BAND CONTEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22816, 27 February 1936, Page 10

BAND CONTEST

FIRST A GRADE SELECTION TIMARU MUNICIPAL FIRST ST. KILDA PLACED FOURTH (Per United Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, February 20. High praise for the leading bands in the first A Grade Selection in the New Zealand Band Contest to-night was given by the adjudicator, Mr A. Baile, of Sydney. Timaru Municipal was placed first, Cairns Citizens second, and Wooiston third. Though the night was fine, a high wind decided, the officials to hear the test in the Opera House, which would not hold those seeking admittance. Mr Baile said the playing of the leading bands was equal, if not superior, to that he had heard in the same test piece, "Oliver Cromwell" (Geehl) at the Crystal Palace contest in 1924. Seven A Grade bands competed, and the judge placed them for the first selection as follows: Timaru Municipal. Cairns Citizens. Woolston. St. Kilda (the holder). Wanganui Garrison. Port Nicholson Silver. Nelson Garrison. EUPHONIUM SOLO. "Capuletti" (Barlow). 0. Williams (Wanganui Garrison), 92 points \ A.Smith (Port Nicholson), 91 .. ..2 H. Cotton (Nelson Garrison), 88 .. 3 Twenty competed. TENOR TROMBONE SOLO. "Brilliant" (Ord Hume). L. M. Carruthers (Greymouth Municipal), 95 points 1 R. Hall (Kaikorai), 93 .. .. .. 2 J. R. Marshall (Dunedin Artillery), 92 2 The judge commented that he had heard excellent playing by artists of skill. NOTES ON THE CONTEST DUNEDIN PLAYERS PRAISED (Special to Dailt Times)

NEW PLYMOUTH, February 26. South Island players filled the first three places in a keenly contested tenor trombone competition nt the band championships this afternoon and two of them were Dunedin .bandsmen. The Greymouth player, L. M. Carruthers, gave a splendid performance to gain first place and close behind him in the adjudicator's estimation were R. Hall (Kaikorai) 93 points and J. R- Marshall (Dunedin Artillery) 92 points. Both Hall and Marshall earned the judge's praise iind the warm applause of an appreciative audience. They handled the selected piece, Hume's " Brilliant,' with commendable artistry and showed imagination in interpretation in contrast with others lower on the list. The whole of the playing in the section was interesting, and expressive and fast. The judge remarked that the competition showed that there were many fine players of the trombone in the Dominion at present. He commended the work of the two Dunedin men. Hall, especially, seemed to have the much desired singing effect with his playing and good finish to his work. Marshall's artistry was most apparent and for general all round ability there was very little separating him from the winner. . ... Wonderfully good music was heard tonight in the A Grade first test selection in which St. Kilda Municipal, though placed fourth of the seven competing bands, shared in the general praise of the judge, who described the night's playing as a treat to hear. Two bands were outstanding—the Timaru Municipal and the Cairns Citizens, the young Queensland visitors who, in contrast with the other five bands, treated the selected piece, "Oliver Cromwell" (Geehl), with the proper heavy and dramatic manner. The judge remarked that the playing of the two leading bands was equal to, if not better than, the nlaying of the same work heard by him in England in 1924. Though Timaru and Cairns were well ahead of the others there was not much between Woolston and St. Kilda. The latter made a good opening, but rather lacked tone and once or twice was faulty in the notes. It played well the more rousing parts of a heavy piece and finished impressively.