ROYAL BESSEs O’ TH' BARN BAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 814, 15 March 1910, Page 3

ROYAL BESSEs O’ TH' BARN BAND.

South African criticisms teem with complimentary allusions to the marvellous superiority Of the Besses in brass music. Regarding the Cape Town concerts it was said that the performance was distinguished by a crispness of attack, and a soft lingering over the delicate passages of the various pieces that was quite a revelation to many who predicted that blare would be the chief characteristic of a brass band’s playing. On the contrary the harmony and melody were so tenderly balanced as to place the brass instruments on a plane quite higher than that which is ordinarily associated with them. The audience expressed its appreciation by unfeigned rounds of applause, whilst demands for encores were frequent. In the concerted pieces the most popular were : Waldteufel’s Waltz “Estudiantiua,” Rimer’s Fantasia “Memories of Britain,” Douglass’s arrangement of “Reminiscences of Tschaikowsky,” Meyerbeer’s triumphant march “Schiller,” Mendelssohn’s “Ruy Blass,” and Wagner’s “Flying Dutchman.” Mr K. Brightwell delighted the vast audience with Naylor’s “Woodland Kchoes,” played on

the xylophone with remarkable skill. The xylophone is only our old friend the Kaffir piano, as it used to be called in the days of our youth, but it is wonderful what melody can be extracted from it in the hands of a proficient performer. Also in the solos Mr W. Ryder played on the cornet Hartman’s “ Arbucklenian,” a difficult piece, calling for the exercise of much skill. As an encore he gave “The Lost Chord,” an exquisite performance. The capacity of the euphonium was demonstrated by Mr E. P. Kerry in Winterbottom's “Fantasia Fantastique.” The audience was greatly impressed by the flexibility of the notes that this ponderous instrument can emit, and called for an encore. As extra pieces the band gave “Hail Smiling Morn,” and “The Village Blacksmith.” The whole performance was characterised by precision and well-balanced melody, and fully merited the great ovation accorded

it. A special afternoon concert has been arranged for Foxtou, commencing at 1 p.m. sharp on Tuesday afternoon next at the racecourse. Particulars are advertised.