Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-02
z,rHER N BANJO.
Two Musical Instrument Which Are In.
ceedingly Popular at Present.

ceedingly Popular ut Present.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." are the
sounds heard almost any afternoon I
evening By a person ascending arather
dingy staircase in a two-story build.
ing adjoining the Milwaukee, Street, car
company's barn on West Water street.
A sign on the outside door bears the
legend edgar manufacturer" and the
odor of the weed permcates the entire
building. Entering a room at the
head of the stairs a number of men at
work rolling tobacco leaf are seen, and
one is directed to a small Office whence
comes the b%anjo's strains. The cigar
manufacturer is engaged in giving a
lesson on the banjo to a young mar
we'll known in social circles. 1t is said
that he is the only instructor Of
banjo playing in this city. Speaking
of the extent of drumming done here
he said: Il have been giving instruc
tions on this instrument for the past
five years, and though my classes have
always been of good size, 1 have more
pupils this year than ever before. 1t is
an accomplishment that is being Guilt
waited quite generally in all parts Of
the country, and I believe that the
banjo business, both for manufacturers
of banjos and instructors, has been un-
p~recedentcdly large everywhere. At the
beginning of the winter I gave all my
lessons in the evening and went around
to the pupils residence, but now I
have fitted up this little office and
only 60 out for lady pupils
"Who are your pupils"
"They are all of them young people
and include some very we'll known
ladies and gentlemen. The ladies as a
rule learn to play very we'll and easily,
while the gentlemen, especially this
year, are also ready at acquiring the
art"
"'What is the price of a banjo?"
''That varies accordingt to the quality
Of the instrument. You can buy one
for almost any price, but if you select
one of the best make and finish you
will have to pay in the ne!ghborhood Of
fifty dollars. 1t is the same as with
other instruments. Those producing
the best tone are the most desirable,
ind, therefore, the most expensive.
No, 1 don't have many German patrons.
The banjo is essentially an American
instrument and is not cultivated much
by foreigners"
An investigation suggested by this
last remark showed that the Germans
10 not take to the banjo much, but
prefer the either or the guitar. A
teacher of the either said: II can only
estimate the number of either players
IS they have never been counted anC
there are.several other teachers beside!
myself. However, Judging from wha
[ know about either players, l should
say there were upwards of two hundred
in the city. There are already two
either clubs and a third one is in pro
cess of formation. Almost all of my
pupils are Germans. 1t is not a yer,
lifficult instrument to learn, but re
quires assiduous practice. The concer
ether gives by far the best tone and i
the kind used by good players. Til
good zithers r imported from Ger
many and you can get a fine one from
fifty to one hundred and twenty dollar
according to the finish. The cheape
zithers have but thirty-onc strings in
stead of thirty-cight and do not have a
rood a tone. These can be had fror
sight up to thirty dollars. Neither c
he clubs has yet appeared in concert
out the effect of a dozen or more 9Th
,rs is very, fine. "-Milwnukee Sentinel