BANDSMEN'S COLUMN.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 568, 4 December 1915, Page 4

BANDSMEN'S COLUMN.

(By "Maestro"). MUNICIPAL CONCERTS. DATES FOR DECEMBER. Dec. 7, at St. Albans—C.Y.C. Band. \ „ 8, at Sydenham—Lyttelton Band. ; „ 9, at Victoria .Square—Derry's Band, j „ 14, at Linwood—Woolston Band. i „ 15, at Jcrrold Street—C.Y.C. Band. „ 16, at Victoria Square—Lyttelton Band. „ 21, at St. Albans—Derry's Band. „ 23, at Victoria Square—C.Y.C. Band. „ 28, at Linwood —Lyttelton Band. „ 29, at Sydenham—C.Y.C. Band.. „ 30, at Victoria Square—Woolston Band. Derry's Band will give the following programme at its concert to be held in Victoria Square next Thursday evening:—March, "Triumph of J the Century" (Weiss); selection, "The Girl in the Taxi" (Gilbert); cornet solo, "The Rosary" (Nevin); valse, "Smiles then Kisses" (An- j cliff e); clown dance, "Marcline" (Trinkaus); selection, "The - White Chrysanthemum" (Talbot); serenade, "Love in Arcady" (Wood); march, "Alexander" (Berline). Tramway Band Instruments. The full set of silver-plated and engraved instruments, ordered from Messrs Boosey and Co. by Mr Robt. Francis, for the Christchurch Tramways Band", are due for delivery in the course of a few days. Considering the- circumstances, this order is" well up to time. The New Brighton Band has also a set on the way out, made by the same firm. Soldier Bandsmen. Members of the Sumner Band who are already doing service at the front, are:—Bert Blazer (cornet), sth Reinforcements, artillery; Frank Lawson (euphonium), band sergeant with 7th Reinforcements, artillery; and Harold Smith (baritone), 7th Reinforcements, artillery. F. Lindrose (b flat bass) is going with the 11th Reinforcements, and Wm. Fe.ntoli (euphonium) has recently enlisted, and is waiting to be called up. He is a son of the conductor of the Sumner Band. Mrs G. G. Stead gave a patriotic garden party at her residence this week, at which selected members of the Woolston Band supplied the music. Derry's Band. Mr A. E. Thomson, late of the Timaru Garrison and the Ashburtoni Bands, has recently taken up his residence in Christchurch, and is now playing the euphonium in Derry's Band. Mr Thomson started his musical career in Australia, and was for a considerable time a member of the famous Collingwood Citizens' Band. He should be of value to his present band. The initials and name of the secretary of Derry's Band are J. W. Smith, and the address is 115 Tilford Street, Woolston. As there is another of the same name* resident in that street, bandsmen correspondents will please note. Band Saturday. To-day, being Band Saturday, will be an eventful one so far as the bands of Christchurch are concerned, and from what I,can gather there will be plenty to interest all tastes. Messrs'X and W. Jamieson are fixing up the stage for the various events f>ee of charge, and the 'City Council has kindly offered to supply the light and fix up the appliances connected with same also free of cost. Sergeant Saunders, of the Woolston Band, has been appointed drum-major for the day's events. Bloy's Banjo Band will perform a special piece of music, which has been so arranged and rehearsed that it is claimed by those who have heard it that the public of this city has never heard its equal at any previous public event. j The. Bristol Piano Company has given a piano stool of fine quality, and Webley, Sons, and Gofton have also given a handsome article to be disposed of for the cause. They will doubtless be offered at auction during the evening. Other valuable gifts have also been received by members of the various bands, and these, too, will go to swell the total. A Novel March. When the bands are all formed up at Latimer Square, they will form, not so many different bands, but one great band, playing the same tune. There will be a long row of drums and drummers up one side of the band. It is certain that nine or 10 drummers will not beat all alike, and that the intonation of the bands must necessarily vary; but the important fact is that the novelty will be an attraction, and that is the primary object of such a march in massed formation. This march will also be repeated in the evening, and judging by the way that the bandsmen are working it should prove a most successful event, and bring added funds for the wounded soldiers. Municipal Concerts. Derry's Band gave a concert at Sydenham Park on Wednesday night, when there was a good attendance. Mr E. C. Derry, the conductor, had a most difficult task to perform on this occasion, since he had no first cornet to assist him, and had to play and conduct all the tuttis, cornet solos, and cadenzas himself, without a break, except where the reeds had the principal parts. Not many conductors could overcome this difficulty in the same satisfactory way. The programme was the same as that played by the band at its first concert in Victoria Square. There were weak places in the balance at times, and the attack and precision were not up to the usual form, but nevertheless it was an improvement on the first effort. The trombones were not clean and smart in the chromatic triplets in the "Caronade" march. "The Girl on the Film" was started with a good composed tone and an excellent retara, , and showed good ensemble. The cornet solo was well played, and so was the cadenza. The episodes linking up

the various movements were played much better than * before, and the valse movement went with a nice swinging rhythm. The performance was a good one. The valse, "Oh Delphine" was somewhat marred by the inequalities of the reedjs—-the upper j register of this section" showed ai very thin quality of tone. The piccolo solo, "The Deep Blue Sea," was played by Bandsman A. Hutton in good style, and the band accompaniments were well subdued. The band also gave a nice rendering of the intermezzo, "The Wedding of the Rose," and in this piece the reeds were excellent. The "Home Circle" overture was marred here and there by poor intonation and technical errors, which could have been avoided with a little care. The "National Emblem" march was very well played, except bars 29 and 30 in the second subject—the basses and trombones make these two bars' I appear vulgar, through their method 'of slurring and giving undue value to the second note. Woolston Band.

Woolston Band also gave a concert on the .Victoria Square on Thursday night. Their programme was entirely different to that given by them there at the opening of the season. The appearance of the band with their new white covers on their caps made a vast improvement in the uniform,'and made the band look smarter. The big crowd of people round about the rotunda showed their appreciation _of the band's playing in a very marked manner, every item being enthusiastically applauded. The "Hinemoa" march was played in brilliant style with a nice variety of light and- shade. Souvenir di Russe" proved a very pleasing item, the various excerpts being well treated throughout, showing clearly that much care had been taken in working the music up. The cornet solo, "Mountain Lovers." was sympathetically played by Mr P. Reeves. The "Huguenots" selection received good treatment, and was a favourite with the audience, but there were several weak places noticeable, due to over-anxiety, probably. "The Pearl Feather" was one of those popular items that always go down well with the general public, and was certainly well played. "The Classic Gems" selection was also very well played, but, as in the "Huguenots," certain players marred some of the movements by missing out notes here and there and sometimes coming in too soon. The valse, "Do You Remember?" was capitally interpreted. The march, "La Bohemiene," concluded the programme, and was played smartly throughout. The concert generally was most successful and entertaining.

The secretary of the New Brighton Band informs me that his band has a local patriotic engagement on at North Brighton to-day which debars them from, taking part in the massed bands' demonstration.