The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-04
NHAT HIS Band Is
Godfrey and the English
Musicians With Him.
MEN OF THE ORGANIZATION
Their Trip in America and
Stop in Wichita,

There occurs here Wednesday. June Z,
| an event of historic and international in
terest from musical viewpoint; because
for the hrst time will be heard in this
city the music Of a nEnglisn military
| band. England's crack organization, the
British Guards band. which is unhesitat-
| ingly recognized as the finest in England,
| led by the most distinguished bandmaster
| the annals OF England have ever known
! Lieutenant Dan Godfrey, arrives here
/ then. Lieutenant Godfrey has led the
/ music Of the British army for forty years,
/ as conductor of Her Majesty's Grenadier
| guards. which is the first regiment of in
fantry in the queens service. He is Queen
EictOria's favorite bandmaster and has
| received many honors from her royal
hand, including the Jubilee Medal Of 1857
| and the Diamond Jubilee Clasp Of 1897. He
is lifelong friend of the Prince Of Wales.
for whose marriage he composed the
Guards waltz and is prominent Office
bearer and founler of one Of the most
notable Masonic lodges in the world, the
Household Brigade lodge, Of which the
Prince of Wales IS worshipful grand mas
ter, and Lord SkelmersdaIe D. W. G. NJ.
he mem bers Of the band have all served
in the crack guards regiments. and many
o fthem wear medals for bravery on the
battlefield. One member. Thomas Brady,
trombone so,oist, having no less than four
The soloists of the band are the finest
IN England, and include F. L. Kettlewell,
the premier cornetist of Great Britain;
E. 5. Redfern. the most notable flute play
er in the British Isles and Thomas Byrne,
a remarkable drummer and xlyophone
II, ,,1,
no less than twelve different instruments.
OF all the older composers and conduc-
tors Lieutenant Dan Godfrey is alone
active and vigorous today. Like Johann
Strauss. Dan Godfrey has been composing
music for the last half century. but I'M
like Strauss. who is now on his deathbed.
Godfrey bellies his 66 years, and, with hair
and mustache still rudy, with firm step
and alert vigor, he Is still the Garter
King of English Bandmasters."
Among the best known Of his waltzes, |
which are now almost classics and found |
in every musical exercise book, is the
Mabel waltz. Older people will remember |
the wonderful vogue Of this waltz. At
the time it was written, Lieutenant Cod |
frey says that there were not twenty girls |
Of the name of Mabel in the whole of /
dictionary Of girls names. The popularity |
Of the waltz was such that it made the /
name of Mabel popular. and it is now on
its wane as a baptisnal name because it
has become of too common use The
waltz came out TO the United States and
had a great run in this country. Amer
lean ingenuity wanted to find words TO
fit the catchy air, with the result that
Mother, may go out to swim?" was de-
vised. The tune of the Mabet waltz has
been used for years in variety theaters
to fit any new song or amusing words re-
qurin ga tune and it is safe TO say that
no dance music has had a wider or more
worldwide popularity.
The present tour Of the band through
the United States has witnessed many in
evidences Of the good feeling
now existing between the two great peO-
pies Of the Anglo-Saxon race To the
music Of '"The British Grenadiers." the
Fifth Massa chusetts regiment marched
up Bunker Hill in Boston the other day,
led by Lieutenant Dan Godfrey and his
British Guards band. II was a unique
scene, recalling how over q century ago
the relocated English soldiers had
marched down that same hill under far
different circumstances than amidst the
cheering and the applause Of the thou
sands gathered on Boston common. This
was only one OF the many instances of
good feeling which has
marked the progress of the most famous
IF English bandmasters and his relocated
yuardsmen during their tour Of America.
he first onte of which was struck at the
White House before President Mckinney
Splendid ovations have greeted the Eng
ish soldier musicians everywhere, and the
has been equally divided be-
ween the personalities of the war-scarred
ween the personalities of the war-scaTred,
ne1aI-marked defenders Of her majesty
nd the magnificent melodies which they
lave been producing. It was Of Lieuten-
mt Dan Godfrey and his band that the
Iew York Herald said: The band opened
he eyes and ears Of the audience TO a
lew and unexpected world Of music"
Warm welcomes are sure to greet the
;arter King Of Bandmasters and the men
VIE nthey arrive here. and their appear
nee may we'll be considered the sensation
T the musical season. The program
anEes from grave 20 gay. from the beau
ifuI and classic William Tel overture 10
he 'sDrummer's Dilemma IN which one
rtist PLAYS no less than twelve different
IStrUmelts. The critic VIII be delighted
nth the softness Of tone. the beautiful. :
mooth effect suggesting both the organ q
nd the orchestra and the elimination q
II brasSiness and harshness- To quote :
sal nf.om an American critic: Comets {
7t1 as lutes. carionets sympathetic and
7e,odi7Cs as the violin OF Ole Bun the [
asses thrilling with expression and VEL i
ETY. richness. and over all a precision and
quality Of sentiment. d oneness Of idea 7
NJ al ensemble 50 complete and 50 per- q
Get as 10 appear pheComenaL' :
The concluding number Of the evening q
-osram. England and America" was r
imposed especially for this tour by Lieu :.
Grant Godfrey. and represents with
-oph=-ic genius The union of the Eng ts1 s..
-d American fleets an event which ac- :.
'aI.y took place En- Samoa the other Gsv
hen the cable report tells. TIE merl- :
an and British fought sp,ezlsdly TO p
ether
IMPORTANT TAX DECISION
gently Rendered by Judge BurweII q