The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-23

in a practice band. given instructions,
required to practice. and in the course of
few months turned out as third.
class musician or sent back to the com
panies
What is required Of a bandsman? That
probably IS the question many are ask.
ing. Well, the requirements are pretty
severe He must be able to play at sight
any Of the standard overtures or selec.
tions, that is, on his instrument. If he
is fourth alto player he is not expect.
ed to play solo cornet parts, etc. But
he must be able TO play his part with
very few mistakes on the first reading
This makes 1t necessary that he have a
thorough grounding in rhythm, and a
pretty good mastery Of all scales and
arpeggios.
If he is going to play any Of the first
choir instruments-sol cornet, solo
horn, first trombone, BIB bass euphon.
ium or solo clarinet, it is pretty nearly
required that he double in string. Each
band maintains an orchestra, and in
many bands the orchestra Of fifteen to
twenty men play all the standard music
and play II we'll
The work Of the band varies some.
what according to the branch Of service
but in general it is much the same.
Something like this: Cavalry-Reveille
at $3.50; breakfast at 6; horse exercise
that is going for canter of ten or
twelve miles with the troop from 7 to
3; grooming horses until $3.50; rehearsal
| at $3.50 to ll:30 or u; dinner; individual
practice from / to. 4; concert two or
three days week., from 4 to 5: guard
mounting from TO $3.50; retreat at $50.
And then the duties for the day are
over unless there is a dance. Once a
week during the winter the orchestra
plays from 9 p. m. to II or midnight
for dance. The band always has Sat.
urday for a fun holiday and all of sun.
day to p. m, when il is usual for one
Of the concerts to be given.
Entertainment for All Classes.
At the concerts it is the aim of the
bandmaster to provide such music as
viii entertain all classes. For that pur.
pose there must be a judicious mixture
Of popular and classical music The us.
ual program consists Of six numbers.
something like this.
March, "Hippodrome" Sousa: over.
ture, Die Meistersinger" Wagner; Sc.
lection, "Katinka" Frlmi Irish Rhap.
sodie," Herbert; yalse, Wedding OF the
Winds" Hall; rag, "Razza Mazzaza, D"
| Pryor.
Band leaders are appointed by the
commanding officers Of regiments and
the effort Of the commanding officer is
OF course, TO get the man who will make
the best military music for parade pur.
poses together with the man who can
also adapt himself to the concert pro.
gram In order that band leaders might
be well fitted for their duties a band
| leaders school wasestablished at Fort
jay ON Governors Island some six
years ago. This was the project of
| Frank Damrosch OF the Institute Of Mn.
sical Art. and il is at this institute that
prospective band leaders are given a two
years free course.
All in AL the work OF the army bands.
men is very interesting almost fascin.
ating one might say-and Though this is
not generally known the poorest or
army bands is vastly superior in every
way to the majority Of best bands in
CIVIC life. This is only natural, for il is
an old axiom that practice makes per.
rect and If there is one thing that an
army bandsman has to do il is TO prac.
tice. lie cannot get away from il. Re.
hearsals every day and sectional rehear.
s"ls when needed. work wonders which
Us the reason army bands are able to
provide music Of such surprising excel.
lence.