OUR BANDSMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11507, 1 October 1915, Page 3

OUR BANDSMEN.

LOCAL NETS AND FOREIGN NOTES. (By TROMBONE.) From noon until three o'clock tomorrow nftoiriooii the Burnham School Bi<,nd will play a musioal programme at the athletic carnival in Cathedral Square, on behalf oi' the fund for our wounded soldiers. The Lytt«lton Marino bandsmen will assemblo in tho Square at three o'clock and continue tho playing until six, and from seven o'clock tlto Citizens' Defence Force Band and Tramway Band will proviuo musical numbers.

To-morrow evening the Citizens' Defenco Corps' Band will play on the Athletio Carnival platform in Cathedral Square, instead of giving its usual performance near the United Service- Tho programme will consist of the following pieces:—"Beauties of England " ; marches, " General Joffre" and " Heroes of Gallipoli," two new marches just received from England; " Pean of Victory," and "Battle of Magenta."

On Sunday last tlio Lyttelton Marino Band gave a performance on the rotunda at the Port. The afternoon wiV5 cold and a strong wind necessitated the use of screens on the north-eastern portion of the rotunda. An interesting programme was presented.

The municipal band concerts will bo commenced in tho near future. The grant has been passed by tho City Council and arrangements are now being made to engage bands. When that is completed a playing syllabus for the season will be prepared. It .is quite likely that the list of applicants may be increased this year, for since last season two new bands nave been formed, namely, the Citizens' Defence Force Band and the Chrietchurch Tramways Band, while the liechabites is practically a new combination which may desire to outer the field. The council will have plenty of choice. Woolston, Derry's and the Lyttelton Marines are known to be in good playing form, the C.Y.C. has lost several members owing to the war, and it is said that the Citizens' Defence Force Band was formed for playing only for patriotic funds, and will not consider other engagements; tho Tramways Band has been formed but recently, and is hardlv equipped sufficiently well for carrying out a municipal concert season engagement, while the Bcchabites' Band has been Jieard so little that it is not easy to estimate its form and its playing prospects. Whatever decision the City Council' may corns to concerning its choice of bands, there is little doubt the coming season's playing will be quite up to standard of past ones; indeed, so far as Woolston, Perry's and tho Lyttelton Marine Bands are Concerned, the playing of each of these will no doubt show improvement.

Considering the small fee that the bands receive for the municipal concert engagements, I would suggest that the Council should cudoavour to mako an arrangement with the Tramway Board thai bandsmen travelling in uniform to and from a concert on any one of the local rotundas should be carried on the trams free of charge. Many bandsmen pay from fourpence to sixpence, and even more, from their private means in tram fares in fulfilling a municipal concert engagement, and this does not seem at all fair. I would recommend the local Bands Committee to consider tho matter, with a view of placing suggesfcions before tho proper authorities before tho season commences.

Mr A. \Y. H. King, of the Napier Regimental Band, was in Christchurch this week. In a chat with him, I learned that the band is making good progress under its new conductor, Mr W. Bone, ji Yorkshire bandsman who cam© to New Zealand a few months ago. The Napier bandsmen are impressed with Mr Bone's earnestness, and Mr believes that under his direction Napier will make a good showing in tha band competition arena of the future. At present the Regimental Band is sadly handicapped for want of new instruments, but this matter is under consideration, and ere long a new set will probably be procured. It is anticipated that from that time a new era will dawn in Napier band matters.

The personnel of the Napier Regimental Band is as follows:—Conductor and bandmaster, Mr W. Bono; soprano, Mr G. Wilson; solo cornets, DeputyBandmaster J. H. May and Mr C. Brown; repiano cornet, Mr F. Jenkinsj second cornets, Mr S. Black and Mr T. Skittrup; third cornets, Mr Pearce, Mr R. Stead and Mr Keeno; solo tenor horn, Mr E. A. Algar; llrst horns. Mr C. Johnston and Mr Su S. Woodcock; second horn, Mr R. Anderson ; first baritone, Mr T. Tirrell; second baritone, Mr Goodall and Mr Reidy; solo trombone. Mr R. Bowman; first trombone, Mr ft. Skittrup; bass trombone, Mr A. Scorgie; euphonium, Mr H. Mullaney; 88-flat basses, Mr H. Hartley and Mr D. Greaney; Eflat bass, Mr T. Bacon; bass drum, Mr R. L. Dive; side drum, Mr A. W. H. King; drum-major, Mr S. Ransom. The band would be pleased to hear from bandsmen who are cornet, baritone, trombone or horn players. Work can bo found for suitable men. The secretary of the band is Mr J. H. May.

Both Napier Bands—Regimental and City—have been working hard in connection with patriotic movements, and have given several concerts on behalf of the fund for our wounded. Two members of the Regimental Band have enlisted for the front, and the City Band has supplied four men to the great cause. The bands are now preparing programmes for the municipal concert seison, which will commence during this month. Each band will give seven performances.

The following is the programmo which was played by the Regimental Band on the Marine Parade Rotunda on' Sept.. 12 upon the first appearance of Mr W. Bone, as conductor of the band:—Marches, " 8.8. and C.F. " and ''The Emperor": glee, i: T/fe's a Bumper " and selections " La Ptmpee " and Crispino " (Rimmcrs arrangement).

