THE BAND.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11655, 10 June 1912, Page 4

THE BAND.

To the Editor. Sir, —We all regard you as an authority, and I shall be. much obliged' if you will toll us if you think it necessary to import instrumentalists from lloine to fill important places in tiie Regimental Band. It I am not mistaken, the old Garrison Band, trained by the. Hon. G- Jones in its earlier and palmier days, was composed mostly of local youths, who now fill with credit the most important positions in other bands throughout the Dominion, -and it is a; shock to mo to find that it is deemed necessary now-a-days to import expert _ players. ■ I suppose "sport" now occupies the spare moments of our young mon. If superiority is to be'gained by importations, from- Home, there is less credit in having a good band. Why not import a German one "made in German}." —I am, etc., A FLAT. ' [The Oamaru; Band is doing the best it can under existing circumstances. In its" earlier days it had in. its ranks several expert players-who gave a tone to tho whole organisation and who were models for the ambitious learner. These players were well trained men" from the Old Country. In the course of long years the Baud's personnel has changed and good men'who "have gone have not been replaced, either from Home or by the bringing forward of pupils. There are sev'crarrcasons lor this, tho cliicr of which is that the Band was not encouraged. When it was at its best there were too many, persons who took its excellence as something that was bestowed by the gods, who expressed their pride * at' Oamaru's possession of such a Band, but who failed to realise that it required susteuanec and encouragement more substantial than empty praise. Hence the inevitable collapse i'o'r a time,, in spite of heroic efforts which were made to keep it up to the mark. The earlier promoters of tho Oamaru Garrison Rand sacrificed muoh to make it efficient, and bandsmen labored hard and long, encouraged by musical success under able tuition. The only chance that has curred during many, years of reviving the Band's lost efficiency and'prestige has now arrived. Mr Fox is equal to the occasion, and will make the Band better than ever if his efforts are only seconded and his recommendations, based on musical knowledge and experience of brass bands, are respected by those who are not authorities in such matters. Mr Fox is not only an able musician; he has proved himself to be a loyal, painstaking, and capable bandmaster. But ho must be given material with which to make a. fresh start, if we are to have a Band that is worth hearing, and that is why he recommends the importation of four instrumentalists.. In the absence of any diablerie, the Band,-to achieve success within a reasonable period, must adopt the ordinary, human course pursued by other organisations of the.same kind. We know of no other way of solving tho problem. It would take from 10 to 20 years to make the efficient leading instrumentalists that are required, oven if teachers were available, and if we had the teachers there would be.no necessity for importations from Home. Wo shall lie glad to give our correspondent, or any other doubter, any further explanations that may be required, and, as he evidently takes mor:3 than an ordinary interest in brass band music, we hope to be able to •publish his name as the contributor of a respectable sum towards the Band's fund.—Ed. O'.M^]