Music in Camp

Korero (AEWS), Volume 2, Issue 6, 27 March 1944, Page 20

Music in Camp

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The members of the Sergeants’ Mess were having' supper, and, as they

usually do when they get together, discussing current affairs. A friendly argument had just started between a Staff-Sergeant instructor and a Sergeant W.A.A.C. It concerned the probable date and place of the European invasion. But it was cut short by another member who, huddled up in an arm-chair, was trying to absorb the intricacies of gun-drill as set out in his hand-book.

“ Listen to this piece on the radio,” he said, “ It’s darned good ; one of Tschaikowsky’s, I think.”

An audience was immediately forthcoming. The “ piece ” was the

“ Nutcracker Suite,” As the last notes of the “ Waltz of the Flowers ” died away, a Staff-Sergeant, who had up till now been assiduously drawing diagrams and preparing notes for his lecture the next morning, looked up from his table in the corner.

“ It’s a pity,” he said, “ that we don’t get more good music like that over the air these days.”

“ I’ve been thinking about this music question lately,” the gun-drill expert said, “ and I’ve got an idea which may or may not be worth something. Why don’t we contact the officers, the sergeants and all the W.A.A.C.s and men in this place and see about arranging a musical evening in the near future ? All those interested could choose their favourite piece of good music, and if we could borrow the necessary records from somewhere or other we could turn on quite a good programme out here one night. What do you think of it, or don’t you ? ”

All the members present agreed that the idea was sound, but they were doubtful about the co-operation they would receive, and said so.

“ I think you’ll find that every one will come forward with his particular musical choice,” said the gun-drill expert, swinging his long legs over the arm of

his chair. “As to the co-operation, I reckon we’ll get all we want.” The Sergeants’ Mess left it at that, and retired for the night. The results were surprising, to say the least. If there was any doubt about the co-operation that might be expected, it was soon dispelled. The officer in charge was enthusiastic, and told the gun-drill expert that a suitable room would be made available on the night decided on.

The items requested were many and varied, and ranged from Bach’s “ Toccata and Fugue in D Minor ” and “ Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring ” to Ponchielli’s ‘‘ Dance of the Hours ” and Strauss’s “ Tales from the Vienna Woods.” Neither did the requests all come from a certain section of the unit. Officers, N.C.O.s, and privates, both men and W.A.A.C.s, all showed a keen interest in the scheme, and their musical taste was reflected in their choice of items. The officer in charge asked for that song of Richard Adams, “ The Holy City,” to be sung by Richard Crooks, and the choice of the President of the Sergeants’ Mess was Tschaikowsky’s “First Piano Concerto.” The W.A.A.C.s were as enthusiastic as any one. Chopin’s ‘‘ Raindrop Prelude ” was requested by a Lance-Corporal W.A.A.C. who is employed as a waitress in the Officers’ Mess, while other W.A.A.C.s came to light with such numbers as “ Serenata,” by Toscelli, and “ The Nuns’ Chorus ” from “ Casanova.”

Twenty items were finally selected from the many requests received, and the gun-drill expert drew up a two-hour programme. This programme was arranged so that orchestral, vocal, and instrumental items were interwoven and any tendency to “ sameness ” was eliminated. The programme lasted from seven o’clock to nine-fifteen, with a short supper interval at eight o’clock. The audience numbered nearly forty. The immediate thought at the conclusion was, “ Why not have more of this sort of thing ? ” The very next morning requests were being received for a further Musical Evening. This was held less than a fortnight later and a third programme was arranged.

A feature of these musical evenings was the commentary given before each number was played. They were prepared by a musical friend, whose valuable assistance and advice made the evenings possible. Here are the programmes for the first two of these musical evenings :— First : (i) First Movement, “ First Piano Concerto ” (Tschaikowsky). (2) “ Serenata ” (Toscelli). (3) “ Dance of the Hours ” (Ponchielli). (4) “Strange Harmony,” from “ La Tosca ” (Puccini). (5) “ Raindrop Prelude ” (Chopin). (6) “In a Monastery Garden ” (Ketelby). (7) “ Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring ” (Bach). (8) “ Serenade ” (Schubert). (9) “ Invitation to the Waltz ” (Weber). (10) “ Toccata and Fugue in D Minor ” (Bach). (11) “ The Holy City ” (Adams). (12) “ The Nuns’ Chorus,” from “ Casanova ” (Strauss). (13) “ Hungarian Dance No. 5 ” (Brahms). (14) First Movement, “ Moonlight Sonata ” (Beethoven). (15) “ O Heaven and Sea,” from " L’Africana ” (Meyerbeer). (16) “ Choral Dance,” from “ Prince Igor ” (Borodin). (17) “ Ave Maria ” (Gounod). (18) “ Largo,” from “ Xerxes ” (Handel). (19) “ All Hail Thou Dwelling,” from “ Faust ” (Gounod). (20) “ Tales from Vienna Woods ” (Strauss). Second : (1) Overture to “ William Tell ” (Rossini). (2) “Il Mio Tesero,” from “ Don Giovanni ” (Mozart). (3) “ Fifth Movement of Symphony No. 6 ” (Beethoven). (4) “ Where e’er You Walk ” (Handel). (5) “Le Cygne ” (SaintSaens). (6) “ Monotonously Rings the Little Bell” (Lutzow). (7) “Finlandia” (Sibelius). (8) “ Anvil Chorus,” from “Il Trovatore ” (Verdi). (9) “ Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 ” (Liszt). (10) Overture to “ Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Mendellsohn). (11) “On With the Motley,” from “ Il Pagliacci ” (Leoncavello). (12) “ Water Music Suite, Parts 1 and 2 ” (Handel). (13) “ One Fine Day,” from “ Madame Butterfly ” (Puccini). (14) “ Waltz of the Flowers ” (Tschaikowsky). (15) “ Toreador’s Song,” from “ Carmen ” (Bizet). (16) “ Serenade,” from “ The Student Prince ” (Romberg). (17) “ Voices of Spring ” (Strauss).