AUSTRALIAN BANDS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 184, 2 May 1933, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN BANDS

! Mr. Harold Scotney’s Visit SOME IMPRESSIONS Mr. Harold Scotney, who has just returned from a month’s holiday in Australia, is more than bandmaster of the Wellington City Salvation Army Band. He is a composer whose music echoes round the world. Wherever there is a Salvation Army Band —and the place without one would not be easy to locate —there will be found marches, fantasias, selections, medita-, tions, etc., by Harold Scotney, who is attached to the permanent Army Staff in Wellington. Only a few weeks ago he received the programme, printed in German, of a festival held in Switzerland, which included three numbers by Scotney, of Wellington. Mr. Scotney has been connected with the Salvation Army practically the whole of his life, and has been an. active bandsman for 33 years. "The Aussies gave me a great time,” said Mr. Scotney. “As a matter of fact they could not do enough for me all the time I was in Sydney and Melbourne. I was pressed to go to Queensland and South Australia, but could not spare the time. "And what is the standing of the Army bands over there?” “There are three outstanding bands whose playing would command attention anywhere.” said Mr. Scotney. "These are the Sydney Congress Band the Melbourne Headquarters Staff Band, and the Hawthorne (Melbourne, Band. The last, band is particularly brilliant. It was preparing to tour Tasmania when I left. I would like people over here to hear it, but that is out of the question in the present circumstances. For one thing you would never get the men to leave their jobs. In the old days a man wouht chuck his job for a band lour, know ing he could easily get another when be came back. But it's not the same to-day. “One of the best bands I heard in Australia,” continued Mr. Scotney. "was the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Band in Melbourne, under Mr. Frank Johnson. Once a week this Brigade gives a demonstration in Hie yard of the Central Station to which the public are invited. On the occasion 1 visited the brigade, the Mayor and councillors of St. Kilda were present, and an extra demonstration win slaged. To my surprise and delighi the hand played my march, "The Quest,” splendidly, and I got quite a thrill out of it. It appears that one of the bandsmen, formerly in the Army, heard I was to be present and arranged the compliment.’' “Altogether I heard and conducted about fifteen combinations in Aus tralia.” said Mr. Scotney. “and finally they did me great honour by allowing me to conduct a demonstration rehearsal of my own pieces with the Sydney Congress Band, which was attended by 250 bandsmen from all part*of the Metropolis.” It was 26 years since Mr. Scotney visited Sydney, and he enjoyed every minute of it.