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MEMOIRS

OF THE

Royal Artillery Band

ITS ORIGIN, HISTORY AND PROGRESS

An Account of the Rise of Military Music in England

HENRY GEORGE FARMER

Bombardier, Royal Artillery Band

1 am beholden to you for your sweet music "

—PERICLES

WITH 14 ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON
BOOSEY & CO., 295, REGENT STREET

AND NEW YORK
1904

TO THE OFFICERS

OF THE

ROYAL REGIMENT OF ARTILLERY

THIS HISTORY

OF THEIR REGIMENTAL BAND

BY PERMISSION

MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED.

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2012 with funding from

National Library of Scotland

http://www.archive.org/details/memoirsofroyalarOOfarm

PREFACE.

" Now, instead of going on denying that we are an
unmusical nation, let us do our utmost to prove that we
are a musical nation."— SIR ALEX. MACKENZIE.

" A History of British Military Music is much needed."
So said the Musical Times some six or seven years ago ;
and to-day, when military music and military bands are so
much discussed, a work of this kind appears to be urgently
called for.

This volume, however, makes no pretence whatever to
supply the want, but merely claims to be a history of one of
the famous bands in the service, that of the Royal Artillery.
The records of this band date as far back as 1762, when it
was formed, and I doubt if there is another band in the
army with a continuous history for so long a period. It
was the first regimental band to be officially recognised and
provided for in the Army Estimates, and may therefore
justly claim to be the pioneer band of the British Army,
whilst its history may fairly be stated to represent the
growth of the military band in this country.

I desire to tender my thanks to all those who have so
readily responded to my enquiries, several of whom I have
acknowledged in the body of the work ; but more especially
have I to acknowledge the services of three old members
of the band — the late James Lawson, Esq. (bandmaster,
R.A. Mounted Band), Joseph Smith, Esq., and W. F. Howe,
Esq., for their untiring efforts to make these memoirs as
complete as possible.

To the Superintendent of the R.A, Record Office —
R. C. W. Williams, Esq., R.A., I respectfully beg to
acknowledge my indebtedness for his courtesy in permitting

me to have access to the regimental records. I have also
to thank C.-S.-Major A. W. H. Seville, R.A., of that office,
for his kind assistance.

Major R. H. Murdoch, late R.A. — late Superintendent of
the R.A. Record Office ; R. J. Jackson, Esq.— Editor of the
Kentish Independent; and W. T. Vincent, Esq. — President
of the Woolwich Antiquarian Society, and author of the
Records of Woolwich ; have all most kindly given me infor-
mation, for which I beg leave to tender my most cordial
thanks.

But above all these, I have to express my deepest
gratitude to the Editor of the Orchestral Times — James
A. Browne, Esq., the author of England's Artillerymen,
which work formed the nucleus of these memoirs. This
gentleman most generously placed his services at my dis-
posal, and not only have I had the benefit of his invaluable
collection of notes and papers relating to artillery history
and military music, but I feel that I can never sufficiently
thank him for his great interest, encouragement, and
excellent advice, to which is due in no small way any
success which this little volume may attain.

The four plates, showing the dress worn by the band at
various periods, are from the pen of a talented member
of the band — Frank Ashton, to whom I am extremely
grateful for the great care and attention which he gave to
ensure absolute accuracy in the matter of dress.

In placing this work before the regiment and public

generally, it is with the hope that they may consider the

matter worthy of the time and labour bestowed upon it.

With the members and ex-members of the R.A. Band who

have so enthusiastically supported its publication, it may

be the means of furthering that esprit de corps which has

always been so highly maintained among them, and I trust

that they may derive as much pleasure in reading of their

worthy ancestors as I have done in unearthing their

history.

H.G. F.

R.A. Band, Woolwich,

June, 1904.

CONTENTS.

PREFACE page

INTRODUCTION— Military music from the earliest

times to the sixteenth century . . . . 5

CHAPTER I. — Earliest mention of music in the
Royal Artillery, 1557, to the formation of the
R.A. Band, 1762 . . . . . . . . 19

CHAPTER II.— Formation of the R.A. Band, and
its progress under the early bandmasters,
1762-1810 .. .. .. .. .. 35

CHAPTER III.— The band under Mr. George

McKenzie, 1810-1845 .. .. .. 59

CHAPTER IV.— Under Mr. William G. Collins,

1845-1854 .. .. .. .. ' .. 83

CHAPTER V.— Under Mr. James Smyth, 1854-1881 107

CHAPTER VI.— Under Cavaliere L. Zavertal, 1881

to the present time . . . . . , . . 147

APPENDIX A.— The Establishment of the R.A.

Band, June, 1904 .. .. .. ..173

APPENDIX B— List of Bandmasters, R.A. Band 174

APPENDIX C— List of Band Sergeants, R.A. Band 175

APPENDIX D.— Short History of the Royal Horse

Artillery Band . . . . . . 176

APPENDIX E.— Short History of the R.A. Mounted

Band (Woolwich) . . . . . . 181

APPENDIX F.— Rules and Regulations for the R.A.

Band, April, 1856 .. .. .. ..187

List of Illustrations.

1. Royal Artillery Band (Frontispiece)

to face page

2. The Great Kettledrums, Train of Artillery, 1702 26

3. Major-General W. Phillips, Founder of the

R.A. Band .. .. .. .. 34

4. Mr. George McKenzie, Bandmaster, R.A. .. 59

5. The Dress of the R.A. Band in 1830 . . . . 70

6. Mr. William G. Collins, Bandmaster, R.A .. 83

7. The Dress of the R.A. Band in 1847 . . . . 90

8. Mr. James Smyth, Bandmaster, R.A. .. 107

9. The Dress of the R.A. Band in 1856 . . . . 114

10. The Dress of the R.A. Band in 1879 . . . . 140

11. Cavaliere L. Zavertal, m.v.o., 2nd Lieut., R.A. 147

12. The Duke of Cambridge decorating Cavaliere

Zavertal in 1896 .. .. .. ..170

13. Mr. James A. Browne, Bandmaster, R.H.A. .. 177

14. Mr. James Lawson, Bandmaster, R.A. (Mounted

Band) .. .. .. .. ..182

INTRODUCTION.

1 What passion cannot music raise and quell." — DRYDEN.

" Music the fiercest grief can charm,

" And Fate's severest rage disarm." — POPE.

y^V~\ USIC is an essential to war, and an army

I / would as soon think of leaving its

J gunpowder as its harmony at home.

In all nations from the earliest times

music has been the accompaniment of feats of

arms, and served the two-fold purpose of inspiring

the troops to fight, and as a means of conveying

orders or commands. The noisiest instruments

were naturally the best adapted for this purpose : —

"The shrill trump,1 the spirit-stirring drum."

— Shakespeare.

and with no less policy do those act who trust to
their efficacy in the hour of battle, and use them as
a means of exciting that passion which the most
eloquent oration imaginable would fail to inspire.

1 BARTHOLOMiEUS, who wrote De Proprictatibits Rermn
about 1366, says: —

" A trompe is properly an instrument ordeyned for men
that fyghteth in batayle, to crye and to warne of the sygnes
of batayle. . . Men in olde tyme usyd trompes in battayle
to fere and affraye theyr enmyes, and to comforte theyre
owne knyghtes and fyghtynge men. . . . For it is somtime
blowe to arraye battaylles, and somtyme for that bataylles
sholde smyte togyder." (Published by Stephen Batman in
1582.)

Both of these instruments are of the most
remote antiquity. The Ethiopians attribute to
the Egyptian god Thoth the introduction of the
drum into their country in the first year of the
creation of the world. But it is more probable
that it was transmitted from the Ethiopians to the
Egyptians, for it is historically affirmed that the
latter originally migrated from Ethiopia.

Some Greek historians credit the Tyrrhenians1
with the invention of the trumpet, to direct their
soldiers in time of war, and to supersede lighted
torches and shells of fishes, which were sounded
like trumpets. But others, with greater probability,
ascribe it to the Egyptians. Martial music had its
place with the Egyptians, as with all nations of
antiquity, but with them it was almost entirely
confined to the use of trumpets and drums.2
These trumpets were straight, and, according to
Sir J. Gardner Wilkinson, eighteen inches in length.
They also used an instrument called the sistrum,
which, according to Batman, before quoted, was
" like a horn, used in battaile insteed of a trumpet."

The trumpets used by the Hebrews during their
forty years sojourn in the wilderness were doubtless
of Egyptian origin. Moses, as the disciple of
Egyptian priests, was intimately acquainted with
the practice of music. He was commanded to
make "two trumpets of silver." (Numbers x.)
These trumpets, called by the Jews chatzozeroh,
are the only Jewish instruments of which any

1 Virgil calls it the Tyrrhenian trumpet.

2 History of Music. — Naumann.

authentic representation exists. They appear in
the celebrated bas-relief on the Arch of Titus at
Rome. A portion of the mosaic ordinances is
devoted to the use of these trumpets. The tribes
were gathered together by the blowing of trumpets,
and in the 9th verse of Numbers x. we find : —

" And if ye go to war in your land against
the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall
blow an alarm with the trumpets."

Josephus says that they were a little less than
a cubit in length, but, from the representation,
they would appear to have been longer. The horn
(shopJiar and keren) was also a warlike instrument
with them ; for Josephus says that the soldiers of
Gideon used it.

Music was held in the highest estimation among
the Greeks during the whole period of their history.
The trumpet was not in use with them during the
Trojan war, although it was quite common in the
time of Homer.1 The celebrated Athenian general,
Tyrtasus, who lived six centuries before Christ, was
an excellent performer upon the trumpet, and it
was he who first induced the Spartans to employ it
as a military instrument, during the wars with the
Messenians. It seems that the most important
martial instruments of the Greeks were the

1 Sir James Turner (Pallas Armata) explains how the
Greeks got the trumpet. He says they learned the use
of it from the Tyrrhenians, and they, having their name
and origin from the Tirians, had their trumpats also from
them. The Tirians being neighbours of the Jews, learned
many things from them, and probably the trumpet. Thus
we see how the trumpet was transmitted from Egypt into
Europe.

straight trumpet — salphinx, the small trumpet with
a curvature towards the bell, and the horn — keras.
Every company of infantry had a trumpeter ; and
in the cavalry also, although not mentioned by
iElian, there appears to have been a trumpeter,
or horn-player.

The Romans had, no doubt, a national music
peculiar to themselves, but music as an art they
borrowed, as they did every other artistic adjunct
of their national life, from the Greeks. The
Romans were a race of fighting men, and regarded
military music more seriously than any other
branch of the art. It was King Servius Tullius
who introduced into the Roman army trumpets
and horns of metal, in the year 570 b.c. In later
years, however, we find quite a host of martial
instruments, the most important of which were
the straight trumpet — tuba1 ; the huge curved
trumpet — buccina ; the small trumpet — lituus ;
and the horn — cornu.2 The performers on these
instruments were called .^neatores. Every troop
of horse, and every maniple, if not every century
of foot, had either a trumpet or horn, or both.8

The tuba was employed for signals of every
description in war, and Vegetius says that the
signal for the advance and retire was sounded
upon it, as was also the fanfare at the sacrifice
celebrated in the presence of the army. The

1 The tuba is usually designated as being about 39 inches
long. There are several specimens in the British Museum.

2 The cornu in the British Museum measures 4 feet
6 inches in length.

3 Pallas Armata— Turner, 1683.

guards and sentries were posted to the sound of
the tuba, and relieved by the sounding of the cornn.
The signal for the starting of the army was given
on this instrument, and probably a marching tune
was played on it ; cornicines at least walk in front
of the marching army1 on the Column of Antonius
and the Arch of Constantine.2 The purpose of the
buccina, which was an enormous instrument, the
tube measuring fully eleven feet in length, was to
direct the movements of troops detached from
camp.3 The lituus probably served the same
purpose as the tuba, the former being allotted to
the cavalry, and the latter to the infantry.4

But there can be no doubt that our pagan
forefathers used neither trumpet nor bugle when
preparing for the fray, but the more uncouth
buffalo horn. Caesar himself writes that the
aboriginal inhabitants of our island, the Ancient
Britons, were passionately fond of music, both
instrumental and vocal. Their music, like their
national character, was sensitive, impetuous, ardent,
and at times imbued with a wild melancholy and
deep pathos. It is said to have been so extremely

1 Marechal de Saxc in his Reveries gives as one reason
the Romans were generally victorious that they were made
to march in time. " This is the perfect secret, the military
step of the Romans. It is the reason of the institution of
marches and the beating of the drum."

2 Life of the Greeks and Romans. — Guhl & Koner, 1877.

3 History of Music.— Naumann.

4 This does not seem to have always been the rule.
Ovid mentions that the infantry of the Sabines and Romans
used the lituus, and we find that the cavalry used both the
tuba and buccina. — Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities.
— W. Smith, 1891.

affecting that sometimes when two armies were
standing in the order of battle, and on the point
of engaging in the most furious combat, the bards
would step between them and by their soft,
fascinating strains, calm the fury of the warriors,
and so prevent bloodshed.1

The Ancient Britons were in the habit of using
horns to increase the din of battle. We are told
that they began their attacks with taunting songs
and deafening howls, accompanied by the blowing
of horns, with which each warrior was provided.
Several instruments of the horn species have been
discovered in Ireland, a country rich in Celtic
antiquities, and are considered by many writers to
be Celtic, although several have assigned them to
the Danes.2 There is a record of ten or twelve
being discovered in the bogs of County Cork.
Several specimens are preserved at the Royal Irish
Academy at Dublin, and are of considerable size,
having the embouchere at the side, like an Ashantee
war-trumpet.

The horn was also a martial instrument with the
Saxons. There is a drawing in the manuscript of
Prudentius, which seems to represent a sort of
military dance or sham combat. There are two
men, equipped in martial habits, armed with sword
and shield, engaged in combat to the music of the
horn.3

The reference to the war-horn in the poem

1 History of Music— Stafford, 1838.

2 Irish Antiquities.— ■ Wakem an, 1847.
8 Sport ami Pastimes.— Strutt, 1833.

Beowulf is sufficient evidence that it was a martial
instrument with them in the fifth century : —

"They away hurried bitter and angry
The instant they heard the war-horn sing."

It is mentioned also in later Anglo-Saxon
glossaries, so that we may come to the conclusion
that although Tacitus tells us that they marched to
battle to the sound of their own voices, yet they'
were collected in the first instance by the sound of
the horn.1

" Besides the horn," says Strutt,2 " they had a
long trumpet," which, in the manuscript given by
him, is slightly curved and of great size, being fully
five feet in length. On the side of the manuscript
is inscribed : —

" When the trumpet ceases to sound, the
sword is returned to the scabbard."

With the Danes, also, " the call to arms was by
the sound of the trumpet, or horn."

In the History of Charles and Grymer, Swedish
Kings, Harec, hearing of his son's death, cries
out: —

" Let the bugle-horn sound to arms, I will
go and ravage Sweden."

In the same history we find : " All instantly fly to
arms, and everyone prepares himself for battle ;
the trumpet sounds, and each warrior is accoutred."
Several trumpets have been found in Britain, and

1 Older England, — Hodgetts, 1884.

2 Manners, Customs, etc., of England. — Strutt, 1775.

are generally supposed to have been Danish.1
The science of music suffered nothing in England
from the Norman invasion. Their martial music
was much upon the same plan as that of the
Saxons.2 When William the Conqueror sailed
from the Dive for the shores of England, we are
told that his ships " resounded with music ; the
pipe, the zittern, the drums, the cymbals, all were
heard, and the voice of the trumpet sounded
proudly over all."8 His army was accompanied by
minstrels, one of whom, named Taillefer, having
obtained leave to begin the onset, advanced at the
head of the army, singing with a loud voice the
songs which immortalised the valour of Roland and
Charlemagne, and as he sang he performed feats
with his sword. The Normans repeated the burden
of the song, with shouts of " Dieu Aide !" Taillefer
was killed in the struggle. In the several poetical
narratives of the battle of Hastings there is frequent
mention of trumpets and horns : —

" Dez fci li dous ost s'entrcvirent."
" Grant noise e grant temulte flrent."
"iVIult oissiez graisles soner."
" E boisines e cors corner."

—Roman de Rou.

Military music did not assume any definite shape
until the time of the Crusades. The returning
Crusaders brought with them many new customs

1 Military Antiquities — Grose, 1801— in which there is
an engraving of a Danish trumpet, over five feet in length.

2 Manners, Customs, etc., of England. — Strutt, 1775.

3 History of the Norman Conquest. — Freeman, 1869.

from the East, and they are credited with the
introduction of drums and kettledrums into our
armies.1 These instruments are frequently men-
tioned in the accounts of the Crusades. The side
drum2 (labour*) is introduced into the romance of
Richard Coeur de Lion4 : —

"Tambours beten and trumpes blovve."

The kettledrums (nakeres*) occur in the Memoirs
of St. Louis (Joinville), where we are told that the
tumult and noise made by the Saracens with their
horns and nacaires was frightful to hear, and
seemed very strange to the French.

In the Saracen armies, trumpets and drums were
used to indicate a rallying point ; for although at
ordinary times the standards sufficed to show men
the places of their leaders, yet in the dust of battle
these were often hidden from sight ; and it was
therefore the rule to gather the minstrels around
the standards, and bid them blow and beat
strenuously and unceasingly during the action.
The silence of the band was taken as a proof that
a battalion had been broken, and that the colours
were in danger ; and the fashion lasted so long
that even in the seventeenth century the bandsmen
in all battle pictures are depicted, drawn up at a
safe distance, energetically playing.6

1 History of Music. — Naumann.

2 Drum, from the Erse, Drumme.

3 Tabour (English), Tambour (French).

4 History of English Poetry. — Warton, 1824.

3 Nakcres (English), nacaires (French), nacchera (Italian),
from the nagarah of the Arabs and Moors.

6 History of the British Army. — Fortescue, 1899.

For the next two hundred years at least the
instrument used for signalling appears to have been
the trumpet alone,1 although so far as can be
gathered it sounded no distinct calls, but was
dependent for its significance on orders previously
issued. (The signals for the horn in the chase
were, however, numerous.) Froissart informs us
that orders were made known by the trumpet : —
'• Au premier son de sa trompette ou s'appareillat,
au second on s'armat, et aut tiers son montat a
cheval et partit."

After the Norman Conquest the itinerant pro-
fessors of music became known as minstrels. The
king and nobility had their minstrels, who held
important ranks in the court of the Norman
monarchs. When they took command of their
armies in the field of war, they were accompanied
by their minstrels, both for signalling and for
enlivening the dreariness of the camp or march.2
In the public expenditures made in the fifth year
of Edward I. (1276) there is payment to one
named Robert, styled " King of the Minstrels,"
being chief of them apparently for military service3 ;

1 Dictionary of Music and Musicians. — Grove.

It is in Italy that the side drum seems first to have been
used for this purpose. Macchiavelli, in his Art of War
(1521) clearly states that the drum commands all things in
a battle, proclaiming the commands of the officer to his
troops. It was from Italy that in all probability the earliest
musical signals came : spread over Europe by mercenaries,
they were modified and altered by the different troops
which adopted them : but the names given to the different
sounds long retained evidence of their Italian origin.

2 Military Music — Kappey.

3 History of the British Army. — Scott, 1868.

and in 1293 there is a payment to Randolph, the
King's Trumpeter, who had also been trumpeter to
Henry III. In the fourth year of Edward II. (1310)
there is a charge for Janino la Chevretter (bagpiper),
Roger the Trumpeter, and Janino le Nakerer
(kettledrum mer), all of them King's Minstrels,
who received sixty shillings from the king. The
court minstrels of Edward III. consisted of: 5
trompetters, 2 clarions,1 5 pypers, 3 wayghtes,2 and
four others,3 who held fine positions, each being
paid 7^d. daily, " by letters patent," to be received
at the exchequer during his life ; besides other
rewards, such as in 1359, when forty pounds were
given to the king's herald and his companions the
minstrels for attending the tournament at Smith-
field.4

There is a ballad (Harleian MS.) made on the
victory of Edward III. over the Scots at Hallidon
Hill (1333) :—

"This was do with merry sowne

With pipes, Trompes and Tabers therto
And loude clarionnes thci blew also."

and in the prose account to be found in the same

manuscript : —

" Then the Engliche mynstrcllcs bcten ther
tabers, and blcwen their Trompes, and pipers
pipedene loude and made a grcte schowte upon
the Skottes."

1 Clarion — a small trumpet.

2 Wayglits or Waits — an ancient wooden instrument
played with a double reed ; the precursor of the oboe.

3 History of Music. — Hawkins, 1776.

4 Issue Roll of Thomas de Brantiugham. — a.d. 1370.

Froissart describes how, in the year 1347, when
Edward III. and his queen made their triumphal
entry into Calais, they were greeted with a grand
military concert of " trompes, de tambours, de
nacaires, de chalemies1 et de muses." That these
were instruments of martial music there can be
no doubt, for Chaucer, in his description of the
tournament in the Knight's Tale, says : —

" Pipes, trompes, nakeres, and clariounes
That in the bataille blowen blody sounes."

He also informs us that the archer of this period
was furnished with a horn : —

"An horn he bare, his baudrik was of grene."

Among the court minstrels of the good King
" Hal " we find one named John Cliff and seventeen
others, ten of whom were clarion players, and were
paid twelvepence each per diem. They accompanied
the king on his expedition to Harfleur in 1415,
and served at Guienne and elsewhere.

This John Cliff was one of the court minstrels
with Henry VI. when he and others were empowered
to impress minstrels into the king's service.2

One of this name also appears among the
thirteen minstrels of Edward IV. (1470), " whereof
some be trompets, some with the shalmes and
small pypes."3 They were paid and clothed by the
king, besides other rewards from the exchequer ;

1 Chalemie or chalemeau (French), shalm or shawm
(English), was the precursor of the clarionet.

2 Rymer's Fcedera.

3 History of Music— Hawkins.

and received nightly " four gallons of ale," together
with fuel, light and lodging for themselves and their
horses. Two servants were also allowed them " to
bear their trompets, pypes and other instruments."

