Brass Bands and Bandsmen

NZ Truth, Issue 901, 3 March 1923, Page 1

Brass Bands and Bandsmen

"Oh, listen to the Band!" There is scarcely a spot m the whole of the Dominion - that has not ■ amongst its sounds that of a 'brass band. It is the melodious expression of the democracy of the British nation. Into the brass band the New Zealand artisan gravitates and graduates as naturally as he plays football. During recent years the quality of brass band playing m New Zealand has been steadily improving its standard, and to-day -there are .some very ".fin© combinations within our borders. . It is no cri£erlon that the Redfern came over from Sydney and took away the N.Z. championship at Dunedin. Did not a N.Z. band<go over to Ballarat quite recently and win the honors of Australia? There is an interesting story (perhaps) behind the crossing of the Redferners. Bandmaster Partington was over here for a while, and had charge of the Wanganul Band. Within a very short period of training under his baton he made champions of them, winning the N.Z. honors last year. Then there arose a' controversy between Partington, of Aussieland, and Jim Crichton, of "Wanganui, the ex-bootshop-man who knocked off trade to become a musician, undergoing a special course of study m London for the purpose of pursuing his brass-bound hobby. He told P. that if he (C.) had the Woolston Band under his baton for a month he. could, beat anything that P. could bring against it. There was such a heated argument that it was leading to something like a £1000 wager. But P. left for Aussioland again, and took charge of the Redferners. Now the question is: Did he bring the Sydneysidors^over to compete against anything that Jim Crichton had under his wing? Well, Jim took the Wangrfnui cracks down to Dunedin to play against their old leader— and Wnnganul was nowhere m the final! Yet there may be something m Jim's contention, for the Woolston Band Is tipped as the easy winner, of the North Island Contest that is m session at New Plymouth this week. It is said that the real value of a band is m its soloists, whlcn iB contrary to the axioms- ,of choirs where tho single* voice has to be suppressed. "Truth" likes circuses and bands, but it does not pose as a muslcuss. It is aware that Billy Os.borne, tho crack corhettlst, has made a very sucessful conductor for the Ashburton Band, which came second at Dunedin last week. And Estall, the fine euphonium player, has mado topnotchers of the Woolston Band. These two up-from-the-ranks moh may be put In as exhibits m favor of the.contention that a band does not need an export outsider and a conductor with a reputation from overseas to win • a high place. Wellington, which has always had very flu* bands, la In theiie atter days eapecMlly fortunate m bavin* Its Watersidfcrs' arid its Tramways Bands—two of the best. Runanga, too, is iwell brass banded, and all 'its players, m this centre of Wild West Coast Rod Fcdism arc miners. Hero's to the musical expression of the democracy!