BAND GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5502, 29 February 1896, Page 4

BAND GOSSIP.

FROM FAR AND NEAR. [by tomtom.] ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Waoeb (Beirast).-(l) Yon lose. The Oamarn Girrison pluyed "Romeo and Juliet/ ___?s!£ conducted by tne Hon. George Jones, -j-j-A au a thoy won pn that occasion. *(2) The question can only be decided at an interioloaial meeting this year WeUington Garrison; conductor Mr Ihomaß Herd. The Christchurch Professional Band have done remarkably well this season, ihe latest addition to their number is Mr Hamr Woods, who fbr a long time was a memjer of the Christchuroh Garrison. Six of the. leading players are ex-Garrison Ban<kmen-vi_., Painter, Taylor, Dalton, Woods, Hopkins and Scrimgeour. Each can hold up his end and collectively they are just as tuneful, a little company as one could reasonably hope for. In a country town in the North Island the Bandmaster of the little band is a veritable "Pooh Bah." His duties, besides teaching the boys, are varied indeed, i.c, layireader and choir-master, captain of the Cricket Club, chairman of the Road Board member of the School Committee and a J.P. ! And, with all that/he is the accompanist to nearly all the bush town's vocalists As a teacher and euphonium player A CFrancis iB hard to match. Mr Pooley, to whom I referred last week, has a quamt song with a quaint title, "The Song the Kettle Sings," words by Evans. Also, "The Song of the Cyclist," words by the venerable Captain of the Veterans (Mr G. Willmer),besides marches, polkas and a number of other pieces, which show conclusively that the Engineers' Bandmaster is fired with a laudable ambition to excel as a composer. Musical people here discount local productions, but those from afar are unstinted in praise of several of Mr Poolers recent compositions. Kaiapoi Brass Band is certainly a much better organisation than the old Drum and Fife Band that existed away back in the "sixties." I recollect the Kaiapoi Drum and Fife Band marching down Papanui Road en route to th_ Hillsborough volunteer encampment, and crossing Victoria Bridge they piped out " We've the Battling Boys from the County Dowub." The uniform was a grey affair; -Ke physique of the men fine, but the music was not as good as that of the Kaiapoi Brass Band in' 1896. The playing of the latter on a recent occasion bespeaks advancement, and a local correspondent writes :— "The Kaiapoi fellows play very nicely, and their programme was much enjoyed by the public." I ask Mr Bums, then*, efficient secretary, not to forget " Tomtom's " request, if only for the sake of " Auld Lang Syne " and the " Boys from the County Down" of 1866. "Straightfire" (Invercargill) writes and •tells me that Mr P. H. Mohr's band continues to gain favour every day. Last Wednesday they played a capital programme on the rotunda. On the conclusion thereof, some tourists staying at the Albion sent for Lieutenant Mohr and complimented him on the band's finished performance, and clenched their opinion by donating to the band's funds a handsome amount. " Straightfire " rates " William Tell " for stating that the Garrison are the Southland peers. Be that as it may, the Guards are practical, and have purchased the Baptist Church, in Tay Street, and intend fitting it up as a practice-room. They request their friends to send along a suitable Maori name for • the hall, and I hereby suggest Te Taupo Hall (the loadstone) and Te Ritenga Hall (the practice). " Straightfire's " letter shows that the youngest band in Invercargill intends to force the pace, and the record is one that indicates a bright future for the Guards of Invercargill. The Orlando's band and the Ringarooma minstrels have been much in evidence during the week ; the forpier at Lancaster Park, the latter in tho Opera House. A bumper house greeted the sailor minstrels, and one is forced to acknowledge that the Ringarooma boys can give points to anything,, in the minstrel line here. Should the Orlando's band have another 'week's stay in Port may they be entertained by the bandsmen of this conservative city. Art unions ! Engineers drawn last night, Stanmore's next month, and by-and-bye Sydenham. If bands can show just cause for these inflictions the so-called art unions are right enough, but the frequency of them is, to say the least, not dignified nor high-toned. Sydenham has every claim, for it is a band composed of tho artisan class , — young fellows all — and, besides, it has never before had an art union. They are a band of young fellows who have been fighting uphill for years ; they have fought well, too, and deserve liberal support ; but it would be a relief if, after the Sydenhamites have closed their appeal, art union schemes wero hung- up for an indefinite period. A Bandsmen's Institute in Melbourne. Why not one here ? To have some recognised club room where the fellows could peruse the musical papers and interchange views on band matters would be a move ahead, and only in keeping with the timea. Even a village football team can run a club room, and' meet on frequent occasions, and if bandsmen would only awaken to a sense of advancement • they woUld quickly have a headquarter *..