Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-27
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E, TRACEWELL.

| go to the trouble of writing verse"
at all, since too often it is utterly
worthless. evidently anything being
| acceptable so long as the chorus has
any melody at all.
The modern dance orchestra, at its
! best, constantly offers interesting uses
of instruments, with ever-varying
effects secured by their use. To the
lover Of orchestra music the best
| dance Orchestras are interesting as
well rs entertaining.
If w. T.. A, or any one else inter
| ested. will carefully analyze the next
organization that is presented to him
as treat" he will probably discover
| that the orchestra is failing in it's pos
sibilities.
Instead Of using the bass horn
| for the basic foundation of the melodic
pattern. as one sees sheet of solid
| linen upon which embroidery has been
placed, too many of these orchestras
| rely too much upon trick stuff in the
upper registers.
The sharp tang Of the banjo. for
instance, which surely ought to be
used sparingly, else it loses it's effect,
| in some OrcheStraS is made the show
| instrument of the outfit.
Drums, too, often are much over
| worked.
To our ear dance orchestras, as a
general thing, would be much i'm
proved by a general softening of their
tone, as whole.
While the raucous note may be nee
essary in some sorts of dances, it must
be remembered that the theater is not
dance hall. A young man who is
something of an authority on these
matters tells US that no one could
dance to the music of most of the or
chestras showing at the local theaters.
He says that the syncopation is
wrong, and that this is to be achieved
by the proper use of the bass drum,
not through the little drum, or the
tuba. or any other instrument.
More strings and woodwind, with a
lessening of the blare of brass, would
bring these orchestras down to the
concert level, or up to it, either way
one chooses.
Even those who find most of the
music played mere piffle would then
find themselves interested in the vary
ing orchestral effects, and especially
in the tonal results achieved.
We have several records embodying
our idea of what real dance music
ought to be. With the exception of
the blaring introduction, which even
the best of them seem to think es-
sential, there Is not a harsh tone in
the record.
Instead of the shrek of the clarinet
at the turns" soft-toned orchestra
bells are used. One record even ends
with single soft tap on a bell.
X X X *
Playing the saxophone off-key is
another blemish on many otherwise
good dance outfits. We never have
investigated this instrument, but when
it is properly played we like it very
much and cannot join in the cry
against it in some quarters.
When it is constantly played Sour"
however, it utterly ruins an orchestra,
much in the same manner as does the
violinist who does not exactly hit the
right note. but who plays constantly
just Semi-quaver untrue.
1t Is perhaps impossible for the Jazz
orchestra "a very poor name) to play
classical music between the strictly
dance numbers. The spirit of the
modern dance is so essentially Afri,
can tom-tomish that no group of play
ers can be expected to jump from it
into the classical spirit, and back
again. There is no reason, however,
why they cannot give us good melo-
d1eS-even if they have to play the
Old good ones over again.