The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-24
STORY OF THE ROAD.
Experience OF An Orchestra Leader
in Small Towns.
The Kind OF Musicians He Has to Deal
With Frequently.

| There IL popular lhlprcsslon tnat tlc
leader of the orchestra at a thoater has an
especially easy time of it. He comes out
from under tie stage after tho rest of the
| musicians are seated, gives supercilious
| glance at the house. takes his seat, taps
| his baton on the music stand in "A dis
| interested sort of way and conducts.
IL looks as If any one with AN ear for
1 music could conduct just wave your
arms through the air ut the right time.
| That's all. In fact even that seems
| superfiuods, for the musicians apparently
/ pay no attention 60 tho leader.
| There are probably rohcarsals to attend,
| and when comic opera is on the leader
| has "A trife more work cut out for him.
| Altogether, his lot must be an easy one
Il don't think. Travelling musical,
farce and variety shows carry their leader
/ Ell tour.
| "You must know said a leader of con
| siderable experience to News reporter,
THAT the orchestra leader, no matter how
| thorough a musician or how sensitive he
may b., Is the recognized storm center for
| all complaints. The manager feels justi-
| fled in criticising him, and 40 does every
| one else down TO the lantern jawcd Irish
break -ne:k actor, who wouldn't know n
| note of music from "a page Of Greek and
| has voice like IA steam calliopc.
"We recognize the fact that every one In
the house-front and back-will upbraid
/
business, which wo are vain enough TO
believe we understand. Let us take the
burlesque field for that Is the most prolific
| In experiences.
II will pass over the rehearsals where L
have To personally instruct nine out OF
ten of the company in the elements of the
| art, mystery or science of singing. i, of
| course, travel with the company, and it
| Is my business, as soon as we make n
town, To hustle over TO the theatre and
| rehearse the orchestra.
1--WE do not carry musicians with us.
| 1t is the duty of the local manager TO sup
| ply them. With buriesque company the
| orchestra has 10 work all the time, be
especially quick taking music cues and be
| up in "a long array of musical selections.
| For instance, variety actor has funny
| fall in his turn, and the drummer has to
crash the cymbals and thump the drum at
| just the instant the comedian falls or else
| the effect Is lost and the laugh is on the
comedian instead of with him.
| $50 much for his general duties The
| bane of his life is getting together and
| rehearsing jay orchestras. Early in the
season / struck little one night-stand in
the northern part of New York. | went
| Mt once to the opera house. lt was cold as
| ice. They didn't light up the furnaces
! until evening. Instead OF the ten compc-
| tent musicians that had been promised me
| found a lonesome individual who played
the bass viol.
Where are the rest of them?' - | asked.
'Oh, they'll be along after awhile, he
replied, nonchalantly. 'Hockheimer, the
first violin, can't be here, though. He is
/ going oyer To ratlle in Perkinsyille
Smith said he'd bo here at three. He's the
trombonist, and conducts the largest un-
dertaking business In the country. Had n
funeral on at two, but said he'd hustle it
along. Stewart the grocer, is the pianist
He can't get round for rehearsal, as he
had To get in load Of wood, but will be
here all right this evening.
" Well, how Will he know the muster
7" 'Stewarty Oh, Stewart doesn't need
rehearsals. He can play anything. Plays
by ear. Baker, the blacksmith plays
the tuba, and Livermore, clerk at the
drums. They'll be here any minute.
II sat round and tried To keep warm.
II was the only thing could dn--I gave
the 'cellist his music to run over, and
waited Alter while they strolled in.
What do you think l got for n bandY
This Is it--Snare drum, bass drum, Gym
| balls tuba two trombones and three cor
| nets! Do you wonder that i am prcma-
| turely grayg Not n violin, not a clarinet,
| nor even did pianist turn up 1 played
the piano myself and we raised riot
| drowned the voice of every singer on the
stage---gavc the full crashes five minutes
| after the comedian had landed on his
| back and nearly broke up the show.
Again. Early in the season we found
| ourselves in little town in Massachu
| setts. For N wonder everything went
| well at rehearsal had eleven musicians,
and they all knew their business The
| cornetist was "a typical village sharp, the
| sort of fellow who always holds the center
| of the stage in the local grocery store
| when the problems of the hour are being
| discussed. He was the barber Rather
| tall, well built with u palpably dyed
hlue- bIarE mntlstnchp and buShy eve
brows, he was quite impressive, and L
should add apparently very popular
| man.
1.-THE performance began. From the
| opening chorus things went first-ratc,
| and tho crowded house were enjoying
themselves. About 9 o'clock we were
| playing spirited medley toward the
| close Of the first part. Everybody was
| interested and every member of the band
was playing at his best
Suddenly "A church bell near by rang
| out clear aud loud. IL was plainly heard
above the music Again it rang The
cornctist dropped his cornet, listened in
tcntly for moment, and then, scizing
his hat, rushed up the center aisle In
| the twinkling OF an eye he was followed
| by every member of tho orchestra. and
| they in turn were followed by two thirds
of the audience. What was the mattcrg
| Tho performance came TO dead stand
| still. The people on the stage looked Mt
| one another In ama2cment
DO you know what caused this para
lying actlonY Simply this A barn two
miles of was on fire. My cornetist was
the foreman Of the local fire department.
and every member of the orchestra was u
volunteer fireman. or course the pcrfor
nance was practically killed. We made a
| bluff of finishing the bill Co ~ handful Of
spectators, / officiating at the piano.
"Oncc we were touring the mining
towns of Western Pennsylvania and
landed In n particularly lively town,
The advance sale had been hoayy AS we