Morning journal and courier., 1881-06-04
German Music.
How it is Dealt Out Free to All at Stutt-
Eart.
ATTIC

gart.
[Stuttgart Letter.l
CarIs band is the famous band here. 1t is
to Stuttgart what Theodore Thomas band or
orchestra is to New York The bands in
Germany are all famous-that is, with for
eigners, for they all play so well and with
such wonderful skill. But some of them have
greater regulations and are greater favorites
than others. Carls band, which is attached
to one of the kings regiments. has sixty
members. and each member, it is said, Is a
star player on his particular instrument, and
if the cornet, the trumpet, the trombone, or
even the man who clangs the cymbals or beats
the bass drum is called upon by an audience
for solo, he can respond in manner and
with skill that will bring down the house"
with applause. Carl himself is great musi-
clan and has become celebrat as compos-
er. He is such musical enthusiast that it
is said he does nothing but drill his band from
early morning until late at night, and the
members have become SO proficient by long
and thorough training that they are the mas
ters of not only one instrument but of sever
al, and are equally ''at home on violins,
clarionets, post horns, harps, trombones,
citherns, mandolins, pianos or church organs.
One of the great pleasures derived from
living in Stuttgart is the free concert which
is given every day by the band in the kiosk
in front of the kings palace. At precisely
11:50 at midday drum and fife corps of
infantry company of about 100 men file out
of the grounds of the military barracks in
the upper part of the city and proceed toward
the kings palace 1t has the appearance of
grand military review, only on very small
scale. Not only the infantry company but
both bands are in full German military Co.'S
TUNES, with side arms and brass helmet hats,
as if for dress parade before the king They
have to march the whole length of Konig-
strasse, which is the Broadway of Stuttgart.
It ia fine wide street. about half q mile long
and lined on both sides with elegant shops
and private palaces. little before II it
city were gathering on this street in anticipa-
ton of the coming of Carl's band. AS the
clock strikes II (the German military are
precise on time) the bands escorting the in
fantry emerge from side street into Konig
strasse. They strike up some martial music,
q quickstep or a march, which seems TO start
the city into life. The crowd begins to grow
more dense every moment; people pour out
from the side streets and from all directions
storekeepers and clerks forsake their coun-
ters and rush out on to the sidewalks Schools
close at IL and scholars by the hundreds with
their knapsacks strapped to their backs rush
pell-men to get as near the music as possible.
The throngs of people who were walking up
the street to meet the band turn about and
march down withsit. The wide street side
walks included in both directions are black
with people All are marching and keeping
step to the music. From distance it looks
like an immense moving mob that gathers
new strength as 1t rolls along. The show of
military is of no account--Carrs band,
which is playing SO splendidly, occasionally
relieved by the fife and drum corps, ahsorhs
the attention of the multitude.