New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-29
PARK MUSIC
Commissioner Ward Tells How the
Concerts Were Organized for Merit.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: was much surprised to note in your
issue of Friday morning letter from one
OF your correspondents in which he assumes
that the conditions of park music last year
werc the same as those which had invited
criticism in previous years He also sug-
gests as methods for correcting conditions
the very policies which | put into practice
at the opening Of the music season last year.
For instance, ne suggests that the qualifca-
tions Of band leaders be passed on by a
committee Of experts selected from well
known musical citizens outside OF the depart
ment
Early last spring | appointed just such a
committee, consisting Of Victor Herbert,
Frank Damrosch, John Philip Sousa, Regi-
drich and others. The citizens forming this
committee freely gave their time to the city,
so as to work out a general policy which
would correct the deficiencies of past years.
They passed on the names of all applicants
for positions as leaders OF park music, and
suggested in many cases the parks in which
it would be most desirable for leaders TO con-
duct.
| was most anxious that the committee
should bear in mind the Importance OF hav-
ing leaders who were in sympathy with the
national sentiment and music literature Of
the inhabitants Of the districts in which their
parks were located, and this was taken into
consideration. But the question of the poit-
icsl affiliations Of the leaders did not enter
into considerations of the committee
Nonr cCrracp0pdapt rafara 70 ba bnp
ored custom Of having dummies in the park
bands. Last year, for the very purpose of
stopping this, | had the concerts supervised
not only by the official appointed by the De-
partment of Finance of the city, but also de-
tailed Louis W. Fehr, of this department,
and members Of the music committee to in
spect the concerts in all parks.
In addition TO these measures, when once
the leaders were appointed, it was arranged
to give each one a series Of concerts. keep
ing him in one park instead Of the previous
method of tranferring from point to point
In this way the leader was made responsible,
as the public at that park grew TO know him,
and therefore he was more accessible and
sympathetic with their particular needs 1t
is no longer possible for leader to give a
bad concert ana then move on and be re-
placed by another inferior leader. The heads
of the various bands thus took pride in their
work and helped to improve the quality of
the music.
There was also (for the frst time) pre-
scribed a standard Instrumentation for the
small park bands. Leaders were compelled
to furnish men according to this instrument
tation. No musician was allowed to play an
instrument for which he had not passed an
examination at the Musical Union. In no
7 -
standard Instrumentation to any park con-
cert. This had been the practice in former
years when 1t was desired 10 stretch out an
appropriation.
The effect that these changes had upon i'm
proving the quality of park music is attested
by scores of letters which were received in
this department during and Immediately
after the last music season. One of the
reasons for the excellence of the concerts in
Central Park last summer was also due to
the fact that both orchestra and band were
made up as permanent organizations. In
fact, half Of the membership of each organi-
cation played continuously, while the other
half alternsted from week TO week as the
programme was changed from orchestra TO
band. The musicians who composed these
permanent organizations were of the very
best quality. They were made up of men
who in the winter played in such organiza-
lions as the Metropolitan Opera House. the
New York Symphony Orchestra, Sousa's
Band the Philharmonic Orchestra, etc.
The names of these men and tie organiza-
tions to which they belonged were printed
on the programmes of the Central Park con-
certs and should have been familiar TO your
correspondent. II your correspondent had
consulted the list of leaders in the smaller
parks, printed on the back of every pro-
gramme last year, he would have seen upon
1t the names Of regimenAl bandmasters,