Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-08-25
COMMENT ON Band
ASHTON STEVfNi WRITiS
OF BERu. r AND QUIZ BIND
JAYS HE HAS BAND ABSOLUTELY
UNDER CONTROL AND THAT
1T MAKES MUCH GOOD
NOISE.

Ashton Stevens has the following to |
say. in the San Francisco Examiner,
of the Hawaiian band concerts
There is a little of sadness and much
sweetness and some noise in the con-
certs of the Royal Hawaiian band. the
first of which was given yesterday at
the Alhambra. The very name of the
organization recalls the day when Ha-
wall was Hawaii. The same old leader
has the baton, Captain Ii. Berger, who
composed. and compiled and arranged
most of the native airs, not the least
of which this own music) Is the ma
tional' Hawaiian hymn, Hawaii Po-
uoi'-"Hawaii Forever" Now it comes
the last is The Star Spangled Ban
ner."
Even the American banjo has follow
ed the flag OF native instruments In
the glee club there is but one, taro-
patch. The rest practically are gui-
tars. save the weapon of the principal
singer, which is banjo.
I But the voices of the singers, as well
as the inimitable rhythm In which thew
sing, still defy the Yankee invasion.
During parts OF these concerts the audi"
tor is transported to Southern seas.
you can even imagine the great days
before the missionary came Such
song and spirit are not to last for
many years-in the nature of so-called
civilization they cannot: so 1t is well
to know them while we. may. The
poetry of the future shall not fail TO
include such stuff as this.
4 The Honolulu SOusa, Captain Berger,
is In manner funny little German.
See him fussing with the music of the
next number before that of this IL
quite finished. and you will have diff
ficulty in believing him to be the an
cestor of Hawaiian folk music. He is
little man and his suit Of khaki hangs
loosely on a lean and unmilitary frame,
the unbuttoned coat revealing an in
congruous white waistcoat But Der.
ger has his band in hand.
There IS no doubt as to his authority
like Suppe and Suppe like Wagner.
This. of course. is on the entire band
of brass and woodwind. To judge by
the noise II makes in a building. the
band has been trained especially for
outdoors work. Blow the clarionets
them: and there Is a surprising rat
lie OF hardware In the percussion de-
partment.
Within four walls and under roof
the brass band pictures rather more
: than island rest and calm. Much filter
Is the singing by the glee club and by
Nine. Mana Alapai. the soprano SOLO
list.
She Is a full-blood native, with face
Of almost tragic beauty. Her form is
concealed by the native holoku, once
known to America as the Mother Hub
bard" Mana Alapai's holoku is of
gllstening black and about her throat
is necklace of priceless yellow fea-
thers-the lima lei.
! should say that Mana Alapai's voice
Is untutored-perhaps therein lies its
charm. Her tone Is high and thin and
clear, and she sings the native airs
with a wealth of sultriness and seduc-
ton. She does not MARBLE the Wagner
or Suppe or Verdi or other portions OF
the bill of fare; and you are glad that
she does not In none of her work is
there an unhappy souvenir If Miss Sis
sieretta Jones. Mana Alapai is SUI
perbly Hawaiian.
The glee club aids her in the re-
Trains. The glee club is the back
bone of the enterprise. Besides the
guitars, taropatch and banjo in the
hands OF the double quartet of male
singers. there are four extra musicians
ranging from double bass to violin.
When you hear this subsidiary group
play and sing "Tomi Toni" you will
know why the native cannot help but
dance the hula; when you hear them
Using an Aloha" song you will know
why the visitor to Hawaii goes down
/ to the sea with tears in his breast.
Even that pink of the banjo in tho
hands of the leading singer does not
mar the sweetness. Rather his STAG
cato note of shriller and more strenu-
.ous people senses for you the melan-
,choly which is inseparable-the melan.
choly that with the banjo followed tho
flag.
4