1880

1st  Plymouth Contest of Devon and Cornwall Volunteer and independent Bands

Plymouth

1880

Adjudicator:

 

No report found

 

 

 

1881

2nd Plymouth Contest of Devon and Cornwall Volunteer and independent Bands

Drill Hall, Plymouth

Monday 10^th October 1881

Adjudicator: Mr. Froehnert, bandmaster of the Royal Marine Band

 

Test piece: Les Cloches de Corneville

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Truro 12th DCR	Mr Traise
2	2nd Devon Artillery Volunteer Band	T G Ball
3	2nd Devon Prince of Wales Rifles	Mr Browning
	Bovey Tracey Amateur Band	Mr Mountford
	Harrow Barrow Band

 

“Band Contest at Plymouth. A band contest took place the Drill-hall, Plymouth, on Monday. The arrangements for were made by Truro committee consisting Messrs. J. Newton (secretary,) C. Clemens, and W. H. Knight, and the conditions were that the bands were to be volunteer or amateur bands, and each bandsman must have been bona fide member of the band in which he played for at least two months previously. … The contest piece which each band bad to play was selection from Les Cloches de Corneville,” arranged by Mr Dan Godfrey, besides which each band played a piece of its own selection Five bands competed, namely: Truro Volunteer Band ( bandmaster ; Mr. Traise,) 2nd Devon Artillery Volunteer Band. Devonport (bandmaster: Mr. T. G Ball,) 2nd Devon Prince of Wales Rifles (bandmaster: Mr. Browning,) Bovey Tracey Amateur Band (conductor: Mr. Mountford,) and the Harrow Barrow Band. The prizes were awarded the first three bands in the order in which they stand, and Froehnert has undertaken to make a report on the playing, which was listened to a large number of people.” (13 October 1881 – The Cornish Telegraph)

“My attention has been called to an advertisement headed “A challenge” which appears in two Plymouth papers of last Saturday, stating that the members of the band of the second Devon Rifle Volunteers being assured that they were not awarded the honour to which they were entitled at the Band Contest, held at the Drill Hall, Plymouth, on October 10th are open to play — compete with, I suppose is here meant  “any volunteer or other amateur brass band from Cornwall or Devon for a sweepstake of £10 each band, at the Drill Hall or on the Hoe. Three judges to be chosen by the competing bands and no professional bandmaster to perform on his instrument.” Such is this remarkable “challenge” I am informed that Mr Traise, the bandmaster of the band which carried off the first prize at the contest mentioned, has received a paper presumably from the secretary of the dissatisfied band, with this awful challenge marked out in blue. But l believe Mr Traise is not a sporting man, and so does not take any notice of such “challenges.” And I have serious doubts whether he is desirous of the honour of putting this band in the shade a second time. But Mr Traise is willing to take his band to any amateur brass band contest in either of the two counties — Devon and Cornwall — and should another respectable contest be organised any time, no doubt, he will be one of the first to enter the list. “Challenges,” however, are “below par.” But, by the way what does Mr Froehnert think of his judgment being so publicly questioned.” (28 October 1881 – Royal Cornwall Gazette)

 

 

 

 

1882

3rd  Plymouth Contest of Devon and Cornwall Volunteer and independent Bands

April 1882

Adjudicator:

 

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Truro 12th DCR
2
3

 

1883

4th  Plymouth Contest of Devon and Cornwall Volunteer and independent Bands

November 1883

Adjudicator:

 

 

 

 

 

1884

5th Plymouth Contest of Devon and Cornwall Volunteer and independent Bands

Guild Hall, Plymouth

Monday 6^th October 1884

Adjudicator: Herr Kreyer, Bandmaster, Royal Marines Light Infantry, Portsmouth

 

Test piece: Iolanthe (Sullivan) / Own choice

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Truro DCR	Samuel Traise	7
2	1st Devon Volunteer (Exeter)	George James	5
3	Camborne DCR	E Dunn	4
W	Bovey Tracey	George Mountford
W	St Agnes Red Coats

 

“The Rifle Volunteer bands of Exeter, Truro, and Camborne competed in contest at the Plymouth Guildhall on Monday. … The Exeter band played first, and had the advantage of five or six reeds. “No reeds” shouted the members the Truro band. Truro played next and Camborne last. An Iolanthe selection was the contest piece, and after the bands bad played separately, they were massed and performed the selection under the direction of the judge. Herr Kreyer then made his award. He said that with three such fine and well matched bands he had great difficulty in deciding, but awarded first prize to Truro, second to Exeter, third Camborne. …” (9 October 1884 – The Cornish Telegraph)

“Sir, this so-called contest came off at the Guildhall, Plymouth, the 6^th Inst., and as far as the weather and the patronage were concerned was a great success. Some disappointment was, however, felt on finding that two bands out of the five advertised to compete did not put appearance at the contest. The three bands, viz. Exeter, Truro, and Camborne, met at the Raglan Barracks at noon, and shortly after each band marched at the Intervals of five minutes to the Guildhall. Here a great many lovers, and as well competent judges of music had assembled, and one would naturally think with such an array of discriminating critics that at least a small amount of fairness would have been shown. But from all I could see and gather from the unprejudiced musical men present, the very opposite course was acted on. I do not know Her Kreyer, the judge, but a more infirm and weak-kneed decision I never heard of, and the comatose and vacillating manner In which gave It, fully demonstrated the fact that he was either unfit to judge or else to please certain parties, and the large majority of Truro people present, thought in spite of his better judgment must award the Truro band the 1^st prize, whether they deserved it or not. Why did not Herr Kreyer point out the different defects in the bands and show why one band was superior to the other. There was nothing of this; he simply said he thought, or believed, the second band which played, and which was Truro, ought to have the 1st prize. Such puerile decisions will not tend to raise Herr Kreyer’s musical reputation much in this part of the county. Through the kindness of a musical man, who has had great experience baud music, and who attended this contest. I am able to furnish your readers with few remarks on the performances of the bands present. …” (16 October 1884 – The Cornish Telegraph)

 

 

 

 

Compiled by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow)