Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-10-09
CHICAGO MUSIC MAD.
Band Master Ordered TO Drop the Classics
and Play Coon Songs and the Town Goes
z wild With Joy


and Play Coon Songs and the Town Goes
wild With Joy.
Commissioner Dunton sat on his cell
ebrated green bench in Lincoln park
last night ,2Qd saw the vindication of
himself and bae~'coon" song. Fifteen
thousand people n4c ged the edges of
the lagoon opposite the ISLAND on which
Prof Johnny Hands banA, gave its reg
ular Wednesday night concert. In ODE
dience to the orders of Commissioner
Dunton Band Master Hand had laid
aside Wagner and given Meyerbeer the
double cross" Commissioner Duutor
had ordered t'coon" songs, and last
night over half the programme from
vaudeville theatres and roof gardens.
The result of the change from the
sternly classical to the purely popular
is best expressed by Commissioner Dun
ton, who was deeply interested lis
tener.
When pieces from those operas,
Martha and 'Roccaccio' were played,
said he, they didn't get a hand. When
the coon songs were played the people
went wild and couldn't have too many
of them. / think ! am vindicated."
AS far as external appearances go the
returns last night were enthusiastically
and overwhelmingly In favor Of the
Ethiopian dittes, and Commissioner
Duuton could have been elected on that
platform to almost any place within the
gift Of that portion of the populace
that thronged the park.
1t was by far the biggest crowd that
has attended a concert in Lincoln park
this summer. The bandstand is on an
island out in the largest of the la
goons Around the edges nearest the
music and reaching far back along all
the paths and on the grass were people
IA and Is rows deep. Vehicles of all
sorts thronged the drives, and 1t seemed
as though every bicycle rider In Chi
cage was there.
Prof. Hand was uneasy and could not
get his mind off the ''Nigger FTicasse."
Fhe programme opened with Pride OF
the Navy" which smacked somewhat,
Commissioner Dunton thought, Of his
enemy, Wagner. but which was saved
by It's title. Then a selection from
Suppes Martha was played.
Commissioner Dunton strolled away
ard bought a cigar After it was over
he came back and rested easy until
"Boccaccio" was played.
Il told Hand to pass up grand
opera" said the commissioner ner-
v3usly Still, guess | can stand one
or two numbers, but l wish he would
get down TO the coon songs"
"Boccaccio' died away, and the hush
that fell over the great assemblage
reached from the boathouse down TO
the Lincoln monument and over TO
Clark street.
There was the customarylull between
the numbers. Bandmaster Hand sat
with his head in his hand, as though
in silent prayer.
Then he stood up, and firmly grasp
ing his baton as a captain does
sword and with the energy Of a desper-
Ate purpose ouivering in every muscle
stood for a moment as though he were
about to order his band TO capture a
ba-tery. Then his baton swung down
and On the delighted atmosphere there
gwelled the strains Of ''Ah Don't Like
a No Cheap Man.
Commissioner Dunton softly patted
his hands together. That's the stun,
said he.
Theu followed Her Eyes Don't Shine
Ike Diamonds and sweet Maggie
waguire." and other soul stirring Inelo-
dies of the vaudeville order The APP
nlause that followed vas loud ana
long. Their came The Parg3u's Chick
en- Brigade" and then the great tai
unlDh OF the evening and the vindica-
ton Of the coon" song When Lou,
Lou. How Love You. Nah Lou
sweIled across the water the applause
drowned the music. The verse and
chorus were played through and the Sc
lection ended.
Then such cheering as rose from the
| shores Of the Lincoln park lagoons has
/ not been heard for months. The people
On the bridges bobbed up and down in
their manifestation Of appreciation.
The boats rocked with the excess Of ex-
element. and the crowds on shore
walked as near the bard stand as the
water would permit ard cheered and
eheered.
Finally the band responded with an
encore. AS the first notes Of the verse
we're being played again the crowd took
up the words, Down in Old Phiiadel-
| phia. ard sang 1t through. Everybody
didn't know the words Of the verses,
hit everybody knew the chorus and
| the refrain of Lou, Lou. How / Love
Nah Lou was sung by chorus over
| a hall mile long. It was echoed from
the top Of the bridges. waited back
from the further lagoons and sung on