The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-03

very few minutes, while / held the
score, and answered such questions as
he asked, produced the lines as thew
were so long used with the music. He
mad them rendered at that time and
often thereafter.
1t was in 1875, when Kalakaua was
arranging to go to the United States
on the American warship Benecia that
the question of a National air came up.
Lieut.. Graham, who was a jolly good
fellow, first spoke of it. The King told
him we always used the British an
them, but Graham suggested that some
thing else would go better in Uncle
Sans Domain. His Majesty mention
ed at once the piece that had struck
his fancy at Kailua, and sent for his
sister 'Liliuo,' as he called her. He
remarked she was musical and we'll
able to judge or criticise She came
and competition was broached as an
idea. A call was made without delay
for compositions and a day of trial
appointed. Well, it was my entry first
and the rest nowhere Kalakaua fav-
ored it. Graham declared it was the
best and as I remember, Princess Lii
liuokalani complimented it, saying that
it had merit and was melodious.
"And that's how Hawaii Ponoi' hap
pened," continued the Captain, lex
cepting that Yankee publisher cheat
ed me. The music was sent on to the
State ahead of Kalakaua's visit on be-
half of the Reciprocity treaty and was
brought out handsomely with picture
OF the King. 1t had quite a general
run, but not cent of pay or royalty
did | get, never thinking of a copy
right. The rascals sent me 100 copies
to sell and with them $50 draft on me.
but l was not to be imposed upon to
that extent and sent back both pack
age and bill.'
While Captain Berger grants there
are many superb bands in the United
States, including Souza's, the best in
the world, he asserts musical knowl-
edge is less general in that country
than in any he has visited One of
the instances or observations going to
make up this impression with him is
the following:
In 1883, the Hawaiian National Band
was at the Knights Templar conclave
at San Francisco and took all the blue
ribbons in sight. They were at the
pavilion every evening and at the end
of each program gave Hawaii Ponoi"
and 'Star Spangled Banner" and the
innovation took like Marching
Through Georgia"
One morning, DR.. May, chairman of
trthe committee on music called upon
the conductor of the band from the
Paradise of the Pacific and hurriedly
said: 81 don't want to dictate your
work, but that last tune you play and
sing is getting mighty tiresome to me
and l guess to everybody else. It's all
right, you know, and sounds well, but
enough's enough, even of good thing,
as the half drowned horse thief re-
marked when they were preparing to
hang him"
Captain Berger could not help laugh
ing in DR.: Mays face, and being called
to account told him the Objectionable
last tune was "The Star Spangled
Banner" DR. May was frightfully
crestfallen. He promised to do any
thing to gain the leaders, silence and
urged that the tune" be given twice,
with a wine supper to follow.
Besides being the first musician of
the Islands in public way, Captain
Berger is very we'll liked personally
and is ever ready to assist on any Oc-
casion when his talents may be re-
quired