Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-05-30
A NOISE IN THE WORLD.
The Traps of the Elgin Band is Bound
to Make 1t.
A Description OF Some of the Peculiar Articles
he Uses for the Production of His Share
of the Grand Harmony.

| band create such furore among the Wis
itors to the Texas Spring Palace as with
their descriptive numbers. These pieces
are put on so naturally, and with such
| accurate delineation of the scenes and
! occurrences which they are supposed to
| portray, that all classes of listeners are
! charmed as they follow the strains and
| imbibe the incidents depicted. The diff
| ferent sounds which are interpolated,
and which strike with startling
effect upon eager ears, seem to
come naturally into harmony
| and the recipient mind is not inclined to
inquire into the methods of their produc-
| ton. But the sounds are produced, and
somebody produces them.
AT the rear of the band stand and be-
hind all the other musicians is seated one
young man surrounded by all imaginable
sorts of utensils, which would appear to
have no connection with the production
of sweet sounds by a great band; and
every day while the musical programmes
are being rendered whole crowds lean
manipulation of these different
articles BY their talented master.
If this man were arrested he
could produce evidence that he is
master OF every trade. In the pro-
duction of his share of the sound which
comprises the grand harmony of the
great Elgin band he uses every imagin-
able instrument.
In the ordinary band of musicians
with which Texas people are mostly
familiar the talents of the snare drum
mer are not given a wide range of use
fulness. To produce the raty-tat-tat
for march time is his most conspicuous
duty. In the great musical combinations
of the world, however, the snare drum
mer is one of the most, if not
the most important character.
He is usually known as Craps be-
cause of the numerous apparently useless
nioknacl1s he carries with him.
The gentleman who presides over this
department in the Elgin band is properly
named E. f. Segerson. He is said to
carry more different articles for the exc
cution of the parts assigned him than any
"traps'' in the world. To successfully
attend to his business he must be thor
ough musician, have fine ear for har-
mony, and read notes like cat, for
sometimes his parts are qued in most
horribly.
Traps" is seated in the rear of the
Elgin band at the Spring Palace, as
aforesaid, and there q GAZETTE man
found him yesterday, in the midst of his
Isliale RS of trade, like blacksmith
4fis MONDAY siesta.i On all hands
sswere evidences of a hard struggle, and
Mr.. Segerson obligingly explained the
use of each. Prominent in the collection
is row of five large silver bells hanging
from high frame. "'Those, - he ex-
planned, 'fare TO initiate a chime of
church bells or the tolling in funeral
scene. You hear them in the chimes of
Normandy or in the Monastery bells.
They also initiate q fire alarm in some of
our descriptive music. 1 also can
produce an imitation Of a chime
with these. These are what you call q
cymbalphone. They are the same as a
xylophone, only they are hollow. They
are made of Turkish bell metal. l some
times play solo on them the same as a
xylophone. You observe those big an
wills? They are the ordinary article. 1
store. use them in such pieces as the
anvil GLORIOUS, the Jolly Blacksmith and
other heavy choruses.
THAT xylophene? No that is what
are called piano bells. They sound like
a piano. only you tap them with a ham
mer. Then these steel bells are the
same again. The piano bells, steel
bells, xylophone and cymbalphone are
all pretty much alike in appearance to
the uninitiated, but they each produce a
different character of sound.
''Those are castanets-the regular
Spanish article. You see have several
kinds of them. 1 use them in Spanish
and Mexican music, particularly il the
waltZes and dance music generally.
They are very effective. These tambo-
rines are used a good deal in the same
kinds of music.
eyes, that is an ordinary scrub brush.
1t don t look much like musical instru-
ment, that's so; but it is an important
article. Just rub your hand over il
hard. Don t it sound like water? That's
what we use it for. When we want the
effect of purling rill we use the scrub
brush.
''Now keep your hands out of that
cigar box. There's nothing in it. It
was empty when 1 got it. OF course I
have use for it. When we play horn
pipe or reel somebody has to dance. 1
am good dancer on cigar box.
drum with these sticks on the box. and
the effect is so natural that the audience
peeps around to see the dancer.
"'That cowbell is used in one of Pro-
fessor Hecker's comical compositions.
The strings of sleighbells are jingled in
pieces descriptive of sleigh rides and
winter festivities generally. Down South
they would not be so much appreciated
as up North where they are a familiar
sound TO the ear.
"Watch out there, or you'll scratch
the skin off your hand with that sand
paper. I can't get along without the
sand paper. 1 dance jigs with that.
Listen and I'll dance, and as the &C.
complished young man rubbed two pieces
of the paper together in his deft hands,
visions of the pigeon wing and double
shuttle would arise with amazing distinct
ness.
"See that little TIN bird? 1t looks nat
ural don't It? Wait till I put in the
mouth piece and you can hear q mock
ing bird. See bin wiggls his tail and
head2 have another bird that produces
the same effect only l fill this one with
water so as to give the sound a ripping
tone. You see this little sprinkllng pot?
never did any gardening in my life,
but know how to use this pot. You fill
it with water and blow through the spout,
and the imitation of q cricket or mock
ing bird is produced so naturally that
you look around for the songster.
sfHandle that piece of wood carefully.