AUCKLAND BAND CONTEST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13209, 16 February 1905, Page 7

AUCKLAND BAND CONTEST.

KAIKORAI SCORES ANOTHER WIN (Pxb United Press Association.) J AUCKLAND, February 15. <e To-day's proceedings in connection with the North Island brass band contest undoubtedly constituted an epoch in the history of band musio in this city. Thd w chief function of thp dny was tho mayoral r. reception and garden party given by tho s Hon. E. Jfitoholson in the Domain. After, h speechmaking the various bi\ndp performed, il civch showing a proficiency that in some it cases roso to brilliancy. The Ki|i|corai jnd e Wanganui Hands bptii received the comp'i tl ment of well-deserved encores for their it selections, and each of tho. other bands won generous applause. The march ptyyed by the massed bands at the end was magnils cent. Betwoen 7000 and 8000 people were if present, Tho Mayor welcomed tl;o bands on e behalf o£ the citizens of Auckland. Though i, the local hands had not been very successful, yet, lie Raid, what they had learned sinnu s the arrival of tho gonthefn bands would, lie r had no doubt, l>e an inducement to them 0 "to work hard and aim at turning the fables , on the visiting bands in "future. If the f public would only realise its responsibility :1 there would be in every town at least one 1 good band. He was informed hy thpse couiB petcnt to judge that eaoli year there was a s marked improvement in music at these gatherings, and that this year there was n r great improvement upon last year. Mr M. 1 Cohen tendered the warmest thanks tor the i cordial welcome accorded in to f tho visiting bandsmen Mr W. S. King 1 (judge of the contest) and Mr Holbon * (secretary of the association) also spoke. _ I. The contest was continued this morning, 1 with the following result:— 1 B PI/AT BASS SOLOS.—A. Wheeler (Auck- i ' land Battalion), 106 points, 1; N, Allen (Tatar lialri Garrison), 100, 2; P. Albrecht (Rtiahine 5 Battalion), 98, 3; G. Fitzell (Kaikorai), 96, 4. ' In tho evening quartet and trio parties " were engaged in competition, a majority 1 of the bands sending representatives. Tho i * programme comprised a really beautiful 1 selection of numbers, and tlia standard oi j playing was in almost every instanco high. ; * These two events resulted as under: — ] QUARTETS.—Kaikorai No. 1, 156 marks, < I 1; Wanganui Garrison No, 1, 150 marks, 2; I ' Wellington Garrison No. 1, 148 marks, .3. 1 ' Also competed: Waihi Federal No. 1, 14G; ( ' "Wanganui Garrison No. 2, 144; Waihi i I Federal No. 2 and Enahine Battalion No. 1, i 131; Taranaki Garrison and Gisborne City, i 132; Impey's City, 130; Ist. Battalion No. 1, > ( 129; Kaikorai No. 2 and Hamilton Town, 118; i Hastings, 120,15t Battalion No, 2, 119. TROMBONE TKIOS.-Wanganui Garrison, 148 marks, 1; Taranaki Garrison, 138 marks, and Waihi Federal, 13S marks, tied far second ( place. There were no other competitors. ■ a At the annual meeting of the association. 1 held to-night, it was decided that the next J contest should be held at Hawera. • (Fnou Our Own Correspondent.) j AUCKLAND, February IS, j Regarding Kaikorai's performance in the first test last night the Herald's music critic , remarks The Dwicdinites gave a dash- l fc ing rendering from start to finish. The. first j few maestoso chords were glprjous in their , dignity and power. In the first piano passage a few false note-s were? noticeable, hut on the whole this section was a fino piece of playing. The piu mosso was taken'a - little quiokly, and the euphonium played bis solo in tho allegro moderato too staccato, whilst, tho accompaniment was not in tune " and lacked body. Tho baritone and troni- j] bone solos proved tamo and spiritless. The " cadenza was not too well conduoted, and „ the result was cramped, xlio stretto was vigorously performed. In the passage for „ tonor horns the instrumentalists excelled . themselves, and established a record for the At the section marked 1 mode- /j rato' therSoconrs a difficult bit of counter melody for the'l3 flat cornet. This was the best