The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1907.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2069, 2 May 1907, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1907.

“FnoM heavenly harmony this universal frame began” said Shakespcaro, and if wo accept the statement, after hearing tho Besses o’ th’ Barn Band one is almost driven to the conclusion that tho Band is a very ancient one indeed for its harmony is heavenly.'' It claims to be of ancient origin, and wliother or not it existed so far back as the groat Shakospearo indicates, one thing is quite certain that no sensible ’deterioration has set in during tho long flight of ages. But as it is not our purpose here to puff tho Band, but rather to point a moral from its performance, wo merely draw attention to the circumstanco by way of example. Our reason for doing this is the sublime and ploasing contrast which it uffords when the inharmonious buffetings of ordinary work-a-day life are left behind for the nonce, and people foregather to drink in the soul-stirring strains of true harmony. It is an object lesson of some value apart from the advantages derivable from a purely musical point of view, for it shows what can be accomplished by human effort when a number of people act together with an elevating object, that object being to produce the best that is in them. Humanity might well copy tho exmaple by importing into everyday life a little of the unifying principle that goes to make up the perfect combination and tends to banish that opposition botween individuals which is the characteristic of present-day civilisation. It must not be understood from this that anything like social or domestic communism is suggested, for people can live apart, act apart, think apart, and yet preserve the social harmony that is essential to real progress, for it is only by concerted action that real progress (whether mental, commercial, or political) can bo brought about and sustained. To attain the highest possibilities of combination, which, it is needless to say, are far greater than any individual possibilities can bo, the combination must be harmonious, and many a laudable effort and many a seemingly concerted attempt have failed because of the want of a complete harmony within itself. To realise this to the full no hotter example could be afforded than the complete combination on the platform of His Majesty’s Theatre last night. There was a number of men, all differently equipped, each working upon an instrument different from that of every other one; oach one producing sounds different in volume and pitch, yet all achieving that perfect harmony that_arouses pleasure and satisfaction because each one was responsive to tho central wand—the common guide of tlioir actions and thoughts. Had that harmony been destroyed as it could have been by one discordant note, imagine the effect it would have had upon an attentive audience, and another example is afforded of the necessity for completeness of combination, of action, and of will, and when that idea is grasped it will bo tho more easy to realise how necessary it was that there should have been “heavenly harmony” before the stupendous task of building up tho “universal frame” began, and that it should have assisted in the process. To produce that harmony it is by no means desirable that there should bo sameness and monotone, for men as well as instruments can act differently while yet harmonising in the one composite volume of human effort, always providing that eacli one keeps his eye on the central objective and shapes his purpose in response thereto. . With the Band that central objective is materialised in the conductor’s wand; with the community it is less tangible though none the less real in the common ideal. When a community decides to build a harbor, for instance, they have a plan, and that becomes the common ideal. Instead of each one putting a stone in the structure at odd times it is left to a few to construct, while everyone ’lends a harmonious support, each playing, so to speak, upon his different instrument, thus showing the fallacy of the socialistic notion of equality of wox'k, equality of opportunity, equality of everything else, for it is plain from the context that all this equality could only produce the monotone, and the ossontial harmony would be destroyed.