BANDSMEN’S NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7027, 15 January 1910, Page 10

BANDSMEN’S NOTES.

[Br " Magenta."]

Correspondents are requested to addresa their communications to ‘'Magenta,'* care “New Zealand Times,” Wellington. - COMING CONTESTS. Wanganui—March 11th to 18th. ' Westport—May, 1910. WANGANUI CONTEST. In a few weeks the North Island Brass Bands Association holds its annual contest, and this time the .field of ; battle is at Wanganui. .The entries, : which were published some weeks ago, promise to make this contest one of the most interesting that has ever been held in New Zealand. Some nineteen bands have nominated, and there is a probability that most will “accept,” so the people of the river town will have a plethora of music, for once in their lives. The arrangements being made by the contest committee .will bo, complete in every detail, and the competing ; bandsmen and visiting public; will find that their needs have been anticipated in every -way. The' ,visit :of Newtown : :(Sydney) Band is sure to prove a great : attraction,' and" it ' is to bo hoped that interchanges of visits of bands, between the Commonwealth and 'the Dominion will be more frequent in future. The programme bas not been finally completed, but will appear in good time. CHRISTCHURCH DOINGS. (By “Harmony.”) i Sumner',,and New'Brighton bands are :engaged)fdr,the summer gala. , ' ; The harvest operations are interfering Arith: the practices; of the country, bands. Hearty congratulation to Conductor H. Baker' and his band an the wonderful financial success of their Christinas caroling. .. ' . ■ ' . : Mr i. Btaniraford, tenor hom player of .Elite . Band, met , with a sad miafor- i tune on Sunday last. He was handling ; ,a small revolver, .when, it discharged, injuring ones of his fingers. ■ : Mr Arthur Pearce, a popular, and en- ’ thusiaetio member of the Tima.ru Marine Band, - will shortly leave to take up -his ' residence in, Sydney. Mr H. Mayo and the Marine. boys will sincerely regret Arthur’s departure. Mr Pearco won the trombone* solo iat . Timairu : contest in i J9OB.- i " The local bands are busy . with the j municipal concerts.- On account of only • .four bands being engaged'.this season', ‘ the bands are not getting the fortnight’s • spell- between their concerts which they got dnriiig previbu®“seasons/ -This year ] the “bands ■ find themselves . programmed , for'' three 'concerts' sometimes "inside" of < eight days. 1 , 1 , Mr W. F. MoLean, the veteran com 1 dnetor, well known in connection with < the old Sydenham band, has: received'-a i long -and interesting letter-from his son, M r W. 11. McLean, ' clarionet player, who is touring • the. United States with Fields’ Minstrel Company. Mr McLean, jun„ is in excellent health. He writes in the’best* of spirits, and: financially ho is dqing very well. Needless to say,- his .< 'tether,; i?, .delighted'with, his: success..,: ■ GARRISON BANDS. ( - In; champiohing-the" cause of Garrison 1 Bands -in the -Dominion,'■and- pleading f for; better 'recognition ■■ by tile 1 defence - authorities ‘of their work, .“Tom Tom,” i in- Christchurch “Evening News, » writes; —’■‘The Government‘grant in the 1 past'lids - been paltry; ; hence the general hope that,.-under: the new regime; some- ] thing considerably- better than- the (Ad regulations will' be submitted, for the consideration- of , Garrison - bandsmen. With the regulation parades and- volunteer. duties,; -garrison players in the Do- ■ minion ‘ have had to puf up' a series of . parades, ■ and with the new- Act—the conditions under which, garrison bands men-■ have .'borne an undue ■ handicap—the universal hope' is that there will be « a’ much-needed 'amendment - to, . matters affecting Maoriland’s- Garrison Bands. > From 1 1864 to 1910 no Volunteer band a in the Dominion has. had even, fair con- £ sideration. No ' conductor, M.P., or I Volunteer-officer can state 1 a single case £ where any of our bands have been even i fairly treated. In the Homeland during recent-years .there has been a betterment, and here in Maoriland those, who 'form' a '-distinct factor'in _af- , fairs,- 1 viz., bandsmen! deserve something infinitely 'better:'than' the : old, regime.: If Garrisim ' Bands' survive " the ordeal, .• it wiU beI’under 1 ’under circumstances widely ; different :to‘ the shabby' .treatment of '. years gone by, : and the new-:. Defence . Bill regulations yet should be framed ; with a view to making Garrison Bands attractive." the pretentious teacher. : r Amy -man wbo pretends',to bo what ‘he'is not; "or to know what he does not, Ibr. tohbe - able to' do. vvhnt ,he knows , ho, cannot,’■'plates Kimseif 'in .ah false posi-; Hoii,-and he. is bound, to be. found out sooner or later (remarks the “Brass Band News”).. That is tho reason why: we see so 'many ‘young teachers up . like a rocket and come down like the stick.' No doubt many assume a .false . position through ignorance. They think ( they know, and do not. A little know- • ledge puffeth up, but prolonged study' niakethv a man -feel - small;; .-Aylien a man- reallv is learned ho, is surprised and ashamed that he should know so little. : And of,all the arts, music is the ome that- no one, can live, long; enough to learn-thoroughly;;. The-best;advice wo can . give .to a teacher beginning ~ his careor is, be modest.. Place a low cbiiaate on' your own abilities. Promise nothing that you do not'feel absolutely certain' of- being:able toh;aooompheh. Simply sa.v, “I will do my best. T think, and fool that 1 can do all you want me to do, but that- has to be proved. 1 will do mV best, and if I dont succeed it sba.ll ' not be ; for want of trying. This is much better than saying. ; 'Give me a chance, and I will show'you what I can do. I will show you: that I am a better man than ——, who is a regular duffer; in my opinion." This kmd_ot thing'pleases host at the time; for when p band .is engaging a new teacher it , enjoys tile thought of being able to best 'its rivals. But when things do not turn out as ptbmised the only excuse is- to -Jay the blaine on the judge or judges, ■ 'and even tliis cannot last for ever. - i OLE A PODRIDA. The amount -collected by Wanganui Garrison Band on Christmas Day was ,£2l, not b!8 as stated in last weeks i notes. Wellington Garrison Band has had i another addition to its ranks in the . person of Mr lohnson, tbe well-known I oornetist. .. The Railway Department has decided . grant excursion fares to coraeptitors : at the Christehuroh Musical and Lite- ' rary Competitions. “A cadenza played by Alex. Owen twenty years ago thrilled one like the musical laugh of a lovely ■woman.” So , says 'an admirer of the talented leader i of Besses-o’-tli’-Bam Band. Mr J. Trussoli, of Wanganui Gurrison Band, paid a visit to Wellington during the holidays, and reports the band to be . in excellent form. Practices are frequent in ..view of the contest in March, i The year we have now- entered upon should prove a record as far as bands

