Weekly News. — 1890-09-04 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

OUR MILITARY SCHOOL OF MUSIC.  In Cassell' a Family Maya:int for September there Is an interesting article on the Kindler Hall School of Music—the training school for our military bands. For several years (says the writer) the Military School of Music was only in the experimental stage. The Government gave nothing but the use of the building, and the ordinary soldier's pay to the student according to his regimental rank. Everything else—professors' fees, music, musical instruments, Ac.—had to be provided for by an annual payment of £lO from each regiment. It took several years to convince the authorities of the unfairness of this method of working ; and it was not instil 1875 that the school was taken over by the War Office, and all its expenses arranged to be provided for in the annual Army Estimates. Since that time the institution has gone on flourishing. In 1857 there was the very modest musical staff of only lour mastess ; now the school can boast of nine professors, besides a director of music, and a school master from the Government Normal School for general education. The average number of bandmasters appointed annually from the Hall is 20 and about 80 bandsmen are sent out every year, thoroughly equipped for taking a place in the ranks of the bands. The length of term is not rigidly fixed, but as a rule bandmasters remain for two years, and bandsmen 18 months. Students are divided into two sections—the first section consisting of those who are being educated as bandmasters, and the second of Hasse in training as instrumentalists for service in the regimental bands. Both classes of students are admitted, as vacancies occur, on the recommendation of the commanding officers or bandmasters of their respective regiments. Those sent up for training as bandmasters are already skilled performers on one or snore instruments, and their selection for further training is generally due to their having shewn an aptitude for the management of men, and a general fitness for responsibility. Experience has proved that the mere possession of musical ability is not the sole qualification necessary to make an efficient bandmaster. Even military law, strong as it is, has less power than personal influence ; and it is absolutely essential that the bandmaster should possess such qualities as will enable him to obtain the ready and cheerful obedience of the men under his charge. No one is therefore put in training as a bandmaster unless he has, in addition to his musical gifts, the recommendation of being a good disciplinarian, aTili possessed of such tact as will enable him thoroughly to control and conduct his band.  Otto Leuth, only 18 years of age, was hanged on Friday morning in the Columbus (Ohio) penitentiary for the murder of a girl 9 years old, 15 months ago. Brockley Smith, another murderer, was hanged at the same time.  The Empress of Austria has left raris after spending several days at Al, urice's in the strictest incognito. Her M ajesty has walked out a great deal during her stay in the city. 'flu other moniing, at 7.30, she proceeded, alone and unattended, to Mass at the Church of Saint ItoCli, afterward, taking a turn in the Rue de Rivoli, and aftet dejetiner she again went out on toot, though the weather was the reveree of favourable, dining the evening at one of the Boulevard restaurants.  Rev. Dr. Cox is to write a lull .1,-.eription cot the 15th century wall paintings recently uncovered in the church of Pickering. The September volume of Mr. Walter Scott's "Canterbury Poets" Series will be" The PainterPoets," edited by Mr. Kineton Parkes.  An entirely new theory is, it is said, or ginated in Mr. David Synies's new work on "Evolution," to be issued shortly by Messrs. Kegan Paul and Co.  Messrs. Chatto and %Indus will publish about the middle of October "Five Years with the Congo Cannibals," by Mr. Herbert Ward, with inure than HO inuatratimm ho the author and others.