THE BAND CONTEST.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4880, 4 February 1903, Page 7

THE BAND CONTEST.

SECOND DAY'S IMIOCEKDINOS. BARITONE AN D EUPiIONIUAI SOLOS. (By Our Special Reporter,), AiASTERTON, February 3. This morning, when tins baud cont'-si-was (joulimicd. tin; Judge was abb; to announce the results of To? ir of Hu; solo COillpcUU'JllN* la tin; first—tlio B-flat baritone cou—l. hero was a sui-pi-Le for tin; cognohcouti in. ia» victory of J. J. ( hsgr.ove, ol the. .via ,1 erlou -Municipal Band,' who defeated two favo'iritv.s m P. Dixon, el tho Wellington Garrison Band. and Arthur Martin, of the Wanganui Gamhou Oixtmv.us io''- V' Di v. iniwi, |,nt this year 1 1 0 was able to score only G ‘2 points, as against 7-i awarded to Co.v grove. A:; tho maximum was IeJO, it will bo seen that the winning man fell short in several respects when ho eonld scoro only 71. The Judge found fault with Dixon because of his (h-tached stylo of playing. The solo was A i cat 1 of tho Ocean,” in which there is » very express!vo movement. nut m this ndsodo Dixon, according to Lim .nidge, failed in his method of phrasing, and instead of producing a caiitabdo or singing style, played with a detached method. -Martin’s playing, tho judge considered, was rather empty in tone. Another surprise came with tho result of tho B-fl,'it euphonium solos, when it was found that J. O’Brien, of Kaikorai, ono of tho bandsmen seleeted for tho Now Zealand team to visit England, was unplaced, and that A. J. Donaldson, of tho Wellington Garrison Band, Aas absolutely last on tho list and had been awarded no marks at all. The winner was W. Stains, of Dcnniston, who was for some years a member of tho Dunedin Garrison Hand, and was at ono time in Waihi. Tho Judge gave high praise to Stains for his playing, awarding him 00 points out of a possible 100. Ho 'Spoke of tho true musioianly feeling winch tho winner had displayed and described him as a capital and capable soloist. In O’Brien’s performance tho J udgo discovered more throat work than tongue work, and also that the majority of tho notes wore pushed instead of being delivered with tho tip of tho tongue. Donaldson's work was severely “slated” because of his want of expression. The double B-flat bass solos and tho G trombone solos comprised practically tlio whole morning’s work. In these competitions tboro was some very poor playing, especially in tlio G trombone solos, where tho Judge, in awarding the prize, gavo it to “tho best of a bad lot.” Tlio winner, G. Boyd. of Wanganui, could scorn only 40 wbilo two of tlio five competitors actually broke down—'W. Bovin, of Kaikorai. and It. J. Young, of Masterton. Young collapsed at a tricky cadenza in the last few bars of Dm piece. Otherwise ho would have won tho first prize.

THE BARITONE SOLOS. An early start was made this morning at B o’clock, when the _ baritone and euphonium .solo competitions, left open from tho previous day because of the absence of some competitors, were concluded. In the baritone solos, W. Kounedy, of Gisborne City, played the test piece, but Thompson, of Waihi, the only other competitor then unaccounted for, did not face tho judge. Iho following is tho result of this competition:— B-flat baritone solos; first prize gold modal, second silver medal; maximum points, 100.—J. J. Cosgrove, Masterton Municipal Band, 7-1 points, 1; P. Dixon, Wellington Garrison Band, *j2 points, 2; A. IVlartiu, Wanganui Garrison Band, 56 points, 3. Tho unplaced men were:—B. Flatt, Taranaki Garrison, 4C; J. Doig, Kaikorai, 40; WKennedy, Gisborne Cityy nil; E. Erwin. Hawera Borough, nil. Mr Ord Hume, in his notes concerning tho winner, describes him as a very good player, except that tho tongue and fingers do nob work neatly in serai-quavers. His phrasing and expression in tho adagio movement of tho tost piece were, in the judge’s opinion, a groat improvement upon those of previous players. Tho first variation was a shade slow and heavy, and in tho second variation tho tongue did not work neatly with the fingers in semiquavers. Tho complaint against Dixon was that his stylo was too', detached, while Martin’s playing wanted a fuller tone. In Martin’s case the double piano passages were so soft that they were hardly heard. In regard to tho last-named competitor, tho judge states that ho is a good player, but that ho should learn to retain liis tone. Even in soft movements tho instrument should bo always filled and tho tone always firmly held. With reference to Flatt, of N tho Taranaki Garrison Baud, who finished fourth, the judge says ho forms tho material of a good performer, but his tone has too much tho one colour all tho way through. Doig, of Kaikorai, ho considers to require the art of expressing tho meaning of tho music. Kennedy, of Gisborne, is severely dealt with by tho judge, who advises him to go iu for lots of full-toned scale practice, to cultivate tone and method of clear production. Erwin, of tho Hawera Borough Band, is also criticised very adversely for his expressionless style, bub Air Ord Hume adds: “This player may be the- material of a hue soloist if only taught to express himself and to learn tho method of attack.”

