BANDMASTER INTERVIEWED

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14833, 26 November 1913, Page 13

BANDMASTER INTERVIEWED

A UNIQUE TOUR

Jts is easily imagined, Mr .E. C. Stretton. the bandmaster of the Band of tho Royal Itegiment of Artillery, to gire tb* organisation its full official titter did not have yory much time on his bands between his arrival in Christ- ., church and tho time when he took up I.his baton to conduct its first concert ■ here. Nevertheless, ho found a few minutes to chat with a representative of "The Press." '.•-,'•'[-/Somewhat naturallj' tho reporter's . 'opening question was regarding Mr ■ - Stretlon's impressions of the portion of ■.New Zealand that he has seen. His roj ply was couched in mosfc enthusiastic language. "I thought," ho eaid, "when they described New Zealand to mo that they were 'drawing the long-bow,' bufc what 1 have seen of it convinces mo of the contrary view." ' Of the band, as was to be expected i-from an Englishman. Mr Stretton was induced to speak only after some con- :■ mderable pressure, gently administered, of course. That tho band of the Eoyal Reehnent of Artillery is ono of tho first military bands of the United Kingdom " everybody who knows nnythinir of i hands does not need to bo told. That -its history goes back for quite- : one ; * hundred and fifty" years is, perhaps, not so well known. There aro «onic whb tako it back even furtherto iW: seventeenth century, in fact— bnt'Bandmaster Stretton is content With , jbne'hundred and fifty years of honourable and pre-eminent service and reputation. Tho present is the first oversea toer that tho band has taken, ."and it was onlj after much negotiation and the ecortion of some influence by '.those in high places in the. Dominion, that tho first "decision of the authori- ,-,. : ties-7declining the necessary permission to visit New Zealand —was re- ; y -versed- In comparatively recent times ;V"the band was to have visited certain ; European countries,^but on each occa- ■?" sipn • fibme unforeseen happening—one :;wrc?i was the death of King Edward ;■; Tit.-—interfered with and upset -the iHTangeme.nts. New Zealand has X th« distinction and the honour of beins : the first oversea country visited by this notable musical organisation, and, - is" Mr. Stretton phrased* it, the band ..v.irould not have got permission to come ••■i-Kjsro. but for the' fact that New . Zea- .; land is a portion, of'the British Em- ;. pire: . Present arrangements are that ;' the. band will leave the Dominion early ;•; m February, after fulfilling its engagef| jflients at the Auckland Exhibition; It :% is; just'possible that it may pay a ro•:'i turn, visit to the centrca in the South ;' Island.ih which it hae appeared, but *■ -thw is in the future, as is also the pos- .. sihility ; of the band Visiting Australia. :, .3fr stretton; iimsolf..is of opinion that ifcho people in the -Sotith .Island who fceM tie band would fee glad of fe«S^?l*. rt nn>^*to hear it ; again. Pos- • ; fL^' :.Authorities may :.--<.-.iWwiW;.t«KV ««*.present arrangementa February the band r its return to England. • A;,'*w?*toiiiraß just a little dubious : • ir^r-rH? 9 -°f o,3sfcr o Properti&s. of the > BarracTcg. The"" fact that *iV^β" -'Band'glared in the barracks C,::-r.;-£ntT s£»ve satisfaction hardly Vemoved r;: } 7»is fears ihat;th«»e;in;the back portion % v/ Lear the band to adtfanta« e .