SPLENDID SOLO WORK AT BAND CONTEST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17781, 26 February 1926, Page 3

SPLENDID SOLO WORK AT BAND CONTEST.

(Special to the “ Star.”) DUNEDIN, February 23. To-day's events at the Exhibition band contest were confined to the solo sections, the chief event being the hearing and decision of the New Zealand cornet championship, the prizes ir. which are a gold medal and a magnificent gold-plated Besson cornet. ! The preliminary was heard by Mr F. J. Ricketts in the Festival Hall during the morning. There were twenty-five competitors, the list including Lieutenant Wi H. Osborne (Ashburton) “ Bud Wills (St Kilda), who played with the Woolston Band at the Auckland contest last year, C. Hayes, the Dominion champion of twelve months ago, R. Ohlsen (Christchurch Municipal Band), who was third in the same event at the Christchurch contest of 1924, besides the four recalled performers and several other Canterbury cornetists, including S. Williams (Woolston). Osborne gave ii good rendering in which there were one or two minor flaws. Ilayes was not at his best, and it was reported that the cold weather had not a little to do with his loss of form. Ohlsen broke down In a difficult executive passage. Williams gave a fairly good rendering. The other solo events heard during the morning and afternoon were the side drum, EE-flat bass, soprano cornet, and bass trombone bolos. Canterbury did not gain a success in any one of these, though in the soprano section G. Whiting, of Ashburton, gained 89 points, for a good performance of the test number, and was only two points behind the winner. 1. Coughlan (Kaikorai) gave the best idea of a caprice in his reading of the test work. The bass trombone competition was of good Average standard. The finals of the quartets and trombone trios were held this evening, following the cornet championship. Following are comments on the cornet finals:— W. Stevenson (Port Nicholson Silver Band) was the first of the cornetists to play for the championship. The coldness of the evening somewhat affected his intonation in the introductory portion of “ Silver Threads Among the Gold,” the test work, and he remained consistently just a shade fiat. His playing otherwise was flawless in the early stages, the executive passages, being delivered with crystal clearness, and in a cadenza extending to top' D, a note above the compass usually allotted in tost works the effect was brilliant in the extreme. The theme was artistically portrayed, and in the subsequent quicker parts, the high notes rang out with bell-like clearness. The wonderfully high standard of playing efficiency was maintained to the close of the solo. A very fine /performance, taking rank among the very best ever heard in the Dominion. H. F. Vincent (Palmerston North Municipal Band)—A very fine opening, the trumpet tone standing out in its best form with the quality of the finest. One or two slight lip flaws were noticeable in the early rendering, but the general playing was glorious, and the run finishing on top D was brilliant. The Intonation was all-satisfying. The theme was highly artistic; a superb example of expressive cornet playing. The difficult executive part following was not quite cleanly delivered. Nevertheless, there was brilliance of a most convincing order. A slower movement in a minor mood was very chaste in treatment and portrayal. The triple tonguing passage just lacked the sparkle and clearness of Stevenson’s rendering, but it-was very good, and the finale was excellent. J. Robertson (Greymouth Municipal) —Robertson is a youth yet under eighteen. Two years ago lie won the boys’ solo at the contest held in Christchurch, and again succeeded in the satne event at the present contest. Ho commenced confidently, and overcame the early pitfalls exceedingly well, the top D ringing out true, though fading slightly in the release. The interpretation was most interesting, touches of individuality being noted that added a beauty and charm to the performance! The intonation was always of the highest standard. Two or three slight lip flaws were evidenced, the only one of any moment being on a pedal C, a most difficult note to get in variation work. The minor movement preceding the triple tonguing was beautifully played, and the theme of the song was finely depicted in the triple tonguing. The ending was brilliant. T. Goodall (Woolston Band)—Goodall who belongs to Wellington, and is an ex-champion of New Zealand, is playing as the Woolston Band’s professional, lie opened the solo in excellent style with a splendid tone, but was unfortunate in missing more than one top note, the D in particular being a lapse of importance in so critical a contest. The pedal C was also a weak note. Although the melody and minor mood portions of the solo were artistically played, they would hardly compensate for the lip failures. Canterbury was not fortunate enough to have a recalled party in the quartet, but it had one in the trombone trios, that from Timaru, which gave an excellent performance.