BAND CONTEST.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14218, 16 February 1914, Page 5

BAND CONTEST.

THE QUICKSTEP MARCH. WON BY WAIHI FEDERAL. PALMERSTON NORTH SECOND. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, February 15. Hie Exhibition Band Contest concluded on Saturday. Following are the results of the Quickstep March Competitions:— A GRADE. Waihi Federal, 268) points 1 Palmerston North, 262) 2 3rd Auckland Regimental, 2(12) ... 3 The other hands were plaeed in tho following order:—Auckland Garrison 2GO), Kaikorai 2.10 i, Queen Alexandra’s Ga n 251), South Canterbury 251, Wanganui Garrison 25(1. Wellington City 2-PJJ. St. Kilda 248. Wellington Tramways 244), Gikhornc City 234). B GRADE. Invercargill Hibernian. 258 1 Kith Waikato Regimental, 249) .... 2 11th Royal ’Taranaki, 248) 3 The other bands were plaeed as follows Onehuaga 242 points, Marten Royal 239), Whangarei 2351, Wellington Waterside Workers 221), Napier 218, Hawera Municipal 214), Dargaville 214. Drums Solo Contest—A. K. Price (16th Waikato Regimental). 87 points, (gold medal) 1 ; ,T. Blackwood (2nd South Canterbury Regimental). 85 points, (silver medal) 3. The massed bands wound up the afternoon by playing the “linporntor March’’ and the National Anthem. Tho aggregates were thereafter computed, with the following results: — Besson Challenge Shield, for highest aggregate points in selections and for music in quickstep competition (formerly held by Wanganu), was won by 2nd South Canterbury Regimental with 313 4-5. The next highest were:— Auckland Regimental 312 1-5, Wanganui Garrison 311, Kaikorai 311, St. Kilda 310- 2-5, Wellington City 308 3-5, Wellington Tramways 307 4-5, Wanganui Alexandra 307. Hawke’s Challenge Shield (for highest aggregate marks, including drill in A grade test selections, and quickstei) 1 competition) was won bv Auckland Regimental with 555). The next highest were—2nd South Canterbury 546, Waihi 543), Wanganui Garrison 543, Wanganui Alexandras 540.1. The Boosey Shield, for highest marks in both selections for B grade was won hv Invercargill Hibernian with 314 2-5. Tho next highest were:—Onehunga 307 4-5. Whangarei 307 3-5, Marton 300 2-5. The conductor of the Hibernian (Mr Wills) receives a silver-mounted baton from the contest committee. AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. DISSATISFACTION WITH JUDGING. DISCORDANT SOUNDS IN MASSED BANDS’ PERFORMANCE. JUDGE’S REPLY TO CRITICISM. AUCKLAND, February 16. Several of the bands which competed in the contest at the Exhibition last week expressed dissatisfaction with the judging of the test selections and quicksteps. This resulted in an unfortunate incident on Saturday afternoon at the conelusion of tho quicksteps in tho cricket ground. The massed hands cere announced to play the march “fmperator” under the baton of the judge (Captain Bentley). The bands duly massed at tho far end of tho cricket ground, and swept towards the grandstand .making strange sounds on their instruments. When Captain Bentley took his stand, baton in hand, some of tho hands 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 “Imporator,” but presently some swung off into other refrains till confusion became worse confounded. One of tho contest committee appealed to the bandsmen. to “play the game.” and not lie discourteous to the judge. Thereafter tho march was played according to tho programme. The muster of bands for the concert in the Exhibition ground in tho evening was very disappointing, many of tho hqnds which had failed to win prizes absenting themselves. The reason given by some of the men for challenging the judge’s decision is that some of the hands which wore considered the, crack bauds 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 tho 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 bo formed on mature training and experience, not from n little knowledge of art and a little knowledge in music, often a dangerous tiling.