J. J. Cosgrove, tho winner of the first prize for tho baritone solos, was born in Napier, and is twenty-seven years of ago. Ho was for sonio time a member of the Waipawa Hand, but has been in Mastcrton for about four months. At tho Wanganui contest in 1901 ho finished second to T. Gray in tho euphonium solos, whilst last year at New Plymouth ho was ouo of a quartette team which scored fairly well. Ho is first baritone player in the Municipal Band. His brother is leading cornet player in the same baud, THE EUPHONIUM SOLOS. Only ono of tho two Ciisborno men for whom the euphonium competition was left open appeared this morning— A. Don, of tho Gisborne City Band. A. James, nominated from tho same town, did not play. Tho following is the rest.it of the competition:—-B-flat euphonium solos; first prize gold medal, second silver modal; maximum points, 100.—W. Stains. Der.niston Band, 06 points, 1; D. Bon'd. Northeast Valley Band, 82 points, 2; T. Gray, Wanganui Garrison Band, 73 points. 3. Tho unplaced men were—U. Estail, Wools!on, G 5; C. H. Greening. Petone, 4G; J. O’Brien, Kaikorai, 43 : W. Dunn, Hawcra Borough, 40: A. Don, Gisborne City, 28: A. J. Donaldson, Wellington Garrison, nil. Stains, the winner, according to the judge, produced an excellent tone, and his stylo of phrasing and execution were of tho best. In Mr Ord Homo’s opinion. this was a beautiful exhibition of euphonium playing, and ho congratulated tho player upon his taste. D.

Boyd, of North-east Valley, also camo in lor praise, tni. Dm Judge noticed a certain lack of charm m cinnp.ning mm with Slams. Gowewi. no de.-crib ; ;d iiovd’s a., a fine P’ n ,t , g me-rany. T. ‘ Gray, of tho \.i -.J m Garrison Band, vrimtcd mere ireenom 11l n guru in the performance ei Gieening, of Pe’.om., the Jn h < i d‘-rs Dial j he r. quire.-, h-ssoos in Lone proanc-Uon, I and says t hat a tone would soon Ir: proi cured, jhe 1. 1 1 ■ i;i<<, us im played it, was I I'uv Leo dry and tame, and tie; v- hole ol ; lids me’.'i mi nt too slew and death ; O’Brien fail-' d through. his “pn'-hin.g” Isi .vie and had met nod of attack. Dunn, j of the flaw era Borough Bund, though i in* only scored -10 poin'.s, showed that ’ !,(, lias" latent indent. Tim judge says he will ho a good, player if brought out. : This was Dime's first appearance as a solei-i, and, like many others cf Die solo players, he was decidedly nervous, j Done!-1 soi■, whose pe/ution as last on the list is a great surprise to his comrades I of the Wellington Garrison Band, jacked lone rind exiiressicn. in the opinion of the judge, who adds in Ins notes: “The talent i.o most assuredly Dmro. hut it is at present latent in solo playing.” Air Ord Hume also stated that lie only wished he had hut one hour’s opportunity to give this player a lesson On tone product ion. and in reading tins, when aimoimelng the results, the Judge staled that if Die plpvcr took Die opportunity thus offered he would be very plens'’d to give the lesson. The winner in the euphonium solo competition. TV. .Stains, received Ids i mining m England. Tie was Vnrn in Greenwich and learned the euphonium nt, the ft ova I NV-,d School in tint town, under Sergeant-Alhinr IT. Harding, conductor cf the Bova! Artillery Baud at ■Woolwich. Stains, who is thirty-two veers cf age, arrived in New Zealand in 1.802. 7-To was for three years a memher'ef the Dunedin Garrison Baud. He has been for the last two years a resident of Dcnniston.

