BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 121, 27 June 1914, Page 5

BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

(By "MAESTRO.")

The aimual meeting of the Ninth j Band was held in the Garri-1 .son Hall, Napier, on June 19, Captain! .J. Bishop presiding in the absence of j Colonel Hislop. .The report and bal-1 iince-sheet, the latter showing a credit j balance of £6 14/9, were read and] adopted. The. balance was considered ' very satisfactory, owing to the fact that the band had gone in for new instruments and music during the year. The election of officers resulted as follow: Bandmaster, Mr B. Simpson; ■deputy bandmaster, Mr J. H. May; hon. ' secretary, Mr J. Oliver; treasurer, Mr ,S. S. Woodcock; committee, Messrs A. Xing, A. Alger, F. Jenkins, J. H. May, .and S. C. Brown. Special reference was made to the good work done during the .year by the hon. conductor, Mr Simpson, <» and the retiring secretary, Mr A. W. H. King. Bandmaster Simpson and deputy bandmaster May were elected to work in conjunction with the Napier Thirty "Thousand Club with regard to the band •contest next year. Carterton Brass Band are running •very succesful dances and socials every fortnight, and the new instrument fund is mounting up. It is not yet decided who shall supply the new set., but I hear they favour Boosey and Co. Since the change of name of the , Masterton Municipal Band, it seems j • to have settled down to a life of j :'! quietude and ease. This is the first J I step in the wrong direction. j t | Wellington Tramway Band are, ae- j cording to report, having first-rate rehearsals, and the personnel of the band j io said to be the best that can be got ] ■ in Wellington. If this is correct, then Mr Bowes has a very good chance of making the pace pretty hot at the con-! test next November. He has distinct advantages that few bands in the Dominion possess. Being in an important position on the tramways there, he has the men practically at his command, and can in a sense dictate to them at will. Further still, he can command them to be regular and punctual with the band duties. Combine this with a good band of enthusiasts and efficient players, and there is every possible chance of the Tramway Band scoring a win in the near future. .The long-talked of Musicians' Union in Tasmania has at last materialised. Last week the whole thing was gone into, rules, etc., all drawn up, and about thirty professionals and the leading amateur musicians were enrolled. The cut throat business in that part is now considered a thing of the past. Timaru Band, who are anticipating the trip to the" Ballarat Contest next October, are now in the thick of it on their Own Choice Test Piece. It is an arrangement by Mr Alexander Owen. The selection has been played many times before by different bands. It is entitled the "Heroic Selection." It is a verv difficult piece, and requires abso- • lutely first-class soloists on every solo instrument in the band. The tutti and accompaniment parts are also difficult. There are one or two very weak places in the band which Mr Schnack will have to strengthen if he wishes to Succeed—in fact he will have to get another trombonist to start with, and the horn also will have to make rapid strides or else be supplanted. No doubt Mr Schnack will borrow one or two good players from various bauds to assist him over at Ballarat. There is a rumour that Mr G. Buckley will be playing solo cornet for them, and that a very prominent trombonist may make the trip with the band. However, we shall see. It would be far better if shall see. It would be far better if Timaru could go with her own men only, and if she won the honour and glory would be wholly, hers. But when a band is packed with professionals it cfliniot justly claim such honours. Should there be three or four of the leading star players of the Dominion included in the personnel of the Timaru Band, and the band fail to win, they will be the laughing stock of the band community of Australia.

CHRISTCHURCH BAND CONTEST. There is another grade added to the list for this occasion—l believe the first time it has been introduced in New Zealand. The C grade here referred to is a step in the right direction. It should induce all the young bands to enter who have not yet made an attempt. There is New Brighton Marine, Sumner Brass Band, Rangiora, Temuka, and a few others of the same calibre, and as there are three pfizes offered in that grade, no band should hesitate to enter. The A grade should be well represented from both Islands. Wanganui Garrison, Wellington Tramways and Wellington City, and perhaps Petone, and Queen Alexander's will come from the north, and Kaikorai, St. Kilda, and the two bands from Invercargill, Oamaru, Woolston, and the Lyttelton Marines will be in from the south. It is also expected that all the other local bands will enter for the B grade, with Ashburton and a good few others from various towns round about. THE PRIZE LIST. Prizes offered are as follow:—

A grade, Ist £150; 2nd, £SO; 3rd, £25; 4th, £lO. B grade, Ist £6O; 2nd, £25; 3rd, £10; 4th, £5. C grade, Ist £2O; 2nd, £10; 3rd, £5. Marching Competition, Ist £3O; 2nd, £ls; 3rd, £10; 4tli, £5. ; Solo Contests—Bb and .Eb cornets, flugel horns, Eb tenor horns, baritones, euphoniums, Bb tenor trombones, bass trombones, Eb bombardon, Bb and BBb basses. No mention is made of the side drum. A special gold medal will be awarded the winning conductors. There will also be quartet and trombone trios in the programme, which will be a very large one. The judge will have an arduous task, and his business will, be the more difficult when one considers the peculiar circumstances. The tests will include only two selections in the A grade, and one test each in the B and C grades, and one own choice each in the B and C' grades. The rest, from soprano to BBb bass will be own choice in the solo sections. The quartet and trios will also be own choice. When one reflects 011 the possibilities of the variety of solos of all classes, it makes one think that much may happen that will cause the most optimistic person to hesitate before he acts. The judge certainly will have the sympathy of all the thinking musicians. The committee are to be congratulated 011 the work already done. They have secured the Theatre Royal for the contest, and the Show Grounds for the marching competition. The dates are from November j2lto 27 inclusive. Band entries close j on August 1, and solo entries 011 SepI tember 5. At a more recent meeting it j was decided to add an open contest for I cornet championship. Messrs G. W. j Jenner, C. H. liervcy, and Wells have also promised gold medals as special prizes. The question of guarantors | was left over for a future date. There jid a possibility of a special piece of | music being written for a massed band I performance on the day of the marchj ing competitions.