Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-03-20
SOUSA AND HIS BAND.
Two Performances to Enthusiastic Audi
ences in Mechanics Hall.

John Philip Sousa land his band" had
their customary success at filling Me-
chanics Hall Saturday afternoon and
evening, when they gave two character
istic concerts. There was a good matt
nee audience and packed house at
night. A program nominally made up
of nine numbers at each concert, was
more than doubled by encores, and of
course the exciting marches of the con-
duetor-composer were not wanting eth
er in number or in uproarious effect
upon the audience.
Apparently it is the first duty of the
band to play Mr. Sousa's marches, and
surely nobody need find fault on that ac-
count. There is, however, this to be said
The practice is calculated to develop a
capacity for telling. accentuation, swing
ing rhythms, hilarity and general en-
thusiasm and 'zip-boom," varied with
occasionally striking instrumental con-
trasts, but often to ignore the finer mus
ical effects. One tendency of this is
toward careless playing, and it is to be
regretted that the band cannot always
be praised for unity, precision, well-sus-
tanned tones or sorority. Certain pass
ages of PonchieHi's Promised Bride"
overture and of the Tristan and Isolde
condensation were cloudy, welcome as
the compositions themselves might be.
The entre'acte from Goldmark's opera,
The Cricket on the HEARTH" BOUNDED
on Dickens story, was played here for
the first time. It was originally on the
last festival program, but subsequently
withdrawn. The technical defects that
are here mentioned are Of course quite
amenable to discipline, as was proved by
certain portions of the overture and OF
Tristan" that were finely done.
An exciting episode was the Juror that
followed the playing of medley of ma
tional airs, and the rising cf the band tc
play THE Star Spangjed Banner
whereupon the entire audience also rose
to its feet and appiauded Vociferously
The tune was embroidered with run.
ming obligato for clarinets and flutes, af-
ter the manner of the famous violin ac-
compartment to the Pilgrims hymn in
the "Tanhhauser" overture. II is inter
esting to recall the story of Mr.. Sousa' s
part-Spanisfn descent
Mr.. Sousa has found two young and
promising soloists Miss Maud Reese
Davies has a bright and musical soprano
voice, that at first seems rather light
and then surpasses expectations by its
carrying power. She showed a flexible
technique and pure tone in the f'Di-
norah' shadow song, and also in the
laughing song from Massenet's "Manon
Lescaut, which she, sang in answer TIC
persistent applause, a bunch of roses
and another of violets. Miss Jennie
Hoyle is a clever little violinist. Her
tone is full and satisfying, if not always
absolutely pure. Better than the dexter
ity and sparkle displayed in the Sara
safe "zigeunerweisen," was the musical
feeling shown in the Bohn cavatina
which followed as an encore. A good
singing tone Is the most satisfactory test
of a violinist. Mr.. Franz Hell, whC
played a fluegelhorn solo, did not always
crafty mis- hearers in the same way
though the tone is smoother than thai
of the cornet, and Mr.. He'll is a skilfu
player. He was recalled, of course
amid the usual demonstrations of pleas
ure.
Mr.. Arthur Pryor, who did not appear
until evening, was as astonishingly agile
with the trombone as ever, and accom-.
plished his usual results. The evening
concert had even more snap than that Of
the afternoon, and everybody knows
that Sousa and his band give about all
the snap that is to be had.