are concerned. One hears of contests on every hand, and there is an. activity among bands that is refreshing to witness.

Matters in connection with the Dunodin contest are progressing apace. The committco is meeting frequently, and gotting through a vast amount of work. Promises of support are coming. in ireoly, and bumper entries are expected; A gentlem.an who was 6truck with the playing of Wellington S.A. Band last Sunday, and who wishes- to remain anonymous, hus promised a gold medal to the member who gains the most number of marks for regular attendance during the year.

Mr John Gladney, the well-known English conductor, has created so many surprises at Belle Vue (says a contemporary) that, no matter what kind of band ho conducts, his opponents tore always prepared :to hear that the veteran has onoo again scored one in front of them all, Wellington Garrison Band: is making food progress under ■ Lieutenant T. lerd. , Though not taking part in : . the iJwthcoming Wan ganui contest, "the bandsmen still keep up the high standard of play for .which the Garrison is noted, and their reward is in the undoubted appreciation of the i>ublic. - ,'i ;; ■' lieufon&nit T. Herd, the. popular conduiator . of WeUingtofn Garrison , Band, has been engaged-by the Tetano Brass Band to ' coach iit -for,, the "forthedrniag contest at; Wangnnud in: : March next. The' Petone Brass., Band has 'good: material in its composition, and in the able hands of lAeute<na.nt Herd is bound to make a first-rate showing at the contest. . Leicester (Bng.) Town Council' : has had . under consideration the advisability of imposing a penny rate to provide music fox the town. This is the proper way to deal with the question".,' of municipal musio, and does away with the •■;.- necessity of paltry '; cheese-paring .that is too much .in evidence where brass; band musio is concerned. - 'A- very large concourse of people aseemblcd at (Newtown Park, last Sunday afternoon to hear the ,1 Tramways Band. Under the baton,of Conductor; Clureburt, a .vory fine programme was given, and as' the City Council had, given . the band permission to make a i collection in aid of its projected trip to: Wanganui contest a substantial sum was i-catised. ; '■■■; A certain musician of ability undertook the conductorship of a brass band. As the band J was a struggling; combination the conductor did -.not insist ■■'•;on strictly' regular payment, of his salary, just accepting a .little now and again to go ; on with, but all the saine . he .devoted . himself .enthusiastically., Ito the work. : : In the course-of time, the band, gave up- the ghost,, and defied the conductor to take legal steps to recover his arrears of salary (about .£80), as that body was not registered. ; Verb. -sap.'.'.--"'..' ".-.■:.. ■., ':. . ; . ■ ■ ■.' ■-.