As they served on horseback, the custom arose
of looking upon trumpet music as being specially
appropriate for the cavalry service,1 whilst in the
" bands " of foot the tabour, or side drum, was
used, and frequently in conjunction with the
bagpipe.2 The latter was a decided favourite in
England, being used on all public occasions, and
very popular with troops raised in Ireland and in
the north.3

There exists a curious and most remarkable piece
of music, by William Byrd, composed somewhere
about the end of the sixteenth century, entitled
The Battell, in which is to be found " The
Souldiers' Summons," " The Martch of Ffoote,"
"The Martch of Horse," "The Irish Martch,"
" The Trumpetts," " The Bagpipe and the Drum,"
etc. They are most probably old and familiar
marches.

1 The trumpet retained its original straight form until
the sixteenth century, which is proved by a picture that
hangs in Windsor Castle representing the interview between
Henry VIII. and Francis I. in 1520. The credit of having
bent the tube of the trumpet is usually claimed for a
Frenchman named Maurin (1498-1515), but the transforma-
tion really took place in Italy about the middle of the
thirteenth century.

2 Bartholomaeus, who wrote about 1366, says that the
tympanum " maketh better melody yf there is a pype
therewyth."

3 The bagpipe is mentioned by Procopius as an instru-
ment of war with the Roman infantry.

During the reign of Henry VIII. the fife appears
as a martial instrument in England, and in time
became so popular as to almost oust the bagpipe
from its position as an accompaniment to the drum.
Grose, in his Military Antiquities (1801), says that
the fife is a German invention introduced into
military music by the Swiss.1 In an " Ordonnance "
of Francis I. of France, in 1534,. each band of
1,000 men, was to have four tabourins and two fifes
(Memoirs de Du Bellay), and therefore, according to
precedent, we may infer that it was introduced
shortly afterwards into the British service. We
find it first in the muster of the citizens of London
in 1539, when " droumes " and " ffyffers " are
mentioned.

Henry VIII. evidently took some interest in this
class of music, for it is recorded that he sent all the
way to Vienna to procure kettledrums that could
be played on horseback "after the Hungarian (that
is to say the hussars) manner," together with men
that could make and play them skilfully. Ten good
drums and as many fifers were ordered at the same
time.

The employment of fifes in our armies was the
first step towards the formation of the miltary
band.

1 Mersenne (Harmonie Universelle — 1639) calls it tibia
helvetica, and says it is the same species as the flute, but
proportionately less in every respect, wherefore it sounds
more acutely and vehemently, which it ought to do, lest the
sound of it should be drowned by that of the drum.

CHAPTER I.

1557-1762.

" Nothing is more apt, than music to raise man to great
deeds, and chiefly to inspire him with the degree of courage
necessary to brave the dangers of war."— PLUTARCH

" The sound of trumpet and of drum,
That makes the warrior's stomach come ;
Whose noise whets valour sharp, like beer
By thunder turned to vinegar ;
(For if you hear a trumpet sound or drum beat
Who has not a month's mind to combat ?)"

—BUTLER'S " HUDIBRASS."

'^>- H E earliest mention of " music " or
(Gj "musician" in the Royal • Artillery is
given in the list of the army despatched
to St, Quentin, 1557, where a " drumme " and
" phife " are employed at one shilling each per
diem, for the " Trayne of Artillery."

These drum and fife bands were but poor affairs
of a very dull kind. The manipulation of the fife
was very rudimentary, and the side drums, instead
of being short, having a bright and powerful tone,
which is greatly increased by the addition of snares
over the lower head, were twice as long as the
modern ones, had no snares,1 and the shell was
made of wood.

1 So says Kappey {Military Music). But in the work of
Michael Pretorius (Syntagma Musicum — 1619) the side drum
is distinctly shown with snares.

There are rules laid down for drummers and
fifers of this period by one Ralph Smith : — " All
capitaines must have drommes and ffifes and men
to use the same, whoe shall be faithfull, secrette,
and ingenious, of able personage to use their
instruments and office, of sundrie languages ; for
oftentimes they bee sent to parley with their
enemies, to sommon theire efforts and dyverse other
messages, which of necessitie requireth language.
If such drommes and ffifes should fortune to fall
into the hands of the enemies, noe guifte nor
force should cause them to disclose any secrettes
that they knowe. They must ofte practice theire
instruments, teach the companye the soundes of
the marche, allarum, approache, assaulte, battaile,
retreate, skirmishe, or any other callinge that of
necessitie should be knowen. They must be
obediente to the commandemente of theire captaine
and ensigne, when as they shall command them
to comme, goe, or stande, or sounde theire retreate
or callinge."

For all these requirements and accomplishments
they received the munificent reward of one shilling
per diem, which was fourpence more than the
common soldier received. Indeed, if they did a
tithe of that which was expected of them, they
were worth every penny of it. Trumpeters of
horse were required to know six calls : " Saddle !"
"Mount!" "Mess!" "March!" "Alarm!" and
"Charge!"1

1 History of the British Army — Fortescue, 1899.

In the train of artillery raised in 1620, for the
recovery of the Palatinate, a trumpeter and
drummer are employed at two shillings and one
shilling per diem respectively. But in the " train "
commissioned in 1639 for service in Scotland they
are omitted, although other branches had them.
Trumpeters of " horse " two shillings and sixpence
per diem, and drummers of " foot " one shilling per
diem. However, the artillery train of 1685 has a
drummer at one shilling, and three years later two
are allowed at one shilling and sixpence per diem.

Trumpeters and drummers were furnished for the
army by the Sergeant-Trumpeter and the Drum-
Major-General1 of the Royal Household, whose
duty it was to impress musicians for the service.'2
They also granted licences to other than King's
troops wishing to sound a trumpet or beat a drum.
Impressing musicians seems to have been anything
but a pleasant duty ; for we find that in the year
1637, the Sergeant-Trumpeter appointed Cuthbert
Collins, a " Trumpeter in Ordinary," to impress
one John Digges, when the latter challenged him
to fight and otherwise abused him.

All this was many years before the " Royal
Regiment of Artillery" was established; and in
these pre-regimental days the Master-General of
Ordnance was responsible for the raising of the
trains of artillery, of which he was ex-officio colonel-

1 These offices first appear in the reign of Edward VI.,
when Benedict Browne was Sergeant-Trumpeter, and
Robert Bruer was " Master Drummer."

2 In 1679, there is a payment of five pounds twelve
shillings made to Drum-Major-General Mawgridge, for
impressing sixteen drummers for the Coldstream Guards.

in-chief. Not only did he control this depart-
ment, but he directed the Board of Ordnance,
which included everything pertaining to ordnance
and military stores. When the Master-General
took to the field in time of war, we find among
his staff or retinue, a trumpeter and kettledrummer.
The kettledrums were mounted on a chariot drawn
by six white horses.1 They appear in the field for
the first time during the Irish Rebellion of 1689,
and the estimates for ordnance, &c, includes " large
kettledrums mounted on a carriage with cloaths
marked I.R. (Jacobus Rex), and cost £158 9s."2

The kettledrummer, whose name was John Bur-
nett, held a fine position, being paid four shillings per
diem, and his uniform cost fifty pounds. Even the
driver of the kettledrums received three shillings per
diem, and could not be clothed under fifteen pounds,
while a gunner's suit was valued at five pounds
six shillings and fourpence. These kettledrums
were peculiar only to the artillery. The cavalry
kettledrums, although mentioned in the reign of
Henry VIII., were not universally acknowledged
until James II. came to the throne. Sir James
Turner, who wrote Pallas Armata (1683), speaks
of them as being quite a novelty : — " There is,"
he says, " another martial instrument used with the
cavalry, which they call the kettledrum ; there be
two of them, which hang before the drummer's
saddle, on both which he beats. They are not
ordinary ; princes, dukes and earls may have them

1 History of the R.A.— Duncan.

2 Artillery Regimental History. — Miller.

with the troops which ordinarily are called life
guards. So may generals and lieutenant-generals,
though they be not noblemen. The Germans,
Danes and Swedes permit none under a baron to
have them unless they are taken in battle from an
enemy."1

Manesson Mallet says : — " The timbal player
should be a man of heart, preferring rather to
perish in the combat than to allow himself to be
taken with his drums. He should have a pleasing
motion of the arm, an accurate ear, and take
delight in diverting his master by agreeable airs
in deeds of mirth."2

It has already been shown how the fife came
into such favour, as to entirely supersede the
bagpipe, except perhaps in the north, where it
continues a favourite to the present day. Sir
James Turner (1683) says : — " In some places a
Piper is allowed to each company : the Germans
have him, and I look upon their Pipe as a Warlike

1 A similar rule was observed in England. At the
Restoration, no regiment of horse was permitted to use
kettledrums. The only regiment that had them was the
Life Guards. However, on the accession of James II.,
every regiment of horse was furnished with them. At the
latter part of the eighteenth century there were only two
regiments in the service, besides the Life Guards and Horse
Guards, who were allowed to employ them : the Royal
Irish Dragoons and the King's Dragoons (3rd Hussars), by
virtue of having captured them from an enemy ; the former
at Hockstedt, 1704, and the latter at Dettingen, 1743.
Why these regiments should have been specially favoured
is not quite clear, for similar trophies were in the possession
of other regiments. The 3rd Dragoon Guards captured
the drums of the Bavarian Guards at Ramilies, 1706, and
the 7th Dragoon Guards captured a pair from the French
at Dettingen, 1743.

2 Paris, 1683.

Instrument. The Bagpipe is good enough musick
for them who love it, but sure it is not so good as
the Almain whistle [fife]. With us any Captain
may keep a piper in his company and maintain
him too, for no pay is allowed him, perhaps just
as much as he deserveth."

Even the fife did not receive universal accep-
tance. Francis Markham, in his Five Decades of
Epistles of Warre (1622), seems to have been
somewhat opposed to its use, for in action the
soldier was likely to have his attention diverted
from the drum signals by the music of the fifes.
He says : — " It is to the voice of the Drum the
Souldier should wholly attend, and not to the aire
of a whistle." Shakespeare, whose eye and ear
escaped nothing, refers to the " ear-piercing fife,"
and in the Merchant of Venice he has a word for
" the vile squealing of the wry-neck'd fife."

In turn, the fife suffered the same fate as the
bagpipe ; perhaps even worse, for it appears for
a time to have been banished altogether from our
service. It appears for the last time in the
Coronation Procession of James II. In Sandford's
picture of that event, a fifer is shown (having a
banner attached to his fife) dressed in the king's
livery, marching in front of the four drummers of
the Guards,1 dressed in a like manner.

The instrument that in all probability caused the
abandonment of the fife was the hautboy. It is
said by Mersenne, a learned French philosopher,

1 In the Souldier 's Accidence (1643) it says : — " The phipher
(if there be more than one) the eldest, shall march with the
eldest drumme."

who was the author of Harmonie Universelle (1636),
to be a French invention, and shown by him in
three forms — the treble, tenor, and bass. In France
it was customary to attach two hautbois and two
drums to each company.1 We notice it first in our
service in 1678, in which year the Horse Grenadier
Guards were raised, each troop employing two
hautboys.

One of the last acts performed by Charles II. con-
cerning the army is a warrant dated January 3rd,
1684-5, authorising the entertainment of twelve
hautbois in the companies of the King's Regiment
of Foot Guards in London, and that a fictitious
name should be borne on the strength of each of
the other companies of the regiment quartered in
the country, with a view to granting these musicians
a higher rate of pay.2 The introduction of the
hautboy was a further advance towards the military
band. That they played in parts is evident from
the " music of the Grenadier Company " of the
Honourable Artillery Company, which in 1731
consisted of " one curtail, three hautbois, and no
more." So popular did the instrument become

1 Charles II. of England copied many of his court
manners and customs from the French. He introduced
a court band of " 24 violins," after the manner of the
French king's " Vingt-quarte Violons du Roi." So that it
is quite likely that the introduction of the hautboy into our
army came also from the French. The French word
" bande " was applied to the " Violons du Roi " of Louis XIV.,
so we may infer that Charles borrowed the term " bande "
when he introduced his " Violins." The word first appears
in a MS. order in the Lord Chamberlain's Warrant Books
for 1661. The old English word for a combination of
musical instruments in performance, was " noise."

2 History of the Grenadier Guards.— Hamilton 1874.

that it was generally adopted by regiments of
dragoons and foot.1

Strange to say, it never found its way into the
" Trains of Artillery." They still continued to
employ the " Great Kettledrums " which accom-
panied the Duke of Marlborough to Holland in
1702, and formed a conspicuous feature at his
funeral. A model of these drums and their carriage
is preserved in the Rotunda Museum at Woolwich,
and the silk and gold embossed bannerols are to
be seen in the hall of the Ordnance Office, Royal
Arsenal.

On the 26th May, 1716, the " Royal Regiment of
Artillery " was formed ; when two companies were
permanently established at Woolwich. No drum-
mers or other musicians are shown upon the
establishment, although they appear in the " train "
of 1715, and the Vigo expedition of 1719. But in
1720, His Majesty George I. was pleased to
authorise an alteration in the establishment of the
two companies, and we find two drummers at one
shilling each per diem attached to each company.2

1 " The dragoons long had the Haubois and side drum,"
says Grose (Mil. Antiq., 1801), " but about the year 1759
changed them for the trumpet." Gnose is evidently mis-
taken on this point. It was in 1764 that His Majesty
George III. thought proper to forbid the use of brass side
drums in the light cavalry. Lieut. -Col. Dalrymple, of the
King's Own Dragoons, wrote an essay on the merits of both
instruments, and it is not improbable that this assisted in
its abolition (Story of the 17th Lancers— Parry). It was not
dispensed with at once, for we find that both the 3rd
Dragoon Guards (Cannon's Records) and the 3rd Light
Dragoons (Records of the 3rd Light Dragoons — Kauntze)
did not adopt trumpets until 1766. The hautbois continued
in favour some little time afterwards, and was retained in
the Guards longer than any other corps.

2 Early History of the R.A, — Cleaveland.

The first drummer enlisted was Joseph Brome,
aged eight years,1 who, however, first appears upon
the pay lists of 1721. These drummers were
clothed in scarlet, a privilege extended to Royal
regiments only.2

Joseph Brome died in 1796 a lieutenant-general,
and had been three times Commandant of Woolwich
garrison. There is an anecdote related of him
in Browne's England's Artillerymen: — "On one
occasion, while he was Commandant, he was
entering the Warren (now the Royal Arsenal) when
the guard turned out, presented arms, and the
drummer beat two ruffles ; little Brome ran up in
great displeasure to the drummer, and upbraiding
him for his inefficiency in the art of drumming,
snatched the drum away, passed the suspending
belt over his own neck,8 and began to rattle away
in a very superior style. Finishing with the two
ruffles, he exclaimed : ' There, you young dog,
that's the way I used to beat the drum when I was
a drummer.' "

The kettledrummer continued to be borne on the
staff of the regiment,4 and accompanied the " train"
in the Vigo expedition of 1719. These kettledrums
appear in the field for the last time during the
Flanders campaign, which terminated in 1748.5 On

1 This is not, however, an early age for the R.A. Most
probably the youngest soldier to be borne on the pay lists
of the regiment was Joseph Elliot, who was enlisted in
1804, when only four years old.

2 The Brome Family. — Murdoch.

8 In the old days, drummers wore the drum sling round
their necks, not over their shoulder as to-day.
4 History of the R.A.— Duncan, 1872.
6 Artillery Regimental History. — Miller.

this occasion they were mounted on a triumphal
car, finely ornamented and gilt, and drawn by six
white horses.1 On the fore part of the car was
carried the Ordnance flag.2 The position of the
kettledrums on the march was in front of the flag-
gun, and behind the Artillery front-guard8 ; when in
camp they were placed in front of the quarters of
the Duke of Cumberland, and the Artillery guns
parked round them.4 A regimental order of the
19th June, 1747, Herenthout, directs the kettle-
drummer " to mount the kettledrum carriage every
night half an hour before the sun sett, and beat till
gun fireing."

The kettledrums appear on the establishment as
late as 1756, when Cotterel Barret was kettle-
drummer at three shillings per diem, but in 1759
the Artillery was divided into independent brigades
or batteries ; and as it now ceased to march in one
column, as has formerly been the case, the kettle-
drums were abolished.5 The drums and their
carriage were deposited in the Tower of London,6
and in Brayley and Britton's History of the Tower
are mentioned as being on the ground floor of the

1 Memoirs of the R. A, — Macbean.

2 British Military Journal, 1798.

3 Artillery Regimental History. — Miller.

4 England's Artillery. — Browne, 1865.

6 Early History of the R .A . — Cleaveland.

6 At this time there was also a pair of kettledrums
preserved in the Tower which, according to Dr. Burney,
had been captured at Malplaquet, 1709. These " Tower
Drums " were in frequent request by Handel for his
Oratorios, and there are documents signed by him acknow-
ledging the loan of these drums from the Master-General
of Ordnance.

small armoury, but they were probably destroyed
in the fire of 1841.

Among other customs brought from Flanders was
that of employing fifers as well as drummers : —
" The first fifers in the British service," says
Colonel Macbean (Memoirs of the Royal Artillery,
1743-79), "were established in the Royal Regiment
of Artillery at the end of the war, being taught by
John Ulrich,1 a Hanoverian flfer brought from
Flanders by Colonel Belford when the Allied Army
separated."

A claim of priority in this little particular has
been set up for the Guards, by Grose in his Military
Antiquities (1801), who says that the fife was
restored to the army by the Duke of Cumberland,
who re-introduced it into the Guards about 1745.
There is no mention of the fife, however, in
Cumberland's general orders, which are printed in
Sime's Military Guide (1772), although the drum is
frequently mentioned ; neither do any fifers appear
on the establishment of the Grenadier Guards2
until 1757, nor in the Coldstream Guards3 until
1758. There is, however, an interesting engraving
by William Hogarth, representing " The March of
the Guards towards Scotland in the year 1745," in
which a drummer and fifer are depicted. It was
painted and published in December, 1750. Grose
goes on to say that the fife was not, however,
adopted by the marching regiments till the year

1 He subsequently became 6fe-major, and was discharged
in 1766.

2 History of the Grenadier Guards. — Hamilton, 1874.

3 History of the Coldstream Guards.— MacKinnon, 1833.

1747: — "The first regiment that had it was the
19th, then called the Green Howards, in which
I had the honour to serve, and well remember a
Hanoverian youth, an excellent fifer,1 being given
by his colonel to Lieutenant- Colonel Williams,
then commanding that regiment at Bois-le-Duc,
in Dutch Flanders."

With respect to this assertion, we cannot dis-
credit it ; but it is remarkable that Grose makes no
reference to the claim of the Royal Artillery, a
fact that must have been patent to his personal
knowledge. Sir George Grove, in his great work,
A Dictionary of Music and Musicians, gives the
Royal Artillery the credit of the introduction of the
fife. Another work of authority2 says that it was
introduced at the siege of Maestricht in 1747.
Cannon, in his Records of the 19th Foot, shies at the
subject by merely adding a foot-note : — " In the
year 1747, fifes were introduced into the regiments
of infantry."

The historians of the Royal Artillery make no
mention of Grose in this matter, except the author
of England's Artillerymen, who maintains that: —
" The use of fifes was revived by the Duke of
Cumberland3 at the termination of the war in

1 Note that he speaks of a fifer, whereas Macbean refers
to fifers.

2 Lloyd's Encyclopedic Dictionary , 1895.

8 On this point an extract from Nollekens and his Times,
by J. I. Smith (1828), may prove interesting: — "One
morning, when a fifer and drummer were rovv-de-dowing
to a newly-married couple at the ' Sun and Horseshoe,' at
the opposite house to Nollekens, Mrs. Nollekens observed
that her father, Mr. Welch, used to say that fifing boys
were first introduced by the Duke of Cumberland."

Flanders in 1747, the Royal Artillery being the first
regiment to which they were attached. The Guards
adopted the use of fifes soon after the Artillery ;
the first marching regiment to use them was the
19th."

There had been a Drum-Major1 borne on the
establishment of the Cadet Company, R.A., since
1744.2 The first to hold this office was (I believe)
John Hollingshead, who served in that capacity
with the regiment in Flanders until 1747, when he
was recalled by the following3 : —

"Woolwich, 16th June, 1747.
" To Colonel Belford :

" All our Drummers being at present boys, and
three of them lately Enterred,4 the General
desires that you will order the Drum Major to
England, as we have nobody here [who] can
instruct them to beat."

In the following year (1748) a Fife-Major was
added to the regiment. The duties of the Drum-
Major and Fife-Major were not only to teach their
respective instruments, but it was also part of their

1 Drum-Majors were admitted into our service during
the latter part of the reign of Charles I. (Grose). Sir James
Turner (Pallas Armata, 1683) denies altogether their exis-
tence : — " There is," he says, " another inconsiderable staff
officer in most armies, yet necessary enough in all regiments
of Foot, and that is the Drummer-Major, the French call
him Colonel-Drummer. In some places he gets a third
more pay than other drummers, but here at home we
acknowledge no such creature." Notwithstanding this, the
Drum-Major is mentioned by Ward (Animadversions of
Warre, 1639) and by Venn (Military and Maritime Discipline),
and his duties defined. I find one on the strength of the
Royal Scots in 1639, and in the Coldstream Guards in 1650.

a Records of the R.M. Academy. —Jones, 1851.

