THE KILTIES BAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2857, 16 December 1908, Page 69

THE KILTIES BAND.

The interest aroused in the advent of the well-heralded Kilties' Band was amply evidenced by the very large attendance at the Princess Theatre on the 14th, when the band mad« its first local appearance. Altogether its initial local concert was a most enjoyable entertainment, the enthusiasm of the audienca being such that practically every number on the programme, classic, national, or humorous, 'Was encored, double recalls being the order of things in some instances. Agreeably variety 1 , is lent the entertainment by the inclusion in the band's repertoire of a numb&r of lighter American and other popular modern compositions, these being gnen wjth novel instrumental and, occasionally, vocal effect. In its playing strength the band consists of 52 performers, of whom about a fourth play reed instruments. The programme opened with a vivacious march, " Espagnole," which was succeeded by perhaps the heaviest number of the evening — namely, the " Tannhauser " overture. As a test piece this selection served excellent purpose, the band coming out of the ordeal of its performance to admirable advantage and delighting the audience with its skilful instrumentation throughout. Somewhat lacking in impressiveness in its initial stages, the rendering grew thoroughly interesting when the full band got to work, and the playing of the reed instruments was a notably effective feature of the performance. Demonstrative recalls elicited music of most popular order in an " International Patrol," concluding with the Canadian national anthem and a taking musical melange entitled " Rose, Shamrock, and Thistle." Needless to say, " G«ms of Scotland " proved a selection entirely pleasing to a Dunedin audience, and as an encore number the band -gave. a humo^esque on an American popular eong entitled '" I'm afraid to go home in the dark." This extra number was remarkable for the amusing and apt descriptive instrumental effects produced, in the achievement of which the slide trombones were divertingly in evidence. ' In more serious vein the band- gave subsequently 'a finished performance of Liszt's No. 2 Rhapsody, a very welcome operatic potpourri, and the finale lo the third act of " Lohengrin," selections of light character interspersed completing- a programme calculated to please all tastes. The band's able conductor, Mr Albert Cook, is a cornet player of the, first order, as his programme selection proved to the conviction of all present. He produces a splendid tone from the instrument, and his crescendos are a pleasure to listen to. In response to a most emphatic recall Mr Cook gave the popular number " Love me, and the world is mine." A somewhat important member of The Kilties' troupe is its bagpipe player, Pipe-major Albert Johnstone. As an exponent of the possibilities of the Scottish national musical instrument Pipe-major Johnstone is something of a revelation. Thunders of applause showed that a large proportion of those present found his appeal to their national susceptibilities irresistible, and, needless to say, he was constrained to make ihe pipes skirl and skirl again before the audience was satisfied. The Clan Johnstone troupe coxisisting of two ladies and two gentlemen, gave a very clever exhibition of dancing in a, Scotch reej, and an Irish jig, both performed in appropriate costume, and two membeu-s of the troupe also gave a sailor's hornpipe,* all these items being redemanded. Master Willie Jolmstonc's sword dance was another most deit teri*ichorcan performance. The Kilties' Band, it should be mentioned, also contains a choir of male voices, which rendered two part-songs, " Annie Laurie," and an encore number in humorous vein, which proved interesting. The band, it may be added, dees a. good deal of accompaniment work during the concert, and acquits itself to most excellent advantage in this by no means unimportant function.