PASSING NOTES

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7923, 30 January 1904, Page 6

PASSING NOTES

The municipal concerts during the week I were given by Derry's Band and the Engineers' Band, the former at Sydenham Park, and the latter on the Victoria Square Rotunda. The programme and performance ■were capital in each instance. An absurd statement, emanating from Wellington, has found its way into the newspapers that the fees of those nominated for the Palmerston North judgeship are exorbitant. The paragraph gives the figures, which show that Mr Sohwartz (Wellington) asks £50, Mr Code (Melbourne) £47, Mr King (Christchurch) £45, and Mr Herd (Wellington) £40. To emphasise the point, a comparison- is made between the above charges and those of Mr J. Ord-Hume, who. the ' paragraph further states, "came over for £20 " to judge the contest held at Masterton last year. In the first plaoe, the statement about Mr Ord-Hume 's fee is altogether wrong. According to the Masterton contest balance-sheet Mr Ord-Hume's fee was £50, and his expenses £22 a total of £72. Should one of the New Zeailand nominees be elected for Palmerston North, the highest cost, including expenses, to the Association, could not be more than £55, a saving of £17 on last year. For many years past the fee for the first-class contests has varied up to £50, the latter amount being paid on several occasions. The very fact of the fees of the four gentlemen named- (who have had long experiemce in judging) being within a few pounds of each other, and all between £40 and £50, goes to show that, for so important a position, and for so great an undertaking — for an adjudicator's task is a severe mental and physical one^ — a fair remuneration is any sum between £40 and £50. The secondclass band contests, at which there is half the work to do, generally provide £25 for an adjudicator's services. The members of the Engineers' Band are still considering the question of procuring a new set pf instruments, and also some new uniforms. In regaird to the latter, several of the bandsmen have reluctantly to appear at the public performances of the band . in mufti. The reason of this is that the membership roll has increased "to thirty-five within the past six months. Despite the handicap of old instruments, the improvement in the playing is noticeable at each municipal concert, and with the good pros* pects in view, the band would be quite justified in formulating some big scheme to raise the money to purchase a set of instruments and to procure several extra uniform suits. There is little doubt,; when this can be accomplished, that : Christchurch will possess in the Woolston and Engineers' Bands the two finest brass combinations that Christchurch has ever had. To reach Wanganui Garrison Band's standard should be the aim cf our bands ; but without a good set of instruments such an attainmentwould be impossible. . Mr A. M'Leod, an ex-Oamaru bandsman, ia at present in the . colony visiting his friends. Mr A. M'Leod is a brother of Mr F. W. G. M'Leod, of the Maisterton Municipal Band, and recently he achieved distinction at the Maitland, N.S.W., contest, in winning the A-natural comet solo competition. The Ashburton County Brass Band commenced the municipal concert season in Ashburton last week. The addition of. a stringed bass is said to effectively round, off the deep end ot the band. The performance was given on the Domain Oval, and there was a large attendance of the public. The following was th c programme:— Quick march, '<E1 Capitan" (Sousa) ; waltz, "Rippling Stream" (K. V. Keller); selection, "Gems of: Evergreen Melody" (Round) ; slow march, " The Elephant " (Herr von der Mehden) ; waltz, " Sunny Spain " (Percy Fitzgerald) ; selection, "Gems of Operatic Melody" (Round); quick march, " Love and Honour " (John Ord-Hume). The band will give the second! concert of the series in about a fortnight's time. Mr Croxford has taken over the bandmastership of the Temuka Brass Band. This gentleman, I believe, is the same Mr Croxfor^ who played the bass so successluily for the Dunedin Engineers' Band some years ago. The band is negotiating to procure a new set of instruments. „ The "Ashburton Guardian" says that fche County Band intends to play a programme on Carter's Terrace, Tinwald, one evening next week. Mr David Thomas has kindly placed his lawn afc the band's disposal. The New Plymouth City Council has recognised the services of the town barads by subsidising them to give municipal concerts. The good! example set by the Christchuroh Council is spreading throughout the colony. When every town in New Zealand is given municipal concerts by subsidised bands, the people will receive better music, bandsmen will have improved in their playing, and the whole standard of their work will be raised. The public appreciates good 'band music, and it is certain that the concerts provided by municipail bapds give untold pleasure to thousands of people. The movement will go ahead, there is little doubt, in all. towns where there are go-ahead Councillors. Mr G. T_ussell, ex-bandmaster of the Nelson Garrison Band, who is now conductor of the Waihi Band', has arranged a test selection entitled "The Porter of Havre " (Cagrioni),^ for the Mas-ton, Band Contest. - At a recent meeting of the Band Contest Committee at Marton, the programme for the coming competition was dealt wifch. In the) test selection the test prize has been increased to £40, and a set of silver medals, including a gold medal for the conductor. In the quickstep competition, quartets and solos it was decided to give similar prizes to those presented at the Hawera contest. " Musio hath charms to soothe the savage breast," but -the playing of the Southland Battalion Band in the V.M.C.A. Hall on* Thursday 'evenings (says the j" Southland Daily Times") does not conduce A-.-to the ««_iability of Town Councillors. Ou a

recent evening Councillor Roche said that he was quite' unable to follow the discussions owing to the. band's music, .and suggested that the secretary should, be written to-ta endeavour to arrange for practices on some other eveaing. This met with general support, though ono Councillor observed that- he "liked " music. , The / " Taranaki. Herald !' - gives great praise to Bandmaster Gordon, recently of the Thames, for the marked improvement in the playing of the New Plymouth Band. The Auckland Garrison Band .will give a concert in the Theatre Royal, New Plymouth, on Friday, February 26. The appearance of the Auckland combination afc the Palmerston North contest will be warmly welcomed. A paragraph in a Napier paper states ' that an exceptionally large audience attended at Clive Square recently for the City Band's concert. Among the items on the programme were: — Grand march, "The Western Boom "; selection, "Don Pas-' quale"; waltz, "Syringa" ; march, "Now or Never " ; selection, " Sweet Songs ofOld " ; and lancers, " Prima Donna." The performance was up to the band's best standard, and gave evidence of the greater attention to practices which has been induced by the intention to participate in the Rotorua contest. The band is being strengthened by the return of -old member^ and the addition of new ones, to its ranks.