The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-24
BY DOLLY pALRyMPLE

If you go to one. of the band con-
certs that the Music Study club has
so generously arranged for the "stay-
at-homes' during the summer in the
various parks, you will find much
amusement and enjoyment.
incidentally you will hear Memo
lis splendid band at its best--under
the baton of this accomplished and
cultured conductor. of whom all Bir-
mingham is genuinely proud.
you'll see a lot of things at the
concerts that you weren't looking for.
too
The concerts are very cosmopolitan.
Likely as not you will find one
of the leading city officials and his
wife sitting on the bench next to
yours, and your German housemaid and
her best beau just behind you.
Your pastor and his wife with the
little folks, may meet you as you make
your way through the park, and the
big brown n-eyed vender who sells you
your vegetables with his brown-eyed
sweetheart and the pretty little sales
woman who served you at the candy
shop yesterday with her steady will
also be there.
Everybody's there. in fact
Even in the charmed automobile set
whose name is legion-the butcher
and the baker and the candlesticx
maker. are sitting comfortably in their
motors, while the most popular de-
butante of the season with a half
dozen young swains, holds court in a
big touring car close by.
Among the groups of people Sitting
on the grass or crowding the benches
you cast your eye about and you Sc
cretly wish that there was some lit
tie telltale bird who would fly by
and reveal some of the secrets they
were talking about but another glance
tells you that no messenger is needd
to interpret their spirits and adoring
looks. for it is a wholesome romance
generally bubbling over now and then
with roaring laugh to the rhythm of
the beautiful music.
Through the mazes of people you
pick your way-one of the incest
| things about the band concerts being
the fact that you don't have to stay
in any one spot all the evening, but
promenade to your hearts content
wandering in and out like you were
a child again and solving the riddle
| of Pigs in Glover"
Should youngster happen to be
dazzled by the lights and music, and
couldn't find his way out. there is al
ways a big blue uniformed cop who
will tuck him away under his arms
and take him back to the parent ;
bosom-and that's another feature of
the concerts-not the parental bosom,
but the numbers of gay, happy kiddies
who enjoy the music.
1t is a rare night, indeed, when
some youngster doesn't come up miss
ing-and officers are not called up to
save me che-e-i-l-d.''
Getting lost in Capitol park is not
quite as serious a matter as getting
lost in Paris or New York.
The band strikes up one of those
nifty marches, and everybody beats
time. either whith their feet or their
hands.
The music lovers look knowingly at
each other and remark that the selec-
tion Is "just a Brahms dance" or a
Sousa march. or Waldteuful waltz"
but
The throngs adore it; the majority of
the people present love it.
They like the light airy. frivolous,
gay music that Mr.. Memoli plays so
charmingly. and includes in his pro-
grammes because he knows the taste
of the people, and that's who he is
playing for.
The high brows" get their in
gs"-to be sure at the park con-
certs, but of necessity the light, airy,
spontaneous selections, must predomi-
nate over the classics that many peo-
pie know only by name.
The "bandmen' are an interesting set
themselves, If you please.
Have you ever stopped to think how
long and tiresome 1t must be to them
to be dressed up In their SUNDAY
best" and playing for dear life for
a couple of hours every night?
From their lofty elevation they stop
for a moment to get their second wind,
and they hear the whispered nettings
of the leaves. and a frequent compli-