played by this band. The finish was a little woak, but on tho whole I should have boon inclined to placo this band second." Tho Star critio says:—"The\Kaikorai Band was unfortunate in that the soprano eornctist was ill. Ho had hurt his playing fingers during tho day, it is said, and ho was certainly very nervous. Tho band' dashed into tho performance very vigorously, and played rather too fast. The opening chords wero wonderfully rioli and round, n The first eornct had a splendid tone. The euphonium lieiran his solo rather too much staccato, and tho trombone was. fdiaru nearly throughout the passages. A.bout tliis putt the cadenza was weak and not quite together. The conductor should ha.ve. left them alone. ,The 6-8 movement started well, but tho instruments wentotit'of tune. It was also too quick. In tho slow movement tho soloists were out of tunc a little, and tho aocompnniments were not together, and towards tho end of tho hum the first eornct had a rood round tone, and the E flat cornet played tho counter melody at the beginning of tho slow movement vory well. The wholo hand in the fortissimos was verv 6trong in- 'r deed This was ow> feature o r its performance throughout. T!'o finale they rendered splendidly." (j The soloist referred to by tho Star v.ns E.' Kerr, whose injury was to the left hand, and ranged By a jamb in a door, which took Ilia tinil off. Ho was palpably nervom, hut under tho cjreumehnM* played admirably. Tn conversation with the iuOpo to-dav, fchn latter informed mo that Ketr's injury and its effects may have caused tho weaknesses ho notad. _ The Kni'.-orai "Band at the mayoral rorcption in the Domain to-day were vory popular, Joiner encored for their conductor's composition. Wangnnm. was tho only oMior band fo complimented. R. Fitzell was fourth in the B flat bass solo competition to-dav. Ivaikorai No. 1 party won tho quariet .competition to-nMif, against 14- other compe.tinc parties. They pcored 1,55 Joints, pr six better than runners-u.) (Wnngnmii barri'on iNo. 1). Commenting! on the winners tho judge said:— I "The numbe-, 'Ln Humionota,' was beautifully plnved. Beyond a slight tendency to on a few ooMainns. the performance was practically flawless." , _ 1 Pi OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY A (Br Our Spkdial Rkpouter.) „. , HERIOT, February 15. " With respect to tho paragraph from its n Alexandra correspondent about tho Oiago Central railway which appeared in this mornings iamo of. the Daily Times, the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones says that tho statement that the indignant R: action of the Otago Central Railway League A natl influence on his actions in connection 'I with works on tho lino is entirely erroneous, No instructions whatever had' been givon since tho meeting of the league, and theretore there could havo been no influence. Asked whether there had been any intention on the part of the department to pay ™,™ single men, tho Minister replied Tll that the full number of men would bo kept on allowed by the vote granted by'ParliaT ment. Mr Hall-Jones also said that .the league showed it' was not quite conversant with the nature of tho works to bo carried on in so strenuously urging on the bridge A over the Mapuherikia at Alexandra, as there I); was some fairly heayy wprk to bo performed Tl before that bridge was reached, and ho Pc referred particularly to tho Manorburn viauuot at Howden and Monoricft's nursery at Th Uallowajr Flat. With regard to this wprk, Mi tho Minister states that tho plans for tho ltj construction of tho viaduct are in course I of preparation. I then asked Mr Hall-Jones Tl to state the'true position'with reference to A the bridge at Alexandra, apd ho replied that oi that was in the same position; Plans were being prepared, and when they'were completed tenders would bo called for tho. work. Tho department is not relaxing any effort to push on the line to Alexandra as. speedily as possible, iand, as far as ho in concerned, there will be no delay through the line having to wait on bridge" construc- Sn tiojv . . ■ .1 j