The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-11-28
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
sousa,s Band.


When Patrick Sarsfeld Gilmore inau-
gurated the great jubilee concerts in
Boston 20 odd years ago, one of the great
features was the appearance of the great
est bands then known to the musical
world. Among them were the cele-
brated Garde Republicaine of Paris, the
Grenadier Guards of London-of which
the famous Godfrey was bandmaster-
the band of the Irish Constabulary from
Dublin, the United States Marine Band,
J. Philip Sousa leader-whose band was
heard in City Hall Saturday Gilmore's
and the American Band of Providence,
D. w. Reeves bandmaster, who now
leads Gilmore's Band. These were
some of the great musical organizations
present but the Garde Republicaine was
the one out of all of them that
gained the laurels of the performances.
This was owing not only to the perfec-
ton of their technique, but also to the
fact that they employed instruments
then not generally familiar to band Or
CARNATIONS. These instruments enabled
the band to give delicacy of tone shad-
ing that was almost unknown outside of
grand string orchestras. Gilmore, was
quick to see what advantages were to be
derived from such instruments and he,
in recognizing his band, introduced
them. 1t wasn't long before the effect
was seen in the reputation Gilmore's
Band obtained, and this eliminated with
their trip abroad. When Gilmore died
Mr.. Sousa secured many Of his old solo
lists and bandsmen and incorporated
them in his band. AS result we now
have in this country a band that ap.
proaches as near perfection as one can
expect.
That the audiences in City Hall
thought so Saturday afternoon and eve
ming, no one could doubt, for every num-
Der but one was encored and Mr.. Sousa
most graciously responded to the re-
quest The band is an organization of
artists. The purity and beauty of tone,
the delicate contrasts of light and shade,
the smoethness and sweetness of the
pianissimos give the refined effects of a
string orchestra. And besides all this
there is the great volume of sound that
enables it to give the grand dramatic eli
makes of a military band superbly.
Throughout every number of the pro-
gramme they play with a life, spirit,
that is delightful. 1t is a pleasure to
watch Sousa as he leads. In the great
swinging movements of the music his
arms swing in rhythm with it; in little
delicate touches he seems to pick them
out with his baton, and in the numbers
where the bass drum comes in like can
non ball-as in the mad race of Peer
Gynt-it seems as if he was throwing
the ball.
All kinds of music. from the grand
overture to "Semiramide'' to "Ta-ra-ra-
boom-de-aye, y from his own delightful
composition of the chariot race from
"Ben hur,' or ''Sheridan's Ride to the
imitation of the Salvation Army were
given a rendering that held the senses
captive.
The soloists, Mile. Lindh, Signor Ga
lassi and Liberati, the cornet player,
Smith, the cornet player, and Raffayolo
on the euphonium, were all excellent and
each one encored, The band will be
heard here again in 1898.
andI
~ and l." with its hosts of pretty
girls, its convulsing, mirth provoking
it's dances and it's songs will
be seen at Portland Theatre tomorrow
evening and tickets should be procured
today. Mr.. Geor P. Murphy is at his
best in the German dialect part of Pro-
lessor Ungerblotz; the Irish character is
played by E. ]. Heffernan, one of the
best of Irish comedians; then there is
Kitty Kursale, the soubrette, one of those
elusive, restless midgets, who dances
eleverly and sings we'll and says impu-
dent things to all the other people on
the stage.
Grimmer's orchestra will play the fol-
owing selections:
oyerture-Rosalnd. ............ GruenWaId
(by request). Morse
to Chinatown (new).. .Gaunt
The Darkies' Jubilee (by request -. Turner
A Fair Rebel.
ga Fair Rebel" comedy drama
which had SO long run at the Four
5eenth Street Theatre, New York City,
asst season, will be presented at Port
and Theatre Friday and Saturday. De-
,ember End and 3rd, with a matinee on
with all its original scenery
md splendor. This charming play has