THE BAND CONTEST.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4883, 7 February 1903, Page 5

THE BAND CONTEST.

YESTERDAY'S COMPETITIONS. RESULT OF THE CHAMPION-. SHIP. (By Our Special Reporter.) ' MASTERTON, February 6. The feature of to-day's solo performances was the playing of tno boy Si oiler, of Waihi. who carried,off the prize in the E-flat horn solo competition from twelve other competitors. _ The _ lad scored tlio excellent record of 92 points. Jones, of North-east Valley, was second, with 89 points,, and McKcrsey of Denniston, third, with Si. The judge recommended a special certificate of merit to D. Epphoff, of Southland, who scored 86. In tho afternoon the E-flat bass solos wore played, when another Wanganui Garrison Band representative achieved a win. Signal, who scored S 3, heating Johnston, of tho Wellington Garrison Band, by three points. Tho final test selection, the concluding event of the contest, comprised the jirogramme for the evening. E-FLAT HORN SOLOS.

Tho following is tho detailed result of this competiubn : E-llat horn solos; first prize gold medal, second silver medal; maximum marks, 100. —S. Mellor, \\ aihi Baud, 92 points, 1; A. Jones, North-east Valley, 89 points, 2; W. McKcrsey, Donuistou, 87 points, 3. The following also competed:—D. Eppholf, Southland, 86; Forrest, Wanganui, SO; R. Blythe, Wanganui, 75; H. Nicholson, V eilingtou. 72; T. Bauchop, Kaikorai, 70; (J. Yeoman, Gisborne, 70; H. C. Strong, Hawera, CO; 1). Whaion, North-east Valley, 07; H. Hull, Wellington, 56; A. Williams, Hanraki 40. When Mellor, a mere boy in knickerbockers, walked on to tbe platform he was greeted with rounds, of hearty applause. Ho played with remarkable confidence, and in an easy, deliberate stylo, which gained liim tho immediate favour of the audience, as well as of tho judge, who in his notes praised his good torn) and his brilliant wort in the variation. “ A very fine general performance/’ said Mr Ord Hume, “ and certainly a very fine soloist.’’ When tho result was announced, amidst great applause, tho hoy, who was in the body of tho hall, ,was seized and carried shoulder high, and brought up to be presented to tho judge, who was greatly surprised on discovering tho extreme youth of tho player. “Well, this is a surprise to me,” said Mr Ord Hume, as ho shoot bands cordially, when the lad diffidently walked forward. The winner, who is only twelve years of ago, is a son of Thomas Mellor, of tho Waihi Brass Baud, Auckland, anp was trained by his father, first' as a cornet-player. Two medals were gained by tho lad at New Plymouth last year. lie was horn at Newtown, New South Wales, but came to this colony at an early ago. E-FLAT BASS SOLOS. This competition, tho last of tho solo contests, took place this afternoon, and resulted as follows: — E-flat bass solos; first prize _ gold medal, second silver modal; maximum marks, 100.—S. Signal, Wanganui Garrison Band, 83 points, 1; P- Johnston, Wellington Garrison, 80 points, 2; G. McDonald, Taranaki Garrison, 60 points, 3. The unplaced men wore:— G. Crosford, North-east Valley, CO points; H. Dixon, Master-ton Municipal, 50; Pittam, Phlmerstou North, 45: J. Morris, Petone, 36. Signal produced a fine tone, and gave what the judge described as a good general performance. Of Johnston, of the Wellington Garrison Band, the judge spoke also in terms of praise, saying that bo was a valuable man in a band, but Johnston lost some points in his playing of the florid passages. Tliis concluded tho solo contests. SUMMARY - OF SOLO COMPETITIONS. Tho following tabulated statement shows the position of tbe banHs so far as solo work is concerned: —

