BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 169, 22 August 1914, Page 5

BANDSMEN'S COLUMN

Last Sunday afternoon Derry's Band turned out with a full muster, and occupied the rotunda at Victoria Square for about an hour and a half. This was a spontaneous offer on the band's part, and without any preparation in particular regarding the programme, so I shall not seriously criticise the various items given on this occasion. Still, I have heard this band play much better than it did last Sunday, and even under less favourable circumstances. Considering the number of men playing the volume produced was very small. The reeds were weak, and the tone thin. The euphonium and trombones were better than at any previous concert during the past season. The horns were not uniformly good; the cornets ditto. It will thus be seen that the ensemble playing was not good, but there were occasions when certain individuals did well, and the same can be said of certain sections in the brass family, but they did not maintain these good qualities through any one piece. The attack fell short of being really good, and the intonation was faulty, especially in top and middle portions of the band. There were at least three national tunes played, "God Save the King," and the Russian and French National Anthems. "The Watch on the Rhine'' was judiciously omitted. "THE MARSEILLAISE." This song was composed by Claude Joseph Rougel de Lisle, a military engineer and an officer in the garrison at Strasbourg, in 1792. It received its title from having been sung by a party of the Marseillaise Club as they entered Paris on the invitation of Madame Eoland. The song, though less sanguinary in sentiment than most of the songs of the Revolution, was employed as accompaniment to many of the horrible deeds of that, and of later periods, and by association became dangerous enough to be included among the songs prohibited to be sung in France. The tune to which it is set by the author of the words contains progressions so unusual in popular songs that it is difficult to account for its general adoption. The composer was born May 10, 17G0, and died June 27, 1836. "GOD SAVE THE KING." The tune recognised as the British National Anthem is said to have been composed by Henry Carey, but this was first claimed by his son when late in life and long after his father had died. According to Sir George Grove, the authorship is still hotly debated, but J. C: Smith and Dr Harington both seem to agree that the original air was composed by Carey; but it has had a few alterations since its birth, and resembles

(By "MAESTRO.")

a number of old English airs, both in style and form. This melody has a wonderful history, and would prove very interesting, not only to bandsmen, but to the general public. Space forbids a full explanation here, but it is interesting to know that Germany claims it. According to Dr Hugo Riemann, the great German professor of music. The German poem, '' Heil Dir im Siegerkrantz,'' composed by B. G. Schumacher on December 17, 1793, and specially set to the melody, so that it is now the German National Anthem or hymn. This composition was first sung at a dinner given in 1740 to. celebrate the capture of Portobello. Carey was born about 1690, and died October 4, 17415, in London. WOOLSTON BAND. This fine combination will be well to the front during the next day or two. On Saturday they will be in attendance at the concert organised by Mrs GowerBurns, to be held in the King Edward Barracks, and will play up to the barracks, and some selections inside, suitable to the occasion. On Monday the band will be at full strength at the Patriotic Demonstration, and take its place in the procession, assisting to make it a success. I hear that the Pipe Band, and the newly-formed Rec-habite Band will also assist on that occasion. A contemporary writer in criticising the playing of the '' Marseillaise,'' by the Woolston Band on the rotunda in Victoria Square during the patriotic demonstration last Saturday week, says that that band cannot play it. Knowing the conditions under which they were playing and the" special circumstances also, I think the band did what very fewbands here could have done. The large mass of people demanded the band to play this composition quite a number of times before they finally consented to make the attempt. In the first place, the bandsmqn were playing the music at sight. Secondly, the music was an arrangement for reeds. The solo cornets and reps, were playing from clarinet parts, which means that they had to transpose the music as they played it. The horns and baritones were playing from saxaphone parts, and had to do j much the same as the cornets, and so on i right through. Considering they were I playing under such adverse circumstance.-; j and had not a proper brass band a r rangeI mcnt of this particular march, 1 say j that the band played exceedingly well. ! 1 hold no brief for this or any other i hand, but I believe in being fair and j just at all times to all bands.