The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-01

Kappellmeister Henry Berger, who has
long and so faithfully served the in
habitants and visitors of the Hawaiian
sions that he is now looked upon as be-
ing as much of a public institution as
the statue of the great and good King
Kamehameha the First, will celebrate teS
morrow, the I'd of June, the twenty-ninth
anniversary of the day when he first
took up the leaders baton in Hawaii mel.
For twenty-nine years Captain Berger
has played at merry-makings and funer-
ais, weddings, meetings and departures.
Kings were crowned, ruled and died,
dynasties and revolutions came and went.
while, wrapped up in music and ready
with tactful resource for every emer-
gency, the band, led by Berger. played
on.
1t is to be hoped that the genial band
master will be allowed to round out his
third decade of music before he perforce
yields up the baton and the Royal Ha-
waiian Band. alias the Hawaiian Band,
always Berger's Band, be relegated by
an ungratefuI and parsimonious Legis-
lature to the past.
Captain Berger himself expresses great
regret at the possible giving up of the
band, not so much on his own account,
but the loss of a pleasant custom. unique
at all events, in American lands. that
the band has inaugurated here.
sThere will be many gaps in the amuse-
ment line, if the band goes. Tourists
and kamaainas alike, will miss the .Alo-
ha De" that welcomed the coming and
speeded the departing guest. School and
public holidays will miss much of Their
significance if Berger's band is dispers-
ed
Captain Berger was not the first in
cumbent of musical honorS in Hawaii,
though in many respects he is the foun-
der of much of the national music. He
was sent to Hawaii by orders from the
Prussian Government at Berlin, in re
Spouse to a request for bandmaster
from the Hawaiian to the Prussian mon
archy. Berger was then serving upon g
| Prussian man-of-war and had served his
eleven years in the Prussian army, hav.
ling been through three campaigns
Schleswig-Holstein, the Austrian and the
French wars.
Kamehameha the Fifth was then reign
| ing and the new bandmaster found upor
| his arrival that national anthem wa:
needed and speedily composed the popular
and pretty melody of Hawaii Ponoi," al
ways a prime favorite with both Ha
waiians and malihinis, and one of the
emblems of Hawaiian royalty that still
remain to the public.
! Captain Berger has done much work
besides building up the band from few
members to its present volume. For fif
teen years he has played the organ a
Kawaiahao Church without remunera
ton A band was also started in the Re
form School under his leadership Fol
| five years he was the singing instructor
| in the public schools, organized the Ka
mehameha School band, stin in active
existence, and also an orchestra at Pu
inahou. He has waved his baton undel
three kings-Kamehame the Fifth an(
| Lunalilo. and was bandmaster at the
festivals of the merry monarch kaia
kaua. Ailiuokalani was ruler of his ba
lton; through the revolution he played un
der no one in particular; through th'
Republic and now for Uncle Sam Th'
soldiers of the United States have listen
| ed to and assisted at many concert un
der his direction.
| At ali charitable concerts and affair
lboth secular and ecclesiastic, Berger ha
Ibeen to the fore. At the funerals OF tn
rapidly diminishing native potentate
Berger has paid his last respects TO Tn
monarchy that once supported MN. III
iorchestra has supplied the musical pro
gram at practically all theatrical aHair
Iup to a short time since, always throus
1.-THE use of tactfu1- common sense ana Gus
= erection remaining popular IaVorite-
.-Of course there have been kickers,