Lieutenant Godfrey.

Evening Star, Issue 7333, 4 October 1887, Page 4

Lieutenant Godfrey.

In bestowing a commission upon the popular bandmaster of the Grenadier Guards, the Queen has done one of those graceful acts which are among the distinguishing traits of her long and happy reign. Mr Dan Godfrey (or as he is described by the current ' Court Circular,' Lieutenant D. Godfrey) and his band are quite a national institution, and they have done as much to inculcate a love of good music among the masses as any other body of musicians in the kingdom. We seem to have always had Mr Godfrey-with us, and his personality has therefore been taken for granted, although many people must be constantly asking the question: " Who is Dan Godfrey, and how did he become so famous ?"

Mr Godfrey is the eldest surviving son of tho late Charles Godfrey, who was bandmaster of the Coldstream Guards for fifty years.. .Thel latter joined the Guards as a volunteer from the Surrey Militia in the year ISI3, and was under orders for foreign service in Belgium when the bandmaster of the regiment died, and he was offered the post. < He was then in the ranks/but the officers had heard him playing and practising on tho bassoon in the barrack-room, and thus became,aware of his musical abilities. At that period of time the Guards' bands were far from being in a state of musical perfection, and Mr Godfrey had a very uphill task before him. He, however, set to work with a will, and gradually improved his band until it became one of the finest military bands in the world. The officers of the regiment were proud of his success, and when in tho course of time his span of military service was completed, they refused to part with him, and retained his services on handsome terms, until he died in the year 1863. Just previous to his death he was presented with : a complimentary long-service medal, which was pinned upon his breast by Lord Frederick C.B., in Hyde-Park, in the presence of the whole regiment. Such was the old bandmaster's love of his profession that —and this was related tome by Mrs Godfrey—when dying he beat time with his head as if still in the circle, and called faintly upon the names of some of the members of his band.

The manner in which he had brought up his family was shown by the fact that at the time of his decease three of his sons—Dan, Fred, and Charles—were all in the Guards, DaD and Charles being bandmasters of the Grenadiers and Scots Guards respectively, and Fred a sergeant under his father. The latter succeeded his father, and for a short period each regiment of the Foot Guards possessed a Golfrey for its bandmaster. It wa3 in the year 18G3 that Dan Godfrey became famous. The officers of the Guards a ball to the Prince and Princess of Wales in the Exhibition building at South Kensington, which was oarried out on a scale of great magnificeuce and cieated quite a furore in society. In the course of the evening the Grenadier Guards' quadrille band played the " Guards' Waltz," a set of waltzes especially composed for the occasion by their bandmaster, and written in a piquantly oharming stylo, which caught the ear of the public and won the popular favor. The principal melody of the set was hummed, and whistled, and played everywhere, as were also the numbers of another very pretty set of waltzes from the same talented composer—the " Mabel," which secured his musical fame.

From that moment Mr Dan Godfrey and his band were in constant requisition all over the country, and their popularity culminated in an invitation from the American Government to perform at the grand international military concert given at Boston in IS7G to celebrate the centenary of American Independence. Our Government accepted the invitation; a special Act of Parliament was passed to enable the band to leave the country and wear the British uniform abroad, which it did, accompanied, of course, by Mr Godfrey, and under the command of a colonel of the Grenadiers. The appearance of this famous body of musicians in their bearskins and gold-lace tunics among the other military bands from the various countries in the world created immense enthuiasm, an audience of GO.OOO people giving them a magnificent reception; and the enthusiasm broke all bounds when, at their leader's signal, the English band struck up " The Star-spangled Banner." In return for this compliment the audience sang " God save the Queen," and cheered again and again. Mr Godfrey and his band vieiefttydinsM the places they visited, und after several weeks' sojourn they returned to England amid the regrets and thanks of the American' people. The visit did a great deal towards removing old prejudices, and the memories it raised served to show that " blood is thicker than water," and the prestige of a thousand years a thing to be revered in spite of international misunderstandings. Mr Godfrey's'brothers, Fred and Charles, have contributed to the family fame; the former especially in those "Reminiscences" pf the various composers which have become standard selections in the repertoire of today. But he unfortunately overtasked his brain, and died a few years since, after a long and painful illness, much regretted by all who knew him. Charles is still bandmaster of the " Blues," to which regiment he exchanged from the Scots Guards; and be has also enriched the national collection with many excellent morceuux. The subject of this sketch was born on the 3rd September, 1831, and graduated at the Royal Academy of Music. He enlisted on July 2, ISo6, and was appointed bandmaster on August 29, 1856, receiving warrant rank on July 1, 1881. The bands of the Guards never leave this country (the American visit being the only occasion in which it has been done), »pd they are accorded the privilege of weariig mufti and residing out of barracks wnen in London, like the officers'. This gives them the opportunity of addiDg considerably to their pay, which is only the same as that of ordinary soldiers, by attending the theatres of an evening, which is, of course, in addition to their day engagements at fit's and exhibitions. On retirement, some of them become members of Her Majesty's private band; while the Guards' bands have also produced such famous artistes as Levy, Young, Phasey, and Reynolds. They have also given bandmasters to other corps, which have thus indirectly benefited by the musical genius of the Godfreys. Gazette.' '_