3 Letter Books, R.A. Record Office.

4 Enterred — enlisted.

office to inflict corporal punishment upon offenders
sentenced to such.1

Up to the time of William III. corporal punish-
ments were executed by the Provost- Marshal and
his deputies, after that they were carried into effect
by the Drum-Major and his drummers.2

By this time the Artillery fifers had progressed
favourably, and were soon employed to march at
the head of the regiment.3 At a review, held by
the King in Green Park on the 13th June, 1753,
the Artillery was headed by a Drum-Major, ten
drummers, one Fife-Major, and five fifers.

These drum and fife bands were common to all
regiments of " Foot,"4 whilst cavalry regiments
had their trumpeter-bands, and these were kept
strictly upon the lines of past centuries.

The hautboy was still a favourite with the cavalry
and infantry, and it became the nucleus of the
military band, as we understand the modern sig-
nification of the term. In past years, bands of
hautboys played in parts, the bass being given by
an instrument called a curtail, an ancient species
of bassoon. But since then the hautboy and
bassoon had been greatly improved. We are told

1 A curious instruction appears in the Records of the
Coldstream Guards — MacKinnon (1833) :— "The Drum-Major
to be answerable that no cat has more than nine tails."

2 History of the British Army. — Scott, 1868.

3 England's Artillerymen — Browne, 1865.

4 It would appear that the fife was used also in the
cavalry, for we find that in the Light Dragoons in 1799 the
fife was used for playing the quick-march when the troops
were dismounted (Story of the 17th Lancers — Parry).

in a military work of 1760 (Discipline of the Light
Horse — HiNDE)that horns and bassoons were issued
to the trumpeters, which gave them a " band of
musick," consisting of hautbois, trumpets, horns,
bassoons ; this was the beginning of the military
band in England.

A new era begins with the introduction and rapid
improvement of the clarionet.1 Its brilliant tone,
capable of every shade, and its large compass, at
once placed it as the leading instrument, pushing
the hautboy into a second place.

It was in Germany, however, that the modern
military band became properly established. With
them, bands were at first a privilege granted to
but few especially renowned regiments. But it was
found to be such a useful addition, that in time
every regiment obtained one, the members of
which were called " hautboisten " on account of
that instrument being the most prominent. There
was no fixed plan in the instrumentation, the
arrangement of which rested with the Colonel or
Bandmaster.2

The military genius and musical instincts of
King Frederick II. (the Great) of Prussia took the
first step in establishing the military band on a
recognised model.8 This first organisation as fixed
by his order was comprised of two hautboys, two

1 The clarionet is said to have been introduced into
England in 1760 by J. C. Bach, the son of the great
Sebastian Bach.

2 Military Music. — Kappey.

3 History of Wind Band Music. — Turpin.

clarionets, two horns, and two bassoons.1 This
combination, which received the title of " Harmonie
Musik," was a great favourite with composers.
Beethoven composed an octet in E flat (op. 103)
and a rondino in E flat for this combination.
Mozart also wrote three serenades for the same.2

Frederick the Great's band of eight became
generally adopted throughout Europe, for there
can be no question that all European nations
copied the Germans in matters of military music.
Rousseau speaks of the superiority of German
military music, and says that the French had few
military instruments and few military marches,
most of which were tres malfaites.

Another writer says : — " The English easily
adopt innovations from abroad, and complete their
military bands easily enough " ; which is perhaps
true, for one of the earliest, if not the earliest,
record of a band in our service is one " Made in
Germany," and that, the " Band of the Royal
Regiment of Artillery," which was formed there
in 1762.

1 Dictionary of Music and Musicians. — Grove.

2 Verzeichniss Tonwerke Mozarts. — Kochel, 1862.

From an engraving in the R.A. Institution.

MAJOR-GENERAL W. PHILLIPS, R.A.,
THE FOUNDER

OF THE

ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND,

CHAPTER II.

1762-1810.

" I'll no more drumming,
A plague of all drums ! "

—"ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL."

" Disputed which the best might be,
For still their music seemed to start
Discordant echoes in each heart."

—LONGFELLOW.

IN August, 1758, a large body of British troops
embarked for the Continent to co-operate
with the Hanoverians and Hessians in ex-
pelling the French from Germany. Captain
William Phillips was sent in command of the
Royal Artillery attached to the army of H.S.H.
Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. The following
year, reinforcements were sent over, and a regular
brigade of artillery was established there, con-
sisting of three companies, commanded by Captain
Phillips, Captain Macbean, and Captain- Lieutenant
Drummond,1 who at Minden (1759) and Warberg
(1760) behaved with great gallantry.

Whilst peace negotiations were in progress
(1762), Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips2 and his officers
had excellent opportunities of hearing the very fine

1 This was Captain Cleaveland's company.

a He was appointed Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel in 1760.

bands of their German allies, which were considered
the finest in existence.

It must be remembered that the " great kettle-
drums " did not accompany the artillery in this
campaign, and it is most probable that they were
greatly missed, for we find that in 1762, Lieutenant-
Colonel Phillips2 gave instructions for the formation
of a band, after the German model, known as the
" Royal Artillery Band.'*3

The following are the Articles of Agreement4
upon which the musicians were engaged. The
original is written in both English and German,
the last article, in English only, being added by
Colonel Phillips himself: —

i. The band to consist of eight men, who must
also be capable to play upon the violoncello, bass,
violin and flute, as other common instruments.

1 Memoirs of the R. A. — Macbean.

2 William Phillips joined the regiment as a Cadet-Gunner
1746, and appointed Lieutenant-Fireworker 1747, and Second
Lieutenant 1755. His later commissions are dated, First
Lieutenant, 1st April, 1756 ; Captain, 12th May, 1756 ;
Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel, 15th August, 1760; Major, 25th
April, 1777 ; Lieutenant-Colonel, 6th July, 1780. He was
appointed Major-General in the Army, August, 1777. He
served with great distinction at Minden and Warberg, and
later in the American War — at Stillwater and Saratoga.
He conducted the retreat from Saratoga in October, 1777,
and was second senior officer at the council of war when
Burgoyne decided on surrendering to the Republican forces.
In 1781 he was sent with 2,000 picked troops to Rhode
Island, to prevent the French sailing for the Chesapeake.
Here he contracted a disease which, unhappily for his
country, was beyond the skill of his physician. He was
taken to Petersburg, Virginia, where he died 13th May,
1781.— Kane's List.

9 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

4 Ibid.

ii. The regiment's musick must consist of two
trumpets, two French horns, two bassoons, and
four hautbois or clarinetts1 ; these instruments
to be provided by the regiment, but kept in
repair by the head musician.

iii. The musicians will be looked upon as actual
soldiers, and cannot leave the regiment without
a formal discharge. The same must also behave
them, according to the articles of war.

iv. The aforesaid musicians will be clothed by
the regiment.

v. So long as the artillery remains in Germany
each musician to have ten dollars per month,
but the two French horns to have twelve dollars
per month, out of which they must provide their
own bread ; but when they arrive in England, each
musician to receive one shilling, the two French
horns one shilling and twopence per day ; this
payment to commence at their arrival in England.

vi. The musicians shall be obliged to wait upon
the commanding officer so often as he shall
desire to have musick, without any hope of
gratification, but if they shall be desired to
attend upon any other officer, they are to have a
ducat per night, but in England half a guinea.

vii. Should the aforesaid musicians be taken
sick they are to be attended by the surgeon of
the regiment, for which they are to allow five-
pence farthing sterling monthly to be given out
of their wages.

viii. The two French horns will enter into pay,
as soon as they sign their articles, the pay of
the other six musicians, to commence as soon as
they arrive at the corps.

ix. [In the handwriting of Colonel Phillips.]
Provided the musicians are not found to be good

1 Ten instruments are here provided for eight men.
Vide Clause i.

performers at their arrival they will be dis-
charged, and at their own expense. This is meant
to make the person who engages the musicians
careful in his choice.

W. Phillips,
Lieut.-Col. Comdt. of British Artillery.1

This was the nucleus of a band, a " wind " and
" stringed " band from the first, " which," says
Colonel Duncan, M.P. (History of the R.A.) "has
developed into probably the best military band in
the world."

There is, however, no reference to music or
musicians in the muster rolls, nor in the pay
accounts of the companies serving in Germany.
This may easily be accounted for, as the musicians
were not properly attested soldiers, which is very
evident from the Articles of Agreement, which
would have been unnecessary had the musicians
been regularly enlisted.

Peace was proclaimed in November, 1762, and
early in the following year the Artillery commenced
their homeward march through Holland, embarking
at Bremen in June for Woolwich. They had
scarcely got settled in England when these com-
panies were ordered abroad again. Lieutenant-

1 This interesting document was discovered among the
old records of the 1st Battalion R.A. during the " fifties,"
and was claimed for the band by Mr. Smyth, the bandmaster
at that time, into whose custody it was given. After his
death in 1885, enquiries were made by J. A. Browne, Esq.,
the author of England's Artillerymen, as to the safety of the
document, when he was informed by Madame Smyth that
she was not aware of its existence. These " Articles of
Agreement " were fortunately copied from the original by
J. A. Browne, Esq., when he was writing England's
Artillerymen, and are to be found in the chapter on " Music
in the Royal Artillery."

Colonel Phillips' company was despatched to
Minorca, under Captain-Lieutenant Foy, Phillips
remaining at Woolwich. The band doubtless
remained there also. It was certainly at Woolwich
in 1765-8, for the earliest bandmaster of whom
there is any record is the one in appointment at
this time. It was he who gave the celebrated Irish
flautist, Andrew Ashe,1 his first lessons in music.
The latter was born in 1756,2 and before his ninth
year he was sent to an academy near Woolwich,
where he remained more than three years.

" At an early age he showed a great disposition
for music, and devoted a certain sum of his weekly
allowance to the Master of the Artillery Band (who
occasionally attended the academy) to receive
lessons on the violin."8

Although the band was to be considered " the
regiment's musick," yet it is far more likely that it
was quite a private affair so far as its maintenance
was concerned, being supported by the officers of
the regiment, perhaps by the 1st Battalion alone,
by whom it was raised in Germany. It does not
appear to have been officially recognised until the
4th Battalion R.A. was formed in January, 1771,
" when the band was taken over and subscribed for
by Colonel Ord and the officers of the battalion."4

1 For many years principal flute at the Salomon Con-
certs, where Haydn produced his symphonies ; later of the
Italian Opera, and for twelve years director of the Bath
Concerts.

2 Handbook of Musical Biography. — Baptie, 1883.
8 A Dictionary of Musicians, 1824.

4 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

Colonel Macbean, in his Memoirs of the Royal
Artillery, says: — "Colonel Ord being appointed
Colonel to the new or 4th Battalion, formed a band
of eight musicians,1 which he and the Captains
supported till the next year, when this battalion
embarked to relieve the 1st Battalion in America,
the battalions remaining at home took on them-
selves to support it."

The musicians were placed on the establishment
of the various companies as Matrosses,2 at nine-
pence halfpenny per diem. In January, 1773, the
Master Musician and the eight private musicians
of the Royal Regiment of Artillery are shown upon
a separate muster roll and pay list3; the former
receiving three shillings and sixpence per diem, and
the latter one shilling per diem,4 which together
with other items necessary for their maintenance,
are charged to the non-effective account of the
regiment.

The Band of Musick,

Royal Regiment of Artillery,

January, 1773.

Master Musician - - Antony Rocca.

Private Musicians 1

1. Andrew Peddie. 5. John Bingle.

2. Stephen Bolitho. 6. Phillip Geary.

3. John Stephens. 7. John Richardson.

4. John Winslow. 8. William Elliott.

1 Macbean says it was in 1771 that the band was taken
up, but in the Dickson Memoirs it appears under the year 1772.

2 Matrosses — Soldiers in the Artillery next below the
gunners. The rank was abolished in 1783, when all private
soldiers in the regiment were called gunners.

8 Muster Rolls, R.A. Record Office.

4 This was twopence halfpenny more than the private
rank (a matross) received, which distinction remains to the
present day.

These were placed under the charge of Lieut.
Alex. Mackenzie, Quarter-Master in the 3rd Bat-
talion.

Antony Rocca is the first bandmaster whose
name I have been able to trace : —

onu JCj>0£ccL

In October, 1771, he is shown as a matross in
Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips' Company.1 He was
most probably the leading musician, for in December
he is transferred to Anderson's Company as Cor-
poral. Later he appears in Buchanon's Company,
and in September, 1772, he is appointed " Master
Musision,"2 a position he held until his death, after
a short illness, 16th January, 1774.3

The officers now advertised for a master musician,
and nine shillings is charged to the non-effective
account for the following to be inserted three times
in the Daily Advertiser \ —

" WANTED, immediately, a Person qualified as
a Master Musician to a Military Band of Musick,

1 He may have been one of the original band which
Lieutenant-Colonel Phillips brought from Germany.

2 He is also called " Music-Major," "Chief Musician,"
"Music Master," "Principal Musician," and "Master."

8 At this period the Royal Artillery had their barracks
in the Warren (Royal Arsenal), which were built in 1719.
They are now officers' quarters. The present barracks on
Woolwich Common were occupied in 1776. This was, how-
ever, only the eastern half; the other half was commenced
six years later.

who is a perfect Master of the French Horn, and
performs on other Wind Instruments, as Great
encouragement will be given. None need apply
who is not a perfect Master, and can be well
recommended as a Person of great Sobriety and
good character."

" N.B. — Apply to Mr. George Drummond, at
Messrs. Cox and Mair, Craig's Court, Charing
Cross, for further particulars."1

It is not until May that anyone appears as
Master Musician, when Herr Georg Kiihler, who
afterwards styles himself " George Kealer," is con-
sidered a " perfect master," and appointed to lead
the band :—

9 '

In this year the Master-General and Lieutenant-
General of Ordnance were pleased to ease the
regiment of that expense2 incurred by the band,
by each contributing one shilling and fourpence
farthing per diem towards the expenses of the
master musician. The band went to Chatham in
this year with the 3rd Battalion, but returned in
October.

1 Muster Rolls, R.A. Record Office.

2 Memoirs of the Royal Artillery. — Macbean.

Herr Kiihler is succeeded in 1777 by Herr
Friedrich Wielle,1 a very capable musician : —

He was most certainly a much smarter man than
either of his predecessors. The increase of his
pay to four shillings per diem in 1782, and the
frequent, very frequent music bills bear evidence to
this. One of these bills is inserted here, as the
English of Herr Wielle is very interesting2 : —

Bought by Fried. Wielle, Music Master, for the use of the
Band of Musick belonging to the Royal Regiment of Artillery.

The 5th January, 1787— Due to Mr. Wielle from a £ s. d.

Bill from the year 1786 ... ... ... 17 9

The 13th February— To a Sett of Frensch Millitary

Concertos ... ... ... ... 9 o

3 large Drum heads for the Bass Drum ... ... «6 o

Caen for Clarinett Rieds ... ... ... 3 6

4 Brass Hucks to the Cimbals ... ... ... 1 6

For two Drum Sticks for ditto... ... ... 7

The 6th April— For Oil & Caen for the Clarinetts ... 5 o

10 Bassoon Rieds at 1 Shill. each ... ... 10 o

2 Large Drum heads for the Tamborins ... ... 6 6

The 5th June— To a Leder skin for the use of the

Bass Drum ... ... ... ... 3 o

For making it into a Breechess ... ... 1 9

The 1st August— For 6 Bassoon Rieds at 1 Shill. each 6 o

The 4th November— For a Drum Card ... ... 1 5

For Oil & Caen for the instruments ... ... 4 6

The 1 Ith April, 1788— For Oil & Caen for the instru-
ments ... ... ... ... 8 6

12 Basson Rieds at 1 Shill. each ... ... 12 o

For 2 Setts of Millitary Concertos ... ... 1 1 o

Music Paper ... ... ... ... 16 o

£7 5 7

1 The author of England's Artillerymen mentions (on the
authority of Mr. JVlcKenzie, who served in the band from
1795-1845) a Mr. Bennett, who was bandmaster before Herr
Wielle, but I can find no trace of him on the muster rolls
or pay lists at the Record Office.

2 Muster Rolls, R.A. Record Office.

3 He evidently means an apron, not " a breeches."

The band was ordered on duty to Coxheath
Camp, near Colchester, in 1778, and again in 1803.
On the latter occasion it was presented with a
handsome side drum by the Master-General of
Ordnance, inscribed : —

PRESENTED TO THE ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND

COXHEATH CAMP

BY THE

EARL OF CHATHAM,

MASTER-GENERAL OF THE ORDNANCE,

1803.

This was most probably the first side drum used
by the band. For many years this old instrument
was lost sight of, until 1881, when Captain Morgan,
the Band Secretary, informed the Band Committee1
that this drum was in the possession of a local
instrument maker, who did odd repairing work for
the band, from whom it was gleaned that the drum
was originally a long drum of the Guards' pattern,
and was given to him to cut down, to furnish two
smaller ones.

The drum was purchased back by the officers for
three pounds, and handed over to the care of the
band, but in 1894 it was considered advisable to
deposit it in the R.A. Institution, where it remains
at present.

During the whole five years that Rocca and
Kuhler were " masters," there had been only one
alteration in the personnel of the band ; but from
the many changes during the early years of Herr
Wielle's regime, it would appear that the talents of

1 R.A. Band Committee Proceedings, &c, 1881.

the musicians were not to his satisfaction. He
begins with discharging two of them within a year,
and in less than six years eighteen musicians are
tried in the ranks of the "band of musick."1
The muster roll in January, 1784, was : —

Master Musician - - Friedrich Wielle,

Private Musicians :
i. Carly Franky. 5. Anton Reichenbach.

2. Joseph Hampton. 6. Frantz Sternberg.

3. Carl Daumichen. 7. Georg Spindler.

4. Andreas John. 8. John Schroeder.

From this we see that the whole of the band, with
one exception, were foreigners ; in fact, it became
to be generally understood in England that no
one but a foreigner knew anything of musical
matters. At one time the rage was for Italians, at
another for Germans, and the result was that
though a few very excellent musicians were thus
imported, the majority were needy adventurers,
and the result disastrous for military music in
England.

Whether this importation of foreign bandsmen
into the Royal Artillery was a fad of the officers,
or the extreme partiality of Herr Wielle for his
own countrymen, cannot be said ; but one thing is
certain : these musicians did not come within the
expectations of their masters, for they are very
soon superseded by native talent, and in November,

1 By this means he gets rid of all the old members of
the band. The last of the old band to leave was Andrew
Peddie, who was pensioned with sixpence per diem. After
a little time, this musician presents a memorial to the
Board of Ordnance, begging for an increase in his pension
to ninepence, on account of his " disorder," which incapa-
citated him from further employment.

1787, six out of the eight musicians are English.
The list of the band is given here, as this is the
last time that they appear on one muster-roll1 : —

Master Musician » - Friedrich Wielle.

Private Musicians <

1. Joseph Hampton. 5. John Carson.

2. Anton Reichenbach. 6. John A. Vernan.

3. John Schroeder. 7. Jacob Henry.

4. James Emerson. 8. James Lambert.

There is an interesting letter2 which might serve
to show that even at this period the bandsmen of
the Royal Artillery were musicians of talent, and
that their services were in demand outside their
military capacity: —

" Chatham Barracks,

" 27th January, 1787.
" Colonel Macbean,

" Sir, — I shall esteem it a favour if you will
permit Charles Dimechin of your band to come
here for two or three days.s

" I am. Sir, etc.,
" Edmd. Eyre, Lt.-Col., 64th Regt."

In November, 1787, some question arises at the
Ordnance Office concerning the maintenance of
the band, and the paymaster requests that Major
Macleod, the Brigade Major at Woolwich, "will

1 Muster Rolls, R.A. Record Office.

2 Letter Books, R.A. Record Office.

3 The letter says nothing why the Colonel of the 64th
Regiment should want a musician of the R.A. for " two or
three days." It may have been an ordinary engagement,
but more likely than not he was engaged to train a band
for this regiment ; as it was about this period that the line
regiments began to raise bands. He takes his discharge,
moreover, a few months later.

have the goodness to inform him by what Authority
or Order the Extra expence of the Master of the
Band is charged to the Master- General and Lieut.-
General of the Ordnance each Half. The Surveyor-
General of the Ordnance allowing only 9£d., the
pay of a Mattross per Diem, with the addition of
sixpence granted by the Board to be charged to the
Non-effective Acct. of the Regt."1

Major Macleod's answer to the Board cannot be
found, but he must have given a sufficient explana-
tion, for the charge against the Master and Lieut. -
General remains unchanged. It, however, opened
the eyes of the Board to the necessity of placing
the musicians upon the establishment of the regi-
ment, and so reduce the enormous drain on the
non-effective accounts, by which the band was kept
up. The pay alone of the master and eight
musicians amounted to two hundred and nineteen
pounds per annum ; so the Board now decided to
place the eight musicians upon the strength of the
various companies, to be paid as musicians at one
shilling per diem, thus reducing the charge on the
non-effective accounts by one hundred and forty-six
pounds per annum. The " master musician " still
continued to be paid from the old source, but his
daily pay was reduced three shillings.2

In 1772 and 1775, the Royal Artillery was
reviewed by King George III. on both occasions
at Blackheath.8 His Majesty visited Woolwich in

1 Letter Books, R.A. Record Office.

2 Muster Rolls, R.A. Record Office.

3 History of the R.A.— Duncan, 1872.

state in 1773, and was received on the parade by
Lord Townshend, the Master-General of Ordnance,
and after the salute had been fired, " the drums and
music beat the march."1 Again, on the 9th July,
1788, George III. reviewed the R.A., and was on
the Barrack Field at the early hour of 6.20 a.m.
On this occasion the regiment was formed up in
two ranks, quite an innovation, and the king having
ridden down them, the regiment formed in open
column, and marched past in slow and quick time.
The band was specially augmented for this great
occasion by two private instrumentalists : — " Adam
Lessler and Raie Jones, engaged by order of the
Master-General to play with the band of musick
the seventh and ninth of July at one guinea each
day, and half-a-crown for lodging, etc., the nights
preceding."2

Although at this time there were several bands
in the service, yet the instrumentation was of the
most meagre description. The three regiments of
foot guards had bands ; and these most probably
rank next to the Royal Artillery as the oldest bands
in the service. Parke, in his Musical Memoirs, tells
us that the bands of the three regiments of foot
guards consisted in 1783 of only eight performers,
viz. : — two hautboys, two clarionets, two horns,
and two bassoons. They were civilians, excellent
performers, who were hired by the month ; their
only military duty being to play the King's Guard

1 Records of Woolwich. — Vincent.

2 Muster Rolls, R.A. Record Office.

from the parade at Horse Guards to St. James's
Palace and back. On one occasion the colonel of
the Coldstream Guards desired his band to play
during an aquatic excursion to Greenwich, and
ordered them to attend. This the musicians
declined to do, as such work was beyond the scope
of their engagement. The officers, who alone
supported the band, being desirous of having a
band which they could command on all occasions,
wrote to the Duke of York, the colonel of the
regiment, who was at that time in Hanover, stating
their wishes, to which His Royal Highness assented.
In 1785, according to the regimental records, a
band of regularly attested soldiers were enlisted in
Hanover by the Duke and sent to England. It
consisted of twelve performers, four clarionets, two
bassoons, two hautboys, two French horns, one
trumpet, and one serpent.

