EXPENSIVE BRASS BANDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2274, 30 September 1897, Page 50

EXPENSIVE BRASS BANDS.

£2000 for A Jewelled Cornet 1

The writer was recently accorded the privilege of a peep into the museum attached to tbe factory of one of the largest firms o£ brass instrument makers in London. Here are to be seen types, facsimiles, and models of every kind ofmusical instrument that the mind of man has ever devised, invented, or produced.

In one corner is a duplicate of what is believed to bs the most costly presentation cornet ever produced. It was made to the order of the late Czar of Russia, and is of sterling silver richly graven with various devices, among which the arms of the Imperial house of Romanoff figure conspicuously. The whole of the ornamentation is of beaten gold filigree work, and the " bell " of the instrument is thickly encrusted with rubies and emeralds. Its net value is a trills over 2000gs.

A melancholy interest attaches to a battered and blood-stained bugle which was picked up on the field of Isandlwana. In addition to the dark patches — which were once splashes of wet blood — sundry fragments of woolly hair were adhering to the bell of the instrument when first found — a pretty conclusive indication that the gallant owner had used it in a last desperate effort to beat off his relentless foes. It. may be that some ebony-skinned Zulu still wanders about with an indentation in his skull whom it would be difficult to convince that " music bath charms."

Near to this interesting relic is a facsimile of a set of drams which were made for the new

Rhodesia Horae. Tae peculiarity lies in- the fact that the cases are of alumiuum — a precaution rendered necessary by the number of white aiits that infest that country. The other instruments are of brass, silrer-plated, and the whole band coat some £350.

The above is, of course, a comparatively modest turn-out. For rt-al gorgeousness in brasa bands it is necessary to inspect some of the costly and magoiticent eets of instruments turned out for Eastern potentates. The bands of even the smartest of our crack cavalry corps are absolutely not in ir, so far as elegance of appearance is concerned, with the private bands of some of our Indian tributaiy princes, although probably the latter would have to give the former several points if it came to a musical contest between them.

The private band of the Rio of Catcb, for instance, cost originally £900, and he renews most of the instruments every four or five years. The tiger skin used by the Rao's big drummer, which was sent over here to be prepared and mount el, was taken from an animal killed by his Highness, and measured over 7ft in length. It is lined throughout with heavy corded crim<son silk, and the brute's eyes are simulated by a pair of bigyellow diamonds.

Another very fine band was made three years ago to the order of the late Shah of Pdrcia. All the instruments were of pure, silver — which, by the way, does not give forth no good a sound ac brass, bssides being far heavier to handle— inlaid with gold. Tha total cost of this band de luxe was a trifl<j under SOOOga. A vary different kind of band was that made last year by the same firm for the Mimkish Indians, a tribe of savages living near Alert Bay, in British Columbia. The band is nearly all drum, and the mouthpieces of the few brass insrruments are tipped with indiarubber, to obviate the inconvenience of applying metal to the lips in a temperature of some BOJeg or 40ieg below ztjro.

A curiouß order was received a ehort time ago from the Emperor ot Morocco. It waj for 80 clarionets for ons baud. As the instrumentß in question were all in one key, ifc is probable that they Wdre to be played in unison. The effect upon an average man of 80 band clarionets blown aimulraneously would probably be to create in him a wild -desire to take to the woods and become an aborigine. Even to imagine such an earpiercing combination sets one'd tympanum quivering.