HERE COMES THE BAND

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 29, 4 February 1939, Page 8 (Supplement)

HERE COMES THE BAND

Who lias not felt a thrill of excitement on hearing the strains of martial music as the band swings down the' street? "Whose feet have not itched to take up the tempo and march along beside the -bandsmen? .

Some' of the most famous bands of the World belong to regiments of the British Army. How grand , they look in "their full dress uniforms! How bright and gleaming are their instruments! One of these crack regimental bands visited Xew Zealand in 1934-35 —The Band of His. Majesty's Grenadier. Guards. It had. come.to Australia, by special permission of King George "V., to play at the Melbourne .Centenary celebrations, and visited 2tfew Zealand after the Australian tour.

When the King and Queen are -in residence at London it parades every morning St. James' Palace or at the mounting of tlie guard. Its duties are shared by the four other bands of the household infantry, regiments— the Coldstreams, Scots/ Irish and Welsh Guards. One or more of these bands attend important official func-. tions, Hoyal garden parties and troopings of the colours.

The Grenadiers Band leaves England only 'by' permission of the King. Since, the "war there have Ibeen many requests for'the band to play abroad, and it has made several special visits to Belgium. Prance and Italy in connection -with official celebrations, and State visits. . , . 7; . "

Though bands are not a modern development they have attained their present high standard in more recent times. There were hands of wind instruments in the Middle Agestown hands. In the 17th' century •bands were still very meagre. The next century 6howed little improvement, and hy the beginning of the 19th century there were some very | good combinations. The invention of | new keyed instruments and the | improvement in the mechanism of old ! ones helped the general advancement. I The man who did most in this direc- | tion was Sax, the son of an instru- | ment maker in Brussels. He adjusted I valves to (bugles and made Saxhorns. IHe experimented less successfullyI with the trumpet type of instrument jj and made Saxtrombas. But liis s greatest achievement was the Saxoj phone.'

It is impossible and unnecessary to give a classified table of instruments of the braes band here. Most of them are made of brass, but a few. piccolos, flutes, clarinets, oboes and 'bassoons, are wood wind instruments. The brass instruments are saxdphones, cornets, saxhorns, baritones, euphoniums, French horns, trumpets and trombones. Tlie percussion instruments are Ibass and side drums, cymbals and triangles. There are no special rules for instrumentation, and a, bandmaster can omit some and substitute more of another kind if he chooses.

Band, music, as we know it, las developed '"by slow stages to its present day state of perfection. Time was when tlie "brass band" was an object of mirtli or derision. The chief'reason for this was the scarcity of good band music. Very little of the great volume "of classical music could "be played, as there were few arrangements of such compositions that were 'suited to the requirements of the hand. Then skilled musicians undertook the arrangement of band music and some composers of repute began to write music especially for bands. It takes a thorough know-

ledge of the instruments as well as a sound musical training to enable a musician to undertake such a task. I One glance at the musical score of a bandf composition will convince anyone of the difficulties of the undertaking.

There are thousands of bands composed of civilian players. Their instruments are the same as those of the military band, and they are called "brass -bands." Perhaps the best known of these-is the English <f ßesses of the Barn." This band has played all over the world, and lias even had cannibals among its audiences. It is said that the hand got its queer name from a market woman called Old Bess who had a stand at Whitefields, near Manchester.

Brass bands are very popular in Great Britain. Most of tliem are composed of amateur players. 'They are mucli more popular in industrial districts than elsewhere —among cotton factory hands and miners. . They offer an excellent opportunity for men with a common interest to get together and spend many enjoyable hours in self-improvement.

There are often many difficulties J in getting a band together. Instruments and equipment cost ; money, and there has to 'be somewhere for J the men to meet and practice. ; Enthusiastic players have put up with all kinds of inconveniences in the pursuit of their hobby. The original members of a Lancashire 'band met in a bedroom to practise, and used the bed for a music stand. It was 20 years before they could afford the luxury of a professional conductor. But this band won a 1000-guinea. challenge shield at the Crystal Palace.

0. Another set of players forms tlie famou3 St. Kilda's Band. They are miners from the South Shields district. A general in the British Army, ■when complimenting its leader, said, "You are a brass band with the brass taken out."

Band music is popular in "New Zealand, too, and there are well-equipped and talented bands in various cities and towns, where recital seasons aud concerts are given. -Contests are

arranged lierej and our bands gometimes go abroad to take part in band festivals.

Will Carlton, tlie whimsical American poet, wrote a humorous poem describing a small procession to celebrate Independence He lias one hilarious stanza for tlie hands:— Hie great procession -came up the street, With loud de capo and brazen repeat. There "was Hans, the leader, a Teuton born, A. sharp who -worried the 33 flat horn; And Baritone Jake, and Alto Mike, Who never played anything'twice alike; And Tenor Tom of conservative mind, "Who always came out a note behind; And Dick, whose tuba -was seldom dumb, And Bob, who punished the big bass drum. And when they stopped a minute to rest, Tfie martial band discoursed its best; The ponderous drum and tlie pointed fife Proceeded to roll and shriek for life. And Bonaparte Crossed the Rhine, anon, And The Girl !■ Left Behind ile came on. And that was : the way The bauds did play On the loud, high-toned, harmonious day. That gave us— Hurray ! Hurray ! Hurray ! (With some music of bullets, our slrea would say). Our Glorious Independence.