BANDSMEN ASSEMBLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19772, 21 February 1927, Page 8

BANDSMEN ASSEMBLE

CONTEST OPENS TO-DAY

AN IMPROVED STANDARD. THE PAST AND THE PRESENT. (From Our Special Reporter). The North Island Brass Bands’ Association championship competitions, which . will commence at the Town Hall, Wellington, on Monday morning, promise to be as successful as the organisers could possibly desire. AU the best bands of New Zealand are present, and from what van be gathered from current gossip the playing standard has improved. One reason for this, apart from the general aim to attain greater heights each year, is the presence as adjudicator of Air William Ilalliwcll, the renowned English band trainer and conductor. The bandsmen realise that for the honour of the country, as well as the consummation of their own desires, it is required of them that this year’s effort should exceed all others. It is most probable that all hopes will be, realised. Judging from what has already been heard the playing at this year’s contest wiU show a fairly good margin of improvement over that of 1926, while it is not unlikely that two or three of the bands will exhibit a standard of playing merit not surpassed by anything heard at a Dominion contest. No Australian Bands. It is regrettable that no Australian band has been able to make the journey to New Zealand for this year’s competitions, but probably bands like Redfern and N*alvern, which both have in recent years come across the Tasman Sea to annex the Dominion championship, feel that they have no more worlds to conquer; added to which the expense and loss of time are too great. Nevertheless, it is a little disappointing, lor the big bands of this country and for the North Island Brass Bands Association, which left no stone unturned and spared no expense to secure the services of the Old Country’s greatest band expert. About the Adjudicators.

Quite a number of judges from England have acted at New Zealand contests. Mr J. Ord Hume was the first actual importation of an adjudicator. He judged at the Association contest held at Masterton in 1903, in the days when Wanganui Garrison, Wellington Garrison, and Kaikorai were such keen rivtals under their respective talented conductors, James Crichton, T. Herd, and G. B. Laidlaw. Though Mr Hume was at the head of his profession in 1903 his methods of conducting adjudication caused not a Little trouble at Masterton and led to the North Island Association, at succeeding contests, disclosing the points awarded following the first night’s playing. However, Mr Ord Hume was a very fine judge of band work. Prior to his I advent contests in New Zealand had been judged by overseas musicians, who were mostly resident in the country. These, in particular, were: Messrs D. Wishart (a Kneller Hall graduate and British Army bandmaster who in 1883, then recently arrived, was appointed to judge the first properly arranged band competition held in New Zealand, that between the Oamaru and Invercargill Garrison, which was won by Oamaru; G. A. Martin ( a noted clarinetist, who acted at several early contests), Benno Scherek, G. Mackintosh, Otto Schwartz, Sidney Wolf, F. Wallace and Signor Squarise; while tho non-resident adjudicators, who came from Australia, were Messrs Anthony Grieve, T. Bulch and Code (father of Mr Percy Code, who, a decade and more later, also judged at New Zealand contests). Later English adjudicators were Messrs W. Short, T. Morgan and E. Sutton. Those were .all specially engaged to come overseas to act at Dominion contests.

Wanganui Garrison’s Record. It says much for the enthusiasm and enterprise of the bandsmen and people of Wanganui that for a period now extending over about 25 years the River City should have occupied so prominent a position in the band contesting movement of the Dominion. Twenty years and more ago the great rivalry was. between Wellington Garrison, Wanganui and Kaikorai. To-day, Wanganui Garrison is still at the head. Its pricipal rival is now Woolston. Kaikorai is also in the firing line, but is not, as judged on last year’s playing, as doughty a rival as in years gone by. St. Kild a (Dunedin), third last year, and Port Nicholson Silver (Wellington) are two bands that may show marked improvement at the coming contest and if a surprise is effected it will probably come through Port Nicholson, whose playing ranks are said to have been strengthened considerably under expert tuition. Be it remembered, too, that this band four years ago, then known as the Wellington Watersiders’ Band, won the championship under the adjudication of Mr A. Shugg, of Australia, who subsequently came across as conductor of the Malvern Tramways Bands and secured tho honours at the contest. held in Auckland in 1925. Delving Into History.

• It is probable that Wellington was the scene of the first band contest ever held in the North Island. That event took place in connection with the Wellington Exhibition of 1885. The competition was conducted on novel lines, for instead of all the bauds gathering and playing one evening, each entrant had to visit Wellington and play a programme on a Saturday night. There were about eight or ten bands and the contest spread over as many weeks. Bands had to be ready to appear as called upon by the committee. Oamaru Garrison was first to play, called at about a fortnight’s notice, and Invercargill Garrison was last to appear. The difference of time for the Southland band in the matter of practice will be appreciated by modern bandsmen; but both were excellent bands for the period and Oamaru won,

with Invercargill second. The late Mr G. Mackintosh, of Wellington, was the judge. What would have happened had he, from illness or other reason, been unable to act on any one evening has never been Suggested or chronicled; but happily all went well. The old-time Wanganui Garrison Band was a compeitor. Mr Crichton in those days was the euphonium player. Big Entries. The judges at the 1927 contest will be kept very busy, for the solo entries are exceedingly numerous. Never has so large an entry been recorded for the B Grade championship, and judging from present appearances over thirty bands will be engaged. A note of regret is sounded in the absence next week of the Auckland Artillery Band, which, in recent years has proved invincible in the quickstep competitions.

A note of disappointment is also heard in regard to the “Lortzing” selection, which was one of the test numbers for the 1903 contest held in the South Island, at Timaru, Wanganui Garrison winning that event. Bandsmen prefer a completely new arrangement of the test work at an annual tournament. Nevertheless “Lortzing” will take a lot of playing. The “Gounod” selection is considered a splendid choice and the B Grade bands axe well served in their two test selections, “The Magic Flute” (Mozart) and “Fra Diavolo” (Aubcr). Mr C. Trussell has given bandsmen a solid and attractive composition in tho quickstep “Wairarapa. ” It is not so distinctive as the same writer’s “ R.imutaka,” a favourite with the old Wanganui Garrison, but it is in all respects a fine piece of work.