THE BESSES O’ TH’ BARN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3763, 23 April 1907, Page 3

THE BESSES O’ TH’ BARN.

Racecourse To-morrow Afternoon. The Besses o’ th’ Barn Band, the world - famous organisation which is now touring New Zealand, is creating phenomenal triumphs everywhere, and their appearance in Fox ton to-morrow afternoon is creating an unusual amount of interest. The success achieved by this band at Christchurch and Dunedin is said to be the greatest ever known by any visiting attraction, and it is safe to predict that when they appear here on the racecourse at 2.30 p.m. tomorrow, a record attendance will be the result. The history of this band is a unique one in the musical world ; the title “ Besses o’ th’ Barn ” is the name of a small village, near Manchester, where they began to practise over a hundred years ago. The Besses by command .have played before King Edward, carried away the honours in Competitions in England and all over Europe, arid have fairly earned the right to be regarded as the champions of champion bands. They play music not in the repertoire Of the ordinary brass bands, the “Ride of the Valkyries,” for example, is one of their approved selections, and the intricate weaving in the strings of the “Tannhauser ” overture presents no difficulties to these masters of brass band instruments. During the current tour the Besses have visited the principal New Zealand centres, and have shown the residents what notable musical results can be produced by a group of well-trained instrumentalists equipped only with keyed brass trumpets and instruments of percussion. Conductor Alexander Owen, who directs the Band, has been their leader for 22 years past. He is the chief exponent in England of brass band technique, and is busy all the year round, training and rehearsing one or another of the 5000 or more bands in the United Kingdom. Magnificent welcomes have been tendered this wonderful combination in every town they have already appeared, and from reports to hand, their splendid music is like a beautiful organ, without the brassy sound so common with other bands. The following programme will be presented to - morrow afternoon ; March, “ Zealandia ” (Owen); overture, * ‘ Poet and Peasant ’ ’ (Suppe) ; cornet solo, ‘ ‘ Cleopatra ’ ’ (Demare) Mr T. G. Moore ; selection,, “ Rossini’s Works ” (Arr. by Owen).- —Interval —Waltz, “ Marguerite” (Godfrey); selection, “ Pirates of Penzance ” (Sullivan); euphonium solo, 1 ‘ Thou Art Passing Hence ” (Sullivan) Mr F. Berry ; fantasia, “ English Airs ” (Jackson). The programme is subject to slight alteration. A special staff of attendants have been engaged to cope with the crowd expected at the racecourse, and every arrangement has been made for the comfort of the audience. To prevent any inconvenience intending patrons are advised to purchase tickets in advance at Mr Levett’s shop.