The Trentham Regimental Baud gave a concert in the Opera, Palmcrston North, on the evening of September 23, and tho following account of tho performance, which will interest bandsmen, is from the "Manawatu Standard ":—There is perhaps nothing which appeals more to popular taste than good brass band' music, arid it was quite a natural .sequence, therefore, that Palnier.sttm should bo represented almost to a man at the Opera House last evening on iho occasion or the Trent-ham Regimental Band concert. The ouhlie evideni.lv remembers with a good deal of pleasure the previous entertainment given by the hand. The excellent standard of tho band's previous playing was fully maintained hiM, night, and' Bandmaster P. Cole and his men are to be congratulated on the musical treat which their work afforded. The audience on its part was not slow in recognising the merit of the performance-, and the band and individual performers were called upon for encore' cumbers. The band' opened with the march. " Army and Marine," and at intervals throughout the evening gave several other nicelv played ftems. The band's best number was the descriptive fantasia, " A So'dier's L'fe." THs «eVotio*i, a« the name indicates, is descriptive of the various phases of a soldier's life —his leaving the* homeland for the front, then in the dm of the battlo-liold. and final It the joy of fi'e home-coming. The band gave a cu*!lgiufnl interpret a-

turn of the work, ami the audience showed its appreciation accordingly. Jtoms wero aiso given by Rifleman Brodaiak, Rifleman Luxford. Ritleinan Load man, Sergeant Tyler and LanoeCorporal Richards, tno latter scoring a, distinct success with InS parody on the familiar " Tipperary " —"lt's a Long Way to Rangiotu." The regimental drummers and buglers performed some clover work on. their rcspectxvo instruments.

During the performance of the Trentham Regimental Band at tho Opera Hon Re, Palmcrston North, on September 23, tho Mayor (Mr J. A. Nash), in thanking tho audience lor its attendance, stated that the concert had resulted in Che substantial sum oi IDs being added to tho fund' for the purpose of liquidating tho debt on the Regimental Band instruments, as the men were anxious to have their instruments clear of debt heforo leaving for the front. Continuing, .tho Mayor stated that contributions towards the purchase of tho instruments had also been received from Auckland, Hastings, Hamilton, "Westport, New Plymouth. Wairarapa, Wanganui, r ing, Stratford' and Christebnrch. J lie Caledonian Society had netted £BO as tho result of a recent concert, while the Manawatu Patriotic Assembly had raised £43 Iss. In addition to these amounts, a sunt of money had 6till to come in, being proceeds of tickets sold for the concert. He complimented the baud on the excellent performance, and stated that any regiment would be proud to go to the iront with such a good hand. It was a pity that such a lino band could not remain in tho Dominion, in order to compote in some or the contests, but there was no doubt a stronger call for their services in the present serious times. Tho Mayor concluded by assuring the band of a warmhearted welcome when they returned to New Zealand 1 .

A Dunedin correspondent. kindly c :eiuis me the following:—"Dear Trombones —You and your many band readers will no doubt be interested to learn that the Kaikorai Band held its thirtyfourth annual meeting in the Oddiellows' Hall, lloslyn, on the evening ot September 23, Mr L. Kenmitz (president) presiding. The annual report, which was read and adopted, stated that owing to numerous patriotic functions and collections, in aid of war funds of all descrptions, the calls on the band's services had been phenomenal. Members had stood together loyally and enthusiastically, with the result that on every ono of the many occasions on which they had turned out they had always been ablo to make a good showing and acquit themselves creditably. _ The playing of the band was a distinct improvement. Members had been together no fewer than 155 times since October 15, 1914. The attendances were made up as follow: —• Practices 76, patriotic and collecting purposes 56, races 7, public reserves 15, engagement 1. The committee would emphasise the point that bands are a publio institution, and as such are entitled to a modicum of the support so freely given to the various other public institutions. A rather serious problem in the near future will be the fitting out of the band in new uniforms, also the providing of new music stands. The amount required will be approximately £3OO, and steps will have to bo taken shortly to raise that sum._ The receipts for the year reached £478 7s, including balance in hand of £29 Is 3d at last year's annual meeting. Chief amongst the items is £l5B 17s 6d, being payment to members for Dunedin Jockey Club's race meetings-. Donations account for £55 17s 6d (included in this item being the proceeds of a special collection at the Gardens in aid of tho Wounded Soldiers' Fund £33); also allowances to members out of employment at different times owing to war conditions. The balance of assets over liabilities is approximately £ls less than it was at the last ananual meeting, but £53 10s had to be written off the value of the instruments and uniforms for so that an advance had been made towards bringing the bancf into a thoroughly solvent condition. The chairman said that the bank balance now was some £BO, and that was very satisfactory. He paid a tribute to the valuable and arduous work done for the band by the conductor (Mr G. B. Laidlaw) and the secretary (Mr F. Barton). The election of officers resulted as follows: —President, Mr L. Ivemnitz; vice-presidents, Messrs J. I>. Hunter, R. Bennell, J. O'Brien, J. G. Laureuson, G. Davie, T. B. Fairbairn, W. Waters, A. Henderson, T. Walker, J. 11. F. Jlamel, J. J. Clark, J. A. Haggtt, D. Reid, jun., W. 0. King, G. W. M'lntosh, C. Taylor, W. Dawson, D. Mucpherson; conductor, Mr G. B. Laidlaw; sub-conductor, Mr J. Dixon; sergeant, Mr D. Whelan; corporal, Mr J. Dixon: secretary, Mi; F. Barton; treasurer, Mr T, Tyrell; auditors, Messrs J. Ha-igh and S. Ballantyne; custodian, Mr J. Fogarty; assistant custodians, Messrs R. Farquharaoii and W. Willers; general committee, Messrs J. Dixon, E. Fraser, J. Freeman, B. Stewart and 0. Eades; music committee, Messrs G. B. Laidlaw, E. Fraser, C. Eades, J. Fogarty and J. Dixon. Mr Laidlaw made presentations, on bohalf of the band, to the custodiaus (Messrs Fogarty and Farguhasrson) to mark members' appreciation of their services. Tho proceedings \voro of an enthusiastic nature, and despite drawbacks during the war period there is a confident tone concerning the band's future prospects."