Stains tied with Martin lasfc_ year at Now Plymouth in tho euphonium solo competition, and finally won.

THE DOUBLE ELAT BASS SOLOS. For tho double B-iiat kiss solos Hus morning, there were eleven nominated, but four retired —J. Sims, \\ anganui Garrison; W. Mitchell, Gisborne City; (J. Davie, Kaikorai; and R. Issell, Westport City. The fallowing wore tho competitors, in tho order in which they played:—F. Huggins, North-east Valley; T. Hughes, Taranaki Garrison; J. Rowe, Hauraki; 0. Hansen, feWthland Battalion; I'rascr, Dcnniston: H. Reid. Waihi; and C. H. Aldridge, Masterton Municipal. Tho tost xheoe was Theodore Hooh’s “Tuscan Idyll,” a simple melody, embellished with some scale and staccato passages and ending with a difficult cadenza, which' found out_ tho waaik spots iu many of tho competitors. Tno solo, however, was quite unsuitable for performance by bass instruments, inasmuch as it was too high. The result was that tho theme was developed in tho high register, which is seldom used m ordinary band performances. Mr Ord Hume stated to-day that whoever selected tho piece should not bo allowed to select another. It turns out that it was chosen by a committee, who recognised that it was not quite suitable, but found that it was tho best of the batch then under offer. . Tho double B-flat bass playing, taken altogether, was far below contest form. The winner. Hausen, of Southland, secured the good score of 00 cut of a possible 100" points. Three players received no marks at all. The following is the result: — EB-flat bass solos; first pnzo_ gold modal, second silver medal; maximum points’ 100.—-C. Hansen, Southland Battalion. 90 points. 1: T. Hughes, Taranaki Garrison. 71. 2; F. Hnggins, Northeast Valley, 60. 3. ' Tho unplaced men rrf i rc —Eraser, Dcnniston, 40; J. Rowe, TTanraki, nil * C. 11. Aldridge. Masterton Municipal, nil; H. Reid, Waihi nil. The judge spoke of Hansens perfoimianco as a very creditable one. The player produced a good tone, and his solo was very tastefully played. This is Hansen’s third venture at band-contests. He has two firsts and one’ second to his credit in double B-llat solos—first at T iinarii, second at Dunedin, and first today at Masterton. , .. Hausen, who was born in Dunedin, is twenty-eight years of age.- For many years ho was a mofUbcr of tho Inveroarinll City Band, and continued his membership when that band and tho Invoicaroill Garrison Band wore amalgamated under tho title of the Southland Battalion Band.

THE TROMBONE SOTOS. In tho G trombone solo competition, also, taken this morning, the competitors played tlio same solo as that chosen for tlm double B-flat bass players— Theodore Hock’s “Tuscan loytl. Iho following were . tbo competitors (the names being given in the order V 1 which tho men appeared)G. Boyd, AVar.ganui: C. Hawkins Haivcra 11kongh; AV. Bovin, Kaikorai; li. J. Vbuucr, Masterton Municipal; and J. Oliver, North-east A’alley. Two others nominated did not play—A. Hosnm, Taranaki Garrison, and A. Janies, Ortaborne Rifles, Tho following _ is the _ result:—Or. Doyd, Wanganui, 40 points, 1; J. Oliver, North-case A alley, 24, 2; R. J. Young, Masterton Municipal, 20, 3. Tho unplaced men wore: —Hawkins, Hawcra Borough, and Bovin, Kaikorai, neither of whom received marks. Boyd, the winner has been a member of various bands in tlio North Island, Jirst at Fcilding, thou at Auckland in the Auckland Artillery Band, afterwards in tho Thames Navais, and then in a band at Pacroa. Ho is now in tho "Wanganui Garrison Band. This is tho first time a trombone solo competition lias been carried out at these contests. QUARTETTES. ■The quartette competition was hold to-night. Six bands out of seventeen nominated were represented—Kaikorai, Masterton, Wanganui, North-east A’alley, AA'ellingtoa Garrison and Hawcra, which played in that order. The test piece was an arrangement by J. Ord Huaio of operatic airs. Tlio result was as follows; Quartette,, first prize gold medal, second silver medal: maximum points, 100. .— AA'anganui. Garrison Band, G. Buckley first, cornet, F. Henley second cornet, C. Forrest horn, T. Gray euphonium, 97 points, 1; Kaikorai Band, E. Kerr, J. Paterson, H. Davie and J. O'Brien, 80 points, 2; Wellington Garrison Band, J. Parker, M. Manthol, It. AV. Nicholson and J. A. Donaldson, 08 points, 3. Tho other scores were:— North-east A'alley, 05 points; Hawcra, 51: Masterton, -IS. Tlio win by the Wanganui team was received with great applause by the supporters of .that band. The judge described tho performance of the wi7ining band as tuneful and musical. In. tlio case of tlie Wellington Garrison Paid, ho complained of the loud tone of the solo cornet, played by J. Parker. THE TRIOS. For the Irio competition there wore seven teams out of eleven nominated.

