MUSICAL TREAT PROVIDED

Southland Times, Issue 24440, 21 May 1941, Page 6

MUSICAL TREAT PROVIDED

Concert By Band Of

Air Force

It is probably correct to say that never before has the public of I cargill been treated to a band concert the equal of that given at the Civic Theatre last night by the band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. This band is one of which New Zealand may well be proud, for it has reached a standard equal to that of the best military bands that have visited the porninion, and it is to be. hoped that it will become a permanent institution in the musical life of the country. The theatre was crowded in every part for last night’s concert. Indeed, so large was the audience that some were accommodated in the orchestral well. That the playing of the band was fully appreciated was beyond doubt, and it was clear from the hearty applause and the insistent demands for encores that each item was thoroughly enjoyed. The programme was well varied. Probably the audience would have been content to listen the whole evening to the band playing set pieces, but Flight-Lieuten-ant Gladstone Hill, the conductor, evidently believes that variety is the spice of entertainment, as it is said to be of life, and he and his band presented a programme that was as varied as it was enjoyable.

Probably the surprise of the evening was the musical satire, “The Band Came Late.” Before this item was given the curtain was dropped and Flight-Lieu-tenant Hill delivered a little speech in which he graphically described the inconvenience caused to performers and members of the audience by persons who arrive at a theatre late or leave before the end. He added, “Suppose the band came late,” and the curtain rose and the band proceeded to enact the supposition. It was all very amusing as members of the band drifted in casually and joined in the playing of the popular march, “Colonel Bogey.” The band was no sooner complete than the conductor looked at his watch and decided it was time to leave. He was followed one by one by the members of the band until a solitary instrumentalist was left to carry on.

DELIGHTFUL ITEMS

This, however, was a light interlude in a programme which provided a real musical treat. The programme opened with the playing of “God Defend New Zealand,” and this was followed by the march, “The Great Little Army” (Alford). A more difficult piece, the overture fantasia “The Eaglet” (Floyd St. Clair) was excellently played by the band and then Bandsman A. Barr, who has a pleasing tenor voice, sang “Passing By.” For an encore he sang “The Rose of Tralee.” A very popularnumber was the cornet duet, “Ida and Dot” (Losey) by Corporal H. C. W. Gea.-d and Bandsman J. T. S. Hookway, with band accompaniment. “Slavonic Rhapsody” (Friedemann) was another item that the audience thoroughly appreciated and after this there were two nieces in which the eight drummers of the band had a prominent part. These were the slow march, “Blue Danube” (arranged by Bandsman F. A. Callaway) and “Maori Melodies.” The thorough training of the band was evident in the perfect timing of the drummers, and it was fascinating to watch the manner in which they manipulated their drum sticks.

At 9 p.m., just before the interval, Flight-Lieutenant Hill announced that it was the custom of the band, whenever it was giving a performance, to play “Abide With Me” at this hour in accordance with the wishes of the King fcr a minute of prayer. After the band had played the air, the audience rose and sang the first verse of this wellknown hymn.

SOLO PLAYERS

The second half of the programme opened with the band playing the stirring march, “Sussex by the Sea” (Ward-Higgs), which was followed by the march “1914” (Gordon McKenzie) and the “Beer Barrel Polka” (Brown) Then, in a different vein, came Bucalossi’s entrancing incidental music to the play “Monsieur Beaucaire,” delightfully played by the band. The audience next heard several of the solo players of the band. In the solo, “On the Track” (Simnson) Warrant Officer I. H. Hard■wick proved himself an accomplished xylophonist, and the violin solo “Serenade” (Drdla) was delightfully played by I'andsman A. Munro, who was accompanied on the piano by Sergeant E. K. Thurkettle. “Polish Dance” (Scharwenka) was played as a trio by Bandsman Munro, Bandsman R. Floyd (’cello) and Sergeant Thurkettle. One of the most popular items in the second part of the programme was the trombone solo “Lend Me Your Aid,” from Gounod’s opera “La Reine de Saba.” The soloist was Bandsman M. Chisholm and he was accompanied by the band. A very popular band item was the waltz medley “Memories of Strauss” (arranged by Bandsman Callaway), and this was followed by what was perhaps the finest item in the programme, “Maori Rhapsody” (Lew Jones), in which the fierce martial music and the plaintive love melodies of the Maoris are cleverly blended. As a compliment to the city the band played for its concluding number the march “Invercargill” (Lithgow). Before the concert began the Civic Band, the Caledonian Pipe Band and the band of the First Battalion of the Southland Regiment marched to the Civic Theatre and played outside for about half an hour.

Yesterday morning the Air Force band visited Kew hospital and gave a programme of music in the grounds for the benefit of tire patients. In the afternoon the band gave a display of ceremonial marching in the Crescent. This was watched by a large crowd, which showed by its hearty applause that it thoroughly appreciated the well-exe-cuted movements of the bandsmen. Afterwards the band, which was accommodated on a specially erected platform, entertained the crowd with a selection of popular tunes.