BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 288, 9 January 1915, Page 5

BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

(By "MAI

The New Brighton Murine Band played «i programme last Sunday on their rotunda. They seemed to be uneven in their general work. Mr P. Reeves worked hard, and did good service, but he does not play as well here as he does in his own band. Lyttelton .'Marines were engaged on New Year's Day at the Tort. The band was split up in two, half playirigin the town and the other half on the Hag ship. They were assisted by some of the leading soloists of the Woolstou Band, viz., Messrs P. Reeves, P. Dunn, G. Wilson, W. Lanhan, and R. J. Estall (euphonium), who rendered useful service.

The Sumner Band gave another concert on the Pier Rotunda last Sunday. The well-known song, "Ora Pro Nobis," was included in the programme, ami a good portion of the crowd enjoyed it. The band is severely handicapped by several of its members having to do military duty. These are unable to attend rehearsals, and what is worse, cannot even get private practice. Mr A. Partridge assisted the band in the above concert. We offer condolence to Band Secretary Kerr and his wife in their bereavement—they recently lost their only child. The C.Y.C. Band gave a concert in the St. Albans Park on Tuesday night. A drizzling rain fell most of the time. The attendance was the smallest I have seen during the present season, and the band did not play as well as at other previous concerts. The inarch, "Left Right": Tempo rather slow, but general attack and balance fair, the intonation was faulty, rhythm could have been much better, the tone was not compact, the bass solo creditable. Waltz, " Hurndilla"; A very fair general performance. The Cornet Polka, "Besses o' the Barn"; I did not care for the performance; the faults of omission in the accompaniments particularly were as frequent as the faults of commission. The soloist, too, was not happy in-his sphere, the andante and the cadenza were fair, but the polka, trio and finale were doubtless too difficult. The method of triple tongueing seemed to be faulty, and only two notes of the triplet were diseernable all through the piece. "Old Memories": Attack very fair, balance also, but intonation poor. The trom-, bone in "Larboard Watch" was want- j ing somewhat in \yiriety, tone was good, however, but the phrasing was a little broken and laboured in style. I have heard this man play much better on previous occasions. The altos were seriously out of tune. The cornet in "The 'Vacant Chair" number was not easy, and did not get good support'from the band, the allegro very fair, but tone should be more compact. The cornets were very fair in the hunting song, but the parts were not satisfactory. The euphonium cadenza was fair, the soloist was flat in solo, but the trombone solo following was much too staccato. The duo cadenza was very creditable. "Love I Fas Eyes": Very fair, the soprano noticeable. "Sylvan Glade": There was creditable work done'in this overture, but it was nullified to a certain extent by the persistent bad intonation in the inner parts. The threequarter movement was too monotonous, the allegro, and on to the end was very fair, bass solo and tutti creditable. "The Indian Romance" had its lapses, sometimes it was satisfactory, sometimes not. The soprano, however, was effective in his work. The "Quaker Girl" selection was iu some respects good, and parts of this number, especially some of the airs, were pleasing, but the minor parts left something to be desired. The march, "The Gladiator's Farewell," was perhaps the best generally played piece- of the, evening. I feel sure that if every man iu the band would settle down aud do proper home, practice every day, the faults in the general band work would soon be remedied, especially the question of intonation. !

THE LYTTELTON MARINE BAND

Wednesday night was an ideal night for an open-air concert, both from a band and pub+ic point of view. The various items were a repetition of previous concerts, except that No. 6 on the programme (a duct for two cornets) was substituted by the well-known song, "Queen of the Earth," as a cornet solo, and an extra "Quick March" at the close. The impressions made on my mind of the rendering of the programme are as follows: —"Octavius": The attack by cornets good and execution ditto; the harmonies, however, were not balanced; the shot chords, towards end of second subject, were loose, and bass passage was indistinct, "(fold and Silver," waltz: Inner parts untunefnl in introduction; euphonium in air very good and style also; quaver passages by cornet were bright; second figure, melody good, but parts indistinct, lack of rhythm being the cause of this, combined with incorrect articulation; the episode to the next figure was loose, the euphonium was again good in melody, except that the tone was rather muffled—why make a distinct Largo to-