The band of the Honourable Artillery Company
in 1783 was comprised of four clarionets, two
horns, two bassoons and one trumpet.1 Eight to
twelve musicians were still the recognised number
for military bands.2 However, in the process of
time new instruments were introduced, which
necessitated an increase in numbers. The first
instruments to be added to the time-honoured
" Harmonie Musik " combination were instruments
of percussion. This new departure also emanated

1 History of the Honourable Artillery Company. — Raikes.

2 As late as 1820, the Minister of War in France con-
sidered eight musicians sufficient for a military band.

from Germany, and from Frederick the Great.1 We
find them later in Austria,2 but it is not until about
1785-7 that percussion instruments are found in
our military bands, and their introduction is
credited to the Duke of York,3 who brought or sent
percussion instrumentalists over from Germany for
the band of the Coldstream Guards.4 From this
date military music " grew burning bright with
fife-shriek, cymbal crash, and trumpet blast "
(Browning).

It then became " good style " to employ black
men to play these instruments.5 These men were
dressed in the most extravagant Eastern style, with
gorgeous slashed tunics, loose jackets, and high
feathered turbans, and in addition to playing the
bass drum, side drum, cymbals, and triangle, an

1 In the early years of the eighteenth century, when
the fame of the Janissary bands was at its height,
Frederick the Great obtained one from the Sultan. They
usually consisted of a few, about six zarzas (hautboys) and
fifes, and about a dozen drums, cymbals and triangles.
So pleased was he with the imposing appearance of these
oriental musicians, that he introduced percussion instru-
ments into all his military bands (Military Music — Kappey).

2 Frederick Nicolai, who visited Vienna in 1781, speaks
in high praise of a military band which was comprised of
two shawns (? hautboys), two clarionets, two horns, one
trumpet, two bassoons, and a side and bass drum.

3 Court and Private Life in the time of Queen Charlotte.
— Papendiek, 1887.

4 Musical Memoirs. — Parke.

5 They had been, however, employed as trumpeters and
drummers quite forty years before this. The Royal Horse
Guards had black trumpeters in 1742, and the 29th Foot
had black drummers in 1759.

instrument, known as the " Jingling Johnnie,"1
and tambourines were employed. In a letter of
W. J. Mattham, innkeeper at Lavenham,2 we are
given the composition of the band of the West
Middlesex Militia at this date, which he says " had
the best band I ever heard, 'tis worth mentioning
to those who are lovers of superior music. It
consisted of five clarionets, two French horns, one
bugle-horn, one trumpet, two bassoons, one bass
drum, two triangles (the latter played by boys about
nine years old), two tambourines (the performers
mullatoes), and the clash pans by a real blackamoor,
a very active man8 who walked between the two
mullatoes, which had a very grand appearance
indeed." The black men were employed in the
Foot Guards until as late as the Crimean War, but
they were dispensed with in most bands before 1837.
Percussion instruments were in use by the R.A.
Band in 1787, for cymbals, tambourines, and a bass

1 This was a pole surmounted by a crescent, from which
depended bells. In the Janissary days it was the standard
of the band, and had a number of dyed horse tails hanging
to it, but no bells. It was called by them " Mahomet's
Standard," and by the European nations, with whom it lost
its ancient dignity by the addition of bells, it was called
" Chapeau Chinois," and in England " Jingling Johnnie."
The instrument is depicted in an old sketch, by Cruikshank,
of a foot regiment marchiug to church. It has been super-
seded some years now by an instrument called the glocken-
spiel.

a History of the British Army.— Scott, 1868.

s This " very active man " that played the " clash-pans "
(cymbals) was evidently one of those men who could, as the
Irish expressively term it, " cut a caper." An old Woolwich
resident once assured the writer that his grandfather well
remembered the " blacks " of the R.A. Band, marching in
front, performing all sorts of contortions and evolutions
whilst playing their tambourines.

drum are mentioned in the music bill previously
quoted.1 Three black men were employed to play
these instruments, who are shown on the estab-
lishment in 1812.

But matters were overdone in this particular, and
some bands actually had one-third of its members
performing upon percussion instruments. They had
the good sense, however, to introduce more wind
instruments to reduce this preponderance of noise.
Perhaps the first to be taken up was the serpent,
a large wooden instrument covered with leather,
curved in shape (hence the name), and played with
a metal- or bone-cupped mouthpiece.2 The flute and
trombone followed soon afterwards.

These additions seem to have taken root very
early in the R.A. Band, for we find that in 1789
the musicians are increased from eight to nine.
In 1792, when it is ordered on duty to Bagshot,
we find that there are ten musicians, and in a few
months eleven musicians are granted.8

However, in 1794 the band numbers ten musicians
and a master musician, besides supernumeraries
who were admitted into its ranks during the year.4
Again, in 1802, the band is further augmented to
twenty-one.6 This was due to the incorporation of

1 According to J. A. Kappey (Grove's Dictionary of
Music, — Art. : Wind Band), these instruments were not
introduced into military bands until 1805-8 (?).

2 It was superseded quite fifty years ago by the bom-
bardon.

3 Letter Books, R.A. Record Office.

4 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

5 History of the R.A.— Duncan, 1872.

the Royal Irish Artillery with the Royal Artillery
in 1801. The band of the former, numbering about
thirty-five, were sent to Woolwich, and the best
musicians were absorbed into the R.A. Band, those
least proficient, including three or four of the old
band, being discharged.

The band now consisted of : —

i Master

1 Sergeant

2 Corporals
18 Musicians 1

At this period, bands were dressed and equipped
according to the tastes and financial resources of
the officers, but it is difficult to realise in these
days the eccentric fashion, sometimes bordering on
the grotesque, in which some bands were presented
to the public gaze. The most general practice was
to dress the band in the colour of the regiment's
facings,2 and as these were at that time very varied
in hue, bands were to be seen in coats of red, blue,
black, buff, white, orange, yellow, and green ; the

1 This rank — Musician — still continues, and is peculiar
only to the Royal Artillery. In all other corps the members
of the band are privates, etc, and for distinction sake called
" bandsmen."

2 It has been the custom for centuries to dress military
musicians differently, and in a more superior way to the
rank and file. In the accounts of the Norwich contingent,
1587-8, there is a charge for coats, which were of " bayes
and carseys " (kersey), " and whight yncle to laye upon the
same." The drummer's coat was of " grene carsey,"
embellished with eleven yards of lace and six yards of
pointing. In the contract for the clothing of an infantry
regiment in 1693, the men wore grey coats and breeches,
and the drummer a purple coat and grey breeehes.

latter in seven different shades. A recent writer
in the Woolwich Herald says that the R.A. Band at
this period "were clothed in scarlet coatees with
blue facings, just the opposite to the dress of the
men, cocked hats, white knee breeches and black
gaiters."1

This must have been their " dress suit," for we
are informed that they wore " plain coats,"2 which
were probably the same as those of the regiment.
At this period both officers and men wore their hair
" clubbed," i.e., plaited and turned up, being tied
with black ribbon or tape. Those whose hair,
being so short, could not be plaited, were provided
with false plaits. Among the " necessaries " of an
artillery soldier at this time was a powder bag and
puff, four white shirts, six false collars, and a white
stock.8 The custom of wearing the hair in plaits
or queues was not abolished until 1805, when the
hair was ordered to be worn short.

In 1789 the Brigade-Major asks the Secretary of
the Board of Ordnance to supply the band with
"ten shoulder belts such as are delivered to the
Regiment of Artillery. I venture to make this
demand," he says, " for the musicians having no
sword belts, and having never yet been supplied,
require something of the kind to appear uniform."4

On the 1st October, 1798, the Commandant

1 This was no doubt in accordance with the clothing
regulations of July 1st, 1751.

a Letter Books, R.A. Record Office.

3 History of the Dress of the R.A. — Macdonald.

* Letter Books, R.A, Record Office.

requests the Honourable Board for some improve-
ment in their uniform : —

"The band have been hitherto clothed in
common without any ornaments whatever, but
they have a dress suit which costs a considerable
sum, and which has not been asked for these
twelve or fourteen years, because the change of
the men and the men's natural growth, the
cloaths would not fit them after the second
year.

" Instead of this I would request the Honour-
able Board would permit me annually to lay out
in ornaments upon the clothing about thirty
shillings for each of the twelve men doing duty
as musicians, and upon each of their hats a sum
not exceeding five shillings.

" I have the honour, etc.,

"V. Lloyd, M. -General."1

Herr Wielle, who for twenty-five years had been
Master of the Band, took his discharge, with a
pension of three shillings and sixpence per diem
(1802). He became bandmaster of a dragoon
regiment, and later the Sussex Militia. He resided
for many years in Mill Lane, Woolwich, subse-
quently retiring to Hanover, his native place.

Another German was appointed to the position —
Herr G. Schnuphass, " a gentleman not distinguished
for his musical abilities."2

%Asfasn>iAA^r4L*^/.

1 Letter Books, R.A. Record Office.

2 England's Artillerymen.— Browne, 1865.

He died in 1805, when Herr M. Eishenherdt
received the appointment. About this time the
band was placed under the sole command of
Colonel Charles A. Quist, the Commanding Officer
of the Riding Establishment, whose portrait hangs
in the R.A. Institution ; " and to him was due in a
great measure the excellence to which the band
attained in the early years of the past century."1

When we look at the mechanism of the wood-
wind instruments of this time in our museums, and
consider the imperfect scale of the brass family,
we can quite understand the acclamation with
which the introduction of a complete family of
keyed brass instruments was received. The first
really successful instrument of this type was the
key-bugle, called the " Kent-bugle," out of compli-
ment to the Duke of Kent,2 who as Commander-in-
Chief, encouraged its introduction, and soon became
the mainstay of our bands. Although it was
patented by Halliday, the bandmaster of the Cavan
Militia, as his own invention, yet it was simply an
improvement of an idea known half a century
before.8 It was made in several sizes, the bass
form having the name of ophicleide.

Ancient military music was written, especially for
the brass, in the key of C, and even in the first
part of the nineteenth century there was still a
feeling in favour of the employment of clarionets,
bugles, trumpets and horns in C. The score of

1 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

2 Dictionary of Music, &c. — Grove.
8 Military Music. — Kappey.

Mendelssohn's1 overture in C (op. 24), written about
1824 for a wind band, has parts for F and C
clarionets, basset horns in F, trumpets and horns
in C. A good illustration of an arrangement for a
military band a century ago is in the " March of
the Scottish Archers," which is written for two
hautboys, two clarionets in D, two trumpets in D,
two horns in D, and a bassoon a ; and also in
a musical supplement presented with the British
Military Journal of 1799, which is a march, very
simple, written for two horns in B, two clarionets,
and fagotti.

Of the exact composition of the R.A. Band at
this period we have no knowledge,8 but there is a
notice of its performance on the occasion of the
Jubilee festivities at Woolwich in 1811, when we
are told that " Handel's ' Coronation Anthem ' was
played by the band of the Royal Artillery with fine
effect."4 This was, however, under a new band-
master, an Englishman, named George McKenzie,
who had risen to the position from the ranks of the
band. He succeeded Herr Eishenherdt in 1810,
who having married a lady with a fortune, retired
from the service to Greenwich, where he died.5

1 Cherubini, Spontini, Berlioz, Kiihner, and Meyerbeer
have also written for the military (wind) band.

2 Musical Educator. — Greig.

3 Grose (Military Antiquities, 1801) gives us an idea of a
band at this period. He says : — " Of late years each
regiment of infantry has its band of music. The instru-
ments are chiefly hautbois, clarinets, French horns,
bassoons, trumpets, cymbals, and in some the tabor [side
drum] and pipe [? fife or flute]."

4 Records of Woolwich. — Vincent, 1890.

6 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

From a photo.

a^ifiu^L/

CHAPTER III.

1810-1845.

" He fills with his power all their hearts to the brim,
Was aught ever heard like his fiddle and him ? "

—WORDSWORTH.

©EORGE McKENZIE was born at Fort
Brooklyn, Long Island, America, in 1780,
and was the son of a non-commissioned
officer in the Royal Artillery, who served in the
war of the American Revolution, and wounded at
the battle of Guilford.

The recital of an incident which occurred shortly
after his birth may prove interesting.1

One very cold night in the winter of 1780-1,
about ten o'clock, Mrs. McKenzie was sitting with
her infant on her knee, when she was startled by
a tremendous rap on the door, and three young
fellows, apparently sailors, entered the hut and
shut the door quickly after them. They laughed
immoderately, and, laying a handkerchief on the
table containing something evidently very heavy,
asked for some brandy. It was supplied, and
paying handsomely for it, proceeded to enjoy it,
making frequent allusions, one to the other, to the
contents of the handkerchief, and laughed heartily
meanwhile.

1 England's Artillery.— -Browne, 1865.

On leaving they very warmly thanked Mrs.
McKenzie for the shelter she had afforded them,
saying she had rendered them a very great service.
One of them, stepping back to her, said : — " If you
should ever want anything done for this child, ask
for the officer who is now the senior midshipman
of the ' Prince George.' "

Next morning New York was in alarm, and a
large reward was offered for the person or persons
who had knocked the head off the statue of
William Pitt and carried it away.

Prince William, Duke of Clarence, was at this
time serving as midshipman on board Admiral
Digby's ship, the " Prince George," though no
enquiries were ever made as to whether His Royal
Highness was one who had taken shelter in the
artilleryman's hut at Fort Brooklyn.

Fifty-five years afterwards, when the King,
William IV., was speaking to Mr. McKenzie, he
asked him of his birth and parentage, and doubtless
His Majesty thought of the Pitt's head adventure
when he received the bandmaster's answer.

George McKenzie joined " the regiment " as a
fifer when only twelve years old (1792), and the
following year was sent to Brecknock, Wales, on
recruiting service. Here he was taken notice of by
the organist of the parish church, St. David's, who
being greatly interested in the boy, gave him
gratuitous lessons in music.

In 1795 he joined the Royal Artillery Band as a
supernumerary, and worked his way first to musician
(1798), then to corporal (1806), and on the 5th May,

1810, at the recommendation of Colonel Quist, he
was appointed " Master of the Band." He devoted
a deal of attention to the string band, which he
brought to a high state of efficiency, and he may
fairly be claimed as the father of the string band,
since it was under his tutelage that it began to
assume that position which it has proudly held for
so many years.

At the suggestion of the Band Commandant,
Colonel Quist, a series of vocal and orchestral
concerts, known as the " Royal Artillery Concerts,"
were instituted about 1810-15. These were held
weekly during the winter months at the R.A.
Officers' Mess.1 The services of some of the most
distinguished musicians in London were obtained to
lead the band,2 who, with the assistance of some of
the officers who were able to play, were enabled to
get up concerts of the highest order. The chamber
music, &c, of Boccherini, Corelli, Felton and
other of the old masters3 whose compositions were

1 These concerts, which have continued until the present
day, are not to be confounded with those held in the Officers'
Mess at present (usually on Thursdays — "Guest Night").
The former are perhaps the oldest concerts in the kingdom,
having been inaugurated contemporary with those of the
Philharmonic Society.

2 Conductors as we know them at present were prac-
tically unknown at this period. Orchestras were directed
by the leader ; and it is not until 1820 that the conductor
wields his b&ton in front of the orchestra, which change is
due to Spohr, who, it is said, insisted on conducting in this
manner at the Philharmonic Concerts.

3 The identical parts of the chamber music played at
these early concerts are in the writer's possession. They
bear the autographs of George McKenzie, the bandmaster,
and Captain Percy Drummond, an officer who frequently
played the 'cello with the band, and afterwards became the
band commandant.

fashionable at that time, and occasionally a sym-
phony of Haydn's, Pleyel's, or Mozart's, in addition
to the light music which had hitherto been the
principal feature of the orchestral performances,
was the music performed at these concerts.

In later years, when the symphonies of Beethoven
and the overtures of Rossini became known, they were
purchased for the band by a Mr. Elliot, an amateur
who took a great interest in its performances.

Among the professionals engaged to lead the
band at these concerts may be mentioned — Nicolas
Mori and Spagnoletti, the eminent violinists, who
where leaders and directors of the Philharmonic
Concerts. Robert Lindley, the celebrated English
'cellist, and Louis Drouet, the divine flute player,
were also engaged on these occasions. Another dis-
tinguished musician was Sir Benjamin Bloomfield,
afterwards Lord Bloomfield, who frequently played
'cello solos, and occasionally took part in a duet
with Lindley, his performance being only second to
that eminent instrumentalist. This officer owed
his introduction to court to his musical talents.

His Lordship was greatly interested in the per-
formances of the band, and used every effort to
improve it. On one occasion, when it was playing
in the Arsenal, Lord Bloomfield was so displeased
at the inattention paid to the " piano " passages that
he came out of his quarters in a rage, and assuming
the office of conductor, made the performers repeat
the piece they were playing with such attention
to the marks that the effect was electrical.1

1 England's Artillerymen — Browne, 1865.

The professionals who played at these early
concerts occasionally recommended members of
the band to play amongst the nobility. On one
occasion Mr. McKenzie and three of the band,
with the celebrated 'cellist, James Cervetto, gave a
concert of chamber music before Queen Caroline
and her friends.1

Mr. McKenzie conducted several local harmonic
societies and glee clubs ; and the thought occurred
to him that a vocal association might be formed in
connection with the band. He accordingly con-
ferred with two of the band, who came from the
Duke of Richmond's Band, and possessed excellent
voices, Morris (tenor) and Downham (bass).

The first performance of a glee at the concerts
so delighted the officers that it was determined to
promote the cultivation of a full choir, and an order
was instantly given for the enlistment of four boys
to sing the treble parts.

Shortly after the singing class was formed, a
concert was given in honour of the visit of the
Prince Regent, by Sir William Congreve, at his
house in Charlton. The Prince having been in-
formed by Colonel Bloomfield that some of the
band were good singers, requested them to sing
" The Ram of Derby," and added that he would
assist. Corporal Morris sang first tenor, and
Mr. McKenzie second tenor, His Royal Highness
taking the bass part. The band were not only
delighted with the honour of singing with the
Prince, but charmed beyond measure with his

1 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

voice, and the artistic manner in which he executed
his part.1

There is an anecdote related of His Majesty.
It was while he was Prince Regent, and during a
grand review at Woolwich he espied the " big
drummer " of the band, a very aged man, who
" hailed " from Wiltshire. The Prince rode up to
him, speaking to him kindly, saying that he had
remarked to the Commandant that he (the drum-
mer) being such "a very old man," he would be
pleased to do something for him. Just before he
rode off he told the drummer that he would speak
to his father, the King, concerning him, who would
probably allow him to be admitted into Chelsea
Hospital. This was too much for the aged
rhythmic musician, who had, ever since the Prince
first addressed him, been building " castles in the
air," and no sooner had His Royal Highness men-
tioned Chelsea Hospital than the old man suddenly
retorted : " Well, you tell him I 'on't go !"

The establishment of the R.A. Band in 1812

i Master

1 Sergeant

2 Corporals
18 Musicians

13 Bandsmen (drummers and boys)

3 Blacks*

1 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

a From a document in the possession of J. A. Browne,
Esq.

8 These played the bass drum, cymbals, and " Jingling
Johnnie."

In December, 1820, permission was granted for
the R.A. Band to play at the Officers' Mess once a
week, generally on a Thursday (guest night), but
was not to be detained after 10 p.m.1 A small sum
of money was allowed to the band for this duty,
which in the early days was distributed among the
principal instrumentalists.

Colonel Quist, the Band Commandant, died on
the 26th November, 1821, having reached the great
age of ninety-one, and was buried at Plumstead
Churchyard. His death was sorely felt by the
band. He loved music, and was like a father to
all those under his command. He covered their
faults, extolled their virtues, and did all in his
power to make them comfortable, frequently paying
them from his own purse when they were engaged
any extra time at a mess concert, etc.2

The command of the band was now given to
Colonel Percy Drummond, a tolerable musician
who had been taught the 'cello by Ashley. He was
also very kind to the band, and took every oppor-
tunity of promoting its interest.3

The band was in frequent attendance at Ken-
sington Palace at this time, the Duchess of Kent
(Queen Victoria's mother) and the Duke of Sussex
taking a great interest in its performances. The
former brought a quantity of music from Germany
purposely for the band. We also find them playing
at aristocratic parties at Fulham and Thames

1 R.A. Mess at Woolwich. — Robertson.

2 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

8 Some music still in use by the band bears his auto-
graph, notably the " Clock Symphony."

Ditton ; also at the shows of the Horticultural
Society at Chiswick.

