The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-07
MUSIC IN 7HE AIR.
Experimental Popular Concert
in Van Worst Park-The
Crowd and the Pro-
gramme.
gramme

Apout Two unousAlFu PSx@Yt<S SaEueieu a""o
night to near TIE experimental music of
Prof. Holden's band in Van Worst Park. The
concert was experimental @becadse the band
was on trial. If the music furnished by it
was sufficiently attractive to induce a large
crowd to assemble, and also of such achar-
acter that the wealthy residents whose man
slons surround the park, would sit at their
windows or on the brown stone stoops to
listen, then Prof. Holden and his band were
to be engaged,to give a concert each Friday
night for eight weeks. II the result was
otherwise, the first concert was to be the
last. The music furnished last night was
absolutely free. If 1t pleased the Subscrip-
ton Committee, eight more concerts will be
given, and the musicians will be well paid
for their services each night.
Professor Holden some time ago suggested
that concerts for the poor should be given in
the very heart of the residence territory of
the rich, and he succeeded in interesting the
Rev. John L. Scudder, Chief Murphy. VIM.
Turner, Joseph E. Moore, Ewald Brothers,
Captain Fred Farrier. DR.. William R.
Denton, Marty Collins and H.. H. Aber-
nethy in his plans. Each Of these gentlemen
subscribed 800 towards the project. proyid-
ing the Professor would give one expert
mental concert, just to show the people gen
orally and the subscribers particularly what
a fine band he welded a baton over.
THE CROWD.
Sixteen policemen were present under
Roundsman Hopkins 10 handle The crowd.
Chief Murphy and Captain Farrier, too,
were present in citizens dress. All were
kept busy by the lively boys and girls Who
made VI a large part of the crowd OF
| course there was nothing like real disorder,
but all were out on q frolic, and they were
bound to have it. The people were permit
ted to stand on..the walks in the park, and on
the grass at the east side of the music stand
and around the fountain. The few benches
along the walks were crowded, many OF
them by men who watched with curious
interest fragile women holding big babies in
their arms. The men were entirely too
strong and healthy to stand up. and SO these
overburdened women failed to obtain seats.
TIL Street and Water Commissioners have
promised to place one hundred more benches
in the park before next Friday. No persons
were permitted to stand still on the side
walks outside the park for the police kept
them moving. Very few people sat on the
stoops of their houses around the Dark. The
residents appeared to be Indifferent about
the thigh class music" which the pro-
gramme consisted of, according to its own
allegation.
The programme was no doubt right in its
classification, because a cornet player rend-
| cred tsSweet Marie with an expression that
LA Aul10 OISdu ID ySb ~ COufOJi
and another soloist did "You Can't Lose Me,
Charley" with a vigor that indicated sin
certify. One of the features of the concert
was the electric light furnished by Robert
Elliott of the gas monopoly. As might be
expected, when the band played selections
from Wang the lights could not stand the
/ Interpretation. They went out at the crit
ical point where Della Fox had finished her
supposed solo and De Wolf Hopper was be-
ginning his funny business. The banG had
doubtlessly been pc ted on the NOW you see
and now you don't see" illumination system
Of this city. for with the dying light the
music in poetic sympathy expired also.
Someone in the electric light shops must
have given the frank another turn, however,
for after a brief delay the lights r~eappeared
and the band resumed its blowing.
Mr.. John s.. Moore, who a charge of the
! programme and acted as master of ceremon-
les, in his modest way informed me that the
members of the band would have been COM
PEELED to sit on the floor of the stand and let
their feet hang over, had it not been for the
thoughtfulness of Messrs. Brush & Alberts,
who kindly loaned them chairs.
THE PROGRAMME
The programme followed by the band last
,ior1,f rr,ac a 9 faI1ourc.