GSTRO.")

wards the end? Cornet solo, "Come, Sing to Me": Very nice tone by soloist, and good style, but the accompaniments were too heavy, and frequently untuneful, especially iu the altos. Selection from Sullivan: The technique astray on first quaver by basses, and tempo fast, the trombone, uncertain in cadenza; some general work of very fair standard iu the tutti s; the short cords were weak; before euphonium cadenza; the soloist had a good tone, but the music suffered

for want ol" metrical accent. The ensemble was loose just prior to cornet cadenza. The comet solo was good, but was not backed up by the band. The tonal quality of accompaniments left something to be desired. The Duo Cadenza, for cornet and euphonium, was very well played; but the phrases were broken up badly in the tutti following. The euphonium, etc., in following figure were very good. The b'-8 was good except iu technique; same towards end and finale. The "Rococo Ihtermezzo" was another item that was very fair in some movements, but the second subject was spoiled by excessive speed. The cornet solo, "Queen of the Earth," was played well by soloist, but the horns and second cornets were out of tune, and the uneven balance of parts and chords not being sustained detracted from this number. The minuet "Queen Anne " was noted in many places for some good work. The two marches were well played, especially by the cornets, while the euphonium would often be heard to advantage. The concert on the whole was quite enjoyable.

DFRRY'S BAND. Deny's Band was on the Victoria Square rotuuda on Thursday night. The audience was small at the start, but increased later on. The weather was not of the best from a public viewpoint, but from a playing standpoint it was, for it showed up every little thing. It started to rain rather heavily shortly after 9 o 'clock, and the people moved to the shelter of the trees and verandahs and heard the programme out. A few'remarks .on the band's performance might be of interest. The opening march could have been more resolute, but the baud soon settled down and played very well. Some of the detail was unobserved by players, but the general work was good. "The Girls of Gottenburg": This is a fine selection and contains some, of the bestknown gems of this very popular musical play. Some of the movements were played very nicely indeed, having assisted in the performance of this when it.first came out, and on several | occasions helped to make the music, familiar; but the rendering of the various solos and tuttis were given with satisfactory results.; The reeds in upper register were somewhat faulty at times, being one of the most serious blemishes. Valse, "Nights of Gladness":.A fiue start by band in introduction, but the first figure had the most telling effect. The rhythm and general swing" of this was satisfactory. This, on the whole, was an interesting number. "A Reverie": Some creditable work was done by all, but reeds got faulty in upper octaves, and the euphonium was 6harp in upper register in the counter melody. However, the general blend was sound. The descriptive Slav march is an item that will bear repetition. The bells, etc., were usesd to distinct advantage and good effect. The euphonium later was not sufficiently fluelit in his florid work, and hardly up to the band. The fantasia, "A Day at West Point'':"This was new to me, but from what I gathered from the performance it represented a picnic, party, out for the day, and, generally speaking, was very well interpreted. The fanfare by cornets should have been more resolute; the andante was loose at start, but soon improved. The various airs as aolos by the wood wind and reeds were praiseworthy and conveyed the idea of the music, very well. The tutti's were very good, but the trombones in one place were much too detached in their style. The cornet displayed good tone in trumpet part, but he should treat these sort of passages with more vigour. The ensemble was good. "Dixie Lad": Very fair. "Wearing of the Green"; Tone good by cornet, but style not satisfactory; tempo rather slow. The tenor cornet was overblown in "Auld Lang Syne." The, finale was bright. "Barn Dance": Good opening, but the trombones did not seem to understand thoroughly the correct use of the slides The portamento effect on the slurred note was wrong and most unpleasant to listen to; the general band work was creditable. '' Cuban Independence March": This started well, but the three crotchets in the lead motif were unsatisfactory. This passage was frequently repeated, but the same fault was made each time. These things either make or mar a musical performance, and it helped to mar this one. The brass players were the chief offenders. This concert was very entertaining from a popular standpoint.

The new instruments in the hands of the Woohstoir Band are said to be giving .satisfaction.