THE LAND

Evening Star, Issue 19175, 16 February 1926, Page 4

THE LAND

Mr F. J. Picketts and his men of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Band had a rest yesterday afternoon, and played in the evening to a crowd numbering thousands in the Grand Court, securing from the vast multitude a hearing that the most popular political orator would giro much to be favored with. R; A. Horne’s •BB ’ march was included in the programme. It is wise to repeat without delay any work that on its first presentation is deemed worthy. By so doing the public get a chance not to learn it—-for any music that contains thought takes a long while to learn —but to know something about it. Too often wo hear a work that is new. and it is then put on the shelf till the first impressions have faded. This march is good enough to add to the stock of the people’s knowledge. The ‘ William Tell ’ overture was also played at this concert. It is one of the works that the crowds ought to know. We have had it from all sorts of orchestras and bands. Let it bo said that the 93rd Highlanders’ Band gets as nearly ns possible the true orchestral effects. That is a high measure of appreciation, and intended as such. A selection from ‘ Traviata ’ was another source of pleasure, and the extracts from ‘ The Yeoman of the Guard ’ brought vividly to remembrance Phoebe Meryll, Jack Point, Wilfred Shadbolt, Elsie Maynard, and’ other characters created by Gilbert and voiced by Sullivan. The piping and the dancing at this concert also met with due not as fill-ups but as integral contributions to a concert that appealed to all classes. It has been suggested by several persons at various times that if the management could seo its way to advertise beforehand the presentation of the great feature works by this band it would be a help to many musiclovers. Another item reaches us. It runs this way:—“l note that, according to your report, you were not aware of the arranger of the 1 Aida ’ selection. Mr Ricketts is responsible for this arrangement, and, as is always the case with his work, he has made, I think, an excellent job.” \ i