THE BESSES O' TH' BARN BAND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 36, 12 February 1907, Page 2

THE BESSES O' TH' BARN BAND.

ENTHUSIASM AT. LAST NIGHT'S COXUJiRT. "The Royal Besses o' th' Bain Band a<c the holders of 'The National Challenge Trophy of Great Biitain and the Colonies,' and have, during their 142 yoais' existence, won £25,00U in prizes." This note, which heads iho pvogrammo of the Besses o' th' Barn Band suggests a great historic recoid, and beam the mark of a unique reputation. The lecords of bi - aBS bands at Home sustain the one, whilst Wellington people, Ly the enthusiastic tcception of tho bandsmen in the Town Hail last night, endorsed the opinion of patrons in England, France, and America — that thi3 famous band is a great musical combination. The commodious Town Hall was filled upstairs and downstairs, late comers overflowing into the choir stalls, and so much did the 'Wellington public appreciate {.he good, fare offered by the players, that nearly every one of the eight piogrammo items was encored, the bandsmen readily responding to the vociferous demands for more. The band has for conductor Mr. Alexander Owen, who joined the Besses just twenty-seven years ago, and whose name and fame are well-known where vei brass band music *s played. He has perfect control over his forces, is v. musician of rare taste and quality, and tho players are rosponsivo to the slightest quiver of eye or baton — for Mr. Owon conducts with both. In fortissimo he gets a tremendous amount of power out of tho instruments. Tho concert opened sharp at 8 o'clock with Mr. Owen's latest composition, "Zaalandia," a vigorously stirring tuneful march specially written for the Exhibition, and as an oncoro Pearson's Salutation March was played. But it was tho playing of tho delightful overture to Suppu's "Pc«t and Peasant" that aroused tho first real touch of enthusiasm, and thenceforward the band had fully captured its audience. Tho familiar air "Hail, Smiling Morn," was tho encore number. Ono of the specially enjoyable features of the concert, by tho way, was the introduction of wellknown and popular compositions, which proved particularly pleasing to many of last night's patvons. Tho third item on the programme was Lemarc's "Cleopatra," a composition written to show tho powers of ths cornet, tho solo being pbyed in a mastorly manner by Mr. T. G. Moore, tho band's clever leading cornottfsl, a playor pure in lone and perfect in execution. In response to piolongod applause, Mr. Moore played "Tho frost Chord," the band again accompanying him with taste, and giving a delightful rendition of the themo. Tho first part concluded with a massive selection from Wagner's "Tannhauser," expressively and splendidly given. After an intoival, well earned, the band opened thti second portion of its programme with an onjoynble and nomewhat novel re idering of Strauss's "Blue Danube" Walls, and, ns an encore, an oven more pleasing and offective playing of "The Turkish Patrol," at the finish of which tho applause was still moro prolonged, and tho double encore item was '"Lead, Kindly Light," the grand old hymn tune being splendidly played. Mr. Tom Bowling was next introduced as the t.olo trombone player in Brahms ''Death of Nelson," into v.hich tha soloist introduced true dignity and rich tono. In response to an enthusiastic outburst of praise, Mr. Bowling again proved himself an artistic porformcr in playing "Ora Pro Nobis." The full band accompanied both items. Tho conductor passes rapidly "from grave to gay, from lively to severe,"- for the next contribution wns a lively, selection from Sullivan's "Pirates of, Penzancc," the inevitable oncoic being ao elaborate and wholly enjoyable, setting of another hymn, "Abido with Me," with variations for the solo cornet and trombone, Bandmaster F. Berry, another clover instrumontr.list. Tho last itfm was Jackson's Fantasia on English A'tia, the numbcri; including "She Woio a Wreath of Roses" (T. Or. Mooro, boloist), "The Vicar of Bray" (full band), "Simon the Cellarer" (Banclmastor Berry), "Home, Sweet Home" (T. G. Mooro), and "Hearts of Oak" (full band). The audience wanted yet more, but the players rose from thoir seats and played tho National Anthem, and the big crowd filed out of the building at 10.15 o'clock., talking culogisticaliy of the musical treat it had enjoyed. This evening the Besses arc to givo. theii second concert. The special feature of tho programme will be tte production of the band's master-effort, a Wagncrian selection, ''The Valkyries," ai ranged yby Mr. Owen, which critics have heapad pcans of praise upon. Mr. W. Lawson will be heard in trombone solos, tho overture from "The Bohomia'n Girl," selections from "The Geisha," a fantasia containing "Gems , of Scotland," and the "Australasian March," by Rimmer, will bo played,, and Mr. P. Hallani, another solo cornet-.' tist, will play "Arboclcnian."