AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20013, 17 February 1914, Page 23

AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT.

DISSATISFACTION WITH JUDGING.

DISCORDANT SOUNDS IN MASSED

BANDS PERFORMANCE.

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, February 16. Several cf the bands which competed in the contest at the Exhibition last week expressed dissatisfaction with, ths judging of the test selections and quicksteps. This resulted in an unfortunate incident on Saturday -afternoon at the conclusion of the quickstep in the cricket ground. The massed hands were announced to play the march "Imperator"' under the baton of the judge (Captain Bentley). The bands <luly massed at the far end of the cricket ground, and swept towards the grandstand making strange sounds on their instruments. When Captain Bentley took his stand, baton in hand., some of the bands continued to play tunes which were certainly not in the music of the march. When silence was restored Captain Bentley motioned the band into the strains of "Imperator," but presently some swung off into other refrains till eonfuscion became worse confounded. One of the contest committee appealed to the bandsmen to "play tihe game," and not be discourteous -to the judge. Thereafter the march was played according to the programme. The muster of bands for the concert in the Exhibition, ground in the evening was very disappointing, many of the bands which had failed to win prizes absenting themselves. The reason given by some of the men for challenging the judge's decisions is that some of the bands which were considered the crack bands of New Zealand have been put comparatively low in the marks. ]

During an interview Captain. Bentley took occasion to remark that his musical knowledge extended back 40 years. It was rather idle for competitors who had been perhaps only a few years studying music to question the decision of a man who had been educating himself musically for a lifetime. It was a matter of opinion, but opinions on music ought to be formed on mature training and experience, not from a little Snowledge of art and a little knowledge in music, often a dangerous thing.