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Vlll |
FOREWORD. |
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For although new or comparatively new countries do not, by reason of their want of leisured classes, cultivate art in anything like the same degree as do the nations of older civilisation, yet we find on the American continent several really capital wind instrumental combinations. '
America itself has at least half-a-dozen good bands; mostly proprietary. Among government organisations the band of the Washington Marines, under Mr. Santle-mann, stands easily foremost. Mexico, too, has a very fine band in that of its Artillery stationed at Mexico city. They are seventy-five strong, the instrumentation being on the French model, and embracing the entire rfamily of saxophones. They play an up-to-date repertoire and give capital renderings of such writers as Puccini and Saint-Saens.
Another very interesting body of performers is the band of the Filipino Scouts, fifty strong. They play entirely from memory, thus limiting the extent of their repertory, but, having regard to the conditions under which musical studies must be pursued in their country, the finished manner in which these little fellows render their fairly diversified programmes is little short of amazing. They show a decided predilection for ornate music, which is, I suppose, only natural to players who have to commit to memory.
Owing to a variety of causes military band music has increased enormously in popular favour in the British Isles during the past twenty years.
The advent of the annual eyhibition, the popularity |
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