At this time all the regiments of guards and
many1 regiments of cavalry and infantry had raised
bands, but it is said that the best military bands at
the beginning of the nineteenth century were those
attached to the militia.2 This is easily accounted
for. First, the musicians were engaged, not
enlisted as soldiers, and probably refused to go
abroad. Secondly, the colonels and officers of
the militia were generally wealthy noblemen and
gentlemen resident in the counties, and well able
to maintain these bands. Moreover, the regiments
of the line had been too seriously engaged in war
to pay much attention to bands.

Most regiments in the Peninsular had their
bands with them, and we read of their gallantry at
Busaco, Talavera, etc. An interesting account of
the band of the 48th Foot during this campaign
is to be found in Mary Ann Wellington3 by the
Rev. R. Cobbold. It is feared, however, that these
bands earned an experience somewhat similar to
that afterwards obtained at the Crimea. An old
Peninsular officer said4 that he never felt so

1 It is evident that not all regiments had them, from the
fact that the 4th Light Dragoons did not commence to form
a military band until 1832 (Music and Musicians — Marr, 1887).

2 Mr. Charles Godfrey, founder of the famous Godfrey
family, and for forty years bandmaster of the Coldstream
Guards, was originally a bassoon player in the Surrey
Militia. John Distin, the famous trumpeter and founder of
the Distin family, came from the South Devon Militia.

8 She was the daughter of a gunner in the R.A. who
was,killed at Cadiz.

4 British Bandsman, April, 1888.

ashamed of our meanness and neglect of military
prestige, as when he marched into Paris in 1814,
and heard the fine bands of other nationalities,
comparing them to the meagre and scanty musical
display of the British troops present.1

During the forty years' peace which followed the
treaty of Paris, the British Army had ample leisure
in which to develop its taste for military bands,
and a great many changes took place in military
music, which entirely altered its character, and
removed the limitations of wind bands generally.
The first was the invention of the valve, and its
application to nearly all brass instruments. It was
was first brought out successfully by John Shaw,
who designed the upright " clear bore " valve,
which he applied to the trumpet in 1824.2 Some
years later it was placed on the market by Embach,
of Amsterdam, in instruments called cornopeans
(now known as cornets), which were introduced
into our bands by John Kohler. This instrument
entirely superseded the key-bugle, but for many

1 At the grand ball, given by the Duke of Wellington at
Paris, on the occasion of the Order of the Bath being
bestowed on Blucher and others, a traveller notes that a
military band played in the court of the hotel, but he does
not say anything about its playing, or even mentions its
name, while in a subsequent chapter he states with what
pleasure he listened to the celebrated band of the Emperor
of Austria, whose performance " surpassed that of any
military orchestra I ever heard." (Journal of a Tour to
Waterloo and Paris in company with Sir Walter Scott in 1815,
by John Scott.)

2 The idea of the valve, although not as we understand
it at present, has really to be credited to Claggett, of Dublin,
who applied it to the horn about 1775. Bluhmel first con-
ceived the proper idea of the valve about 1813, which was
brought out by Stolzel as his own invention.

years, indeed, until Koenig made known its true
character and capabilities, it was chiefly employed
as an accompanying instrument, in fact, as an
assistant to the trumpet.

Bands of music were considered by the War
Office, so purely a matter of luxury that it only
allowed one private in each troop or company to
be trained as a musician, and a sergeant to act as
master of the band. So strict were the authorities
in this particular, that General Officers of districts
were required to report half-yearly that bands under
their command were kept within the regulation
limit, and that they could " play in correct time,"1
etc.

All the extra expense for a professional teacher
or bandmaster, and the cost of instruments and
music, was borne by the officers,2 who subscribed
towards a band fund.

As a matter of course, a certain rivalry soon
arose between the different regiments as to the
superiority of their bands. Wealthy corps would
engage highly trained professional men, mostly from
the continent, at high salaries, and obtain the best
instruments procurable.

Each band was formed on its own model, using
instruments of whatever kind or pitch the colonel
or bandmaster liked. We therefore meet with
some very curious combinations. The Elthorne
Middlesex Militia had a band of " pandean reeds,"
for which the bandmaster, H. Eberhardt, published

1 General Regulations for the Army, 1811.

2 Military Music. — Kappey.

a tutor. The preface states that : — " The Pandean
Reeds are instruments now used in regimental
bands, and much approved in the King's Guards."
In another part he says : — " The B fifes or flutes
serve as an excellent support to the reeds." And
further on the reader is told to observe that : —
" Where an accidental note occurs, as G sharp or
C natural, it must be taken by the flutes or fifes."

The United Service Journal for June, 1831, gives
us an idea of the mounted band of the 2nd Life
Guards at this date, for we are told that : — " After
saluting and marching past the King . . . . ' God
save the King ' was played by the famous Russian
chromatic trumpet band of the regiment (the only
one in England)."

Although these bands were allowed, yet there
was only one band in the service that was officially
recognised and provided for in the Army Estimates.1
This was the Royal Artillery Band, and payments
were granted for one master,2 one sergeant, two
corporals, and eighteen musicians; and, in addition,
£100 was allowed annually for the supply of music
and instruments.

It was the custom at this period to dress military
bandsmen in white, and it is almost certan that the
white uniform worn by the R.A. Band at this date
(1830) was introduced by Colonel Quist about 1806.3

1 Army Estimates (Office of Ordnance), 1832. The
only other grant for music was for a "Sergeant acting as
Master of the Band " of the Royal Military College, Sand-
hurst, at three shillings per diem. (Army Estimates,
1833-4.)

2 The Bandmaster of the R.A. is shown on the Army
Estimates as early as 1823.

3 R.A . Institution Proceedings, Vol. xiv.

This white dress became so popular that after
William IV. came to the throne it was adopted by
all infantry bands. Much licence was allowed in
matters of detail, and hence we find many of the
band coatees lavishly braided, while brass scales,
wings and epaulettes adorned the shoulders. Many
line bands wore a bearskin busby, but the majority
had the shako. The uniform of the R.A. Band
was perhaps the most gorgeous in the service.

The coatee was of fine white cloth with blue
facings, edged with silk braid of red, yellow and
blue. The front was trimmed with two rows of silk
bows of red, yellow and blue, from the centre of
which depended silk tassels of the same colours.
The epaulettes were of fine wire, covered with
yellow twill silk. The trousers were of light blue,
tight fitting, with three-quarter-inch stripes of red,
yellow and blue silk.1 The head-dress was a tall
shako of black felt, with patent leather peak ; the
brass plate in front (bearing the Ordnance arms)
was surmounted by a scarlet hackle feather plume,
thirteen inches high ; brass scales at the sides, and
hat lines of black mohair.2

The bandmaster wore a similar uniform, except
that the lacing on the coatee was of gold, in the
place of yellow silk, and his epaulettes were of gold.
His trousers had, in addition, two huge Austrian
knots of gold in front. The bandmaster and band
sergeant wore a scarlet waist sash.

1 White trousers were worn during the summer months.

2 A winter head-dress was also worn. It was a " frame
hat" of whalebone, covered with oilskin, without any orna-
ment except the hat lines.

MUSICIAN,

ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND,

1830.

The leathern stock, common throughout the army,
was not worn by the band ; a stock of black cloth
was worn instead. White shirt collars were also
worn, and a dozen of the same had to be produced
at a kit inspection.

The last issue of this uniform1 was made in 1838,
but was worn until 1839, when a blue uniform was
adopted.2 The head-dress, with a slight alteration,
continued in use until 1846.

King George IV. left many of his musical instru-
ments to Lord Bloomfleld, and they were placed by
him in the care of the R.A. Band,8 1831. There
were two violoncellos, one (with a floral design
underneath the finger-board) being a magnificent
instrument, two violas (one nick-named " Brownie,"
and another purfled with ivory), both being very
fine instruments. There was also a violin, of
peculiar shape, the ribs being shaped similar to
a guitar, light in colour, and purfled with ivory.
With the exception of the latter, which disappeared
about twenty years ago, these instruments are still
in the catalogue of the band instruments.

On one occasion the band was engaged to play
at a ball in the Victoria Gardens, and there being
no ferry in those days, they had to cross the river
in small boats. When some distance from the
shore, something was discerned following in the

1 There is a painting in the possession of the widow of
the late James Lawson (Bandmaster of the Mounted Band,
R.A.) of Corporal C. M. Smith, of the R.A. Band, in this
white uniform. There is also a reproduction of it in the
R.A. Institution.

2 R.A. Institution Proceedings, Vol. xiv.

8 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

wake of the boat, and at the same time the 'cello
player missed his instrument. Hurriedly they
pulled back to the object. It was the old " Bloom-
field " 'cello, which had fallen overboard whilst
they were entering the boat at the landing stage.

In 1831, His Majesty King William IV. visited
Woolwich to launch H.M.S. " Thunderer." The
R.A. Band, which was in attendance, so greatly
attracted his attention, that in less than a week
it was commanded to attend the Royal palace,
where His Majesty personally complimented Mr.
McKenzie, declaring that the Queen was especially
delighted with the performances of the band. It
was afterwards in frequent attendance at his
palace.1

His Majesty offered to present the band with
a pair of sterling silver kettledrums, but the drums
when finished were only of copper, and handsomely
painted. The King was so disappointed that he
presented the officers with a superb candelabra.
The drums, measuring thirty-two inches and thirty-
five inches, were beautifully enamelled, bearing
the Royal arms in gold, and superscribed : —

PRESENTED BY HIS MAJESTY WILLIAM IV.,

1833.

There is no record of any public ceremony at the
presentation of these drums, as in the case of both
regiments of Life Guards, who received theirs in
1831. But it is believed that they first made their
appearance during one of the visits to the Royal

1 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

palace. The officers were presented with their
piece of plate on the 8th August, 1833.

These drums were in continual use as orchestral
drums1 for over thirty years, and now rest in the
Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich ; although in
a deplorable condition, battered and bruised, most
of the once magnificent enamel having disappeared,
yet they are still preserved as a memento of the
patronage and goodwill of William IV.

On the 23rd December, 1834, a grand performance
of Handel's " Messiah " was given at the Royal
Artillery Chapel2 by the R.A. Band, assisted by
several officers and local talent, in all nearly one
hundred and thirty performers. The chorus num-
bered seventy-two, the solos being sustained by
Miss Bruce, Mr. E. Seguin, the celebrated basso
from Covent Garden, and Mr. Handel Gear. The
orchestra, under the direction of Mr. McKenzie,
the bandmaster, consisted of :—

First Violins

Oboes

Second Violins

Cornos

Tenors ...

Trombas

Violoncellos

Trombones

Double Bass

Serpent

Flutes ...

Ophicleide

Bassoons

Double Drums

Several eminent performers played in the or-
chestra on this occasion, notably Mr. C. Ashley,
the celebrated 'cellist ; Mr. Howell, the well-known

1 The performer on these drums was Musician Job
Carter, a very clever player, who taught Chipp, the cele-
brated timpani of the Italian Opera, the father of Dr.
Edmund Chipp, of Ely, who, with his brother, played at
the early R.A. Concerts.

2 This old building was originally the Officers' Mess
from about 1784 to 1802, when the present mess-rooms
were taken into use ; the old rooms being converted into a
chapel, and in 1863 into a theatre.

double bass; Mr. Pattie and Mr. Hoff, Royal
Academicians. Among the officers who assisted
may be mentioned Dr. Kenning, m.d., Major Faddy,
Captain Wright, Dr. Colchester, m.d., and Lieut.
Thorndike.1

Sir George Smart and Sir John Stevenson were
present, and paid a very handsome compliment to
the performance. Sir John Stevenson invited
Mr. McKenzie and Bombardier Reeves, of the
R.A. Band, to join him at a musical party, where
they sang glees, etc., with him.'2

Bombardier John Sims Reeves was the principal
bass vocalist of the band. He was the son of a
coachbuilder, and born at West Bromwich in 1791.
When eighteen years of age he joined the Marines,
but not liking that branch of the service, his friends
purchased his discharge. In 1815 he again enlisted,
this time in the Royal Horse Artillery. Here he
was noticed by Dr. Kenning, m.d., of that branch
(an excellent violinist), who had heard him sing,
and recommended him to Mr. McKenzie as a
valuable acquisition to the singing class. He was
accordingly transferred to the band, where his
superior attainments soon brought him to notice,
and he became the solo bass vocalist, playing the
bassoon and violin as well. Later he was appointed
to church clerk,8 and, by virtue of this office,

1 The late General Daniel Thorndike, R.A., grandfather
of Mr. Herbert Thorndike, the well-known singer.

2 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

3 It was his duty as church clerk to announce the
anthem from the clerk's desk, and would frequently have to
rush away to the music gallery, where the band (for there
was no organ) and choir sat, to sing the bass solos.

occupied quarters in rear of the Artillery Chapel.1
Here, on the 26th September, 1818, his wife Rosina
gave birth to a son, called after his father, John,
but known to the wide world as Sims2 Reeves, " the
finest tenor in Europe."

Unfortunately, this does not agree with the
various biographies of our great singer, in which he
is said to have been born at Shooters' Hill, Kent,
on October 21st, 1822.3 This is but a poetic flight
from the R.A. Barracks, for we have the certificate
of his baptism in the register at Woolwich Church,
which avers that he was born in 1818 at New Road,
which is true, for New Road reaches to the corner
of the barracks where he was born. Reference to
the register of 1822 brings no refutation, but con-
firmation strong, for we find that on October 20th,
1822, the tenor's sister, Harriet, was born at the
R.A. Barracks the day before that which her
brother John, otherwise Sims, thought he was born
on Shooters' Hill.

In 1888 Sims Reeves published his autobiography,4
and compromises matters somewhat by saying he
was born in 1821, a year earlier than other accounts.
But it was not until 1898, when a testimonial benefit

1 Afterwards the R.A. Theatre. The house still remains,
and the rooms occupied by Musician Reeves were on the
upper floor.

2 This was his father's second name, and he adopted it,
we believe, after his return from Italy. At his first appear-
ance in Aberdeen, in September, 1843, he was announced
as Mr. John Reeves.

8 Dictionary of Music and Musicians, by Sir George
Grove (1883); The Life of Sims Reeves, by Sutherland
Edwards, etc., etc.

4 The Life of Sims Reeves, written by himself, 1888.

was contemplated for the veteran tenor, who was
eighty years old in the September of that year,
that he consented to the announcement1 that he
was born in 1818.

When only nine or ten years old Sims Reeves
sang in the R.A. Band choir,2 and in the performance
of the " Messiah " in 1834, before mentioned, both
his and his father's name appear in the list of the
chorus.3 Being rather promising, application was
made for his enlistment, with another boy, the son
of the band sergeant, but owing to some others
having a prior claim (being orphans) their enlist-
ment was delayed. When permission was granted,
Bombardier Reeves informed the bandmaster that
a clergyman at Footscray, having taken notice of
his son, he thought he would be able to do better
for him. Regarding his career, little requires to be
said ; his fame is known to every intelligent lover of
song in, we may say, all English-speaking lands.

He only once visited his native place, and sang at
the Town Hall, William Street, where he had an
enthusiastic reception. During this visit he had an
interview with his old master, Mr. McKenzie. He
died at Worthing, 25th October, 1900.

His father, Corporal John Reeves, will be long
remembered both as a splendid singer and a good
instrumentalist, whilst some manuscript music, still

1 British Musician, July, 1898.

2 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

8 This programme is in the possession of W. T. Vincent,
Esq., the author of the Records of Woolwich, to whom I am
greatly indebted for information.

preserved, bears testimony to his superiority as a
penman. He took his discharge in 1838, with a
very small pension, and took over the clerkship at
a church at North Cray, his other son, Harry,
singing in the choir. He died in November, 1860,
at Footscray.

We must mention here the name of another
distinguished R.A. Bandsman, who won honour in
the more serious side of a soldier's life — on the field
of battle. This was Andrew Henry, v.c, who
served in the R.A. Band for some little time as a
trumpet player, but early in the " forties " he
transferred to the ranks. He served with great
distinction in the Crimean War, being present at
the battles of Alma and Inkerman. At the latter,
whilst a sergeant in G Battery, Second Division, he
defended his guns, almost single-handed, against
overwhelming numbers, with the greatest tenacity ;
receiving no fewer than twelve bayonet wounds.
In April, 1857, he received a commission in the
Land Transport Corps, and on the 26th June, Her
late Majesty Queen Victoria decorated him with
the Victoria Cross, being the second one in the
Royal Artillery to receive the coveted distinction.
In November, 1859, he was promoted to captain in
the Coast Brigade, R.A. He died suddenly at
Devonport on the 14th October, 1870, and was
buried at St. Mary's, Woolwich. His portrait
appears in Heroes of the Victoria Cross (London,
1895), and a full description of his gallantry is
recorded in England's Artillerymen and Kinglake's
Crimean War.

At the Coronation Procession of Queen Victoria,

June, 1838, the R.A. Band was stationed in front of
the Ordnance Office in Pall Mall.

The establishment of the band in 1839 was : —

i Master

i Sergeant

2 Corporals

4 Bombardiers (paid as Musicians)

14 Musicians

19 Bandsmen

(paid as Gunners)

7 Boys (paid

as Drummers)

instrumentation consisted of: —

Piccolo ... l

Trombones

Flutes ... 2

Ophicleide

Oboes ... 2

Bass HornsS

E flat Clarionets ... 3

Serpents

B flat Clarionets!.. . 14

Tenor Drum

Bassoons ... 4

Side Drum

Trumpets ... 4

Bass Drum

Cornets ... 3

Cymbals

French Horns2 ... 2

This included seven boys who, only being learners,
did not play with the band, which would reduce the
number to forty, exclusive of the bandmaster.
This had been the strength of the band for many
years ; in fact, they earned an unpleasant soubriquet
in consequence of this number. It happened during
the reign of William IV., when the band was in
great demand at the Royal palace. Its performances
being usually at night time, it became necessary to
provide the musicians with candles for their music
desks, which were supplied by the Royal household.
These were very superior wax candles, and the
musicians came to look upon them as their per-

1 Including the bandmaster, who invariably played with
the band, and kept time by nodding his head and stamping.
In the orchestra he conducted with his bow, a la Strauss.

2 Natural or hand horns.

8 These were really bass ophicleides.

quisites, and after each performance the partly-
used candles were appropriated for the sole purpose
of illuminating their rooms in barracks, which at
this time were lit up with candles. Then came the
order from the Royal household requesting the
musicians to leave the " very superior " wax
candles in their places. When this little episode
became known in Woolwich, the bandsmen were
immediately dubbed " The Forty Thieves."

The names of some of the solo performers in the
R.A. Band at this period occur in a poem entitled
" The Barrack Field," which appeared in the
Kentish Independent, August, 1887 : —

"Again on the parade we stand

To hear the Sunday evening band."

* * * *

" Do I remember ? Yes, I do,
Mackenzie,1 Smith,2 and Collins3 too,
And Harry Lawson,4 Bill Devine,5
While lesser stars around them shine.
Tall Chew,6 Ben Suffrien,' Billy Aitken,8
Soul moving, stirring, spirit waking,
With many others if I'd time
I'd celebrate in rugged rhyme.
Some grand descendants now adorn
The laurels won and ably worn,
And spread the fame throughout the land
The ancient worthies of the band."

1 The bandmaster.

2 Band corporal and solo horn.

8 Band sergeant and solo E flat clarionet.
* Solo cornet ; afterwards bandmaster of the Royal
Horse Artillery (see Chap VII.).

5 A very fine flute player ; afterwards bandmaster, 4th
Light Dragoons, 1842-67. The bandmaster of the 4th King's
Own from 1831-9 was George Coleman, also from the R.A.
Band.

6 Bass trombone.

7 Solo flute ; afterwards bandmaster, 17th Lancers.

8 Piccolo.

Among these ancient worthies were musicians
of considerable ability, but their talents were but
little known and appreciated by the general public,
for indeed the band rarely performed out of
Woolwich, except on duty. Owing mainly to there
being no railway to London, engagements were few
and far between, except perhaps for the leading
players, who alone could supplement their meagre
pay by local " business'1 ; even these were fulfilled
in a surreptitious manner as at this period the
band had not the privilege of wearing plain clothes.

No one of importance, however, visited Woolwich
without hearing the band at the R.A. concerts held
in the Officers' Mess, the programmes of which
invariably included an instrumental solo. Among
the most notable performers may be mentioned
John Wilkinson1 and James Prendergrast, the solo
violin and solo 'cello. The " lions " of the band
were, however, among the brass — Henry Lawson2
and William Keir,3 the solo cornet and solo (slide)
trumpet, both very fine performers, who frequently
played brilliant duets by Labitzky and others.

The other soloists were : oboe, S. Devine ;
clarionet, W. Collins, jun.4; bassoon, James Collins5;
trombone, R. Warren.6

1 Became bandmaster of the Royal Naval School,
Greenwich.

2 See Chap. VI.

8 Afterwards regimental trumpet-major, R.A.
* See Chap. IV.

5 Ibid.

6 Afterwards fife-major, R.A., and bandmaster, Forfar
and Kincardine Artillery.

About this time a bassoon player named Riddle,
who had been in the band since childhood, applied
for his discharge and was refused. He thereupon
appealed to the Master-General, stating that he
had never been " sworn in." After some enquiry,
it was found that no less than seventeen of the
band had not taken the customary oath, and when
required to do so many refused and were discharged.
Among them was Mr. McCombie, afterwards band-
master to the Viceroy of India.1

In September, 1843, Colonel Drummond died.
He was very kind to the band, and, with Lord
Bloomfield, did much to improve it. Colonel
Samuel Rudyerd now took command of the band,
but he died soon afterwards, when Colonel J. E.
Jones, the Assistant-Adjutant-General, succeeded
him, and the command of the band then became
the duty attached to that appointment, until it was
transferred to the Depot Brigade, 1859.