nms CHAMPJONSHIIP. WELLINGTON GARRISON BAND _ FIRST. WANGANUI BAND SECOND. The performance of the second test piece—the concluding event of ■ contest —began at 5 o' 1 clock this aaternoon. The piece chosen was Ord Hume’s arrangement of “Un Ballo in Maschera.” This introduces several of the most beautiful of the melodies in this opera, including Renato’s great song, given as a solo for tho euphonium, 0 the melody being afterwards taken up ’by tho soprano cornet, with lovely effect. The piece occupies about fifteen minutes in performance. The bands played in the following ; land Battalion, Kaikorai, Vi aibi, Ilawera, Taranaki, Wanganui, Ruabine, North-cast Valley, Hauraki, Wellington Woolston, Deimiston, Palmerston, Gishorno City, and Masterton. The Wellington Garrison Band played .with ■one man short,a.s one of the double B-flat basses (Smith) is lying ill at his hotel. The performances of both tho Wanganui and Wellington hands were received with loud cheering. The performances of tho bands finished at 10 p.m., hut it was nearly threequarters of an hour afterwards when the result was made known. The Town Hall, even at this late hour, was packed to suffocation. The first prize for the two test selections, carrying with it the championship, was won by the Wellington Garrison Band, which defeated the Wanganui Garrison Band by three points. The Wellington Garrison Band also wins the Besson Shield. Air Ord Hume, whilst the Contest Committee was making up the aggregate returns from the two test pieces, addressed the audience, acknowledging his thanks to the bandsmen for tho spirit in which they had taken his

awards. Ho had, ho said, given bis decisions fearlessly in tho past, and bo intended to do so that night. If he had had his way lie should have announced tho decision on the first test on Wednesday, if he had not boon hampered by tho rules. (Applause.) This was what all the trouble had been about. Ho was prepared for. grumbling at hia decisions, but whilst a bandsman’s stake was tho loss of his prize, bis (ibo judge’s) stake was bis reputation. (Applause.) He repeated bis thanks to the bandsmen, and added lus thanks to tbe people of Mastcrtou for their kindly treatment of him. Following is tho rosnlt of tho Two selections,. first prize £IOO, twenty-five silver medals, and a gold medal for tho conductor; second prize, £SO; third, £25; fourth, £ls; fifth, £10; sixth, a B-flat cornet presented by Hawke and Sous, Loudon : Wellington Garrison Band, Lieutenant Herd, conductor ... ‘1 Wanganui Garrison Band, James . Crichton, conductor ... ... 2 Kaikorai Garrison Band at a. 3 North-east Valley Band ... ia 4 Denniston Band ... ... ... S Mastcrtou Band ... ... ... 6 AGGREGATE SCORES. Appended are the scores made by tho competing hands in tho first test piece, “ Lc Domino Noir,” played on Wednesday, and “Uu Ballo in Maschera” played to-night:—

