Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-02-02
MUSIC OF THE STREETS.
THE FORTY BRAYlNG BANDS OF
NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN.

A Census of the Discord Makers of the
Metropolis-The Leaderless Band o
Three Pieces-Hand Organ, Violin and
Harp-Vhistlers.
Much that is musical, and more that is ea1
rending and head splitting in its discord, is
footed, blown, ratified, squeaked and pounded
by the thousand odd players on instruments
who pick up living in the streets of New
York and Brooklyn. This regiment of itin.
Grant destroyers of harmony and disturbers
of peace is made up of about ten divisions.
By far the largest Of these divisions is the
one that numbers in its ranks the gutter
bands. Then come the grinders of the
wheezy organs. Next on the list are the
manipulators of the crank pianos. The
banjo players follow in order, and then the
field is filled with the violinists, harpers. cor
net soloists, pipers, singers and whistlers.
There are more than forty street bands
footing for pennies in the two cities every
pleasant day. Three or four of these bands
number eight or ten performers each, and
they get themselves up in pretty good style
SO far as uniforms are concerned. The leader
is usually man of middle age, and, with the
exception of the strong lunged individual
who operates the bass horn and the man who
helps the leader out on the cornet end. the
players are all boys. They make pretty good
music when they are feeling well.
Other street bands have as few as three
pieces-cornet, alto and bass horn. Bands Of
this description play in front of saloons. and
they are usually leaderless. Sometimes the
alto horn gets under way before the cornet
and its deeper toned neighbor, and Just as
frequently the bass horn starts in first. Of
all the noises that are forced through inner
feet horns, that of the leaderless band of
three pieces is unqrestionably the worst.
Yet these bands manage to pick up between
Sc and IS day.
THE ORGAN GRINDER.
The organ grinder las long been with US.
He is remembered by the oldest inhabitant,
and, judging from the doleful strains of
Yankee Doodle" and kindred selections that
are heard on the street, the organs have been
IN use for many years. This instrument is
immensely popular with the children. 1t
matters not how discordant its efforts at
music may be, they like it. In the tenement
house districts an organ grinder is sure to
get five cents tune, and it takes less than
i've minutes to grind but selection with a
methodical man at the crank. There are
over seventy-fye old igsl .oned hand organs
in use in and about NV York, and it is a
poor day when they faii &c charm $3.50 from
the children and mothers
The crank piano is a natural outgrowth of
the hand organ. Progressive civilization de-
manded something better than wheezy
organs, and the rattlety bang piano was in
troduced to fill the long felt want, as it were.
IL really has some claim on the public ear.
In the first place it gives us music that is
new. Snatches from the pop
ular comic operas are common with it, and
the way it renders them is not entirely void
OF interest There are thirty street hand
pianos on regular duty.
Good banjo music is scarce on the street
Of the dozen odd players who make their liv-
ing around town by humping this instru-
ment, all but one are negroes There are two
banjo players up town who know how to play
right well. They frequent the saloons during
5he winter time, and whenever they find a
party OF young fellows who are out for the
hight they make good money. One can stand
more OF banjo music than he can of any other
Kind. While the hand organ becomes intol-
'rable in ten minutes, tle banjo is listened to
With interest for an hour The banjo timer
ints usually travel in pairs, and plantation |
melodies go with the music.
VIOLIN AND HARP.
AS nearly as can be fascertained there are |
en- vlolin-harp combinations in existence in |
New York city. These players are entitled to |
more merit as musicians than any that play |
N the street for what the public is pleased to |
i've them. 1t requires years of training to |
'ecome at all proficient as violinist or
larpist, and it costs something, too. Out of |
twenty-five persons who undertake to master
he violin, not more than one is ever able to
make good music. Considering this fact for
is fact, it is remarkable that all the
treet violinists are capable musicians. Damp
weather. and cracked instruments do much to
make otherwise good music squeaky and dis
greeable.
The hey day of the piper has passed, and the
lpes are now novelty. Once or twice
ear their peculiar muse can be heard on the
treets along the river front, but it doesn't
aem to take as it used to, and the pipers get
isgusted and quit.
Three whistlers-a white man in Brooklyn,
negro up town and q negro down town
ucker their respective mouths to the latest
opular airs on the city streets. For whist
ng that appeals to onss change pocket the
egro up town has the decided advantage.
[e has way of rendering "Way Down
pon the Suwanee River" that is truly me-
'dious. The down town negro makes a spe-
alty of whistling tunes that have varia-
ons. He can give you the Knocking Birdn
| twelve different styles, and is practicing
4 the thirteenth He can initiate canary
} cleverly that the birds own mother
)uldn't tell the difference.
Singing in the street requires great lung
over, and it Is hard work The only sue.
,ssful street singer in the two cities is a wo.
AN about so years OF age, whose voice is
veet and plaintive, and whose sad face
rings her money when her efforts at vocal
ltertainment faiL-New York Star.