Mr. McKenzie now having passed the age of
sixty-five, he retired (January, 1845) with a pension
of three shillings and a halfpenny per diem. The
members of the band entertained him at a farewell
dinner, held at the " Bull Tavern," when he was
presented with a handsome silver snuff-box, suitably
inscribed, which is now in the possession of the
Lawson family. Mr. McKenzie was a great favourite
with His Majesty William IV., and it was not at all
an uncommon sight to see His Majesty offer his
snuff-box to Mr. McKenzie.

Besides being an excellent singer, he was a capable

3 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

instrumentalist, and an indefatigable teacher. By
his indomitable perseverance, he brought the band
to such a pitch as to be unsurpassed in the country.1

He resided for many years with his son, a music-
seller, at 17, Thomas Street, Woolwich, where he
had a fine collection of stringed instruments, and
occupied a little of his time in teaching. When he
had turned eighty years of age he was still quite an
active old man. Early in 1862 he was afflicted with
paralysis, and he died on the 9th September, 1865.

William George Collins, a bombardier in the band,
succeeded him as bandmaster.

1 " It is satisfactory to note that the two best bands in
England at this period, the Royal Artillery and the Cold-
stream Guards, were controlled by Messrs. Mackenzie
and Godfrey, whose names bespeak their nationality." —
Orchestral Times, 1901.

From a painting in the R.A. Mounted Band Rooms.

/L&8u^*r

CHAPTER IV.

1845-1854.

" I don't know what there was he couldn't do with yonder fiddle."

— FOC'S'LE YARNS.

"And he could strike a note that was sublime
With all the witchery of a tuneful lyre."

—ERIC MACKAY.

Y7SI ILLIAM GEORGE COLLINS was the
I I eldest son of William Collins, the band

\^ sergeant, R.A., the founder of the Collins
family, which became as popular in the
Royal Artillery as the Godfreys did in the Guards,
or the Winterbottoms in the Marines.

Robert Collins and his brother William, (sen.),
began their career in the Royal Irish Artillery
Band; the former in 1791, and the latter in 1799,
and both transferred to the R.A. Band, 1802.
Robert1 became the fife-major, R.A., and was
discharged in 1834. His son Samuel served in the
band 1817-60, and was discharged as band sergeant.
William became the band sergeant in 1837, and
was discharged in 1843. He was for many years

1 His great-grandson. Stuart (Dick) Collins, was the last
of the family to serve in the band, He took his discharge
after seven years' service in 1891.

conductor of the Woolwich Harmonic Society,1
and died in 1854, leaving seven sons and three
daughters, all of whom were educated in the
musical profession. Four of the sons served in
the Royal Artillery— William, James and Frederick
joining the band ; the other, George, afterwards
became trumpet-major and bandmaster of the
Royal Horse Artillery.2

James joined the band in 1834, and became the
solo 'cello, and was later appointed fife-major, R.A.,
and afterwards drum-major, R.A. About 1859, he
became bandmaster of the Antrim Rifles, and died
in 1865. His eldest son, William, was for many
years band sergeant, Royal Engineers, and another
son served in the R.A., as did also a daughter —
a regimental schoolmistress.

Frederick joined the band in 1839, and became
the solo viola ; he was discharged as corporal in
1859, and became bandmaster of the Northumber-
land Militia Artillery.

William George Collins, the subject of this
chapter, was born at Woolwich in 1815, and in
November, 1825, enlisted in the band. Under the
care and tuition of his father and Mr. McKenzie,
he made great progress and was promoted to

1 At the first public concert of this Society at the
Harmonic Hall, Povvis Street, on the 22nd February, 1841,
out of the orchestra of twenty-one, twelve belonged to the
R.A. Band, besides three in the chorus (Records of Woolwich
— Vincent). The present Woolwich Orchestral Society is
conducted by Sidney Horton, Esq., late of the R.A. Band,
in which he served from 1871 to 1881. He is a violinist and
pianist of considerable ability, and played violin and piano
concertos at the R.A. Concerts.

2 Jackson's Journal, Feb., 1854.

bombardier, being solo clarionet in the military
band, and one of the leading first violins in the
orchestra.

He then turned his attention to composition, and
studied under James Harris, Esq., Mus. Bac.Oxon.,1
with whom he was a great favourite. On the
retirement of Mr. McKenzie in 1845, he became
" Master of the Band." Before he was appointed,
however, he was subjected to a severe examination
held at Blackheath, before Sir Henry Bishop,
Cipriani Potter — the President of the Royal
Academy of Music, and other eminent musicians,
and passed with great credit, much to the chagrin
of his numerous opposers, amongst whom were
Lord Bloomfield and other influential officers, who,
however, sensibly and honourably bowed to the
decision of the appointed examiners.2

Collins was very popular, and Mr. Lawson states
that on the day of his examination the members of
the band threw old boots after him for good luck
as he left the band rooms.8 The appointment of so
young a man of Mr. Collins' talent was very oppor-
tune. He at once set to work to infuse a vigorous
style of playing into the band, more in accordance
with the spirit of the age than the quiet, easy
performances of bygone days. Mr. Collins was
greatly assisted in this measure, as many of the
older members took their discharge ; younger men
filling their places.

1 History of the Sappers and Miners. — Connolly.

2 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

3 Music and Musicians. — Mars, 1887.

Mr. Collins organised concerts in the town, which
were a great success. The following is a programme1
of one given at the Theatre Royal, Beresford Street,
on the 15th December, 1846, at which Miss Dolby,
afterwards known as Madame Sainton- Dolby, the
celebrated contralto, was engaged as vocalist : —

PROGRAMME.

PART I.

Sinfonia ... "Alia Turca" (first movement) ... Romberg

Chorus "The Tempest i 'Around, around we pace'" Purcell

Recit. ed Aria ... "Ateriedo" ... Mercadante

Miss Dolby

Waltr "Emilie" Collins 2

Cavatina " This heart by woe o'ertaken " (Maritana) Wallace
Mr. Wilkinson, R.A. Band

Quartett ... " What phrase sad and soft " Sir H. Bishop

Song ... " Oh, Arabyl" (Oberon) ... Weber

Miss Dolby

Solo Violin "Sixth Air" De Beriot

Mr. Wilkinson, R.A. Band

Overture

Collins s

PART 11.

Overture "William Tell" Rossini

Scena ... " All is lost" (Sonnambula) ... Bellini

Mr. Wilkinson, R.A. Band

Solo Cornet a Piston " The Banks of Allan Water " B. Lee
Mr. James Lawson, R.A. Band

Ballad " Primroses deck the bank's green side " Linley

Miss Dolby

Solo Flute " Original Air " ... Richardson

Mr. Bellingham, R.A. Band

Trio "Turn an old Time" (Maritana) ... Wallace

Miss Dolby, Messrs. Wilkinson and Browning, R.A. Band

Quadrille " British Navy " Jullien

Polka " Comic American " Jullien

1 In the writer's possession.

2 The bandmaster. R.A.
s Ibid.

At this time the band was recruited from young
boys, as a rule only nine or ten years old, mostly
" sons of the regiment," who were considered
elegible before all others, although a few came from
the Duke of York's School,1 Chelsea, and the Royal
Naval School, Greenwich, but always after a very
careful selection. The singing-master taught them
to sing, and prepared them for the soprano depart-
ment of the band choir. Their general education
was well looked after, and in the summer they
attended school before breakfast, 6.0 to 7.30 a.m.,
and again in the afternoon for an hour ; they
attended all the practices, both military and
orchestral.

The daily routine of the band was a short practice
(military) before " guard-mounting," which they
attended with the Royal Marine Band. It was a
very imposing affair. The guard was drawn up on
the Barrack Field about 10.30 a.m. and inspected
by the field officer of the day. The band then
marched down the line playing a slow march, and
returned playing in quick time.

The Guards then marched off, one party to the
Arsenal, and the other to the Dockyard. The R.A.
Band played the Arsenal guards to their post, and
a selection of music was performed in the Dial
Square whilst the old guards were being relieved.

1 This institution played no small part in the progress of
military bands in the early years of the last century. It
turned out some of the finest clarionet players of the day.
The bandmaster of the school was a Mr. Blizzard, a
Waterloo veteran, noted for his purity of tone and style,
which he imparted to his pupils, among them Lazarus, the
finest clarionettist England has produced.

They were then played back to barracks, which
they reached before twelve noon.

In the afternoon there was an hour's practice for
the young members, which completed the musical
duties of the day, except for the Thursday mess-
nights, when the band performed from 9.0 to 10.0
p.m. In the winter there were the weekly orchestral
and vocal concerts, known as the R.A. Concerts, also
held in the Officers' Mess, on Tuesdays at 2.0 p.m.,1
and in the summer there was the usual " playing-
out " on the Barrack Field, generally two days in
the week, morning and afternoon.

On Sundays, after the church parade, the band
(orchestral)2 played in the Artillery Chapel (after-
wards the R.A. Theatre), for there was no organ.

" The chapel where we're bound."

* * *

" Now, bandsmen play the soldiers in."

* * *

" They sing the * Tate and Brady ' psalms,
And praise with trumpets and with shawms."

* * *

" Anon the pealing anthem's swelling
With grand effect ' The Heavens are Telling '
With drum and oboe, brass and string,
The sacred place is echoing."

— The Barrack Field.

The choir was also furnished by the band, who
occupied the centre of the upper gallery, flanked on

1 There is evidence that in 1835 these were held on
Fridays at 1 p.m.

2 Generally string and wood-wind instruments ; brass
only occasionally.

either side by the children from the regimental
schools. A portion of the band also attended the
afternoon service, under the direction of the band
sergeant. Elaborate musical services were fre-
quently given, and the performance of Kent's,
Handel's and Mendelssohn's anthems by the band
have been the admiration of the inhabitants of
Woolwich for many years. Before a choir was
established in this church, the only music per-
formed there, was a voluntary, which was played
upon wind instruments.1

In these days there was little or no printed music
for the military band, except that occasionally
an officer would bring some over from France or
Germany, which was generally for instrumentation
peculiar to continental bands, and useless until re-
arranged. Those regiments that had bandmasters
capable of composing and arranging were the best
off, but their manuscripts were jealously guarded,
and all sorts of expedients were resorted to for
the purpose of replenishing the regimental music
library.2 If two regiments met, and their band-
masters were friendly, they looked over each other's
repertoire, and made exchanges, the bandsmen
being set to work copying as fast as they could.3

1 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

2 A story is told of a bandsman of the 4th (King's Own)
Regiment, named Walthier, who, like Mozart in the Papal
Chapel, could write music as he heard it, being set to work
to secure a piece belonging to another band that was
jealously guarded. He attended several performances, and
succeeded so well that some men of the other band were
charged with supplying the copies.

3 In the R.A. Band two copyists were kept constantly
employed.

These little amenities rarely extended beyond
marches and light compositions. But the R.A.
Band was better off than these ; for, having a fine
orchestra, playing the best music of the day, the
bandmaster was able to arrange such music for
the military band.

The first printed music for military bands pub-
lished in England was issued by Messrs. Wessel
between 1830 and 1840, but the circulation was
limited, and the arrangement theoretical rather than
practical. The first really effective arrangement
for a military band published in London was by
Herr C. Boose, bandmaster of the Scots Fusilier
Guards, who issued a selection from Verdi's opera,
" Ernani," in 1845. It was soon taken up by
Messrs. Boosey and Co., who undertook the pro-
duction of a military band journal, appointing
Herr Boose sole editor.

The uniform worn by the R.A. Band at this
period (1847)1 was introduced in 1839, with the
exception of the head-dress — the bearskin, which
was adopted in 1846.

The bandmaster wore a double-breasted blue
coatee with scarlet facings ; the collar, cuffs and
skirts being heavily laced with gold lace, and gold
bullion epaulettes; dark blue trousers with two-

1 From a portrait of W. Collins, bandmaster, R.A., in the
possession of the R.A. Mounted Band, and also from a
coloured photograph of Musician George Browning, kindly
lent to the writer by his son, R. W. Browning, late band-
master, Devon Artillery Militia and 2nd Devon Volunteers.
A representation of a musician at this period is given in the
Records of Woolwich, and also in an engraving, by Ranwell,
of a review at the R.M. Academy, Woolwich (1840).

rMlfr

MUSICIAN,

ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND,

1847.

inch gold lace stripes. The bearskin busby was of
great size, with a plume of scarlet feathers on the
left side, which encircled the top.

The non-commissioned officers, musicians, etc.,
wore a similar coatee, except that it was laced
with half-inch gold lace, and smaller epaulettes.
Trousers of dark blue1 with a two-inch gold lace
stripe for the sergeant, and scarlet cloth stripes
for the remainder. They also wore the bearskin,
with a short horse-hair plume of scarlet on the left
side.

The boys wore the same as above, except that
the lacing and epaulettes were of yellow worsted.

In undress2 the bandmaster wore a dark blue
frock coat, the front of which was laced with six
rows of black braid, collar and cuffs laced with the
same. The non-commissioned officers, musicians,
etc., wore a dark blue shell jacket with fourteen
small buttons down the front, scarlet collar, the
back seams being piped with scarlet. The band
sergeant's jacket was similar, except that it was
laced with gold.

The forage cap was of dark blue, with a wide
crown, and patent leather peak, scarlet cloth band
and scarlet piping round the seams.8 The band-
master and band sergeant wore gold lace bands.

At this period the band carried no card cases;

1 Light blue trousers were abolished in 1847, and dark
blue substituted.

2 The band had to pay for their undress uniform.

8 In 1852 the forage cap was changed to one with a soft
crown and gold lace band. About 1861 a cap similar to that
worn at present was introduced,

the music for marching, etc., had to be committed
to memory.

Fixed regimental marches were unknown at this
time. Some corps certainly had traditional marches,
which they held most sacred1 ; but others played
certain tunes because the colonel's wife liked the
air, or perhaps because the colonel fancied the men
marched better to it than any other. It was con-
sidered the duty of a new bandmaster to compose
or select the regimental marches. In the early
years of the last century the R.A. Band played a
march composed by Mr. McKenzie, the bandmaster,
which was replaced by one composed by the suc-
ceeding bandmaster, Mr. Collins. The autograph
score of the latter is in the writer's possession,
which is dated 22nd July, 1848. But these were
slow marches. There were no fixed regimental
marches until the War Office order of 1882,
prior to which the R.A. Band used several marches
for this purpose of marching past, viz. : the
" British Grenadiers," " I'm Ninety-five," " High-
land Laddie," and " Garry Owen."

On one occasion, about forty years ago, the
Royal Artillery were being marched past on
Woolwich Common to the latter tune, when the
Duke of Cambridge kept beating time with his

1 Among these may be mentioned, the march of the
" Green Howards " (19th Foot), which was presented to the
regiment whilst on a tour of service in Austria, 1742. The
29th Foot, now known as the Worcestershire Regiment,
have a march called the " Windsor," composed for them by
Princess Augusta, a daughter of George III. The 15th
Hussars march, " Elliott Light Horse," dates as far back
as 1780; and the 14th Foot have for over a century played
the well-known French revolutionary air, " Ca Ira."

cane and shouting " Faster, that band ! " The
bandmaster, Mr. Smyth, coolly took out his watch
and, timing the march by the minute hand, made
no alteration. The order at that date was one
hundred and eight paces to the minute, but very
soon afterwards it was increased to one hundred
and sixteen, and recently to one hundred and
twenty.1

It would seem that the " British Grenadiers "
was considered the regimental march in the R.A.
quite fifty years ago, for it is introduced into
a galop entitled " The Royal Artillery," com-
• posed by the bandmaster, Mr. Smyth, about
1855. It was fixed as the regimental march for
the regiment in 1882. This fine old melody is
very old, and it is impossible to ascertain its date.3

1 The slow time of the English marches was for several
centuries a subject of remark among foreigners. " It was
formerly in high estimation, as well abroad as with us,"
says Hawkins (History of Music). " Its characteristic is
dignity and gravity, in which respect it differs greatly from

the French which is brisk and alert." Sir Roger

Williams, a gallant soldier of Elizabeth's time, had a con-
versation with the French marshal, Biron, on the subject
of English marches. The marshal observed that the
English march was slow, heavy and sluggish. " That may
be true," answered Sir Roger, "but, slow as it is, it has
traversed your master's country from one end to the
other."

2 It is to be found in different forms at different periods.
It certainly cannot (as far as its title is concerned) be older
than 1678, when the grenadier companies were first formed.
In Queen Elizabeth's virginal book the melody appears as
" Nancie " ; and in another MS. of the same time, as "All
you that love good fellows, or the London 'Prentice." In
a Dutch publication of 1643 it is known as "Sir Edward
Noel's delight," and during the Civil War it appears as
" Prince Rupert's March." The modern version as played
by the band (published by authority, Boosey & Co.) is
in the key of B flat, and is slightly different to the old
melody given by Mr. Chappell (Popular Music in the Olden
Time), which notation is over a hundred years old.

Mr. Chappell, in his Popular Music of the Olden
Time, says : " Next to the national anthems, there
is not any tune of a more spirit-stirring character
than the • British Grenadiers,' nor is any one more
truly characteristic of English national music."

Prior to 1859 there was a drum-major, fife-major,
and a trumpet-major in the Royal Artillery, besides
a trumpet-major in the Royal Horse Artillery.
These appointments were invariably given to mem-
bers of the R.A. Band ; who, however, in later
years, did not sever their connection altogether,
but played with the band whenever their duties
would permit. The drum-major and fife-major
taught the corps of drummers and fifers,1 which
relieved the R.A. Band of much duty.

" See trumpeters assemble near,
And from their lips the blast blows clear ;

See drummers with the fifers come,
And Carter with the massive drum ;
The grand drum-major first doth stalk,
With gold-knobb'd stick and pompous walk,
And, as he marches o'er the ground,
He thinks he turns the world around."

— The Barrack Field.

All these wore scarlet with blue facings, except
in the Royal Horse Artillery, where they wore the
same as the ranks. The drum-major was a gor-

1 The "drums and fifes" was a very efficient band.
They practised daily, Saturdays excepted, from 10.30 to 12
noon, in the Gymnasium (" Garrison Orders," 11-10-1856).

geous individual, and he marched at the head of
the R.A. Band.

His uniform was a scarlet coatee with blue
facings, the breast, skirts, collar and cuffs being
heavily laced with gold ; trousers of light blue,
with gold lace stripes, and gold Austrian knots in
front. Over his left shoulder he wore his " sash of
office " of blue and gold, and a crimson sash round
his waist. His head-dress was an enormous bear-
skin busby with a waving plume of scarlet feathers,
on the right side, which encircled the top.1

The fife-major and the trumpet-major, R.A., wore
a similar uniform, with the exception of the head-
dress, which was the shako, as worn by the rank
and file, and without the Austrian knots on the
trousers, and smaller epaulettes.2 The drummers,
fifers, and trumpeters, R.A., wore double-breasted
scarlet coatees with blue facings, with shoulder
wings and trimmings of yellow worsted. The
scarlet uniform was abolished in 1851, when blue
was substituted, the trimmings and lacing re-
maining the same.8

The drum was discarded as a signal or duty
instrument in 1848,4 the trumpet and bugle being
retained. But at Woolwich an efficient band of

1 From a coloured print of the drum-major, R.A. (circa
1840), which hangs in the R.A. Band Reading Room.

a From a photograph of the Fife-Major, R.A., in the
possession of Mrs. Lawson.

8 History of the Dress of the R.A.— Macdonald.

i Artillery Regimental History. — Miller,

drums and fifes was maintained until 1856,1 when
it was converted into a bugle band (see Chap. VIII.).
The ranks of drum-major and fife-major continued
until the introduction of the brigade system in 1859.
From 1859, the leader of the bugle band — James
Lawson — was borne on the establishment of the
regiment as the drum-major, although he did not
march at the head of the R.A. Band. The title,
drum-major, was dropped in April, 1865, when he
was styled " master of the bugle band," although
he continued to draw his pay as drum-major of the
regiment until 1882. In December, 1859, an
attempt was made to revive the glories of a
marching drum-major, and the appointment was
given to Bombardier James Lowrie,2 but he gave up
the position early in 1860. He was the last drum-
major in the Royal Artillery. His uniform was a
dark blue tunic with scarlet collar, the breast was
laced with five rows of gold lace, the collar, cuffs,
and back seams being also laced with gold. Trousers
of dark blue with two inch gold lace stripes. His
sash was scarlet, trimmed with gold. His head-
dress was a bearskin, similar to that worn by the
ancient worthies of that office. His entire uniform,
and the staff,3 which was used by many of his pre-

1 The last reference to the drums and fifes occurs in the
band accounts for 1856-7, where the drum-major is allowed
five pounds for " providing music for the flutists " (sic).

2 The present Lieut. -Colonel J. Lowrie, J. P., late com-
manding the 2nd Middlesex Artillery Volunteers.

8 It may be of interest to note that perhaps the oldest
drum-major's staff in existence is preserved at the Armoury
House, Finsbury. It belongs to the Honourable Artillery
Company, and was presented to them by its treasurer,
Sir Mathew Andrews, in 1679.

decessors, are still preserved in the R.A. Institution.
The establishment of the R.A. Band1 in 1849
was : —

i Master

1 Sergeant

2 Corporals

8 Acting Bombardiers (paid as Musicians)
12 Musicians
19 Bandsmen (paid as Gunners)

6 Boys (paid as Drummers)

The following is a programme of a Royal Artillery
concert, held in the Officers' Mess-room, on Tuesday,
27th February, 1849:—

PART I.

Overture

"Zampa"

... Herold

Solo and Chorus

" Come if you dare "

... Purcell

Waltz

"Margarita"

... D'Albert

Solo Clarionet

... " nth Air Varie"

Berr

Galop di Bravura

PART II.

