WORLD of MUSIC

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 February 1926, Page 7

WORLD of MUSIC

municipal BAND

In view of the early advent of the new band instruments for the municipal band in Hawera, the conductor (Mr. Fox) has put into operation a scheme for a .-junior band that will bo of the utmost benefit in the near future Boys will be accepted for this -junior band‘and will, for a very small 'fee, have the advantage of training in any of the band instruments. It will not only be good for them, but a great asset to the baud, keeping up a ‘rcseivoir” as it were from which to drawfresh material as required. Already boys are offering well, ami amongst them is a boy from the Salvation Army Boys' Home Band in Elt.ham. The new instruments have all been allotted, and members are all looking forward very keenly to their iirst practice. There will no doubt be a marked improvement soon shown, and, in addition, the interest of the members generally is certain to be much quickened. There is to be a band contest m Wanganui in the near future, and Hawera Municipal expects to be a competitor. The new instruments will have arrived at the psychological moment. The combined effect of the an struments and the contest should give a grant impetus to practice. History is made in the band by the arrival of the new instruments, for the old set have been in use many ye-ars and have done vcoman service. They are still to be used, but cannot owe the band committee much when it is realised the successive lists of members who have blown them. It brings into prominence also the great loyalty ot members through the years that oven with indifferent instruments they contimie their adherence to the band. But a new era will dawn for the members on the receipt of the new set, and it is not difficult to picture the .joy of the plftycrs at securing a new instrument from which they should be able to get a much finer, fuller, richer tone. The whole community took part in getting the funds required: they will all, it is hoped, take a keen interest in hearing them used.

ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY'

It will be of great interest, to all enthusiasts to know that the great “1812” overture, which will be the “piece do resistance” for the first concert of the season, is making very good headway, and that members of the orchestra are all showing a keenness that bids well for the work of the season. The other selections arc all progressing very favourably, and it is certain that the opening concert for 1926 will be one of the greatest musical programmes ever given by a local institution. It is all very encouraging to the committee and to the conductor. HAWERA MALE CHOIR.

The programme for the year, as suggested at the last meeting of the committee, is two male choir concerts and one choral. The committee is setting out to get the best selections possible, and is confident of putting before the public performances that will more than maintain the reputation of the past. For the combined effort no definite selection has been made, but Haydn's “Creation” is suggested. It is a most popular work and will give the singers a great deal of joy in practising as well as infinite pleasure to the audiences. Last year the “Messiah.” though ex cellent soloists were engaged who gave reallv good interpretations of the solo work, the public did not give anything like the support that was due. It is to be hoped that they will realise what the choir are doing for the cause of music in Hnwcra and give them the help and encouragement they deserve.

IN NEW PLYMOUTH

The report of the New Plymouth Male Choir records only a fairly satisfaetOrv year, and hope of the great possibilities that, lie ahead. Badly at tended practices have been the. cause of the work not being quite up to the standard that should be reached, and the committee make a strong appeal for greater loyalty to conductor and society. During last year visits were paid to Wostown, Vogeltown and Lepperton, and it. was hoped more would be paid during the coming season. The work done,' however, has been considered very good in spite of these handicaps, and the talent shown was exceptionallv good and pleasing.” The choir were the first local society to perform in the new Opera House. Mr. F. W. G. McLeod has resigned from the conductorship and Mr. Hay has agreed to accept the position. The orchestra has been a wonderful help, and besides helping at two concerts has given one of its own. The prospects for the coming season are considered very favourable and all look forward to a resumption of work.

THE CHURCH CHOIRS.

Tlu* next, seven weeks will be a very busy time for the church choirs in Hawera. At St. Mary’s the cantata, “The Passion of the Cross,” will be performed; at the Presbyterian Church, Stainer's fine work, ‘‘The Crucifixion ; and at tlu* Methodist Church, “Olivet, to Calvary.” All are very interesting compositions, and will give the choirs plenty to do till the “Passion” week. It is good to see that they aie all striving for improvement, and seems to be a part of the wave of progress and advancement in the musical life of the town and district. The movement is all to the good of the community and must have a wide and far reaching iutluen.ee.

THE EXHIBITION BAND.

“The Band of the 93rd Regiment is the official title of the Argyle and Sutherland Highland Band at present filling an engagement at the Exhibition ot Dunedin. Like some of the Hig land regiments, the band is characterised bv the extreme fewness ot Scotsmen in it. But that fewness is just now a real pride and glory, tor during the war it lost every member saving the conductor, who was not a combatant. Since the war the regiment has been stationed on the Isle of Wight and the conductor, in building up a new band drrw upon the public schools ol kouth England, and thus the bandsmen arc mostly young and English. The band is now again clothed in the gay and vari-coloured clan tartan. During the war necessity compelled the members to don /the dun khaki a khaki kilt is a horrible object —but just a year ago they were fully equipped with red tunic and clan tartan kilt, and a very colourful picture they make. The appointment to play at the Exhibition was a real feather in the caps of the bandsmen. Upwards to forty bands applied, and among these were some of the other regimental bands of Britain. But real merit secured the coveted prize, and it was really appropriate that the Argyle and Snthcrlanders should come to the Edinburgh of the South. The captain of the Rotorua, by which the baud travelled to the Dominion, declared that their voyage was the most enjovable that he had ever made. To keep in practice, a concert was given every evening, or the band played the music for dancing in the second-class dining saloon. The band proper consists of 33 players, and the piping section consists of six pipers. Five of these inevitably are Scots. One of them wears, inter alia, the Mons and Armistice medals. Tt, is worthy of note that of the original battalion that formed part of the First Hundred Thousand only eleven survived the war.

Naturally, Mr. Picketts, the conductor, is by no means the least important member of the band. It is noticeable that "he does his work on the rotunda without the help of a note of music, and yet the players just hang on every gesture and facial expression. Truly he is no mere beater of time—the big drum does that. His players at his bidding interpret the majestic tone poems or flippant nonsensical sketches to the audiences. He is the via media. It is a tribute to his efficiency and that of hiß bandsmen that the band never practices in the ordin-

ary sense. When new scores of music come from England it is served round to the attentive players. Chit-chit raps the baton. One. two, and the whole band plunges right into —it may be—the most difficult Wagnerian overture. When the Exhibition season closes, the band will tour through the Dominion for a month. The Hawera Scottish Society is to be commended for trying to get the band to our town.

CUMIN’ THRO’ THE RYE

In a reference to Melon s melodies and memories in The Australasian it is mentioned that after the diva, had sung ‘‘Coinin' Thro’ the Rye” Lord Mount Stephen explained to her that Rye in this ease meant a river and not a field. But in this the pretty trickery of an old Scottish song was Init half explained. It was a favourite amongst the many Jacobite songs in which the canny but persistent Scot of his generation used to keep green the memory of a lost cause, while at the same time ‘‘pulling the leg” of the dull Hanoverian with the pretence that it was all a sex problem. Hence the <w admission:

“Amongst the twain there's a. swain That I could lo’ mysel’, But what’s his name or vrliaur’s his liame, 1 dinna care to tell.”