Other competing hands: —Wailu, 88— 108, 196; Hauraki, 95—96, 191; RuaJiine, 86 —78, 164; Taranaki-, 80—82, 162; Palmerston North, CO—B 9, 149; Hawora, 68—76, 144; Gisborne City* 50t-80, 136. There was loud cheering when thol result of the championship was announced. and Lieutenant Herd was congratulated on all sides. An enthusiastic gcecting was given also to Mr Crichton, of the Wangauui Garrison Band, in recoenition of the plucky fight which! that hand made for the championship. The prizes won at tho contest worn presented to tho winners, and this ceremony having concluded, Lieutenant Herd was carried shoulder high by his bandsmen through tho streets to tho Club Hotel, a great crowd following and cheering all tho way. . i The Wellington Garrison Band will!! probably return to Wellington by the early morning train. The winners are' naturally very much elated at their victory. Tho Wellington hand waat twelve points behind Wanganui on the grst test piece and must have played EC-' markably well to reverse that verdict io+ night. . THE TROPHIES. Tho Besson Shield, valued at £SO, presented hy Besson and Co., London, and won hy the Wanganui Garrison Band last' year, has been won hy the Wellington Garrison Band. This trophy is awarded for tho highest aggregate points in tho two selections and for music in tho quickstep competition. The total scores were:— Wellington Garrison. 289 4-5 points, Wanganiui Garrison, 287 1-5 points. Lieut. Herd, as the conductor of the Wellington Garrison Band, which won. the highest number of points in the test’ selections, takes the gold-mounted choky baton, valued at five guineas, presented by Charles Begg and Co., Dunhdin. AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. THE RESULT OF THE FIRST TEST SELECTION. ■ The band contest was not permitted to close without an unfortunate incident which has given rise to a good deal •>£ ill-feeling. There were rumours about town last night that the result of tho judge’s award in the first test piece had been so far divulged, despite the fact that , the marks -had been placed under look and key in the care of the supervisor, that it was known that the Wanganui Band was leading hy twelvo points on Wednesday night’s performance. This morning tho story was so persistently repeated that it seemed to have been published from the bowse-tops. The matter took an official form when al meeting of bandmasters engaged in tho contest was held to discuss the question. This meeting was a private one, but 1 am informed that it was decided to aeU for an interview with tho judge on. the subject. Tbo Contest Committee, after consid* ering tbo application, decided to aliens the bandmasters to interview the judge in the presence of tho committee. ’ Thi* meeting, which was closed to the prosS,, took place in the afternoon, when, it ii said, there was a discussion of a very, heated character. Though it is difficult in tho midst of so many statement* of a contradictory kind to arrive at the truth in tho matter, it is clear that! Lieutenant Herd, whilst in conversation! with Mr Ord Hume on Wednesday night or Thursday morning learned the relative positions of “No. 3” and “No. 7’* bands in tho first test award; Tho judge! then had his notes in his possession, ad tho rules require that he should give only liis marks over to the rupervisor. How the information in question was given is not clear. ’ Tho statements on! tho two sides are contradictory. Lieutenant Herd, in answer to my inquiry on tho subject, stated that ho considered it wrong that information of such a character should have been divulged. Mr Ord Hume, on his part, stated, when I saw him about the matter, that the in. formation was given in ordinary conversation at tho hotel where the two men are staying and was not intended to go any further. I may add here that Mr Ord Hume is distinctly of opinion that the award in tho first test piece should have been made p*ublic directly the performances of the hands were finished. This practice is followed in England and in Australia, and at tho recent Ballarat contest the judge’s notes of tho night before were actually published in the papers cf the following morning, even though there were several bands still to play. Tho rule of the North Island Association requiring that the marks for the first test piece should he kept secret until the second test niece has been concluded is. Mr Ord Hume considers, quite absurd and ought to ho abolished. The mooting between the bandmasters, the judge and the Contest Committee lasted for more than an hour. A resolution was passed by tho Contest. Committee to the effect that the matter was trivial and that no farther action was nee-ssary . Some" hitter feeling was expressed, however, bv the men ef the Wellington! Garrison Band, who talked of withdrawing from tho contest and refusing to play f/wikrtt. A mopting of tho "hand TTftS held at the Club Hotel, where the men are staving, and this withdrawal was proposed, hut finally the band agreed to remain in the contest,

R *t5 1 • H3 O p-i —i p* t/i til a r o *o OQ o fH t> Wa-ncanui ... n 834 75.80 North-oast Valloy .. 10 706 70.60 Wellington. Garrison. 7 540 77.14 8 488 62.25 7 406 58.00 Denniston ... 5 374 74.80 Southland 4 303 77.00 Mast orton 7 214 ijO.bt) 4 203 50.75 Waihi 3 157 52.33 2 155 77.50 Hawera 0 141 23.50 5 123 24.75 2 S2 41.00 1 54 54.00 Hauraki 2 40 20.00

Sand. First. Second. Tl. Wellington Garrison 128 147 275 Wanganui Garrison 110 132 272 Kaikorai Garrison ... 126 119 245 N.orth-cast Valley 108 126 234 Denniston IOC 125 231 JMastertou 03 131 229 Southland 104 112 21S Woolstoa i/. 80 130 210