MUSIC

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3000, 10 February 1917, Page 13

MUSIC

(By "TroUe-Clef.") Crack Band at the Front. When tho band of the Coldstream Guards mado its pilgrimage through Flanders last year Herbert Corey sent tho "Globe," New York, a stirring account of their visit. "The men was glad to see us, sir," said one of tho hand. "Even the Canadians, sir. Took it very well, sir, they did. We cheered 'em up a bit— not that they needed it." "What kind of a time did you have?" asked Herbert Corey. "Perfectly rippin', sir." With complete conviction: "Por-feck-Iy rippin'!" . At tho beginning of tho war tho British War Office would not bo bothered 1 by bands. War was a serious business—demned serious, what?—and thore was no place in it for music. The Tommies persisted in a regrettable light-mindedness. _ In the intervals of fighting and dying, marching and starving and suffering, thoy insisted upon enjoying themselves. They got phonographs. They organised singsongs. The man with a tin whistle became a social favourite. "Let me take tho band out to I'landers," asked Captain Mackenzie Eogan. "Do them good.. Be a bit of a treat for them. Very tiresome'hero in London." One fancies the captain, is a favourite, even in the War Office, which has no favourites. Five generations of Eogans have served with the British colours. Tho first began with Marlborough when the army sworo so terribly m Flanders, and tho fifth is Captain Eogau's son (since wounded at the front). "Take half of them," said the War Office to tho captain. Perhaps the War Office wanted to save tho other half. So Eogan and his 32 went upon a musical pilgrimage into the very hottest part of. Flanders. The men were I tremendously glad to see them. They gave . two concerts almost every day. Nothing but military expediency kept them from playing. Sometimes the Germans interfered. _ One night the Coldstreamers played in a warehouse the Germans had shelled. Tlie British engineers had put a temporary roof on and turned it into a sort of kinema theatre. About 2000 men jammed in that night. Eogan mixed his programme, as he always did. Ho suits all. tastes, Eogan does. Thoil he swung his bandsmen into an old English melody. < "Now sing," he ordered. It was a wonderful chorus, Eoßan said. The 2000 male voices in the gloom of tho hall, the twinkling lights, the great hand, the lovo and -pity of it all - "What's that," said Rogan. Itogan know perfectly woll. A shell ,' >u '' st 110 60 yards away. Somo spy had told the Germans of the evening concert, and they wore feeling for the theatre with their big guns. A shell exploding in that theatre might kill a hundred men ; another hundred | niight bo stamped to death -crowding through the one narrow door. I Eogan tapped with his baton. Tho band stopped short, tho men stopped singing. ■ "You know what has happened,'-' said no; 'go out quietly." ' Tho band swung into tho lift of tho melody again, and 2000 men filed,'two by two, through the door, singing as they went. It was a pretty bit of courago in thoso bandsmen. Somehow one docs not expect courage from bandsmen, aJid equally somehow they always show it. One- remembers the little band that played "God Save the King" while the litauic sank, and a score of otuor bands that have died, well iti their traditions. Last out of the theatre wore tlie Coldstreamers, and last of the band was Eogan, whoso exit was faceted with a shell exploding 30ft. f-M ay i' i, tho audienco were killed that night and fifty wounded; So tlie Coldstream Guards Band ■made its musical pilgrimago through Jj ranee. Sleeping on straw, shelled by day and by night, bombed by aero- | planes, with death and dreadful wounds on overy side, and persisting in regarding this as a delectable adventure only possible to very fortunate meu Only seeing that it was all "Per-feck-iy rippin .' Croat Demand for Pianos. .At tho beginning of the war the piano trado was adversely affected. Tho surprising thing is that it should have is as great as over, and this, despite the heavy duty upon imported instruments, and tho higher cost of these at the factory. It is tho saino story in England; indeed, the piano boom there is extraordinary. One reads: Thero havo never before been so many pianos bought in England as aro ■ "ru® P llrc a t the nresent time. Ibo demands through our agents all over the country, increase every day," says tho manager of one of tho leading firms of jjiano manufacturers. "Wo aro finishing instruments just as quickly as we possibly can, and yet wo have t'hreo tunes moro unexecuted orders than is usual at our busiest time. People seem quite undeterred by the increase in prico, and willingly pay the £96 asked lor a piano, which, two years ago, would liavo cost only £80. Moreover, thoy do not oven grumble at the daily increasing cost of delivery. If we only had enough workmen we would be doing the biggest piano trado ever done in this country." This gives the '"Star" a chance to remark that "People who can't affo-d a baby, manago to buy a baby grand." Money, as we know, is plentiful amongst a large class of people in England, who have found it a scarce article hitherto. It is understood that among such there has been a big purchasa of pianos on time-payment. Notes. A recent number of "The Times" contains an account of a "dance play" by Mrs. Lowther, tho music for which was written by Mr. William G. James, the young Melbourne pianist. It was given at an Italian Eed i>oss matinee in the Savoy Theatre. Queen Alexandra, Princcss Victoria, and other members of the Eoyal Faintly wero present. "The Times" savs: "Cheery were the 'coo-ees' that greeted the young composer when, after conducting 1-is own work, he came on the stage to acknowledge the apphiuse. Tho playing of Sir Thomas Buchanan's orchestra, under Mr. Jariies's ''ondnctorship. Ivlned io make the piece charming." Mr. James is at present engaged in Eed Cross work, j