BAND GOSSIP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6138, 26 March 1898, Page 7

BAND GOSSIP.

FKOM FAR ANB NEAR.

f"By ToMTOM.I

Sydenham Band appears to prosper, and to-day itn position is sounder than ever. It boasts a larye membership, and has had a good season's work.

From "H.W.8." (Buluwayo), I learn that Iho band of tho Ehodeaian Mounted PiAice c6m p'i ises a much improved lot of players. Some months ago I mentioned that Mi-Scott had commenced to teach in Euluwayo. Now, the programmes played at the Quoon's Grounds by the P.bode3ian Mounted* Police' Barid are capital. 'On a recent occasion the wind -attended- at a reception 'held at Government House* and placed amongst other items a lovely vulse " Moouliglit on the 1 Rhine," by Vtflsedt. The singing capabilities of the bandsmen are good, and those who have heard them in part singing Bay that they can sing as well as play. Atameetirgof the Oamaru Band Contest Committee on Thursday night, the balance-sheet showed a surplus of .£65 12s after everything had been paid over the laic contest. After discussion, it was decided to vote £o each to the three secretaries, and tlie balance (£ZO 12s) is to go towards the Garrison Band's trip to Melbourne or towards their new instruments.

Twenty, twen ty-five, even thirty years ago there wit* more band music in Christchurch for the m isses than tliere is to-day 1 Every ■week diuiug the summer Kohler's Band would play really good programmes in Latimer Square. At Kohler's Gardens good music was frequently discoursed, and we had plenty of music. Later on, the Yeomanry £and used to give weekly concerts in the Domain, and under the Various, bandmastui-s, viz., Kohler, '.' Northcote," Biinz and Button, Christchurch people, were justly proud of the' red .Garibiildied.'],tniisician-.," who constantly payedy ed for ...thoai. The Cavalry; . Yeom&hry. and Button's Bands ivereV. a joy' "to the community. Always ready " to ; turn otit> jnever'^ tVut of fiirni, capably and unselfish ..players, they made themselves popular. by their good work, and were the f# ourcitj:. Amongst the old players Vlayne, Gee, Fuller, Harris, Ffitch, r (still playing), Tankard, sen., Charlie and Tom Tankard, Ben i, Packer, Ogier, Thompson (the ler), and the rest of the old' brigade, cogrammes speak for themselves ; tying easily beat the average band of ; fl898. Harking away back to 1868, Cdiite-rbury had then what was reported as the best baud in the colony, made up of old Yorkshire bandsmen* fellows who played for. tbe love of band music, and could not help bi>ing thorough musicians. Those were days in which Canterbury was at the: zenith as regards brass bands — very flifferent from Ihe present state of affairs. Band contests were not thought of then, yet the quality of music was better ; there *- was an abundance of it, • and enthusiasm was genuine. Look aronnd to-day. See the neglected Rotunda. Note the dearth of band music in Christchurch, and remember that there are some eight or nine bands in the city. The average musical performance at the rotunda has not beon one in ten weeks, and there are no sigus of iiuprovemont. PosBibly the bands know exactly why they do not play in public oftener, and maybe could enlighten the people thereon, but it would be more satisfactory were they to make the best possible use of the Rotunda now. If they desire popularity, they should merit ifc and make* their music common property. From the public they expect support, hence the need to give a tine qua non in the shape of good music, and that frequently. I have been asked why the bands do not play at the Rotunda ; the reply should come from the players. I trust it will, and cau only hope that our various bands will play out and give the publio a taste of their quality.

-• In military music (says Chambers's Jonrnal) the match occupies a prominent position, and has been employed not only to stimulate courage, but also, from about the middle of the. seventeenth century, to ensure the orderly advance of troops. One of the earliest instances of rhythmical march is the Welsh war strain, "The March of the Men of Harlech," whioh is supposed to have originated during the Biege of Harlech Castle, in 1468. In England the military march was of somewhat later development. Sir John Hawkins, in his "History of Music," tells us that its characteristic was dignity and gravity, in which respect it differed greatly from the French, which was brisk apd alert. . And apropos oi this subject, the same author quotes a witty reply of an Elizabethan soldier to the French Marshal Biron's remark that "the English march, being beaten by the drum, was Blow, heavy and sluggish." " That may be true," he said, " but slow as it is, it has traversed your master's country from one end to the other."