Contesting

Not all bands enter competitions and there are some which shun the contest stage, preferring to concentrate their efforts in providing music for local events. For most players, though, contesting has always been an important part of brass banding, the reason that they spend so many hours trying to perfect their art. It provides them with the opportunity to test their musical skills against others and, of course, to bring home that silverware.

This section includes brass band contests which have taken place in Cornwall. I doubt that all are here, and there are certainly some results missing, but, over time, it is hoped that it will become a comprehensive record of all Cornish Contests.

 

 

1911

Carworgie

Near St Columb Road

16th September 1911

Adjudicator:

 

St Dennis Silver took part and were placed 2nd.

 

 

 

1921

1^st St Columb Contest

28^th May 1921

Adjudicator:

 

First section test piece: Recollections of Wales

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Stenalees	J M Hinchcliffe
2	Foxhole	J Stubbs
3	Indian Queens	Ford Knight
	Bugle
	St Newlyn East
	Wadebridge Town

 

Second section test piece:

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Fraddon	William Juleff
2	Newquay Town	Jack Lennon
3	St Minver	J F Wills

 

 

1922

2^nd St Columb Contest

(St Columb Town Band)

27^th May 1922

Adjudicator: T Hynes

 

Second Section test piece: Classic Gems No. 2

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Stenalees Silver	J M Hinchcliffe
2	Indian Queens	G H Wilson
3	Foxhole Brass	John Morcom
	Bugle	Edwin J Williams
	St Blazey & District	George Bailey
	Truro Town	Tom Hubbard

Soprano: R Hancock (Stenalees)

Cornet: John Morcom (Foxhole)

Horn: Leslie Stanaway (Stenalees)

Trombone section: Percy Knight, J Bennetts, S C Commons (Indian Queens)

 

Third Section test piece: The Dawn of Spring

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	St Minver	J M Hinchcliffe
2	Fraddon Temperance	William Juleff
3	Greensplat	J Bassett
	Four Lanes	W Floyd
	St Blazey & District	George Bailey
	Truro Town	Tom Hubbard

Soprano: W A Wills (St Minver)

Cornet: A V Menear (Fraddon)

Horn: A J Hocking (Fraddon)

Bass section: B J Hawkins, S Sleeman, W Richards (St Minver)

 

March Section: Own choice

Placed		Points
1	Foxhole Brass
2	Stenalees Silver
unplaced	Greensplat

 

 

1923

3^rd St Columb Annual Contest

Recreation Ground

(Columb Town Band)

12^th May 1923

Adjudicator: J Ord Hume

 

Second Section test piece: Mirella or La Traviata

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Newquay (Mirella)	G W Cave
2	Stenalees (Mirella)	J W Hinchliffe
3	St Ives (La Traviata)	John Tanner
4	Indian Queens (La Traviata)	G Attwood
5	Truro	T Hubbard

 

Third Section test piece: In Sunny Lands

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Newlyn East	G W Cave
2	Truro	T Hubbard
3	Greensplat	G Attwood
4	Constantine	Mr Reynolds

 

March: The Arcadians

Placed		Conductor	Points
1	Indian Queens
2	Stenalees
3	Newquay
4	Greensplat
	St Ives
	Truro

“I have to speak very highly about playing generally to-day,” said the adjudicator, Lieut. J. Ord Hume, bandmaster of the Metropolitan Electric Tramways Band, at the close of St. Columb Town Band’s third annual contest on the Recreation Ground, St. Columb, on Saturday. The weather was fairly fine, but cold northwest wind swept the field and made matters very unpleasant for both the performers and the public. Pandemonium reigned in the town prior to the contest, when the eight bands competing marched through the streets in quick succession, playing marches of their own selection as they proceeded to the contest ground, to the accompaniment of barrel organs in the streets, the blatant music of the roundabout organs and the clanging the church bells. The latter continued for half-an-hour after the contest was timed to start. Considering the weather, the attendance was quite good. The programme consisted of a march contest and classes for second and third section bands respectively. There were nine entries – five in the second and four in the third sections, Truro competing in both sections. The march “The Arcadian” was participated by Indian Queens (Mr Ford Knight, conductor), Stenalees (Mr. J. M. Hinchliffe), Newquay Town (Mr. G. W. Cave), Truro Town (Mr. T. Hubbard), St. Ives (Mr. John Tanner), and Greensplat (Mr. Attwood). The second section entries were Indian Queens, Newquay Town, St. Ives, Stenalees, Truro Town. Test pieces: Mirella  or Traviata.

Third section: Constantine (Mr. `Reynolds, conductor), Greensplat, Newlyn East (Mr. G. W. Cave), and ‘Truro Town. Test piece: In Sunny Lands.” The president was Major C. E. Whitford distributed the awards at the close of the contest). Mr. G. W. Glanville was hon. treasurer, and Mr. Hugh S. Daniel hon. secretary.

Awards and Comments The Indian Queens; 2, Stenalees; 3, Newquay; 4. Greensplat, Truro Town, St. Ives. The contest was not as close as he had expected, said the adjudicator, with such an easy piece. There was not much in the march to give scope to the bands and the awarding the prizes had been quite simple.

Third Section: l, Newlyn East, £l2, with cornet (N. Halls), euphonium (H. Kent), md soprano cornet (K. Front), medals; 2, Truro £B, and three trombone medals (E. Barnes. F. Willcocks, and W. Roberts); 3. Greensplat. £6. The adjudicator said the playing of the first band was very good. The marks were pretty high. In fact three of the four bands played very well indeed. The set of trombone medals would have also gone to Newlyn East, who would have won easily but for being one trombone short.

Second Section —1, Newquay Town Mirella £l5 and solo comet (F. Libby), trombone (J. Pappin), and set of basses (W. Witts, W. C. Clemens, and A. E. Harris), medals: 2, Stenalees (“Mirella”), £11; 3. St. Ives (“La Traviata ”) £7. Indian Queens Traviata”), euphonium medal. The judge said the decision in this section was quite simple. The first prise band (Newquay), won easily, both in regard to reading, intonation, and the soloists generally. The second (Stenalees) also gave splendid performance that surprised him. The euphonium player Indian Queens band played artistically all the way through. Truro Band, on arriving home from the contest played some of the competition music in Boscawen-street, in the presence a large crowd. A large crowd assembled in the Central Square, Newquay, on Saturday, evening to welcome the Town Band their return from St. Columb. Messrs. R. J. Clemens (chairman of the Urban District Council), J. R. C. Woodward and Peters (secretary of the band) congratulated the band on their success. Mr. W. G. Cave, bandmaster, suitably replied, after which a programme of music was played. (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser – Thursday 17 May 1923)

“Newquay Town Band, under its able conductor, Mr. Cave, were the winners of the first prize in the second section, and several medals at the St. Columb contest on Saturday.” (23 May 1923 – Cornishman)

 

 

1924

4^th St Columb Annual Contest

Recreation Ground

(Columb Town Band)

24th May 1924

Adjudicator: Chas A Cooper

 

Second Section

Test piece: Rigoletto

		Conductor
	Stenalees	W Adamson
	Newquay	George Cave
	Indian Queens	Charles H Baker
	Bugle	E J Williams
	Camborne	E J Williams

St Austell                                                    W Adamson

Penwithick

 

Third Section

Test piece: Mikado

		Conductor
	Falmouth	T Beresford
	Penwithick	George Cave

 

 

 

 

Compiled by Tony Mansell (Bardh Kernow)