BRITISH MILITARY BAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 63, 14 November 1913, Page 7

BRITISH MILITARY BAND.

INTERESTING INFORMATION. In view of the visit to New Zealand of the Military Band of the Royal Artillery, Woolwich, it is interesting to observe that at the present tune it is questionable, if there is a single military band in this Dominion, that is, 'technically speaking. What we have are brass bands, pure and simple-, f A brass band consists only of brass instruments, with drums and triangle. Its strength should be not less than twenty-five. A military band, on the other hand, is made up of brass' instruments and “wood.” There certainly is a “string,” the double bass, lint it is never used on parade—only at concerts. The proper strength of a military band can be anything from forty-five toi seventy-five. That of the Royal Artillery coming to New Zealand is forty-five. An orchestra, of course, comprises all instruments, wind, wood, and string, with the latter predominating. The historical Savoy Orchestra, in the old Gilbert and Sullivan days, was about forty strong, if one remembers- rightly. The Boston Symphony Orchestra,, a famous and most talented organisation, has a basis of sixty-five instruments, supplemented- as occasion requires. The Quinlan Operatic Orchestra, now in Australia, and shortly to visit Auckland, possesses a membership of fifty-four. The writer recollects hearing an extraordinarily fine military band at Manila, of all places. The instrumentalists, even the conductor, were entirely Filipinos. They played magnificently. No such band music is every heard in this part of the world. That particular hand was onehundred strong. The Royal Artillery Band arrives at Port Chalmers on 2oth November, by R.M.S. Turakina. They give one concert iu Dunedin, another in Christchurch, a third iu Wellington, and then go on to Auckland. Their instruments are made mainly by that famous firm, Hawkes and Bon, of London. It is useful to know, especially so to bandsmen, that Hawkes’ instruments are represented in New Zealand by the Dresden Piano Co., Ltd. The bandmaster of the Royal Artillery Band, Woolwich, is Mr K. C. Stretton, a brother of Major Arthur Stretton, M.V.0., who is

Director of .Music at the Royal Military School of Music. The leadership of this baud is considered the highest position which a military musician can. attain in Enghmd. ft was Mr Stretton who was appointed Director of Music, having under him an orchestra and military hand of picked musicians, and who accompanied the Prince of Wales, now King George

V., on his official visit to India. He is a particularly charming man, well received by the best people in England.