UNPOPULAR ORCHESTRA.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5027, 15 September 1926, Page 3

UNPOPULAR ORCHESTRA.

A THAMES MUSICAL DIFFICULTY.

CRITICISM OF CITIZENS? BALL.

That Paeroa people shduld be

th.ankful that they have at least two

efficient orchestras able to supply enjoyable dance music h«(s often been commented upon recently. Unfortunately the people of Thames: are. not sd happily situated, as exemplified by the Thames Star report of the Citizens’ Ball, which was. held there a •week ago. In th© course of th'e report it is stated:— “Heralded as the social evqnti of the year, the Citizens’ Ball duly eventuated a,t the King’s Theatre last evening, but owing to the almost pitiable

weakness of an utterly inefficient or-

chestra consisting of piano, saxo- ' phone, flute, trombone, a.nd an occasional drum, cannot be altogether written down as a success; that is, if any consideration is extended to the feelings df the large throng of eager dancqrs who assembled for the Grand March shortly after 8 o’clock. In view of the time and energy devoted to the general arrangements for the entertainment of the expected large gathering, the inefficiency of the orchestra came in tor much forcible comment; on all sides. Why the players should stop, and wait fbr an en- - core after a waltz had been in progress for barely two minutes was entirely beyond th© comprehension of many people. On one occasion a waltz and three encoUeig occupied less

than six minutes, the themes being monotonously repeated with two, or

mdre/of the instruments painfully out

of tune in every instance. It is the custom, in all well-conducted functions of this nature, for dafiices to last at least six to eight minutes, according to the siz© of the dance-room.

One encOnei to a change of music, and one only, mayibe allowed, as the occasion demands. For a Ball orchestra

to play for two minutes: and then look expectantly to the dancers fo/r encores

is nothing less than farcical. Some idea of the position may be gathered from the statement of a prominent member of the committee who, when asked to induce the so-called orchestra to show some consideration tor thej dancers, declined because he feared the players might leave the stage, though this did not apply to the pianiste.” t