BANDSMEN'S COLUMN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7506, 13 September 1902, Page 6

BANDSMEN'S COLUMN.

FROM FAR AKD NEAR. (By TOM-TOM.) (Specially compiled for the "Star.*') "Music the poor man's Parnassus." —Emerson. BAND NOTES. On Sunday, Sept. 7, the Garris*pn< Band, under Deputy -Bandmaster Tankard, had a. full muster when playing the Natives Corp.s to and from St Luke's Church. The march music was capitally played, and in every detail the band maintained its good) name. Sergeant Foster made an efficient drum-major. At the smoke concert held on- Thursday evening last, in the Garrison Band roomy Deputy-Bandmaster Tankard contributed) two enjoyable cornet solos I ,' namely, "The Death of Nelson" and "The Song that Reached my Heart." In each he displayed! his usual finish, and the liberal applause that was accorded him showed how keenly "his contributions were appreciated. Sergeant. .Taylor and Mr T. Hall assisted, and tiedp ; baa jo work was of the best grade. Their ; items, the " Colombian March* " and a quaint .arrangement named " Fun and; Floric " gave jthe well-known' banjodsts another opportunity of entertaining and showing their skill. JThe goodwill and esteem thatVour Garrison Band enjoys from the Volunteers' was plainly shown at the gathering, and- DeputyBandmaster Tankard reciprocated the feeling of comradeship that exists between! bandsmen and the North Canterbury Battalion. * *

THE BELLE VUE CONTEST. The result of the July contest is now to hand. Wingate's Temperance Bandl was first, Kirkby-in-Ashfleld Temperanoe second, Rotherham Borough. :fchird', Rochdale fourth, Irwell fifth, and Earlstown sixth. The judges were Mr J. 0. Shepherd, of! Liverpool, and Mr F. Vetter, of Manchester. Tbe test piece was a selection from Pedrotti's opera. " Tutti in Maschera." It was splendidly arranged 'by Lieutenant Chas. Godfrey, R. A.M. The Wingate Band #nd' the runner-up are both temperance bands', and there was much rejoicing in their immediate circles. The September contest, decided last week, possesses an additional attraction, inasmuch, as it is the jubilee of' Belle Tne contests. Messrs Teonison and Co. are giving tho champion challenge cup, in addition' to the usual schedule of prizes. The twenty eeleoted bands are as under :— Batley Old, Besses-o-the-Bam, Blade Dike, Bristol Britannia, Crooke, Ferndale, Hucknall Temperance, Irwell Bank, Irwell Springs, Kingston Mills, Lea Mills, Lee Mount, Lindley, Milburn's Middlesbro', Northfeild, Pemberton (old), Rochdale, (old), Rotfterhaari Boro', Wingate's Temperance and Wyke. The test piece is from tlie opera " L'Ebreo " (Apdlloni), amd Lieutenant Godfrey has giv«n English bandsmen something ., quite new to them. At our last North Isknd contest Mr Charles Trussell arranged oner-of the test pieces* from the same opera. The Belle Vue test ia said to be one of the best on record, and our colonial bandsmen could not do better than secure full parts. Like all Godfrey's selections, it is on large sheets, capitally printed, with full parts for the leading instruments and real work for the subordinate ones. It has a dignified opening, <■ as slow movement, with a quartette for horns, and a bass obligato. lie cornets are silent for the first eight bars. On the reprise the solo cornet has some dainty arpeggio work. The trombones are not neglected, as they have a broad recit-like theme of great dignity. The second movement is ga allegro in which the first note for the. soprano is high B-flat. The movement is full of effect —double "p's" and double "fs"— and finishes with a sixteen bars piu mosso. No. 3 is a delightful cornet solo, in ths style of Meyerbeer: The horns, baritones and basses'have the best .of the work, and the movement is as pretty as can be. No. 4 contains > a solo for . the trombone, with the flugel horn playing the same notes in the octa-ve. ' After a double forte ensemble of eight bars, comes another cornet solo of the slow, sentimental order, very pretty, but one that requires much skill. An allegro tutti' follows, marked grandioso and robusto. It is a real clinking movement, with theme for cornets, euphoniums and trombones. . The movement is delightful, has plenty. of body and is a ravishing melody. The euphonium solo is not unlike the cornet solo in the third movement. It finishes with an easy cadenza, and leads right on to the last movement. "L'Ebreo" evidently possesses plenty of merit, and the coincidence is not a little strange, that, at both ends of the world, the unknown Apolloni's opeya, should have been engaging arrangers and bandsmen. The result of the . . Jubilee contest has aroused much interest, and the chances are that' "Wyke," "Wingates," "Dike" and " Besses " will score, Messrs A. Owen, E. Swift, W. Swingler, John Gladney, S. Radcliffe a,nd A. Gray are amongst the conductors. I have to thank Mr R. J. Glen for a conductor's copy of " L'Ebreo."