The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-19
HlMoNG 7rHIE
CLUB WoN]EN

Ihe concert given last Monday night
under the auspices of the Womans
club in Butte was of more than pass
ing interest for the reason that it
brought ito the attention of large and
closely attentive audience the capabil-
tiles and the possibilities Of that tune
full and always entertaining musical in
strument, the banjo. In fact, the con-
cert was intended to be the local COM
ing-out of Mr.. Gowan, a banjo player
who, confessedly, is a master of that
instrument. 1t turned out that there
was good deal more than the
banjo in the concert, although It's
share in the programme was in
teresting and entertaining. For that
matter on this occasion Mr.. Gowan
rendered selections that were wide
departure from the style of musical
composition that is traditional with re-
spect to the instrument in question
Haydn and Schubert and the rest Of
them, under banjo rendition, are suft1-
GENTLY startling novelties.
To be frank about it, nothing oc-
CURED at Monday nights concert that
served to impress the audience with
the idea that the classic realm Is one
into which the banjo may hope to en-
ter and find for itself a fitting place.
There's no fault to be found with Mr..
GoWan; on the contrary, he Is a superb
player OF the banjo and his handling of
the instrument, as respects technic, s
Wen as IN appreciative Interpretation
OF noble pieces of composition, was art
lstlc IN the best sense, highly musical
and thoroughly excellent. Yet the re
cltal Monday night, simply served as
new Illustration of the fact that, like
everything else in every other sphere,
the PANIC has Its limitations. Not that
these are to the discredit of the banjo,
any more than it would be unjust to
the great pipe organ to remark that
1t IS not the ideal instrument for the
rendering of two step.
Tone well sustained is one of the mer-
Its IN the playing of some of the selec-
lions chosen by Mr.. GoWan-tone as
It Is sustained by the man who plays
the violin Well or who knows how to
handle the pianos keyboard In good
form. Thls feature can be brought out
in variety of orchestral instruments,
but the banjo is not built that way.
With the result that when the banjo is
applied to the playing of the style of
music in question, there must be a
sort of compensation. That the PLAYER
aims to effect by resort to a tremolo
strongly suggestive of either playing or
of the method into which some singers
fall who indulge in a quavery tremu-
lous manner of singing which present
ly ruins the voice, because it leaves the
vocal organs incapable Of sustaining a
firm, Migratory tone.
That is the trouble with the banjo, as
applied to the style of music dealt with
last Monday night The banjo has it,
charm for every man or woman who
knows how to appreciate all kinds of
good music. It is rhythmic, often roll
licking, always refreshing when it is
well played. 1t can give sustained tone,
of course-it can even be SO handled as
to render striking imitation of the
resonance of a. deep-toned bell, but that
Is not the normal use to which it was
intended that the banjo should be put.
Again be it remembered that all this
does not reflect discredt on the banjo
as an admirable musical instrument.
But, really. the listener at the concert
could not resist the feeling that, in
programme made up as was that of
last Monday night, the Ave-" the
Adagio. the Cradle Song" and the
serenade" would have found a delight
fui adjunct to their rendering if Mr.
GoWan had been seated at, say, the
harp. instead of the banjo. The whole
truth IS that passages like some of
those attempted at the concert, when
Ventured ON the banjo, became irksome
to the listener. Having said this much,