New Britain herald., 1920-08-20

"Jake" in this evenings Herald I really do not know just what ho is trying to tell us. but would think that he wants our drum corps to parade to compositions from the great mas terc.
 Now. if he knew the pabilites of tho fifo he would understand how useless it would bo for them to try it. The fife is very limited. Everything played on it is naturally played in the key that the instrument is made to, and it doesn't require an artist to play one well. He, no doubt, has the piccolo in mind. The piccolo is the same as the flute except that it is pitched much higher. Execution is the same on both and they can be played in any key. The flute, and of course the piccolo, is a hard instru- ment to master and good players on them arc very hard to find. They must be good musicians in every sense of the word. With the fife it is diff ferent. It is played by ear, as we say. It being comparatively easy to learn, it gives a great many of the boys chance to get into corps and so we have drum corps galore, and good ones. too. providing they stick to drum corps music, which is just such
 
 Me"
 our corps play all the new marches aa they como out, but no doubt they all sound alike to Jake. Some men are that way, you know.
 He mentions lot of solos and dueta for flutes. Well and good-on a flute. None of us want to hear them on fife. How would the rank and flo of New Britain liko to hear tho Tabs come down the street playing from grand opera?
 We have drum corps that use flutes instead of flies, but they are not the corps the young hopefuls follow down the street. They are too dainty. The drum-corps of today and the music they give us are, to my thinking, just right. We know what to expect from a drum corps, we know what to ex- pect from a band, and we know what we will listen to from a symphony or chestra. They all have their places in our hearts.
 Drum corps, stick to your lasts. Old as I am. could follow you down the line with as much pleasure as when I was a boy.
 Bands I am very familiar with, having played for years in them. The bands in the United States do not look to Britain or any other European country for quality. They stand alone. At the top. Why. man. Sousa made all the European countries that he toured through some years ago ac- knowledge his superiority. When our boys were in France our bands helped in a large way to make the people of that stricken land love us more.
 Jake saya there never was an Anglo Saxon born that wrote an op- era that was worth the paper it was written on. How about Sir Arthur Sullivan, Michael Balfe and our own Victor Herbert?
 As for the Scotch bands I won't say much Me being of Scottish blood. no doubt am prejudiced The pipes may not be of high art. but many a lad has been inspired to higher deeds, and many a brave lad has laid down his life for his country to the skirl- ing of the pipes.
 Jake" says that the applause was lacking here during the parade last Saturday. That is a fault we have here in New Britain I have always noticed It was not that the people expected gems from Lucia" and were disappointed when they didn't get them. Far from it. We were too in- iterested listening to real drum corps music and too busy enjoying it to think of applauding.
 Did the boys miss the applause? Not so you would notice it. The hap piest musicians on the earth are those same drum corps boys.
 Long life to them, just as they are.
 Very truly yours.