. Cyril Jenkins, having given his decision in the A grade competition in a way which a large section of the onlookers disap. proved, a volley of booing broke out that could bo heard half a mile distant. Louder and louder gi"ew the demonstration of the crowd, while Dr. Jenkins conversed with press representatives in his tent. Individuals shouted at him t<> come out and justify his decision, and tho nnil, titude in concert repeatedly "counted him out." It became apparent very rapidly that when he did emerge from hia tenfc there would be untoward developments. Fortunately for the adjudicator the press interview had given time fttr the organising secretary of the Band dissociation, Mr. George McLean, to rush to the entrance of the ground and bring back half a dozen policemen. Without these as an escort Dr. Jenkins would certainly have met with physical violence, says the Sydney Morning Herald, for the Kioment he stepped forward into the open air the crowd surged forward and began to shout threats and insults at him. The phrases, "Hit him one!" "Cheat!" "Hotter!" resounded from dozens of throats. Hundreds joined in the throng that swarrne:! after him to the gates, where he was phced in a car and driven away to..safety. Outburst of Hooliganism.

The conductor of the Hamilton Citizens' Band, which had just missed winning the prize, and in favour of which the demonstration was being carried on, came to Dr. Jenkins just before he left his tent and shook the adjudicator warmly by the hand, to show that the. band itself cherished no ill-feeling. Hostility was con- j fined to the spectators. The whole episode was a disgraceful outburst of hooliganism highly to be deprecated in view of the fact that Dr. Jenkins is a distinguished British composer and adjudicator, who has come to Sydney specially to act at these contests, and has been in this city only a little over a week. Six bands competed in the "A"' grade competition. Each band had played a piece (the music of its own choice) on Saturday night, and the same siiiries of 1 bands played each another pieclt (still chosen by itself) On the night of the disturbance. No scores were announced on Saturday, but on the second occanion, as each band finished its number, thl> scores for both its performances were pluced on the board. The Townsville Railway Band had attained a total of 188 out of a 200 maximum. The Haniilton Band came last on the list, in order of rotation, and captured the fancy of the crowd with a spirited performance of a serieji of excerpts from various rhapsodies, Liszt's Second and Sixth among them. To this band Dr. Jenkins awarded only 187 points. ; Reasons for Decision. In his interview the adjudicator gave reasons for such a decision. It was his aim, he said, to emphasise artistry of interpretation rather than mere technical facility. Fifty, per cent, of his marks he gave for interpretation. The Townsville Band had given a finer performance of his own composition, "Life Divine," than he had ever heard before, even when it was first played by the bands at the Crystal Palace in London. "Life Divine" was a difficult work, requiring the highest judgment in its reading; and there were notable difficulties, too, in the "Tristan and Isolde" selection, which the Townsville Band had played on Saturday. On the other hand, the series of rhapsodies, with which the Hamilton Band had so caught the ears of the crowd, was a showy, superficial work, that made few demands on the mentality of the conductor. It was a mere, disjointed skeleton, belying the true character of the original music. Moreover, the performance contained technical blemishes which would not be apparent to the ea:r of the average listener. , This disturbance, he went on, had confirmed him in his aversion to adjudicating on "own choice" selections, where so much depended on the character of the score as opposed to the quality of the playing. He had, not wished to come to the New South Wales band contests to adjudicate when he heard that the "own choice" system ruled, but had been persuaded against his better judgment. In future he would confine himself to adjudicating on a «et -'test piece."