r Tho test piece was a setting of “Lucrc- | zia. Borgia” melodies, arranged by ■ Shipley Douglas, due result was as ; follows: — , Tries, first prize geld modal, .second | silver medal ; maximum points, lUO. j Dennisiuii Baud, V.'. .Sitidkt lir.it uom- | bone, :i. Neighbour., second trombone, :,J. Cimimmg bass, l .}'2 points, i; v. el--1 Imgtou Garrison Bann, 11. B. Oakes, E. id Andrews and U . id' Rennie, 81 | points, '2; North-east' Vaiioy, G. V. . • McConni'll, it. AXaddou and j. Oliver, Go points, 3. ’Tiie other bands represented were :—Wanganui Garrison, G 0“ liiiistertou, 4.3: .-southland Battalion, 40; Kaikorai, 40. The DennisUm team gave a capita! performance, the judge stated, with tho exception that the bass trombone was a liuic flat in opening. The V, eiliugtou Garrison team, he considered, played a wcll-halanccd trio, but there were some flaws by the bass trombone. Tho solo trombone —H. B. Oakes —ho consider, cl excellent. Tho B-flat bass solos- and tho ilugel horn soles are to bo taken in tho morning. Tho K-flat cornet solus will bo played in the afternoon, and in the evening tho bands will play the first tost selection. This afternoon the judge and visiting bandsmen wore public-ally welcomed at a garden party hold in the beautiful Park Oval. THE JUDGE. Hr Ord Hume, when I spoke to him regarding tho four solo competitions judged to-day, agreed that many of Die faults, lie had pointed out in Ins notes were no doubt duo to nervousness. Solo playing is neglected,' ho says, not only in s,’ o\v Zealand, hut in the United Kingdom. At tho same time it is tho foundation of the success of a band, am. ho always encourages it where ho can possibly do so. Ho strongly recommends, from to-day’s experience, that New Zealand bandsmen should go in for soloplaying. Whilst tho trombone competition was proceeding, he says, ho never felt so much inclined to ring men off before. At tlio saino time ho agrees that the players were handicapped by tho unsuitable character of the test pieces.

Air Hume, in giving his awards, certainly takes his gloves off to tho business. His notes on some of tho soloists were scarifying in their outspokenness. Hero is a sample of his remarks concerning ono player : —“Variation —• Good- tempo, hut very consumptive. Variation 2 —No expression at all, and it Just sounds to mo like someone havino- a quiet midnight rehearsal underneath tho bed with a wet blanket, over himself, so that no ono can hear him.” This is Mr Hume’s pleasant way of saying that tho tone was too thin. Here are more samples—“A ery tame, very dry. very weary and sad.” “A dreary exhibition.” “I fail to recognise any expression at all from this player.’ “Quito sufficient to make ono go to sleep.” NEXT YEAR’S CONTEST.

At the meeting of the' Brass Bands’ Association to-night, representatives of Auckland and Gisborne made strong efforts to secure tho band, contest for those towns next year. Eventually the president ruled, alter a long discussion, that tho action of tho executive must stand, and that, therefore, tho next contest must bo held iu Palmerston North. It was decided, however, that tho 1005 contest should take place in Auckland.