The times., 1899-04-21
THINGS THEATRICAL.

There were ten offerings on the pro-
gramme originally announced for the con-
cert which Sousa's Band gave yesterday at
the Lafayette Square Opera House, and FIVE
of these were followed by parenthetical
explanations of the fact that the selections
were new. The interest of the goodly
audience present however, centered On the
second half of the eighth number marked
for rendering-John Philip Sousa's latest
march, Hands Across the Sea- which
was then to be performed for the first
time in public. The introduction of sue
cessor to the various compositions that
have given the conductor regal title al
ways marks an occasion as being especially
important. and probably half Of the assem-
bly, had come for the purpose of hearing
the musical message of amity.
More than the attention centering about
a fresh effort from the former leader of
the Marine Band is required to destroy
the general fondness for his old ones, and
so it was that a series of enthusiastically
demanded encores had exhausted The
Stars and Stripes Forever" and its fellows
before Hands Across the Sea- was
reached. When the offering did come 1t
brought with it something in the nature OF
a disappointment. The march is sort of
compromise between its writer's earlier
and his prospective works; more ambitious
than most of its predecessors and conse-
quentiy less swinging and rhythmcal. It's
attack is distinctly Sousaesque the melody
is spirited and even powerful, there are
the customary artistic crescendoes and
diminuendoes, but the martial theme-the
inspiring phrases of "El Captain" and
THE Charlatan"-are missing. Though
superior to many of his primal quick
steps, the piece is not the equal of any of
the efforts in the class mentioned, while
its very difficulty will prevent it assuming
more than ordinary popularity. Hands
Across the Sea- has a continuous theme
for the basses. with the usual skilled coun-
terpoint and fuge for the reeds and lighter
brasses 1t is unitary in treatment, and SO
different from those which have been in
cluded in the Sovsa operas
The remainder of the programme was
given as programmes are always given at
the hands-or rather the mouths-of this
directors musicians The band is perfect
ly balanced. and plays with spirit and
feeling that seem to come from every in
dividual in the organization. 1t secures
color effects and achieves facility of ex-
preston and tone akin to those of an or
chestra. Giving every number to equal
advantage, it is not matter for wonder
that each of the selections rendered was
encored.
The bill itself was an interesting one, in
GLIDING, besides Hands Across the Sea-
and the melodies for the soloists, four new
airs-or more properly, three and half,
since one shared its position with the
march. These were Kings overture, The
Warriors Fete,' a delightful tone picture
taken from the familiar Come Where My
Love Lies Dreaming" and entitled AT
Midnight Halle's clever little dance,
Anne Boleyn.'' and set of variations
written by Lieut.. Dan Godfrey on the
Welsh song, Jennie Jones'" This air was
played here as an encore at one of the
concerts given by the British Guards Band
but the remainder had not been heard In
'Siegfried," Liszts Second Hungarian
Rhapsody, Strauss Beautiful Blue
Danube waltz, and a half dozen extra
numbers completed the ensemble portion
OF the programme.
The soloists all won considerable ap-
plause and each was obliged to give an en-
core to his or her number Nine. Julette
Corden sang .'Michael's Aria" from Car
men," pleasingly, and Sada played one of
Sarasate's airs on the violin. What
Hands Across the Sea" had been to the
dering of Sousa's solo and quartette, "Oh,
Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be
Proud?" was to the other. The music set
to William Knox's beautiful poem par
takes of the spirit of the verse and is quite
as delicate and atmospheric. 1t was sung
by Nine. Corden, soprano; Bessie Bousal.
contralto; George Leon Moore, tenor, and
Leland II. Langley tenor.