The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
BELGIANS GREAT ON BANDS.
SIGHTS AT ANTWERP WHERE
PEOPLE REALLY LOVE MUSIC.
A Serenade with No beer and M speecA
Public Competitions on sunday-A
city Where Every Society Has Its BAND
Good Natured as Well a. MuSScai.

TuOuc compositions ON Senday-A
city Where Every Society Has It's HAND
Good Natured as Well a. Musical.
q beliew the Belgans are the greatest
band musicians on earth said man
just hack from Antwerp. when wa
reached Antwerp, we had no sooner tied
UP at the pier than heard whole mili-
tarv band coming down the dock.
| Now | am a man Of some Importance
| in my own town. and have before now
been received with brass hama; hut [
could not see why ii should happen in
, Antwerp, where ! was not expected by the
authorities You must understand that
was the only passenger on the ship, so
that plainly the demonstration seemed
aimed at me, and just thought up little
speech to be ready with when the band
hove in sight.
| But was mistaken. 1t was the ships
regular hand, made up of stewards in tho
regular employ of the line, every one Of
them good musician They were 10
| glad TO see their ship back again that they
came marching down to greet it playing
| GLAD melodies.
| Every one of those fellows was an orhi-
nary steward signed as such, but capable
| musician also When tho hand is not play
ing on regular trip they all take hold
and do stewards work like the others.
| "Now there are not many nations in
which you can find ships stewards who
are also capable band musicians; but that's
Belgium. Every ship of this line has its
stewards band. formed in the same way
and playing rafting good music.
l III Z ,r, A,,t,
there learned good deal about Belgian
band music. One evening ] strolled out
upon the principal street. ! hadn't gone
far when l heard another band and saw
about forty musicians in uniform come
marching down the street until they stopped
before fine residence, where, with great
crowd surrounding, they lined up and played
several airs.
Now, I'm in politics myself, and thought
that after about the third tune fat man
with forty-rod smile was going to come
out on the balcony, bow to the crowd and
tell us all why he was a Democrat. Then
| he'd say that, if elected. he would sec to ii
that the Fourteenth ward had everything
| that was coming to it and few specialties
of that sort, and would end by inviting
| them all to come in and open key Of beer
| with him.
| But no such thing happened. Some
| children came to an upper window and
listened and clapped their hands, but there
was no political speech and no beer offer
| ing By-and-by the band marched away
still playing. l asked a bystander what
| it was all about and he said
-'Oh, holdings. Dey schoost amuse DEM
selves
| well, that seems to be the way they do
it in Belgium. The people 'schoost amuse
themselves with music-good music, too.
just as sample you can hear excellent
music almost every evening in the Place
verte from a band of fifty or more must.
| clans supported by the Government. The
| bandstand itself is most elaborate strucs
| ture of carved stone, which cost about
100000.
Besides this every organization in Anti
werp, whether guild or a trades union OF
a social society, has it's military band, oom-
posed of some Of its own members, and on
Sundays these bands compete all day long
| in the Place Verte for a prize. From in
the morning until at night new band
takes the stand every hour and plays its
| best until it is time for the next band to
come on The verdict is decided by popu-
lar vote of the assembled people in the
square and at the cafes, and the prize wins
| ners are immensely proud
These bands come marching in from
| the suburbs and surrounding villages at all
hours Saturday night and Sunday morning,
playing Justify and al full of good natured
pranks as schoolboys on holiday. saw
l l,t yiubt
which was further typical of the politeness
and good nature of the Belgians.
"A band marched up in front of a cafe
and played lively air, then marched in
| and stood carefully in line. The hand
master raised his baton and in perfect
unison the company exclaimed In French
we have no money and looked longingly
at the bar.
The proprietor looked at them. There
were forty. Then he shook his head with
an apologize shrug and a smile.
1T lie not 10 drink, Messeurs, he said.
"Merci, M'sieur, replied the band in
concert.
Then at a wave of the baton they filed
out, lifted their instruments, played bar
or two more of the tune ard marched on,
thirsty still, but happy as ever.
| AS the bands march playing to tho
square, the people follow them and dance
in the street alongside. and as they march
away the same thing happens.
Nor is it the Place Verte alone that has
it's bands All the squares and recreation
grounds in the city have them. Every cate
has It's orchestra and the number Of cafes
| to the street is u constant source OF marvel
| To the visitor, About four persons out OF
FIVE are engaged in selling light refreshments
TO the fifth one.
Yes, really believe the Belgians are tbs
greatest music lovers and the grea'ess
| an ri