The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-12

The News hopes that the City Coun-
Gil will find means Chat is money!
wherewith TO obtain the services dur
ing the coming summer OF the Ameri-
can Band at Roger Williams Park. our
reasons for desiring this are SO well
set forth in the following paper, which
appeared in Book Notes last Septem-
bcr. that we venture TO reproduce H.
in order that il may reach the vast
body of readers which herein II will be
sure to meet. Let this splendid band
give US music:
The American Band Concerts at the
Park.---M. ID. Eldred.
That the closing weeks of the season
of Reeves American Band at Roger
Williams Park show no falling off in
Hhe character of the programs, in
the thoroughly artistic work of the
band. or in the size and enthusiasm OF
the audiences, was evident at last sun
day evenings concert. 1t is fortunate
for Providence that Mr.. Reeves brings
10 the difficult task of providing for 80
heterogeneous an audience as naturally
gathers al these concerts, not only the
requisite musiclanly qualities. but. also
an evidently sincere desire 10 respond
10 the wishes OF his listeners, so far as
they are made known through requests
or otherwise. His success is shown by
such a program as that Of Sunday
evening. ranging from numbers popu-
lar in the best sense of the word, as two
az Mr. Reeves spirited marches, selec-
lions from The Mikado." and a beau
tiful German arrangement of Home,
Sweet Home. 10 the strongly dramatic
''Robespierre~ overture. and selections
from Saint -saens, cratorSo of Samson
and DeIilah.' and wagners magnifi-
cent opera Die walkure" Such per-
formance as that of die walkure" is a
revelation az the possibilities Of a brass
band in handling an orchestral work:
and its educational value is hardly to
be overestimated, IN view OF the COM
parative inaccessibility of grand opera
and symphony concerts.
II il OF course undeniable that much
of wagner,s infinite richness of tone
color is lost without large body OF
strings. yet for many purposes OF
study the. band arrangement is ex-
tremely satisfactory. This is especially
true in tha observation of Wagner's
use of the Lett motif. IN which the
comparative simplicity OF arrange
ments enforced upon the band is per-
1aps not altogether disadvantage. IL
would certainly be difficult for the or
chestral ,celos and bssses to impress
upon one more deeply than does the
euphonium. the melancholy beauty OF
the Walsung motive, which seems 10
carry In its half-dozen notes all tho
eorrow and suffering of the Inflated
race which IL represents. The strings
are also effectively replaced by the
clarinets and other Instruments I'm the
scene OF Siegm1nd's Love Song, in
which are blended the motives OF Love
and sympathy; while the Valkyries
Ride. which even with the original
orchestration is chiefly dependent for
its effect upon the trombones and
trumpets. has still less to lose by the
change. The finale shows at once the
greatest strength OF the band and its
greatest weakness as compared with
an adequate orchestra. The flaming
ieaping lightness OF the Magic Fire 1.
quite unatfainable by II; yet even thai
fault does not rob this wonderful pass.
age, the yaikyrie's Magic Sleep. OF II;
beauty or its power. So fine is the ef.
feet OK the siurnber Motive. suns
again and again by the clarlnets. ant
interrupted with dramatic sIgnficanc,
by the motive Of sIegfSied. which final
~ enters with thrilling power ON th'
bass trombone. as to recall with tn
vividness OF actual presence this mar
vicious scene, which in splendor Of pic
torial effect and In the dramatic inten
siiy vtth which n takes hold upon th'
imagination. stands alone even amonl
the. Wagner operas.
The contract between the siienc,
With which such music ar this Is re
eeIved and the demonstrations mad,
ever the rag time" selections anS