The times., 1899-03-20
THINGS THEATRICAL.

Unusual weather and competition un-
usual in the entertainment line on Sunday
night did not deter the admirers OF Lieut..
Dan Godfrey and his British Guards Band
from filling the Academy Of Music to the
doors yesterevening, when that organiza-
tion gave its second and last concert in
Washington. Something like L200 persons
were present and the enthusiasm was SO
great that a long programme of fourteen
numbers was strung out to longer one c'
nineteen. The greater portion of the au-
dience did not appear to De satisfied even
with this, and Lieut.. Dan Godfrey Nigh
still have been welding his baton mad not
he observed that 10 o'clock was reached te-
fore the first half of his bill had been M
ished and been less prodigal of his encores
thereafter
The entertainment at the Academy was
notable for the very merits and dement's
the latter few and far between-that mark
ed the preceding one at the Coiumpia.
Those who heard the performance OF the
Guards on that occasion were not slow IN
calling 1t remarkable combination anu
the newspapers were quite ready to ratify
that opinion the next morning. Last night
renderings once more brought out the
marvellous tonal qualities of Lieutenant
Godfrey and his musicians; the individual
ability of the soloists who go toward max
ing UP the ensemble, and the perfect eXecu-
tional power which gives the men control
over their wind instruments that could
hardly be more than reasonably excelled
with stringed ones. Though two bass
viols are the only devices used that boast
a catgut some of the effects produced
incline one to forget that the organization
is band and not an orchestra. The
Englishmen play with spirit and fire and
their work throughout is more than credit
able.
The first number rendered last night was
Webers Overture "Oberon," and it was
given with marked strength and finish.
Then came grand selection from Faust,
which was played in three parts, and which
introduced a cornet solo by f. Ksttleweli,
a trombone solo by Mr.. Atherley, eu-
phonium solo by Mr.. Evans, and cl?e.on-
cite soil by Messrs. Hughs and Ketskemi-
ty. This was magnificently done, and
called forth as an encore Sousas Stars
and Stripes Forever" E. S. Redfern was
also forced to contribute second offering.
after providing Briccialdi's "Bel Raggio"
on the flute in skilled and dexterous man
ner. THE Mabel Waltz" composition
by Lieutenant Godfrey, which he intro
duced to this country during the Boston
Peace Jubilee of 1872 was followed with
;
Patrol March, which was repeated in Or
der to satisfy the house. Mr.. Kettlewell
gave Pinsuti's Queen of the Earth" on the
cornet excellently. His notes were clear
and his expression admirable. Alice.
Where Art Thou" followed as an encore.
In the second part of the programme the
overture from William Tell.' which was
done by the Guards fortnight ago at the
Columbia. was given by request. Then
Stuart Campbell played Lucy Long on
| the unwieldy basoon. and Mr.. Byrne went
| through his own lie Jongleur'' twice in
order to give the audience enough of his
xylophone work. Between these the band
was heard in Carmen" which it rendered
without the fire SO notable in the Banda
Rosa, but still skillfully and well. A nau-
tical fantasia, England and America, q
came next, with 'The Star spangled Ban
ner" and God Save the Queen last. Sc
| the audience was allowed to depart in the
best of humor, and quite confident that one
would have to take a long days railroad
| journey to find such another organization
as Lieut.. Dan Godfrey's British Guards
|