BANDSMEN'S NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7265, 22 October 1910, Page 10

BANDSMEN'S NOTES.

(By "liagcnta.") COMING CONTESTS. Palmersfcon North. February. Mil, (about). ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. "Ba-iKlsraan. - '—(1) In the test selection the band in question caino 11th in the list with 137 points, just 10 points behind Wanganui Garrison, which came first (2) Believe the two bands tied at Napier some years 1130; am matins I'uither inquiries. OLLA PODRIDA. TIIO Dur,ediu brass band contest concludes to-day. Mr D. Rcss judged the bagpipe events at the Dunedin contest. Mr J. T. Aluir is business manager of the YVangauui Garrison Band on its, tour to the Ballarat contest. Paten, Brass Band has started a class for the tuition oi' young bandsmen, -who will eventually be dratted into the adult band Air Christensoai has charge of the class.' Wellington Tramways Band's proposal to the City Council re forming it into a municipal band is being watched with keen inteiest by bandsmen all over New Zealand, for the question of municipal bands is an all-absorbi.ug one just now. No fewer than 2uo bands, coming from all parts of the United Kingdom, were expected to take part in tile eievViiKii National Band Festival at the -Crystal Palace, Eonuon, on the first of this imonth, the results of which.- may be expected very shortly. South Canterbury Battalion Band (IV maru) decided net to take part in the Dunedin contest. Air A. hchnack, the new conductor, found that the time at his disposal was altogether too short, iie is keeping up practices, however, and his band will be heard of at the next .South Island contest.

Says an exchange -.—" A "Wellington! paper, iu a concert prc'gra.mine uy the newiy-roimed Petone Municipal Bra-sa Band, states that tlio repertoire included a trombone and euphonium duet, 'The Maa that Raised the Lamp.' Is this meant ta eclipse 'The Moon hath liaised her Lamp Above,' from Sir Michael Cct'ta's opera, 'The Lily of Killarnoy-'" I'robaoly the Jiorse reporter was on tho job. Wools'ton Baud (G'hristchurch), whom tho critics gave as in the rimiiiiig with Kaikorai, at its farewell eonceit on Labour Day, in Christchurch Choral Hall, played the two test selections, "Souvenir de Wagner" and L'Airicame." At time of writing Lieut. Simian's band had won the quickstep and had also done well in the solo and quartette competitions. A detailed account will be given in nest week's nutes. Writes "Harmony" :—At the invitation of -Mr VV. Bickerton a par-y of banusmcn visited Wainoni Piirk' (C'hristehureb.) relative to the proposal to hold a contest there about 1011. The visitors were unanimous that the sites chosen, for the quickstep ground, selection, and camp were ideal. 'The "contest is assured, and it is quite.probable that a competition, will bo hekl"for young; bands (in addition to the visual contest) that have never attended a, contest. "Tho interest, taken in music in the Dominion is highly creditable, and the standard maintained "is very good," remarked Dr C. Schiisky, the Trinity College examiucr in,New Zealand recently.

"1 have also noticed that there is a decided ta&te for good music in this country, which speaks well for the niusi--cut education of the pupils, arid generally the .elevated tast» of the coiamu.nity." So we're not tile benighted heathens that sonic ' superior (?) globe-trot-ters would fain invpi'ei'S on,us. ■■'.•■.

Mr Albert Wade, conductor of the Wanganui Garrison . Band, has had a successful-career iir: the..band,world. Before leaving the/Old- Country to adjudicate it,t the Ballarat.contest—a few vears ago—he hod charge of the. Koyal Oakley Band, North .Wales,, and in eighteen months won seventeen first prizes, a .record for Wales. Afteri that ho took chargo of the Ballarat ■■: City Band, which he. worked up to'a. premier, pesition, and only left that'city to-come to New Zealand on account c-f. the'dolicato health- of lis. wife,. whose -death' it was our ,painful duty to- record last year.

Only two Christchurch bands—" Wool-.; ston ami Stanracre—sent, in applications! for the municipal "band concert season,f and ultimately Woclston wilhdreiv, us? it could not seo its way clear to. give; the four Sunday concerts under tho cou-p ditions required by the Ci'fcy Council." The council withdrew tho condition requiring Sunday concerts to be given, and the conclusion of arrangements for the week-night concerts was deferred to, allow of new arrangements being drawn' up to satisfy all paities. , Tho other bands, having mutually arranged on a tariff, refused to apply. Iu spite of the jeremiads freely utter-" ed,' Bandsmen's Sunday in Wellington; (the second) was a great success, and the. public gave tho bands a lift along to the extent of i'37 Is sd. Jupp's, Tramways, City Military, "Wellington Garrison, Petone Municipal, in addition to the Wellington Pipe Band, turned up, tho only absentee being the Mission,. Band. The • programme (as .already reported) was a good one, and '.Corporalij T. A. .McDonald's original pipe sclec-; tion, "Welcome to Lady Islington tc< New Zealand," was a feature of the performance. Mr A. Clareburt .(Tramways, Band) conducted the massed bands' rendering of "Craigilea." very acceptably.! | The conductora present were Messrs W.'j Jupp, senr., A. Clareburt, Lieut. T." Herd, and H. Moschini.

Lyttelton Marine Band gave an openair performance at Christchurch a week ago last, Sunday, ami on arriving by train marched through tho streets -playing. At Cathedral square a constable' took the name of the bandmaster, and the secretary of the band afterwards wrote to the Mayor s asking that-a- .prosecution might bo stayed. His Worship told the council that the letter giving tho- band- permission to march through tho streets expressly stipulated that it must not play in the streets before 3 p.m., as otherwise children might be attracted away from Sunday school. During the discussion: it camo out that i some bands were allowed to play and others were prohibited. ■ A motion to ! waive the charge against the Lyttelton I Marine Band for breach of the by-laws was lost'by 10 votes to i.'.\ A prosecution will' follow- in' due course, but cither I developments are expected, i The new instruments recently imported ; by the I'atea- Brass Band from Messrs J. Jligliam and Co., London, are on exhibition in ilr Huibcrt's shop, I'atea. There ure twenty-four in all, comprising six B'flat cornets, one soprano cornet, two flugel horns, one clarionet, four tenor horns, one tenor and one bass slide trombones, two baritones, two E flat basses, one B flat h"i=s, one euphonium, one bass drum.,, and a side drum, TSach 'instrument' is provided with all the necessary .accessories, such as tuning slides, lyres, etc., and the cost,of the set is'd£2S2,los Cd. After beini on,view for a few days, the band will 'commence practice on them, a concert next month being contemplated. To be in keeping with tho new instruments tho band has invested in a -eet of uniforms, of &n extremely attractive appearance, and the members are so enthusiastic that they have procured the uniforms at their own: expense.: As we remarked on a former occasion, this band is, showing quaJitics -that must' in'-: evitnWy lead'fo success "i£ -'{ho - band world.