The free press., 1897-03-18
EXPENSIVE BRASS BANDS.
Over Ten Thousand Dollars for Jewelleo
CoYnet,

Cornet.
The writer was recently accorded the
privilege of peep into the museum at
tached to the factory of one Of the
largest firms of brass instrument max
ers in London. Here are to be seen
types, fac-similes and models OF every
kind of musical instrument that the
mind of man has ever devised, invented
or produced.
In one corner is a duplicate of what
is believed to be the most costly pre-
sentation cornet ever produced. 1t was
made to the order of the late Car of
Russia, and is of sterling silver, richly
craven with various devices, among
which the arms of the imperial house
of Romanoff figure conspicuously. The
whole of the ornamentation is of beaten
gold filigree work, and the bell OF
the instrument is thickly incrusted with
rubies and emeralds. Its net value is
trife over 1000 guineas.
A melancholy interest attaches to a
battered and blood-stained bugle which
was picked up on the field OF lsandl'
wana. In add4tion to the dark patches
which were once splashes of wet
blood-sundry fragments of woody hair
were adhering to the bell of the instru-
ment when first found, a pretty conclu'
sive indication that the gallant owner
had used it in a last desperate effort to
beat off his relentless foes. 1t may be
some ebony-skinned Zulu still wanders
about with an indentation in his skull
whom it would be difficult to convince
that music hath charms"
Near to this interesting relic is fac
simile of a set of drums which We're
made for the new Rhodesia Horse. The
popularity lies in the fact that the
cases are of aluminium, precaution
rendered necessary by the number Of
white ants that infest that country.
The other instruments are of brass,
silver-plated, and the whole band cost
some 1850
The above is, of course, a compare
lively modest turnout For the real
gorgeousness in brass bands it is neceS-
sary to inspect some of the costly and
magnificent sets of instruments turned
out for eastern potentates. The bands
of even the smartest of our crack cav
airy corps are absolutely not in it, so
far as elegance of appearance is con
cerned, with the private bands of some
of our Indian tributary princes, ST.
though probably the latter would have
to give the former several points if 1t
came to a musical contest between
them.
The private band of the Rao of Clutch,
for instance, cost originally $500, and
renews most of the instruments every
four or five years. The tiger skin used
by the Raos big drummer, which was
sent over here to be prepared and
mounted, was taken from an animal
killed by his highness, and measured
over seven feet in length. 1t is lined
throughout with heavy corded crimson
silk, and the brutes eyes are simulated
by pair of big yellow diamonds.
Another very fine band was made
three years ago to the order of the late
Shah of Persia. All the instruments
were of pure silver-which, by the way
does not give forth so good a sound as
brass, besides being far heavier tx
handle-inlaid with gold. The tota
cost of this band e luxe was a trilt
| under 5000 guineas. A very different
kind of band was that made last year
by the same firm, for the Mimkish In
| dians, a tribe of savages living neal
Alert Bay, in British Columbia. The
| band is nearly all drum, and the mouth
| pieces of the few brass instruments arr
! tipped with india rubber to obviate thu
inconvenience of applying metal to tn,
lips in temperature of some 80 or Al
| degrees below zero.
| A curious order was received a shor
time ago from the Emperor of Morocco
1t was for eighty clarionets for ONT
band. AS the instruments in question
were all in one key, it is probable tina
they were to be played in unison. The
| effect upon an average man of eighty
| band clarionets blown simultaneouslJ
| would probably be to create in him 6
| wild desire to take to the woods and be
| come an aborigine. Even to imagine
| such an ear-piercing combination seti
ones tympanum quivering.-Londor
| Answers.