SOUSA AND HIS BAND.

Evening Star, Issue 14634, 2 August 1911, Page 8

SOUSA AND HIS BAND.

That is the phrase used in the advertisements, ond its meaning can bo understood as one. sees and hears what takes place at a concert. It is not that Sousa is one power and his band another, nor that any gulf separates them, nor that praise or blame is to be severally dealt out. The idea is rather this: that Sousa is a commanding personality, with trays of his own as a conductor, and that, whilst the band without him would no doubt play well, with him it rises to distinction. His ways are invariably ways of pleasantness. He cuts fuss to a minimum. He abjures the conventional aids to dignity. He is a strict eeonomiser of time. On the moment that the audience coased from rustling, at the initial concert last night, he quick-marched from the rear of tho platform, and to spring to his box, to bow, and to call his men to attention were formalities that he combined almost in one movement. So that before some in front had time to glance at tho programme he was well under way with the 'Tatinbauser' overture. | The andante maestoso of this composition hardly satisfied those, present who expected wonders. The brass was good, but the solid organ tone that people say they like was not by any means out of tho ordinary, and instead of preserving the legato wo heard the air chopped into distinct phrases. Sousa is an authority, and we do not question his treatment further than to sav that it is unusual in Now Zealand. 'J he reeds began well, and the trombones quite as one. But it was not till; reaching the allegro that the plaving really inspired the listeners. Tho lovely accord of the clarinets avoided the necessity for overblowing, and thus mo got quite a new quality of tone from that section. Some exhilarating effects came, also in the Venusberg music, from the freedom of the piccolos in their shrill soarings, and the blending of bassoons and oboes that are well worth their places in the band gave splendid coloring to the woodwind. A novel bell effect following the trumpeting, of the leading motive was also noted as a novelty, and if the first heralding of the final subject found the euphoniums a little weak, the strengthening of the pilgrims' chorus gave the brass generally an opportunity to establish itself firmly in the affection of the listeners, for the argument on tho righteous side was nobly sustained, and as the reeds were equallv clever in their graded surrender of the diabolic position, the finale became a perfect triumph. The executive work all through the overture \va.s, of course, just about perfect. Sousa seemed to feel no fear as to what his men would d<>. Now and again he actually dropped his gloved hands, not troubling to divide the bars, and he called for the individual entrances with the mere bending of a finger or some other small signal, implying absolute confidence as to what would be done. Probably the men know this and all tho rest of their music by he.irt. but they had the book in front of them and used it. s-o that the accord was not purely automatic, but tho result of leading and attention in combination, therefore encouraging to our amateur bands and orchestras a.s showing what can be done by ordinary means. Sousa did not waste time about the encore. Two seconds of the hand-clapping sufficed to assure him that the applause indicated a desire to hear more, and without any preliminaries the band started playing 'EI Capitan.' one of Sousa's marches that almost forced tho audience to get up and walk. The ]>eople> were very much pleased at the business-like way in which this and other encore pieces were made known. One of the trombone players had alongside him a pack of big cards, each inscribed with the r.ame of a piece, J and as the order of the encores was arlantred it was a, simple matter to draw a card, hold it up. and then put it on a music stand for everybody to read. We thank Mr Sousa for this innovation. j

The next item on the programme was a cornet solo by Mr Herbert L. Clarke, who played a- highlv-embe.llished piece of his own <:omin>sinp entitled 'Showers of Gold.' Mr Clarke pots ;i. marvellously pure and light tone, he is sure as to his lipping right lip to the top C, and it was a great treat to hear his fine, command over the instrument. The only fault, about the solo was that the accompanying woodwind did not always soften down sufficiently. A simple ncd of the head from the conductor signified that the demand for an encore was granted as soon as asked, and Mr Clarke obliged with ' Killaniey,' treated as a show-off for the cornet rattier than as a sons*, for it was too slow for sincrine. A seii'es of throe character st'inies composed by Ron-a cave the band a. tri-'at chance in description, and tiny made use of it Helped by the progianiii.e, one was easily able to recognise the barbaric note in '"the red man" section, the intellectual suggestions in "the while man." and 'he heathenish happiness of "the black man," and, though at a first hearing one cannot expeot to fully explore such, a work, the result was suck its to impress one with the power and resource of the composer and the cleverness of the band. Tiie imitation of a storm was highly realistic, and possible only by professionals who are constantly together. This time the. trombone man eon'd not find the encore placard. They said afttrwaids that they call the piece ' P.aby's Sweetheart.' It has been played in DuiT'din bv strifes in pizzi-ato and tinder another title. '.l'his time much was left to the first flute, and he did not falter. By way of a change Miss Virginia Boot next came on to sing a s'-ng, 'Maid of the Meadow,' by Sotisa. Her voice hardly came through. She was merely one of the hand. And she had to pinch twice to get the la,st hitrh note*--. A lisrhter a<:corai aninient would have given this young ladv a. better chance. Her encore was 'Annie Laurie,' Pting very, very slowly. It, is not suitable for a lady, excepting to show the voice. The firs! par'. eoncbuWl with K-achmani-nofTs prelude ' The Bells of Moscow,' remarkable for the bell imitations and the (lawlessness of the final diminuendo, and we hea-T<l the famous " Washington Post ' as the encore. 'Che great duress of the second part was the 'Welsh Bhapscdy ' by E. Geiinan —a, long piece with tine opportunities for indepencient and ad libitum playing. Kadi section of the band thus eame up for a great test, and the result must have been such as to surprise the critical. All the effects came with ceitainty, and yet Sjuki himself wemed to have not a moment's anxiety. The ('male, approached through 'Men of Harlech' in the minor, and jea-d----irg to a burst of trumpeting as the major key wa.s reached, will be long remembered. Two encores were supplied this lime : 'The Itose, Shamrock, and Thistie,' and 'Yankee Shuffle,' each played wilh much animation and surer.esa.

Next. we heard a light ;md dainty entr'acte by Helnrsberger, followed by 'The Federal March : and 'The Stars and Stripes.' l:i the last-mentioned march four piccolos, six cornets, and six trombones ranged up in front and gavo us a sample of their double forks without crack or quiver One more encore being insisted on, Sousa obliged with ' Manhattan Beach,' another stirring inarch. Of Miss Jueolhie Zedelers violin solo, ' Zigeunerweisen," it is easy to write in terms of high praise. Though quite a. girl. Miss Zerleler has a sre.at fusid of technical knowledge, and she gets a very pure if somewhat thin tone, but the chief point about her playing is its breadth of feeling—quite rare in a £oung player. Her encore piece wan a minuet by Beethoven, to harp accompaniment. 'Tho Ride of the Valkyries' ended the concert. It was given with great strength all through, and some may have thought it would have been an-advantage to have heard occasional relief as to weight, eo as to supply clearer definition of the inner scoring. To be plain, the top and the bottom of the band took charge. Their playing, however, was simply magnificent, an<i as a revelation of strength nothing more could have been desired. An attractive programme is prepared for this evening. We may add that tho Garrieon Hall is efficiently warmed for these concerts, and that the management of the crowd last night was such as to make the visit a pleasure except for the stick at tho doers ■when goiifcj out.