The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-31

1 isn't used in this country at all. The Cello part is done by the Bass Clarinet while the rest of the Instrumentation in the orchestra score is given by the band exactly as 1t would be by orchestra thus giving an exact reproduction of the orchestra and Chorus, one of the most beautiful features being the Saxaphone Quartet, which represents the Organ ef- fects and gives a remarkable coloring to the instrumentation. In this country the difference is just this When a band gives opera music it is an expurgated edi- tion of the score: it is arranged into q sort of Medley or Potpourri-and in this way it loses so much of the beautiful tone color that is given by the Bands on the other side.
 "Of course. many of the instruments new in use in band work" continued MT. Memoli, "are very modern-the Fugehorn in it's present form, for instance, has not been long in use, and the Reed Bass is very modern"
 What does a full band consist of-how many players2'' I asked
 "The Grand Band numbers not les sthan 50, to be effective" said MT. Memoli. T didn't have an easy time to become the leader of the Municipal Band in Naples. although I was so well known and had many friends there. I stood a rigid ex- animation before becoming the Conductor. | They had to have practical evidence of my work and my ability. One of the things that was required of me was the arrange n,ent of various piano works into Orchestral form, and from that into band Instrumentation"
 What class of music especially was played?' I asked.
 .'All the classics, both ancient and mod ern,i was the answer, but always the best music-always."
 (Which brings us to a phase that will be interesting to hear you speak of, and that is concerning the modern Italian com posers-Puccini. Mascagni and
 Don't omit the greatest of them all, MT. Memoli interrupted, ~Arrico Boito, the second Wagner; in fact, the Wagner of Italy, He is now 70 years of age, and he has just completed his best work, Nero. His Mestifole' is perhaps better known than any other of his works, but at the ripe old age of TO he has turned modern ist and has written his opera Nero which embodies all that the word implies. There's priest, too by the way-Lorenzo Perosi-who has a great name musically among the latter day Italian composers, although his music is Oratorio and Church music chiefly, yet it is ultra modern"
 HAs opposed to the fiorid style of Bellini Verdi, Donizetti and the old Italian mas ters," suggested. "the modern school is very unique."
 Verdi, who died at S4'' said MT Me moli was fast becoming a modernist in style. as was evidenced by his Falstaff, one of his last compositions. As the epoch changed so did the composer"
 But why Is it that the Italians are so late in modernizing?" I asked. France has her Debussy, Massenet, Chaminade, while the Russians"
 "The Italians of old wrote for their pub lie not for the artist said Mir. Memoli. ''Afereadante. so the story goes used to call in the Janitor of the house in which he lived to hear the new score he had written. If the Janitor liked it. then it was used: otherwise it was destroyed. He judged of it's popularity by the way it pleased the simple taste of the Janitor.'' And what are your plans for future musical work in Birmingham ?' I inquired | '.I intend to open a school of music, modern and up to date in every way, in i the near future. have fitted myself for this work, and I am greatly interested in carrying 1t out''
 | And how would the organization of a | Municipal Band, with yourself as Con dpetor, strike you?" I asked.
 "I'm afraid we will have to wait for that" said MT. Memoli, smiling, although Birmingham should have one. The people
 are very musical and would undoubtedly
 appreciate such an organization"