Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1898. THE TOWN BAND.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2110, 11 June 1898, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 1898. THE TOWN BAND.

Among the minor questions to which the Mayor and Councillors of the newly-created borough—as soon as the choice of the bw%6sses becomes known at the forthcoming election—will have to devote their- Attention, hot the least important will be'that of making provision for • the maintenance of that indispensible adjunct to a fashionable watering place; namely, the town band. Hitherto that institution has languished under the tutelary genii of the Domain Board; but as those gentlemen declare that they never had any authority to subsidise the band to toe extent of one farthing nve cau h rdly reproach them for what at the first blush appears to be callous disregard. In' common with other public institutions, supported, practically, by voluntary contributions, the career of the Te Aroha Brass Band has been attended by the usual ups and downs, and'it is with pleasure we note that at the present moment it has arrived at the happy stage of being able to present the public I with a most v satisfacto y balance-shekt. ' Fe\v of us are aware of the amount of practice it takes to enable a band to get a respectable repertoire together of the business involved and the expenditure of energy, tact and perseverace required of those who, out of pure love of the thing, give their services gratuitously, lake the case of our recent conductor, without laying ourselves open to a charge of invidiousdess, we may say that the ; services rendered by that gentleman to the local band were of a value that do-.ie into pounds shillings and pence would represent a very respectable sum indeed. Night after night he was in attendance • coaching the : members of the band for that memorable and miserable day,—the 29th January, 1897—when the first Band Contest- was held in the To Aroha Domain in the midst of such a deluge of rain as it Ip. seldom been our lot to see. NorSnTtheir leader’s enthusiasm end in a tireless personal devotion as in order to place the band on a more equal footing, with the other competitors he himself guaranteed the payment of a number of new instruments ordered at the, music-dealers. His departure was a serious blow to the general prosperity of the institution, and it says much for the grit, determination and ability of the members that they have been able to maintain so firm a front in the face of such a loss and such a musically dull season. We are about to change all this, however. The Borough officials will take the Band under their wing, aud proper provision will be made to enable the members to secure the services of a paid conductor. As at present con stitutod it is impossible to bring the band up to the necessary pitch of periection. The standard of its playing must be raised, and that can only he effec od with practice and the,regular attendance at practices ;of both members and conductor, which, as far as the latter is concerned at present, is impossible. A conductor’s duties are of such a nature as will not permit of their proper discharge without ample leisure. If expediency demands his employment outside his vocation as a musician, his hours should be limited and the work not so great as to overtax his physical or mental 1 resources, for in concerted music thß players to a higher degree than the lay mind may deem possible, depend for their inspiration, and the verve of their performance in consequence, upon the magnetic influence of the wielder of the baton. It is a mistaken, if common idea, to suppose that a conductor is merely there to beat time. Tho number of really great conductors can be counted on one hand and take rank almost with the creators of the works they inter pret with the - aid of the varied in-

struments composing an orchestra, upon which they piay with, the invisible forces of their exquisite genius We think a couple of guineas a week not too much to offer for the services of a good musician, who will be able to devote the greater portion of his time to the musical interests of the Borough by arranging concerts and daily performances during the season. We are convinced that, given a good leader, men will not be slow to come forward, for it will, in addition to their love of music, be an appeal to their self-interest to have an opportunity of serving under the banner of a_ really accomplished man. We consider, therefore, that the key-note of the Borough’s policy in matters musical should be to secure the ser-

vices of a first-class man and then—severely leave the rest to him.