Musical

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 28, 7 October 1893, Page 6

Musical

The idea ■of an Intercolonial, Band •Contest to be held in Melbourne, promulgated by Mr T. E. Bulch, music-publisher of that city, is being pretty fully discussed both here and in Australia. On the other side it is meeting with very much favour. In New Zealand some hold the opinion that it would be absurd even to think of a New Zealand band competing with such crack Australian bands as Sydney Permanent Artillery, Newcastle 4th Regiment, and others. But there is no doubt that if a representative band could be formed, in some such way as cricket and other teams are (and there is ample material to form such a band with) there is every reason to suppose N.Z. would carry off the palm: —and the prize money. We hope to hear of Mr Bulch’s efforts being carried to a successful issue. Verdi* from whose operas one of the test selections for the Christchurch Band Contest has been arranged, will be 80 years old on the tenth of this month, and some of his admirers set on foot in August last a pi’oposal for the collection of an album to be presented to him, bearing the signatures of Italian musicians, and also of musicians in every part of the civilised world, offering to him their congratulations on his birthday. The Christchurch Weekly Press wonders whether the projectors of the scheme have decided on a method of canvassing the world in the short space of time at disposal, that will be successful. Messrs Williamson and Musgrove have just “ brought out ” an Italian Opera Co. ; the first venture in this ■direction they have engaged in. The Company has just begun a season in Melbourne Princess Theatre. - The opening Opera, “I Pagliacci,” and another to be staged shortly, “ Cavalleria Rusticana ” (Rustic Chivalry) .are both works of recent creation. “ I Pagliacci,” being a very short ■opera of two acts only, is supplemented by the “ Turquoisette ” ballet, which is described by the Melbourne papers as a dazzling and beautiful spectacular production.' Several new dancers from different London theatres have been secured for this ballet, and one, a Russian lady still in her teens, is said to be the best of her profession that has ever appeared on the Australian stage. Speaking’ of acting in the colonies the Illustrated American says : Acting in Australia is of more recent growth than in America, yet what do we find there ? Why, comic and other operas are mounted and sung infinitely better than under the direction of J. C. Williamson —a nativeborn American, who won his spurs in San Francisco and Lew York; and his partner, George Musgrove, an Australian, than they are in vaunted Paris. Sir Arthur Sullivan is -credited with a very pretty compliment. At Mount Carlo he came across Mr and Mrs Julian Story, the lady being’ the renowned singer, Miss Lames. She requested the composer to write something; in her autograph album. Pie scored a few bans of music, and wrote beneath it, “To one famed for song and Story.” At an army post in the south-west of America, garrisoned by coloured soldiers, the following amusing incident occurred :—Sick-call is sounded daily about 8 a.m., and immediately afterwards all soldiers who are sick report to the post surgeon for treatment. One morning’ a soldier, who, by the w r ay, was a member of the regimental band, reported to the post surgeon. When asked what ailed him, he said —“You see I have a very bad fever blister on my month. I don’t want to go the hospital, but I belong to the band, and I thought if yon would excuse me from playing my instrument for a few days I would be all right.” The surgeon looked at the man and could hardly repress a smile. There- -yas no doubt about it —Private Jones’ upper lip displayed a fever blister the first magnitude

“Very well, I will mark you excused for three days.” Time passed, and the doctor thought no more about it, until a couple of days after, when the adjutant .asked him -why Jones was marked “ excused.” The doctor replied that he had excused him from playing his instrument on account of his sore mouth. “Well, doctor,” said the adjutant, “what instrument do yon think he plays ?” “ Why, some sort of horn, I suppose.” “No, doctor, he doesn’t play a horn—he plays the bass drum.” —Life.

“ Did yon hear about the burglar who w r as arrested his morning ?” “No! What for P” “For breaking into song.” “Is 1 that so P” “ Yes. He got through two bars, when some one hit him with a stave.”