LYTTELTON MARINE BAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7667, 28 March 1903, Page 6

LYTTELTON MARINE BAND.

On Tuesday evening, March 24, the Lyttelton Marine Band gave its lust municipal concert for the season. The site of the evening's entertainment was not wellchosen,'for it was too near the sea level to enhnmee the band's tone, and the smoke from the torches was anything but pleasant. The band d'.d not play up to form, and there was a shortage of instrumentalist^, for which the conductor was not responsible. The programme was built on easy yet popular line.". Dance music •predomi^ nated, and the gavotte and vailse found the bund goin^ fairly well. In point of individual playing, the euphonium (W. Sullivan), E-flat soprano (E. Sullivan), and Bflat cornet (young Loader) Were most serviceaible. The last-named is a veritable " sheet-anchor," and during the programme proved his worth as a " cut and come again " lead. The piccolo parts weije neatly, tunefully. and tffectivelyi played by Bandsman F. Laming, ! and in the softer passages his work was highly creditable. Of the programme itself, it was far from dashing, yet it was eminently suited for the occasion. Mendelssohn's ," St Paul" was, however, a weird change, and it is worthy of mention that the opening andante con mosto and the following andantino found the bandsmen displaying good work. Their tone excelled in this selection, and it made one feel that higherclass music suits the Pott band better than the mediocre order. In all other details, the members maintained their good name, aind, whilst allowing, a liberal discount for absentees, Conductor Collins and his men lost not a point, but clinched their claim to a big share of public favour.