THE FIRST TEST SELECTION.

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 March 1901, Page 2

THE FIRST TEST SELECTION.

Continuing our detailed criticisms, we' come to

MASTERTON".

(Conductor, Mi- P. W. McLead.) Allegro assai. Opening too fast. Nicely in tune, but ff. forced. 17—23 ragged. Larghetto, too loud, and rs with No. 1 Band, not devotional enough. At 8 the f. is greatly exaggerated. At B the p is played as a forte. This movement' is completely spoilt by being .too loud all through. Allegro marziale. The open- I ing is played if. instead of f., so that the ■ ff. effect at bar 9 is defeated. The Ku- I phonium polo- (largo) opens tamely, the foloist, however, going well. At 5 the trombones are too prominent. These prne- j trating instruments, with their incisive tone colour, require delicate treatment in the pianos. . Morendo at 9 not good. Cornets not together at 12. Sforzando at 17 21 and 24 exaggerated. The accompaniments lure becomes rather mechanical. At tho double cadenza bar 28, the two insitrmnents seem to be feeling for each other. Moderate. Br,r 1 too loud, played Iff. instead of f. 4—lo much better quality of work. 12 and 14 too much sf; better again 15—22. From 24 to end not broad enough, many notes pumped out. Largo (Horn Solo) same fault as with Woodville. The demisemiqua.ver played almost like semi-quavers. Horn solocst playing smoothly, but lacks expression at 8. Barytone at 9 rather unsteady. Trombones better than in the. first lrrgo. At M tho quavers not legato enough. Finale. Tempo too fast-. Comet- and trombone more than fair. Can't hear euphonium. Pace unsteady, as the movement goo? on. 37 and 38 taken as one bar. This Bard's style is too vigoi*ous for indoor work, and shows a certain (lack of refinement. A closer attention to the baton would also improve its work.

VETONE

(Conductor, Mr

H. Sherwin.)

Allegro. Opening nicely in tune, but rather slow piano wanting in precision. Larghetto. Good start. Out of tune at 5. At 8, not sufficient sforazando. Not enough crescendo at U. Tempo slowed at 17—19, noTreasoa for this in the swore. Marziale good to IV, where there is too much sf.. Cadenza very fair. Largo Opened out of tune. Soloist nervous in style Accompaniment, ragged. H soprano too soon,; .Moirendo'made too much of. At X quickened beyond the original time, lott-20 comets faulty,'tone poor. Weak at bar 27. Comets aloo too "loud from 25. Cadenza wants precision.^ Moderato. Wrong note first bar, then good to 13, where the trombones are. too assertive. 24—30 the triplets not clear. At 52 the "shot note" not clear. Largo. A better conception of the style of the accompaniment, but still not perfect. Basses boo ponderous. Soloist fair. At L can't hear soprano. From M, wrong idea of the finish. Finale. Soloists very fair, but juore spirit wanted. Too much made of crescendo at 7—B. At 18 'the forte is not contrasted enough with the previous part of the movement.. Soprano out of tune at 28. Tempo should not alter at P. This is the best performance so far, and shows care in the interpretation in most departments.'

PALMERSTON N.

(Conductor, Mr F. Meyrick.)

Allegro assai. Opening too loud, but tempo good and crisp. Intonation inclined to be rough. Basses too loud from A. Larghetto semi-quavers indistinct. B—lo hurried. At O ragged. General conception of movement nob'good. Allegro. [Good opening. Runs at 5 not clear. At ,9 the ff. rather rough. Cadenza very fair. '■Largos Euphonium nice' tone;;; At 4—7 trouble with the accompaniments. First ■baritone nob with the stick. Morendo not observed at 9. Triplets not1 clear. Cadenza, too slow, and both instruments feeling for .each other. 'Moderate Good ■broad opening, but slow. Cornet not firm ; cnough a* 11. 12—14 nice, 24 —27 too quick, not as marked. 28—30 rather confused. .Largo. Wrong idea' of accompaniment all through, soloist hampered •thereby. Finale. Trombone forcing notes. 10—11 semi-quavers *no£ heard.-'Uo pause observed first tune at 28. Euphonium weak or rather overpowered in this number during- the repeat;---Accelerando made at P, instead of bar 33. As this Band has had a good contest experience, we must candidly say we looked for a more finished performance than the one given. In many places the work was distinctly good, but there was not the even character throughout, that wo anticipated. Its position should, however, be well up.

