Huntsville gazette., 1888-05-26
THE GERMAN BAND.
Pcripatetic Musicians Who Can BE Found
All Over the Globe. eraaiAeee ,---,

All over the Globe.
A more lugubrious spectacle than is
presented by German band droning
forth Herr. mein Hlrz' in front of
| your window in snow-storm it would
be difficult to imagine. We suffer
much from German bands. but we
have only ourselves to thank. Hove
music, and l am possessed by the de-
lusion that it is my duty to encourage
the practice OF instrumental execu-
ton. Eve or six years ago there was
band Of eight or nine performers
who perambulated Norfolk, and they
came to me at least once q month.
When they appeared l went out TO
them and gave them shilling. air.
ing my small modicum of German
periodically, and receiving fattering
compliments upon my pronunciation.
which gratified me exceedingly. These
people disappeared at last, but they
were succeeded by another band, and
very inferior one. and l took but
little notice of them. There were
seven Of these performers, cornet and
two clarionets being prominent-very-
However, they got their shilling and
vanished. Three days after their
departure came another band; this
time there were only four ] thought
that rather shabby, but l was busy.
did not take much notice of them, and
again gave them shilling. The cor
net-player was really quite respecta
1nx
there was no cornet, only the abomin-
able clarionet. 1t was insufferable. ]
said / really must restrict myself to
sixpence. and that was fourpence
moro than they were worth. Two
days after their departure came sim
gle solitary performer; he had q pan.
pipe fastened under his chin, q peal OF
bells on his head, which he caused to
peal by his mods, pair of cymbals at
tached to one of his elbows, q big drum
which he beat by the hold of crank
that he worked with one Of his feet.
and q powerful concertina which he
| played with his hands. He led of
with dolorous chorale in minor
key 1t was really more than flesh
and blood could bear. Send him
away, Jemima. Send him away
Instantly! Tell him am
schr krGnk. Send him away"'
The fellow smiled with nnctuous COM
placency. But when he got only two
pence, his face fell. Zach, nein! You
p1aise. % professor, he geeve one
shilling to &c band-I am 20 band.
He geeve re band only twopence. He
do not understand l am re band! You
plaise tell him I am ze bandr' mo!
You're to 90 away. Masters very
krankyr z, band loitered for half
minute, then it took itself 10 pieces
and went its way. But the fellows
hint about the shilling was significant,
and led to an investigation, Then il
turned out that the band of seven or
eight which was going its rounds that
year. split itself up when it came into
my ncighborhood, and. in view of my
shilling presented itself in two de-
tachments, each of which reckoned OH
my shilling, and several times carried
it off. Now give one penny for each
i OilJ NhOh OiiOIO 40 ~
cornet do I send out coffee to the in
'strumentalists.
1t was. however not in flesh and
blood to withhold the shilling from
the players of that quartet on that
bitter morning 1t was heartrending
to think of their having at the peril Of
their lives staggered through three
miles of snow-drifts. 1t was inhuman
to send them away without coffee.
And they had it accordingly. Poor
things! poor things! Where were they
going! They were going back to the
Red Lion" stones throw off, where
they had slept the night before, and
where they meant TO spend this night
in delighting the hearts of the rustics
by waltzes and polkas, and gathering
not such q bad harvest for the nonce.
"Lor' sirr' said Mr.. Style, ITO hear
that there trombone soleing Rule
Britannica That made you feel he
was real musician-that he did,"
Dr. J8ss0pp IN Nineteenth Century.