The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-21
WHITE DIDN'T LIKE TT.
Brilliant Emporia Editor Raps the
Banda Rosa.

Ddu0G EeOSSa.
The Banda Rosa played in Emporia
on Thursday afternoon and night. The
band was never in better form and the
programmes were certainly not map
propFiate, for there was just enough
so-caIled light music to keep the people
in an agreeable frame and on the
other hand there was enough in the
heavy class to crafty those who are
trained in music 1t wouldn't be fair
to any mixed audience to have an en-
tire programme made up of heavy mu-
sic For instance in the evening pro-
gramme was the William Tell overture,
II TTovot0re, Cavalieria Rusticana and
Carmen, which were played as they can
be played only by band of trained
artists. Still William Allen White who
IS usually a very good judge of band
music, didn't like the concerts. The
fact IS that Mr.. White didn't have a fair
chance. He attempted to introduce
Little Bill to the Banda Rosa and the
bright little fellow wouldn't stand for it
In one of the places where the drums are
freely used the young man protested
vigorously. His objections found an
outlet in tears and Mr.. White was COM
PEELED to spend part of his time in com
forting his little son. No wonder he
thought the band played too loudly, but
Mr. White shouldn't clamor for Wagner
Which IS the noisiest in SCREENINGS
repertoire
This is what Mr.. White said of the
concert:
The Gazette is probably hard to please
about brass bands. so YOU mustn't
mind If it knocks on the kind of pro-
grammes the Banda Rosa played in
this town last night and yesterday af-
teTnoon. Sorrentino. who is an agree
able chap, and conscientious and intelii-
gent in his work. must have been play
ing in some pretty stupid towns, for his
programmes are very noisy and nothing
like those he plays in big towns. You
wouldn't know it was the same band
~ A hot
played in Washington month ago. The
Washington performance was an even
ing with Wagner-certainly a heavy
programme-bu it was not nearly so
rattle bangy and tin-panny and brassy
as the show last night and yesterday.
Sorrentino makes the mistake that
most band leaders make: he under es-
Inmates the musical intelligence of the
/ west. People who have money enough
+ TO dig up dollar or so cents to hear a
band certainly don't want to hear the
+ Good Old Summer Time as an encore
after real piece of music It would
be as though Mansfield would respond
to a curtain call after julius CeaSer
with Little Drops of Water, Little
Grains of Sand or Roses are Red and
Violets Blue" All of SCREENINGS en-
cores called forth rag time This is q
+ crime. They may stand for 1t else
where, but Emporia won't ,and the soon
er bandmasters learn this the better
they will please the people.
SCREENINGS band is an out-of-doors
band still. He has not brought it
down as he should. There should be
more wood and less brass. The trum-
pet sings too blatantly; the comets
should be sInothered off But as an
Interpreter of music Sorrentino stands
at the head of his profession. He has
dramatic imagination. His arrange
ments of operate selections show
marvellous skill and appreciation.
The Miserere has never been played
in Emporia as he played it. He is a
wonderful musician; but he isn't much
Of q composer His marches have all
the faults that Sousas have with none
of the virtues of Sousa' s pieces Why
don't band masters learn that their own
pieces make people tired? Why should
a bandmaster try to write marches any
way? Sousa who is not much of a
bandmaster is a fairly good march
maker, but the others who are good
| bandmasters should let the march bust
ness alone.
The town enjoyed the Red Band for
i all the bands shortcomings, and the
i visit here was a great thing for the
4 town. A good band does as much for
4 the morals Of town as preacher. The
Sorrentino Red hand was a great thing
for this little old town.