The Exhibition Band Contest.

Southland Times, Issue 1148, 18 March 1890, Page 2

The Exhibition Band Contest.

PROTEST BY BANDMASTERS. GENERALLY ENDORSED. [By TiXEr.R\pii.] Di"N i:i>in, March 17. At a meeting of bandmasters this morning the following resolution was passed and signed by 13 bandmasters : -" We, the undersigned, hereby desire to express our great astonishment and regn-t at the decisions irrived at by the judge-; in connection with the band contest just concluded and the relative order of the hands as printed in the daily paper." The three who have not. signed arc the Oamaru Navals, r>urnham Industrial School and Dunndin Garrison Bands. Tin- feeling is nni so much against the winners of the coolest, but at the relative positions of the bands. The maximum num her of points for the test piece was 100, and if this was adhered to no band l; lined more than one half, which showseit her a very low standa 'd of playing hv the bunds or an extraordinary high standard set up by the judges It is said, however, that the maximum mini her of points was reduced to .10, aud it is pointed out. that no band could be so perfect as to obtain full marks as was the case. If the points were so reduced the Inverrar^ill Garrison is given at .">O, though the leading cornet blundered twice, putting the other cornets out on the second occasion. The position of the Industrial School Hand is incomprehensible to bandsmen. For instance, the Cliristchurch Band chose a selection from Wagner— a selection which only a first-class band could attempt — and they received '28 points out of a maximum of bO ; the Burnham Band played a simple selection (and played it ni'-"!y no doubt) and P-ceived the same iuiuil><-r of points ;,..- Christ church. Of course until the judges' reports arc available their views will not be known, but the feeling of the bandmasters is that a slur has been cast upon them. The. following protest has been signed by members of the orchestra : — "We the undei signed, musicians in Dunedin, having heard the performances of the different bands at the late contest, desire to express the utmost astonishment at the decision arrived at by the judges and the relative order of the bands as published in the daily paper." The prizes won at the band contest were presented at the concert given to-night in the Concert Hall. There was a decided demonstration in favour of the Invercargill and Oamaru Garrison Band, and, in less degree, of the Dunedin Garrison, "which, with the Oamaru Navals, all performed. There was slight demonstration against Mr Mackintosh, one of the judges, but it was quickly drowned in applause. The judges decliue to take any notice of the protest. It is understood that the maximum of points in the test piece was reduced to HO, which will explain some anomalies. These were given for time, tune, style, solos, and general efficiency. In regard to pieces of the bands' own selection it is understood that the judges made allowance for degrees of difficulty of the pieces selected, but if a band choose a piece beyond its powers and pla\ed it badly marks would be taken off. The judges' full reports will not be available for a full fortnight as Mr Mackintosh returns to Wellington before writing his. Until then the storm which has been raised is net likely to b<i allayed. The Otago Daily Times has attempted to criticise the performances from day to day, an 1. it must be said, with very indifferent success, the representative of that paper having been about as successful in his prognostications as the average sporting tipster. Speaking of the judges — Signor Rafaelo iSquarise, Heir Alfred Pleyer, and Mr C. D. Mack intosh— our contemporary asserts — '' There is this to be said : that nolwly will be found bold enough to ra/f in question th> ir rhris-inn*. They are all gentlemen of a high degree ol competence. Signor Squarise, of Adelaide, has had eight years' experience as a bandmaster, and holds a certificate as such from the Conservatoire of Music, Turin. He served four years as bandmaster in Italy, and held a like position for four years in the Sou 1 h Australian Militia. Herr Pleyer, of Melbourne, has held the position of bandmaster in the Austrian Army, and also served in a similar capacity in three different regiments of Russian infantry, He holds high certificates testifying to his ability from both the Austrian and Russian Governments. Mr C. 1). Mackintosh, of Wellington, has since his arrival in the colony been so identified with musical matters — particularly with those relating to band music -and has had such a practical experience as to render his selection as a judge almost as much a subject for congratulation as the selection of his colleagues was." The O.I"). Times' critic, writing of the playing in the "own selection" contest, says the Invercargill City Band played a selection of aits from" Maritana. " The performance was much appreciated, the gem of it being the air " What mystery," in which the reeds contributed largely to a beautiful piece of instrumentation. The other Invercargill band — the Garrison, condu> ted by Mr Siddall —appeared next. They played the " Scinirainide. " selection — a 20---mimitc selection which came when the heat was at its greatest, causing sevetal of the performers U> remo\e. their hats (?) while the others were repeatedly mopping the perspiration from their heads. This baud was not riri/ siirrcisfuf in the test piece [they were on a p,u- with the best] but their performance of " " must have gone a long way towards retrieving their position. Mr Nitidall infused his whole energy inw> the conducting and the playing of the cornet, and his exertions were ably seconded by the rest, of the band. A splendid volume of sound was produced, and a magnificent rendeiingof the finale, marred, however, by one slight blemish, brought the house down in prolonged cheers." From the foregoing it is evident that the Garrison Band played under most depressing circumstances. They caniu last but one of tht long list : the hall was crammed, even the stage aud passage* being occupied, and had been so for hours, so that the temperature and the condition of the air must have been decidedly sultry and unwholesome. Following are the details of the principal cvi uts ; — Quickstep Contest (Maximum, 150.)

The Christcliureh, \Vt-llington and Duneiliu t)riluanee bauds obtain highly commended L'ertiikatus ; the Addingtou Workshops. Kiiikorai, and (^hieenstuwn bands coiiuiicuded cert ilicates.

Marching, &c. Music. Tl. Wellington ( ianison ... 58 69 — 127 Dunedin Ordnance ... 60 66 1:26 lnvuroargill damson ... 54 62 — 1 16 Taranaki 6T> 40 114 Oamaru (iarrison . . •"•'> •">■> - M)S InvercaryillOity ... 4,"> 63 - lOS Napier (Harrison . « r i() .">3 ID,'? Oamaru Navals ... 42 60 - 102 Kaikorai 40 4<) - Si) (Jkanu CoNTEST--(Maxiimim, 120 ■-(>(> for each piece.) Ti*t Own Piece, Tl. Oamaru Naval ... ."i0 M — MLS luvcroar c Mll Harrison -'0 ■_>-' - l (> - O.imani f!arri?"n ♦•' ■■'j "~ I)unediii < iarrison 44 '•' Ohristchureh Garrison 40 -'S - 77 Wellington (Janison .S.S 42 ■- 75 DiiiK'din Ordnance ... 40 31 ■- 71 lhui.-fdiii Engitieers ... 19 4;} — H2 Addinjrton AVorkshops 2(i 34 — 60 Kaikonu ... ... 20 39 - .Ml guecnstowii . ... 3."i 24 -- 09 Burnham Industrial ... IS 28— 46 Taranaki 1-j -8 ■- 46 Napier (Tarrisun ... 2"> 17 — 42 InvemirtfiH City . . H 28 - 39 Stiinmore 1" 20—37