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The N.Z. Band Contest Opened

HYMN TEST TO HAWERA

AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS AND ST. KILDA TIE FOR SECOND

Hawera Municipal Band, for the second year in succession, won "the hymn test with 48 points when the New Zealand brass bands contest for 1947 opened on Cook’s Gardens, Wanganui, yesterday afternoon. The Auckland Watersiders' Silver Band and the St. Kilda Municipal Band, each with 47 points, tied for second place. Ashburton Silver Band, with 46 points, was third.

Twenty-eight bands took part in the hymn contests, and of these four were disqualified for not abiding by the rules. These required bands participating to play three verses of a well-known hymn, but it was ruled that an anthem was not a hymn. Certain other stipulations were also made.

Palmerston North City was fourth with 45, and Queen Alexandra, Wanganui Garrison. Nelson Garrison and Woolston Brass, each with 44 points, tied for fifth. Other placings were

Wellington Boys’ Institute, Wellington Waterside Silver, and Auckland City Boys, 43. Blenheim Regimental and Feilding Municial, 42. Crighton Cobbers (Toe H) and Wellington Tramways, 39. Christchurch Municipal. Invercargill Civic, Oamaru Garrison and Stratford Citizens, 38. Patea Municipal and Rangiora Brass, 37. Feilding Municipal Boys, 36. Bands disqualified were Westport Municipal. Taranaki Regimental, Palmerston North Garrison, and Auckland Waterside Juniors. _ The adjudicator, Mr. Hugh Niven (Melbourne), at the conclusion of the hymn test, said It was a pleasure to be in New Zealand for the first time. An adjudicator, he added, could always make a lot of friends as well, as enemies, but he did not intend making any enemies. He had a duty to do, and to the best of his musical ability would give fair and just decisions. In judging the hymn test that afternoon he had been faced with

something of a Herculean task, but •he was satisfied with the standard of (playing and expressed the opinion that it augured well for the future of the contests. * “I would touch on one or two matters of interest to bandsmen and conductors, but I realise how hard it is

.to train bands for contest’s,” Mr. i Niven added. Hymn playing required a good deal of attention and some conductors tried to imitate the organ. (The phrases, however, must be de- ' fined and offered great scope for intelligent playing. Some tempos were , too slow, even for hymns, and a efragging slow tempo detracted from the ! playing 1 The bands that afternoon, however, I were generally up to the standard he had heard elsewhere for hymn playing. Some played simple hymns quite | well and other bands played more difficult ones. I “Up to the present I have been (very much impressed with the attii tude of the people of this country to- 1 i ward doing things and doing them I well,” said Mr. Niven. “The New Zealand Brass Bands Association is one I of those bodies that does things well.” The placings were subsequently anInounced by the supervisor, Mr. A. G. I Homer, who said it was regretted that four bands had to be disqualified for (not complying with the rules of the hymn test.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19470224.2.57

Bibliographic details

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1947, Page 6

Word Count
517

The N.Z. Band Contest Opened Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1947, Page 6

The N.Z. Band Contest Opened Wanganui Chronicle, 24 February 1947, Page 6