1912 Contest
Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 July
A hundred years ago the Contest was held in the Valencia Bullring on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 July 1912.
At the time it was one of the most famous items in the July Fair program and large audiences attended the performances despite the heat at four o'clock in the afternoon when the event opened with a parade. This was followed by the start of the Contest in the bullring with the bands performing on a stage which had been built for the purpose.
In the Contests of this period the participating bands used to perform on both days of the competition, playing the compulsory piece on day one and the free-choice piece on day two, or vice versa, depending on the division they were in.
Only five bands took part in the Contest: the "Patronato Musical" and the "Sociedad Musical Obrera" from Torrente which, together with the "Primitiva" from Lliria, made up Division One; and the Antella Municipal Band and "El Pentagrama" from Alcira competed in Division Two.
After processing through the city's main streets, the bands entered the bullring where they took part in the official parade. Then the Contest began with the bands in Division Two performing their compulsory piece, the "Peer Gynt Suite no. 1" by Edward Grieg. This was followed by the bands in Division One performing their free-choice pieces.
On the second day, after another parade, the bands in Division One played their compulsory piece, "Le Roi d'Ys" by Édouard Lalo, and the bands in Division Two performed their free-choice pieces.
The finale on both days was provided by the Valencia Municipal Band which had a new director; just a few days before the Contest, the maestro Luis Ayllón had taken up the baton. The new conductor passed this first test with flying colors, and was well received by the audience in the bullring.
The jury was made up of the military band conductors, Ildefonso Urizar and Félix Soler, and Emilio Serrano, a teacher from the Conservatory of Madrid. After eleven thirty on the final night of the Contest they announced the winners in the City Council Fair Pavilion.
In Division One:
- First Prize and 3,000 pesetas went to the "Patronato Musical" Band from Torrente, directed by José María Rius
- Second Prize and 2,000 pesetas were awarded to the "Primitiva" Band from Lliria, directed by Julián Palanca
- Third Prize and 1,000 pesetas went to the "Sociedad Musical Obrera" Band from Torrente, directed by Valentín Planells.
In Division Two:
- First Prize and 2,000 pesetas were awarded to the Antella Municipal Band, directed by José García
- Second Prize and 1,000 pesetas went to the "Pentagrama" Band from Alcira, directed by José Moreno.
Alfredo Ruíz / Daniel Belloví |