Schulhoff

Overture

"Anacreon"

Cherubini

Madrigal ..."

Soldiers brave and gallant be "

... Gastoldi

Quadrille

"FlicFIac"

... Schabert

Cavatina

" In questo semplice "

Donizetti

Polka

... " Chinese Junk "

... D'Albert

The principal instrumental performers at this
period were : flute, Musician J. Bellingham ; oboe,
Bandsman V. Maine ; E flat clarionet, Musician
J. Farlie ; B flat clarionet, Sergeant W. Newstead,
sen. ; bassoon, Musician R. Anderson ; cornet,

1 Quite half of the band resided out of barracks, and
the remainder occupied quarters adjoining the Artillery
Chapel (now the R.A. Theatre), on the top floor, the two
small rooms serving as sleeping rooms, and the large room
as a practice-room and mess-room. For many years the
bandmaster's quarters were those on the top floor in the
building (now a sergeants' mess) opposite the R.A. canteen.

Bombardier J. Lawson1; horn, Musician C. Gordon,
sen.2 ; trombone, Bombardier T. Gilbertson8 ; ophi-
cleide, Musician W. Lake4; violin, Bombardier S.
Collins ; viola, Musician P. Collins5 ; 'cello, Bombar-
dier J. Collins.6

The first grand military concert ever given in this
country took place in June, 1851, at Chelsea
Hospital, in which the bands of the Royal Artillery,
1st and 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards,
Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots Guards, in all
some three hundred and fifty performers, took part.
The programme, which was performed on a raised
platform in front of the portico in the great square,
was divided into two parts, with seven pieces in
each, and included : — march, he Prophete ; overture,
Fest, by Lulner ; overture, Maritana ; Camp of
Silesia ; overture, Euryanthe ; Boisselots' Ne touchez
pas a la reine ; L'Huguenots ; Lucia de Lammermoor ;
Nino ; march from Norma ; quick step by Boose1 ;
waltzes by Karl Buller and D'Albert ; and Labitzky's
famous Quadrille of all Nations. These were con-
ducted by the respective bandmasters in turn.

The Times, commenting on the concert, said : —
" The execution of these pieces was so admirable,
the ensemble so good, and the energy and decision

1 Became bandmaster, Royal Artillery Mounted Band
(see Chap. VIII.).

2 For many years in the Carl Rosa Opera Orchestra.

8 He was also the principal tenor vocalist, the principal
bass vocalist being Bombardier G. Browning.

4 Became bandmaster of several Metropolitan Police
Bands.

6 Became bandmaster, Northumberland Artillery (see
Chap. IV.)

a Became bandmaster, Antrim Rifles (see Chap. IV.).

of the conductors so remarkable that the unequi-
vocal satisfaction of the auditors was not to be
wondered at. We only regretted that with such
splendid means so little of real musical importance
was effected. The overture to Euryanthe alone
among the 14 pieces presented to the public was
worthy of consideration as an artistic performance.
Our military bands have reached a very high degree
of perfection in regard to the mere talent of
execution ; but in other respects they have done
little or nothing to assist the progress of the art.
If the bandmasters who train them so zealously
and well would endeavour to instil into them some
notion of true music, instead of confining them
almost wholly to the most ephemeral productions,
their influence would be highly beneficial."

The R.A. Band was engaged at the ceremony of
the planting of the first pillar at the Crystal Palace
on the 5th August, 1852 ; they also fulfilled engage-
ments at Cheltenham, Hatfield, Colchester, Ashford,
Aylesbury, etc. In November, 1852, it was ordered
to take part in the funeral procession of the Duke
of Wellington, and played the funeral march from
Mendelssohn's Antigone, and a movement from
Spohr's symphony, Die weihe der tone.

It was taken to Brighton in December, 1853, by
Captain (afterwards Lieutenant-General Sir David)
Wood, R.H A., "where its performances as a string
band first elicited that commendation which has
since been re-echoed throughout the length and
breadth of the land."1

1 England's Artillerymen. — Browne, 1865.

100

The following is an extract from the Brighton
Gazette of that month : —

" This band, which we believe, never performed
in Brighton before, is acknowledged to be the best
in the service ; and for versatility of talent it is
unrivalled: it contains in itself a brass (military)
band, a stringed, and a vocal band. There is none
to equal it ; and we can only imagine that it was
brought to its present pitch of perfection by the
indomitable perseverance of its talented conductor,
Mr. Collins. If we had heard no other performance
than the selection from " Lucrezia Borgia," it
would have been sufficient to stamp our admiration
of their playing. All the points were worked out
with a master-hand and with much spirit, and at
the same time evenness of tone : no single instru-
ment was so far predominant as to pain even the
critical ear by the circumstance of its being over-
powering. The crescendos that we never heard
excelled, if equalled, were beautifully worked up,
and the subdued passages given with all that
exquisite modulation that nothing but a thorough
drilling under a first-rate master like Mr. Collins
could effect. It was remarked by many in the room
that this performance approached perfection as near
as it possibly could be reached ; and we doubt not,
if Donizetti could have heard this music handled
by our artillery band, he would not say with many
that the English were far behind the foreigners in
their appreciation and performance of good music.
We cannot let this opportunity pass without
offering our meed of praise to the cornet player,
Mr. Lawson, who is a second Koenig on that

101

instrument. His solos were given with the utmost
purity of tone and taste ; and we heard frequent
exclamations of — ' Beautiful ! ' We shall probably
by some be thought too lavish in praise of this band ;
but we could not discover a single point with which
to find fault. Three vocal pieces were performed :
Sir Henry Bishop's glee, ' Blow, gentle gales,' the
serenade « Sleep, gentle lady,' and the echo chorus
from Weber's ' Preciosa' ; the solo parts being sus-
tained by Master W. Maine, Master J. A. Browne,1
Messrs. Gilbertson, Wells, and Smith. In the
serenade the treble of Master Maine was very
sweet, well in tune throughout, although we
understand his voice is breaking. The bass of
Mr. Joseph Smith was flowing and telling,
without any degree of harshness; the tenor of
Mr. Gilbertson was admirable, and the counter-
tenor, with a trifling exception, accorded well with
the other voices. At the close of the performances,
Mr. Collins was much complimented by several of
the company on the efficiency to which he had
raised his band, and by none more so than by the
Hon. Archibald Macdonald, ' father of the London
Catch Club.' The performers are for the most part
young men, and many of them mere boys, a cir-
cumstance which shows that greater credit is due
to the conductor."

The success of the band was such, that the best
engagements in Brighton for that and the following
seasons were sent to the R.A. Band. Local
musicians were naturally very indignant, and sar-

1 Became bandmaster, Royal Horse Artillery.

102

castic remarks were made in some of the papers
about the " soldier fiddlers." However, the band
went annually to Brighton, and in 1866, in con-
junction with Madame Liebhart, gave morning and
evening concerts for an entire week.1

Between 1830 and 1860 a great many changes
took place in military music. It was stated in the
last chapter that bands were formed on their own
model, using what instruments they liked ; conse-
quently there was no common pitch, and it was
almost impossible to combine several bands for
united performances. It was William Wieprecht,
a German, who was the first to clearly perceive the
want of a complete reconstruction, and also to
devise a plan of an instrumentation fixed according
to artistic needs. His first attempt was to construct
the modern brass band about 1828, when he intro-
duced a complete family of valved instruments,
comprised of E flat cornets, B flat cornets, B flat
tenor horns, and euphoniums. Seven years later
he designed the bombardon. In 1838 he was
appointed director of the bands of the Prussian
Guards, and from this time dates the gradual
revolution in the organisation of the military bands
in almost all European States, and formed the
basis of our present military music.

1 "The fullness of tone, without the slightest harshness,
produced by this band is at once a proof that every
instrument is under the fullest control of the performers.
Added to this is the tenderness and artistic feeling displayed
by the soloists, to say nothing of the exquisite colouring by
the strictest attention to the piano crescendos and fortes of
the composers, forming altogether an ensemble not hitherto
realised here." — Brighton Gazette, 3-1-1867.

103

Then came Adolph Sax, who, like Wieprecht in
Germany, created a revolution in French military
music. He adapted the valve to all classes of brass
instruments, which he called saxhorns, saxtrombas,
saxtubas, etc., ignoring the fact that these instru-
ments were known, although not in general use,
long before his " inventions " were patented. These
were almost immediately adopted in England under
the names of saxhorns, althorns, euphoniums, and
bombardons. The two latter seem to have been
adopted first, and entirely superseded the tenor and
bass ophicleides, bass horns and serpents.1 Another
invention of M. Sax, was the saxophone, which
remains his most important discovery.

Nor had the brass family alone been improved
upon. Boehm, Triebert, Klose, and others, had
greatly increased the executive capacity of the
" wood wind " by their improvements and inven-
tions.

British " crack" regiments, now at the zenith of
their extravagance in military musical matters,
spent enormous sums in purchasing instruments
of the new type, for even at this date the rivalry
between regimental bands was as keen as ever.
But whatever may be said of such a system, it is
undeniable that the musical results were in many
cases notable, and the service could boast fifty years
ago of many superior bands,2 besides those of the
Guards and Artillery.

1 The last serpent player in the band was Bombardier
G. Browning, and the identical instrument is still preserved
in his family. It appears in the illustration facing page 90.

2 Military Music. — Kappey.

104

In April, 1854, Mr. Collins, the bandmaster, R.A.,
took his discharge on a pension. He then became
bandmaster of the Royal Bucks Militia, " which,
from his peculiar fitness and attainments, became
one of the best bands among the regular troops
or militia in the kingdom."1 On the disembodi-
ment of the regiment, his engagement with Lord
Carrington having ceased, his well-known repu-
tation led to his instant appointment as Master
of the newly-formed band of the Royal Engineers
at Chatham (August, 1856), the first appointed in
that corps.2

In this position he also achieved success, and
it was he who established the string band in that
corps.8

He retired in 1865 to Woolwich, and later re-
moved to Torquay, where he died, 10th March,
1886, aged 71.4

Mr. Collins was a clever musician. Besides
being an excellent clarionet player and a good
violinist, he was an advanced theorist, and also an
effective arranger for both military band and
orchestra, but he was a very reserved man, who
had been brought up in a narrow groove, bounded
on every side by Woolwich, and was sadly wanting
in tact and experience. That the officers of the

1 History of the Sappers and Miners. — Connolly.

2 Prior to this, there had been a brass band in the corps,
under the direction of Bugle-Major Youle.

8 Robert Marr, in his Music for the People (1889) gives
Mr. J. Sawerthal the credit of this, which is an error.
(See also History of the Sappers and Miners. — Connolly.

4 His decease is recorded on the back of the tombstone
of Ralph Bennett, 178 -, in Plumstead Churchyard.

105

Royal Engineers were well satisfied with him,
however, may be gathered from the fact of their
going to the same school for his successor,
Mr. William Newstead, jun., a sergeant in the
Royal Artillery Band. He was the eldest son of
the band sergeant, R.A., and was born at Woolwich
in 1826. In 1837 he joined the R.A. Band, and
was for many years the solo clarionet in the military
band, and one of the leading violins of the orchestra.
He became bandmaster, Royal Engineers, in 1865,
and remained with them until 1871. He died in
1875 as bandmaster of the Northampton Volun-
teers.1 " Coming from a good school of music,
the first conductors were enabled to raise the band
[the Royal Engineers] to a high state of efficiency,"2
and they laid the foundations for the present famous
band of that corps.

James Smyth, the bandmaster of the 19th Regi-
ment, succeeded Collins as bandmaster of the
Royal Artillery.

1 His brother Henry also served in the R.A. Band, and
became bandmaster of the 106th Regiment. To this
gentleman I am greatly indebted for information.

2 Music and Musicians. — Marr, 1887.

Photo by Cobb, Woolwich.

CHAPTER V.

1854-1881.

" Up from beneath his masterly hand in circling flight
The gathering music rose."

—HOMER (translated by SHELLEY).

" I am what I am because I was industrious ; whoever
is equally sedulous will be equally successful." — BACH.

}AMES SMYTH was the son of a guardsman,
and was born in London, 18th March, 1818,
and baptised at St. James' Church, Piccadilly.
When he was quite young, his father was
promoted to the 19th Regiment, and his son was
taken into the regimental band. Under the care of
Mr. Brown, the bandmaster, an excellent musician,
he made rapid progress in every department. The
19th was one of the few line bands which had a
string band, and soon we find Corporal Smyth
first violin and solo clarionet. His abilities were
so marked that when Mr. Brown retired in 1841,
he was appointed bandmaster.

He saw much foreign service, being stationed at
Malta, Cephalonia, Corfu, West Indies and Canada.
At Montreal, where his string band was engaged
to furnish the orchestra for the Seguin Opera
Company, he made the acquaintance of one of the
prima donne of the company, an eminent contralto,
of the Royal Opera, Stuttgardt, whom he married.1
Arriving in England, the reputation of Mr. Smyth

1 British Musician, Sept., 1398.

108

and his band increased, particularly at Plymouth,
where the local Philharmonic Society was con-
ducted by him. When the regiment left Plymouth,
he was presented with a handsome silver salver by
the society as a " mark of their appreciation of his
talent, and of the zeal, energy and devotion " with
which he had carried them through two important
seasons — 1851-2.

In 1853 the regiment went to Chobham Camp,
and here the superiority of the band of the 19th
became unpleasantly apparent. Lord Seaton in-
variably sent for it when the Queen or any
distinguished visitors lunched with him, and on
one occasion Mr. Smyth was highly complimented
by Her Majesty, who sent an aide-de-camp to
inform him that his conducting had been the means
of producing a spirited and good performance2;
also when the combined bands played (then quite
a novel feature in the service) Mr. Smyth was
usually selected to conduct them, until he (seeing
the ill-feeling arising) suggested to the authorities
that the different bandmasters should take this
duty in turn.

When the Crimean War broke out the 19th was
ordered to the seat of war, and the officers not
wishing to part with their bandmaster, whom they
could not take with them, promised him a com-
mission as quartermaster; but the Commander-in-
Chief would not sanction such an unprecedented
appointment, as it was at that time.

In April, 1854, the mastership of the Royal

2 The Herald, 20-8-1853.

109

Artillery Band became vacant, and Mr. Smyth
applied for the position and was appointed.1 He
was surprised to find, however, that his pay would
be less than one-half he had received in the 19th ;
for at this time there were only four bandmasters
recognised in the Army Estimates, viz. : the
" master " of the R.A. Band at five shillings and
sixpence per diem, the " bandmaster" of the Royal
Military Asylum, Chelsea, at six shillings per diem,
"a sergeant acting as master of the band " at the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst, at three shillings
per diem, and "a sergeant of instruction in music,"
at fifty pounds per annum, for the Royal Hibernian
School, Dublin ; but the band of the Royal Artillery
was the only band recognised in the Estimates,
and payments were still granted for one band
sergeant, two corporals and twenty musicians,
besides the bandmaster, and one hundred pounds
for instruments and music.

All other regimental bands were supported by a
band fund, to which each officer had to subscribe,
and could afford to pay their bandmasters from
twelve and sixpence to one pound per diem. No
such fund existed in the Royal Artillery, as their
band was supported by the Government ; so
Mr. Smyth had to content himself with his bare
pay. Yet he saw possibilities in such a position,
and in less than two years he made it worth three
hundred and sixty pounds per annum, exclusive of
engagements.2

1 His brother Thomas became bandmaster of the Royal
Marines, Woolwich, soon afterwards.
3 R.A. Band Fund Accounts, 1856-7.

110

During the summers of 1854-5-6 the R.A. Band
was in frequent attendance at the Crystal Palace,
including the " Grand Military Fete " on October
28th, 1854, and the Peace Festival on the 9th May,
1856, which was attended by Queen Victoria and
the Prince Consort.

On the 26th December, 1854, the band gave its
first orchestral concert in London at the Royal
Panoptican (now the Alhambra), Leicester Square.1

In the autumn of 1855 a series of concerts were
given in the north of England, at Durham, Sunder-
land and Newcastle. Seldom hearing any music of
a higher class than that performed by the local
bands, the people of the north were almost frantic
with excitement at the performance of the band on
this occasion, and frequent applications have since
been made for them to visit that part of the
country. These concerts were followed by others
at Bath, Bristol, etc. This is probably the earliest
notice of a military band going on a concert tour
at any distance from headquarters.2

Mr. Smyth, however, had taken over the band
under the most unfavourable circumstances. The
officers to whom he was unknown, and the whole
of the bandsmen, were to some little extent preju-
diced against him ; for he was an infantry band-
master, and the Royal Artillery for nearly half a
century had boasted of bandmasters born and
educated in the regiment.

However, by the following year he had quite

1 England's Artillerymen — Browne, 1865.

2 British Musician, Sept., 1898.

Ill

established himself with his officers, and they
expressed their appreciation to the band comman-
dant, who communicated the same to Mr. Smyth
in the following : —

" D.A.G. Office, Woolwich,

"11th August, 1855.
" Mr. Smyth,

" It will no doubt be gratifying to you to know
that the talent you brought with you, on suc-
ceeding to the appointment of Master of the
Royal Artillery Band, has so developed itself in
the improvement of the band that the officers of
the corps are much pleased, and many of them
have expressed themselves in terms highly com-
mendatory to your merits.

" H. Palliser, Adj.-Gen., R.A."

Thus encouraged, Mr. Smyth induced the officers
to increase the establishment of the band ; and on
the 1st January, 1856, it was ordered that the band
should be increased to eighty1 : —

l Master

l Band Sergeant

3 Sergeants

1 First Band Corporal

i Second Band Corporal

2 Corporals

4 Bombardiers

4 Acting Bombardiers
16 Musicians
• 33 Bandsmen

14 Boys

Now we find a reversion of the feelings of the
bandsmen towards Mr. Smyth. On the 11th
January, 1856, they gave him a supper at the

1 England's Artillerymen.-— Browke, 1865.

112

" King's Arms Hotel," to publicly express their
gratitude to him. Mr. McKenzie, the late band-
master, R.A., was among the guests. The toast of
the evening was: — "The health of Mr. Smyth,
with heartful thanks to him for his successful
exertions in bettering the position and prospects
of the band."

Mr. Smyth's efforts for the good of the band
never relaxed. The allowance from the Government,
was found to be inadequate to meet the require-
ments of the band since the augmentation, so
Mr. Smyth induced the officers to raise a band fund.
This was established on the 25th January, 1856, to
which each officer in the regiment had to subscribe
two days' pay annually. This amounted in the first
year to over one thousand pounds. The band now
came under the care of a band committee, consisting
of Colonel J. Bloomfield, president; Lieutenant-
Colonel Charles Bingham, secretary and treasurer ;
Captain R. K. Freeth and Captain J. F. D'Arley
Street, committee.1

It was now found that a considerable number of
the instruments in use by the band were the
property of the bandsmen, and out of the forty
stringed instruments in use, only six belonged to
the regiment ; the remainder, with the exception of
five lent by Lord Bloomfield, were the bandsmen's
own property.2 Many of the wind instruments

1 R. A. Band Fund Accounts, 1856-7.

2 The musicians were allowed a small sum for the
expenses of strings, &c., called "string money," which was
abolished in this year, strings being supplied by the Band
Fund.

113

had from long use become utterly unserviceable,
and there were still a few of the increased number
of musicians without instruments. Arrangements
were immediately made to procure new instruments
from good makers in London, and during 1856-7
sixty-three wind and four stringed instruments
were purchased. The committee next took into
consideration the proposal of Mr. Smyth's, of
granting an addition to the regimental pay of the
band by an allowance from the band fund, intended
to reward merit and talent, and as an inducement
to young musicians, so as to apply themselves to
their profession as to become efficient.1 They
resolved to grant an allowance to : —

(a.) " Soloists according to the importance of
their respective instruments, and their efficiency in
performing on them."

(b.) " Musicians, who, although not soloists, have
by zeal and application to their profession, made
themselves useful members of the band.'"2

The first band fund allowance was granted to : —

Master of the Band 6/6

Trumpet-Major (Solo Cornet) 3/-

Senior Sergeant (Leader of the Orchestra) 7jd.

Fife-Major (Solo Trombone) 8d.

Three Sergeants i/»

Corporals 1/1

Four Bombardiers 1/-

,1 „ (Musicians) ... .'.. 1/1

Ten Gunners and Drivers 2/1

This band fund pay amounted for the first year
to over three hundred pounds, and by the following

1 R.A. Band Regulations, 1st April, 1856.

2 R.A. Band Fund Accounts, 1856-7.

114

year Mr. Smyth induced the Band Committee to in-
crease it to four hundred and fifty pounds per annum,
but without taking any addition to his own salary.

In 1856 a new uniform was introduced for the
band, and was taken into wear, May 29th.

The uniform of the non-commissioned officers
and men was:— A dark blue tunic1 with scarlet
collar, the front being adorned with five rows of
gold lace. The cuffs, back seams and the collar were
laced with the same, the whole of this lace being
traced on both edges. An embroidered lyre was
worn on the forearm of each sleeve, a distinction
never before or since conferred on a military band.
An embroidered grenade was worn on each shoulder
strap. The trousers were of dark blue, with two
inch scarlet cloth stripes.

The head-dress was a black sable busby, with
scarlet bag on the right ; and on the left side a gilt
brass grenade, surmounted by a scarlet hackle
feather plume, reaching to the top of the busby,
and a patent leather chin strap.

The band sergeant wore the same as above, with
the exception of the tunic, which had some addi-
tional lacing.2 The boys wore a tunic similar to
that worn by the regiment, only perfectly plain,
with an embroidered lyre on each sleeve.

The bandmaster's tunic was totally different to
the band. The front edges were laced with two-

1 This tunic was the suggestion of Musician W. Lake,
R.A. Band, who embodied his idea in a water-colour sketch,
and suggested it to Mr. Smyth, who brought it to the notice
of the officers.