NEW PLYMOUTH. (Conductor, Mr A. G. Haigh.)

Allegro ami. Attack fair, tempo good, tone fair. Bar 20 wrong note cornets. Larghetto. This movement opened well, though the cornets; were rather thin in tone. The attack atß^was poor. The ■ semi-quaver was not heard. At 16 the trombones anticipated tlite semi-quaver. 18—19 also ragged. General conception not bad. Allegro marziale wrong, not basses; bar 15 otherwise good up to the cadenza, which would bear improvement. Lai-go. Tempo rather fast. Euphonium playing fairly well. Accompaniment not sa good. Morendo not observed. The soprano in trouble at 11; Tune not steady here. Comet semi-quavers at 17 not distinct. Sforzando at 21 not observed. At 24 semi-quavers taken with a burst not crescendo. Attack of ; soprano and euphonium not together at 27. Moderato. Started out of tune. Cornet broke on top A at 4 and 8. Ensemble fairly good 20. Top A again.—Slurred and tongued notes in cadenza not distinguished. Largo. Same difficulty wfth the accompaniment as already referred-I^. "Splj> horn clips notes, arid .some 'time? - «fc£ic«]a,tes indistinctly. Accompaniment'nooj- ffpm/ 18-r:22. Third comet" pushes bjs"notes 25^27. Finale. Accompaniment not well balanced. Cornet and trombone fair. Style not martial enough. This Band promises well. New to contest work, it has shown great pluck in coming 100 miles to make its debut, and I prophesy a decent place in the list, when thenumbers arc up, aa our Manawatu friends say.

WANGANUI

Conductor—Mr Jas. Cricbton. Allegro assai. Open broad and full, tempo good. Piano passage nicely in tune. Larg« (Prayer). Most devotional rendering of the evening. Semiquaver at B rather indistinct. 16 and 18 going, well, but at 19 basses ratter previous. Allegro marziale «11 right until the repeat, when the uppar division was slightly over-powered by the basses who soon recovered the balance of tone. Largo. This fins movement nearly came to'lgrief"through, the soloist, who, early in; piece, • almost came to a standstill. Fortunately he pulledghjniself together after, a, few! bars. - FronifJL where he was relieved of the most important work, the movement went^much:::better, and. needa little comment. The, double? cadenza, at end went; well. Moderate/; ; The ton $?s in 4 and 8 wej« not well taken^At H>, jiie euphonium,' Ja^r.l4, being the qntef, basset this pa^mighi^have^been aiorj^;iiS evidence. At 24/26 €he: triplets wetf&i!^^ 'eife unsteady?- Cadenza... brilliantly "taken. Largo (horn solo), This section was well I done, the intricacies of the accompaniment being more clearly brought out than by the other bands. • The soloist was'in places slightly'inclined to. \>\qyv out[ <>f'tune, but played sympathetically. The finale was well balanced-and martial in character, the soloists well together, and the euphonium triplets standing out against the simple rythm of the other .accompanying irfstruments. If any fault can bo found With this movement it was that the .semiquavers in the presto were not as distinct as they might have been. We may ;,be accused of partisanship in our criticism of the local band,- 1 but as a matter of justice we could not have said otherwise than we have done. We have endeavoured to act impartially, and would repeat our remarks at the conclusion of our criticism of the Woodville bsukl, that wherever any adverse criticism is made it is with the object of suggesting an improvement, and in the most friendly spirit, and with-no hypocritical desire to "carp or criticise." Should this object be attained we shall be satisfied. .