The Washington herald., 1913-08-17
Unique Concerts Held Every
Wednesday During Sum-
mer on Attractive Grounds
at Historic Kneller Hall.

at Historic kneller hall.
To ninety mine visitors out of a hum
dred who are familiar with the main at
tnactions Of London the name of Kheller
Hail suggests no ideas. WHITES the Lon
don correspondent of the New York
Evening Post.
In the grounds Of this institution.
which is the training school for English
military bands. there Is given every
Wednesday from May to September q
very unique concert.
Entering through lodge gates marked
with the government broad arrow" you
pass through charming grounds, like
those Of an old country estate. up to
fine house occupying the site OF the
dwelling-place of Sir Godfrey Kneller.
who came here in 1903 that he might be
near Hampton Court.
The whole scene has a delightfully."- syl-
van effect. Paying twopence for the pro-
gram which admits you to garden seat
in the enclosure, you find yourself race
to face not with the conventional band
stand, but with a rising platform erected
in the gap between two lofty elms. on
this platform are ranged the 10 per
formers with a remarkable variety OF
uniforms, differing according to the reg
iments they represent. Among them Is
a turbaned negro from a coloret regi-
ment of West Africa or the West Indies.
His instrument Is not the banjo, but the
solemn bassoon. Not far away Is a
Scotsman in kits.
An average program consists OF
seven or eight items, with as many ot-
ferent conductors. each of them STU
dent at the school. 1t is fine oppor-
tunity for watching the possible va
rieties in conductors mannerisms. The
first piece is always a march composed
by the student who conducts IL. The
character of the rest may be 1udseo
from a typical program: Overture to
..The Flying Dutchman." a selection Of
Brahms Melodies, Mozarts Jupiter
symphony, Tchaikovsky's Casse-Noi-
settle suite. three dances from Germans
Nell Gwynne" and a valse OF Gungi 8.
DcIicacy of Effects.
What strikes the average hearer-
who can make no claim to be musical
expert with ever-renewed astonish- i
ment is the exquisite delicacy of the
effects obtained by a band composed
almost entirely of wood and brass. The
whisper that one usually associates
with a pianissimo on the strings Is pro-
duced on these instruments with a
skill that seems almost magical
The establishment of the Kneller
Hall School is the outcome of a ludi-
crous incident that occurred during
the Crimean war. At Scutari, In 1854.
there was a grand review OF British
troops on the queens birthday. No
less than 5000 men took part In the
parade. Their appearance and march
ing were perfect. At the close Of the
mental bands struck up God Save the
Queen" The result was grotesque.
The famous anthem OF British 10y
atty was rendered not only according
to different musical arrangements. but
In different keys. What made this
anti-climax especially humiliating was
that II took place before the stan OF
allied forces The explanation Of the
confusion was that, up to that time.
each regiment enjoyed absolute home
rule as regards Its music 1t engaged
and instructed its own band. and was
free to follow its own preferences in
instruments and pitch.
school Opened In 1857.
The Crimean exposure called attention
to the absurdity of this system and as
soon as the war was over. reforms were
introduced In 1851 the Kneller Hall School
was opened, with a stah Of four pro-
fessors and with only meagre support at
first Little by little 1t came under War
ONCE control, and in 1873 1t was fully
taken over by the department. which now
bears the cost not only OF the training
school but OF the military bands through
out the service. and. consequently. has
the whole system of military music under
its control.
Candidates are admitted on the recon-
mendation of the commanding officers or
the bandmasters OF their regiments. They
are divided into the two classes Of stu
dents" and pupils"
The students" usually forty-fve In
number. are band sergeants or non-com-
missioned officers sent by their respect
i've regiments to qualify for the post Of
bandmaster. They must already have
had at least seven years experience as
musicians in military bands, and their
entrance examination Is a severe one.
Their term of instruction is two years.
and amounts to seven hours daily in sum-
mer and six in winter. Each student
is required not only to pursue his own
advanced studies, but to be a kind Of
tutor to a group Of four or five pupils"
to each Of whom he must give at least
two hours instruction weekly. At the
close Of his course he becomes a candi-
Qale lot tn0 f1du
without which no one nowadays can re-
ceive an appointment as bandmaster to
a regiment
Are Given Certincntes.
This certificate testifes that he has un-
dergone a course Of training, and passed
a satisfactory examination in harmony.
counterpoint Gin four parts>. military
musical Interpretation, and scoring for a
military band. 1t also certiies that he
has given proof of intelligence as con-
ductor. has had brief course Of prac-
tical training in the various instruments
used in a military band and is competent
to instruct men in their use.
The pupils" usually about 40. are be-
ing prepared for employment as banSs-
men. not bandmasters, and their curric-
ulum. lasting from year to a year and
half. is correspondingly narrower.
They are selected from privates. boys and
adults. who have given some indication
Of musical ability. They do not. as a
-