2 This was not adopted until 1864.

MUSICIAN,

ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND,

1856.

115

inch gold lace, the outer edge being handsomely
traced. The cuffs and back seams were laced with
one-inch gold lace, and the collar with half-inch
gold lace. On the forearm of each sleeve was an
embroidered device, consisting of a lyre, grenade,
trumpets, drums, etc., and above this a gun and
crown. He also wore a gold lace cross belt.

The bandmaster, band sergeant and sergeants
wore gold lace stripes on the trousers, and the two
former wore gold lace slung belts, with steel
swords. The remainder of the band wore a strap
underneath the tunic, with a frog of black patent
leather, which protruded through an opening at the
side of the tunic ; the sword was similar to that
worn in 1847, only longer.

This uniform remained practically unaltered until
1879, when the head-dress was changed to a blue
cloth helmet, with gilt brass mountings, similar to
that worn by the officers, with the addition of a
wreath of laurels, which encircled the front ; from
the ball at the top issued a waving plume of scarlet
horsehair, which fell over the helmet, reaching to
the bottom.

About 1882 the grenades on the shoulder straps
of the tunic were abolished ; and with the band-
master, gold twisted cords were substituted in the
place of the cloth shoulder straps. The lyre and
the chevrons were in future to be worn on the right
arm only.1

The helmet was abolished in 1895, and a busby

1 The embroidered ornaments on the bandmaster's
sleeves were abolished about the same time.

116

similar to that worn in 1856 was adopted, except
that the plume was higher, and a curb chain for the
chin. This was again altered in 1899, the plume at
the side being taken away, and one of the scarlet
horsehair placed in front.

The instrumentation of the band in 1857 was1: —

MILITARY.

Flutes and Piccolo

... 2

Sopranos, E flat

. 2

Oboes

... 4

Filgel Horns,

B flat .

Clarionets, E flat

... 4

» »

E „

. 2

„ B „ (ist)

... 10

French Horns ...

• 4

„ B „ (2nd & 3rd) 12

Althorns ...

Saxophones, E flat

... 2

Trombones

• 4

„ B

... 2

Euphoniums

Bassoons

... 4

Bombardons

E flat .

.. 4

Cornets

... 4

Drum, etc.

• 3

Trumpets

... 2

ORCHESTRA.

First Violins

... 12

Bassoons ...

.. 2

Second Violins

... 12

Cornets ...

.. 2

Violas

... 5

Trumpets

. 2

'Cellos

... 4

Horns

■ 4

Contra Basses

... 4

Althorn 2 ...

.. 1

Flutes and Piccolo

... 3

Trombones

■■ 3

Oboes

... 2

Euphonium

Clarionets

... 2

Bombardon,

E flats .

Saxophones

... 2

Drums, &c.

• • 3
65

The vocal department consisted of :

Soprano — Boys ..

Alto— Men

Tenor „

Bass „

1 R.A. Band Fund Accounts, 1856-7.

3 This instrument seems somewhat out of place in an
orchestra, but it was utilised by Mr. Smyth for the per-
formance of vocal solos in some of his admirable operatic
selections, etc.

3 The bombardon did the duties of the tuba.

117

With such a wealth of instrumentation, the per-
formance of all works was possible. But it was far
different with the line regiments, whose bands had
suffered severely during the Crimean campaign ; for
when this war broke out many regiments turned
their bandsmen into the ranks.1

Those bands that were present in the Crimea,
under the direction of their band sergeants (the
bandmasters, being civilians in most cases, did not
accompany them), were in a very poor plight.
Attention was first called to the deplorable state of
our military bands at the Queen's Birthday parade
at Varna in 1854, where, before the staff of the
allied armies, our bands struck up " God save the
Queen," not only from independent arrangements,
but in different keys.2 It was much commented
upon at the time, and the Duke of Cambridge was
evidently much impressed, for one of his first
orders when he became commander-in-chief was
that the national anthem was to be played in
B flat.8

The war at an end, attention was directed to our

1 At the outbreak of the war the band of the 17th
Lancers consisted of about twenty men, many of them
foreigners, who claimed their discharge, whilst about three
were turned into the ranks. {Story of the 17th Lancers —
Parry.)

2 A similar incident occurred a year later, when Her
Majesty Queen Victoria paid a visit to Shorncliffe Camp.
(Folkestone Chronicle, 12-8-1885.)

3 Even this was found to be insufficient, many band-
masters having inserted peculiar harmonies of their own,
others having running bass parts, etc. It then became
necessary to issue a regulation edition, that for the infantry
being arranged by Mr. Dan Godfrey, bandmaster, Grenadier
Guards, and that for cavalry bands by Mr. Waterson, 1st
Life Guards.

118

bands. Mr. James Smyth, the bandmaster, R.A.,
with M. De Lara-Bright, an enthusiastic amateur
at Sheffield, Herr Schallehn,1 and others, urged
upon the Duke of Cambridge and the Secretary
of State for War the necessity of improving the
position of bandmasters and bandsmen if we were
to reach the standard of continental bands.2

They impressed upon the authorities that a
musician was something more than a private
soldier ; that his pay should be increased, that he
was worthy of promotion, that greater facilities
should be given to further his musical education,
and that he was capable of being trained as a
bandmaster.

The immediate result was an official recognition
of army bands by the establishment of a Royal
Military School of Music at Kneller Hall, near
Hounslow, on the 3rd March, 1857, under the
fostering care of the Duke of Cambridge, the
Commander-in-Chief. It began under the modest
title of the " Military Music Class," and I believe
employed a staff of four professors only, including
the director of music, who was then called the
" resident instructor." At first it was but a
half-hearted affair, being supported entirely by
regimental subscriptions.

The subscription from the Royal Artillery for
the first year amounted to thirty-nine pounds.

1 For some time bandmaster of the 17th Lancers, and
Musical Director at the Crystal Palace. He became the
Director of Music at the opening of the Royal Military
School of Music.

2 British Musician, Sept., 1898.

119

When the school opened, two boys were sent
from the R.A.,1 and they remained there for about
two years. The report on their progress was not
so satisfactory as was expected, and it was
decided that, as the young members of the band
had far better opportunities for instruction in the
band than they could possibly receive at Kneller
Hall (the Military School of Music), no more
would be sent there for instruction.2

The Royal Artillery still continued, however, to
subscribe most liberally towards the military music
fund,3 which supported the school, until 1865, when
the band committee decided to withdraw their
subscription, which was only just, considering the
little benefit which the band derived from the
school ; but after taking into consideration the
great boon which this institution was to other
bands, the regiment agreed to allow thirty pounds
per annum towards its maintenance.4 Kneller Hall
was taken over by the Government in 1875.

This institution has been a remarkable success,
and the excellent condition of our military bands
to-day is ample proof of the good work done at

1 The first pupil sent to the school was George C. Smith,
who was also the first pupil or student in the army to arrive
there. He became quartermaster-sergeant of the band,
and at present is the bandmaster of the 1st Lancashire
Artillery Volunteers, etc.

2 The total number of musicians of the R.A. Band
trained as pupils at Kneller Hall is, I believe, only ten —
1857, two; 1881, one ; 1883, three; 1901, three ; 1902, one.

s Up to 1865 the R.A. had contributed £375 towards this
fund.

4 Letter Books, R.A. Band Committee.

120

Kneller Hall. It has been the means of having an
educated body of British bandmasters with a defined
position, and providing promotion for a number of
deserving military musicians, who hitherto had been
kept out of the position by civilians, for the most
part men from the continent. The Royal Military
School of Music has, however, had nothing to do
with the training or the present high state of
efficiency of the Royal Artillery Band. None of its
bandmasters have had any connection with the
school, and the training of the band has always
been, with the exception of the few already men-
tioned, entirely under the care and tuition of
the bandmaster and his various subordinates. In
fact, we may say that the reverse is the case, for
both military music and Kneller Hall owe a great
deal to the Royal Artillery Band. Apart from the
exertions of Mr. Smyth for the advancement of
military music, this band was one of the pioneers
in the introduction of classical music in the military
band. Moreover, the Directors of both the military
and naval schools of music received their earliest
tuition in the Royal Artillery Band.

The Director of Music at the Royal Military
School of Music is Lieutenant Arthur J. Stretton.
He was born on the 5th April, 1865, and joined the
R.A. Band at Sheerness in 1875, being instructed
by the bandmaster, Mr. Charles M. Glaysher. In
October, 1882, he transferred to the R.A. Band
at Woolwich, and in addition to the training he
received in the band, he took lessons on the violin
from the late J. T. Carrodus, and studied harmony
and the piano under Dr. Warwick Jordan. He

121

entered Kneller Hall as a student in 1891, and in
September, 1893, was appointed bandmaster of the
Cheshire Regiment. In March, 1896, he was the
successful candidate for the position of Director of
Music at the Royal Military School of Music, at
which institution he had studied only three years
before.

The present commandant of Kneller Hall is also
from the " Royal Regiment." This is Colonel F. O.
Barrington-Foote, for many years president and
commandant of the R.A. Band at Woolwich. The
late euphonium professor, Mr. Charles Cousins, was
at one time in the R.A. Band, as was also
Mr. Walter Hayward, the present oboe professor.

Mr. Edward E. Stretton, brother to the director
at Kneller Hall, is the Director of Music at the
Royal Naval School of Music. He served in the
R.A. Band from 1886, and became bandmaster of
the 1st York and Lancaster Regiment. In 1903
he was selected to direct the new school for naval
bandsmen.

Some of the most prominent bandmasters in the
service to-day have also served in the R.A. Band.

Mr. Albert J. Cunningham, who served in the
R.A. Band, 1883-94, became bandmaster of the
Royal Irish Rifles in 1896, and was appointed to
the newly-formed Royal Garrison Artillery Band at
Dover in 1903.

Mr. Robert G. Evans served in the band 1885-9,
when he transferred to the Coldstream Guards.
He became bandmaster of the Highland Light
Infantry in 1898, and in 1903 was appointed to

122

the Royal Garrison Artillery Band newly formed
at Plymouth.

Mr. George McLaughlin, the bandmaster of the
2nd York and Lancaster Regiment, served in the
R.A. Band, 1869-89.

Mr. Leonard Barker, late bandmaster of the
Scots Greys (1882), and the 2nd Life Guards
(1889), served in the R.A. Band, 1870-81.1

The following programmes are inserted as an
illustration of the music performed by the R.A.
Band at this period: —

ORCHESTRiVL.

ROYAL ARTILLERY CONCERT,
Wednesday, loth March, 1858.

PART I.

Symphony ... " Consecration of Sound " Spohr

Largo, Allegro, Tempo di Marcia, Andante Maestoso,
Larghetto, Allegretto.

PART II.

Overture

" Siege of Rochelle "

... Balfe

Selection No.

2 ... "Don Juan"

... Mozart

Chorus

" Song of the Miners "

Kiicken

Duetto

"Nino"

Cornet, Trumpet-Major Lawson
Euphonium, Bombardier Lake

... Nino

Waltz ...

"Adelaide"

Lamotte

1 At the present time there are two members of the
R.A. Band at Kneller Hall training for bandmasters.
These are Student F. W. Sylvester and Student R. E, Collier.

123

MILITARY BA.ND.

DEVON AND EXETER

BOTANICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY,

Exeter, Thursday, July 22nd, 1858.

PART I.

Grand March

''Lucknow"

Owen

Overture

" Das Nachtlager in Granada "

Kreutzer

Selection

" 11 Trovatore " ...

Verdi

Quadrille

" Napoleon et Eugenie "

Dilara-Bright

Galop

" Indian Dahk " ...

Smyth

Selection

" Lucia di Lammermoor ''

Donizetti

Waltz

"Adelaide"

Lamotte

Overture

"Oberon"
PART II.

Weber

March

... " The Princess Royal "

Owen

Overture

"I Martiri"

Donizetti

Waltz

... "Star of the West"

Montagne

Selection

..." The Rose of Castile"

Balfe

Polka

Jullien

Quadrille ...

..."The Bonnie Dundee "

D' Albert

Among other rules drawn up by the band com-
mittee in 1858 was one that "not less than thirty
musicians to be permitted to go as the R.A. Band
to any public entertainment," but this stringent
rule could not have been rigorously enforced,
for in the following year " eight musicians are
allowed to go to a private party." Being known
in every part of the country, Mr. Smyth soon
obtained engagements for the band at Salisbury,
Colchester, Bristol, High Elms, Birmingham,
Exeter (which it visited in 1858-9-60-1-2-3-6 and
1868), York, Clifton, Oxford, Brighton, Liverpool,
Hull, Gloucester, Coventry, Bishop's Auckland,
Trowbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Ipswich, Devizes,
Faversham, etc.

124

The success of the band on these occasions
was such that the band committee desired to
"congratulate the regiment on the high state
of efficiency of the band " ; and the orchestra
especially had advanced to such a degree of excel-
lence, that Mr. Smyth was constantly receiving
most flattering letters from gentlemen of the
highest musical standing. Sir Michael Costa was
among the foremost of its patrons, and greatly
interested himself in the band. He frequently
engaged the principal performers in several of his
orchestras.1 So enthusiastic were the officers over
the merits of the band, that in order that the
musicians should get a thorough knowledge of the
best music of the day, their expenses were paid to
attend the opera, and also the concerts at Exeter
Hall, and Ella's concerts. In 1861, fifty pounds
was set apart for this purpose.

In 1859 the organisation of the regiment was
changed from battalions, with stationery head-
quarters, to movable brigades, and it was thought
that the R.A. Band would be broken up to furnish
a band for each brigade, but nothing was done in
this direction. Nearly all the brigades, however,
formed bands on their own account, being trained
by the brigade trumpet-majors,2 who were nearly
all appointed from the R.A. Band. The most
important of these bands were those raised at the
depots — Warley and Sheerness.

The former was raised about 1861 from the band

1 On these occasions Mr. Smyth would occupy the same
desk as M. Sainton, the leader.

2 Designated " Sergeant Trumpeters." — R.W., 1881.

125

of the Honourable East India Company, under the
direction of Mr. John Henrietta, and later Mr.
Duncan Moody, but was broken up in 1868.

The Sheerness band was formed about the same
time as the Warley Band, under the direction of
the trumpet-major. Mr. Charles McLaren1 held
this position until the band was broken up in
1868, when he entered Kneller Hall as a student,
and became bandmaster of the 108th Regiment,
1870-90. He died at Secunderabad, 1898. About
1871 the Royal Artillery at Sheerness again raised
a band, under Sergeant Drecy, and afterwards
under Trumpet-Major Smith. In 1875, Mr. Charles
M. Glaysher, late of the R.A. Band, was ap-
pointed bandmaster, which position he held until
1883, and the band was disembodied soon after-
wards.

Mr. Glaysher was born at Brentford in 1844,
and served in the R.A. Band, 1856-73. When only
twenty-one he was appointed organist at the
garrison church, St. George's, and had the honour
of being complimented by Charles Gounod. He
was also organist at St. Margaret's, Plumstead,
and at the Dockyard Church, Sheerness, 1879-1901.
He died in 1902.2

In 1862 the band of the Imperial Guards of
France and the Zouave Band, who were on a visit
to England, were entertained at Woolwich by the

1 His brother John, who distinguished himself in the
Crimea, served in the R.A. Band.

2 The late Mr. Charles Glaysher gave me the information
for this subject. His two sons are serving in the R.A. Band
at present.

126

R.A. Band, and on the eve of their departure, a
farewell supper was given them in the regimental
schools. Monsieur Reidel, chef de musique, of the
Guards, presented the R.A. Band with an inscribed
photograph of the Guards' band.1

On the 20th August, 1863, through the efforts of
Mr. Smyth, the rank of honorary sergeant-major was
granted to the band sergeant, and honorary quarter-
master-sergeant to the next senior sergeant. Several
deserving non-commissioned officers and men, the
solo performers on each instrument, were given the
rank of the honorary sergeant. The Christmas
furlough was granted about the same time.

At the opening of St. George's (Garrison) Church,
2nd November, 1863, the R.A. Band, assisted by
some ladies, and the band of the Royal Horse
Artillery and the R.A. Bugle Band, in all about
250, sang " Lift up your heads " (Messiah) and
Townshend Smith's anthem, " Oh, how amiable."
The consecration ceremony was performed by the
Bishop of London. Among those present were
H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, Earl de Grey,
Lord and Lady Sidney, the Quartermaster-General,
Chaplain-General, and the elite of the neighbour-
hood, who all expressed their gratification to
Mr. Smyth.2

The first organists at this church were Madame
Ernestine Smyth, the wife of the bandmaster, and
Mr. Charles M. Glaysher, R.A.B., and for many

1 Now in the R.A. Band Reading Room,
a Musical World, 7-11-1863.

127

years the choir was also furnished by the R.A.
Band.

The old Artillery Chapel was now converted into
a theatre (or, as it was called for a time, the
Lecture Hall), and was formally opened with a
grand concert, given by the band, on the 23rd
December, 1863 : —

NEW LECTURE HALL, ROYAL ARTILLERY BARRACKS.

(Accommodation for One Thousand persons.)

By permission of Major-General Sir R. Dacres, K.C.B.,
Commandant of the Garrison.

A GRAND VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT

BY THE CHORAL UNION, R.A.,

Consisting of upwards of 150 Voices t and the

ORCHESTRAL BAND, R.A.,

Of Seventy Performers,

On WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23rd, 1863.

Solo Vocalists 1

Misses CREELMAN, HUNTER and MAGRATH,

Messrs. MANSFIELD, MAYLOR and SMITH, R.A. Band.

PROGRAMME.

PART FIRST.

Overture " Domino Noir" Auber

Solo&Chorus " List to the gay castanet "(Rose of Castile) Balfe

Solo, Mr. Smith, R.A. Band
Air Stirien ... " Quick arise, Maiden Mine " ... Dessaur

Miss Creelman
Part Song "Hunting Song" ... Mendelssohn

Ballad ..."When other lips" (Bohemian Girl)... Balfe

Mr. J. Maylor, R.A. Band

Duet "May Bells" ... Mendelssohn

Misses Creelman and Hunter

Grand Selection ... Opera "Faust" Gounod

Introducing the celebrated chorus of soldiers, " Glory

and love to the men of old," for voices and orchestra,

Instrumental Solos by Messrs. Carpenter, Jullien

and Buckland, R.A. Band

128

PART SECOND
Overture tii ... " Guillaume Tell " Rossini

Ballad " The last good-bye " Wallace

Miss Magrath

Trio & Chorus " The Chough and Crow " ... Bishop

Solos, Misses Creelman, Hunter, and Mr. Smith, R.A. Band

Song " Yes t Let me like a soldier fall 1 " (Maritana) Wallace
Mr. A. Mansfield, R.A. Band

Solo for Cornet " Air and Variations " Levy

Mr. Carpenter, R.A. Band
Chorus "Here in cool grot" Lord Mornington

Quadrille on National Melodies, "The Lakes of Killarney "

Smyth

Solos for Cornet, Clarionet, Bassoon, and Piccolo, &o,

Messrs. Carpenter, Julian, Montara and Browne,

R.A. Band

" God save the Queen."

CONDUCTOR, MR. J. SMYTH, R.A., BANDMASTER.

Prices of Admission for the General Public i Reserved
Numbered Stalls, 1/6 ; Gallery, Reserved Stalls, 1/- ; Side
Boxes, i/-j Pit, 6d. Admission for Military 1 Reserved
Numbered Stalls, 1/- ; Gallery, Reserved Stalls, 6d. ; Side
Boxes, 4d. ; Pit, 3d. Children in arms not admitted.

The first theatrical performance in this theatre
was given on the 22nd February, 1864, by the
officers of the regiment and the Canterbury Old
Stagers. Among the latter were the present Sir
Spencer Ponsonby Fane, Sir Henry de Bathe, the
late Samuel Brandram, Earl Bessborough, and
other distinguished amateurs. Since then the
building has never been idle, for in addition to the
many performances given by both the officers and
men, an annual pantomime has been given since
1872. A portion of the R.A. Band has always
fulfilled the duties of the orchestra at this theatre,

129

under the direction of the sergeant-major, who
invariably composed and arranged the music that
was necessary.

On two occasions the late Frederick Clay pro-
duced operettas here, and Sir Francis Burnand
also produced one of his inimitable burlesques,
himself playing the principal character.

Many prominent actors and actresses have gained
their earliest fame on these boards ; among these
may be mentioned Mr. H. B. Irving, Mr. Horace
Mills, Miss Dorothea Baird, and the late Fred
Leslie. The latter was the son of a sergeant in
the Royal Artillery, and born at Artillery Place,
Woolwich, in 1855. His immense success as a
singer and actor is too well known to be repeated
here. He used to relate that when he first applied
for a professional engagement to Miss Kate Santley
he told her, in reply to her enquiry, that he had
had experience in the provinces, but if she had
pressed him to produce notices, all he had were
connected with the R.A. Theatre, Woolwich. He
died in London in 1892, and was buried at Charlton
Cemetery.

The Royal Artillery Concerts,1 which were held
in the Officers' Mess, were in 1864 transferred to
the R.A. Theatre, and opened to the public. These
concerts have always been held in the highest
estimation by the inhabitants of Woolwich, for
they at least maintain that " the R.A. Band is
unsurpassed, not only in England, but probably

1 A collection of R.A. concert programmes and others
from 1846 to the present time is in the writer's possession.

130

throughout the world."1 Royalty have frequently
honoured these concerts by their presence, and
notably the late Emperor Frederick of Germany,
Empress Eugenie, Princess Frederica of Hanover
(who attended twice), Prince George Galitzan,2
Count Miinster, and other distinguished persons.

" On the 25th November, 1868, the Prince and
Princess Mary of Teck and the Princess Louise
accompanied their Royal relative, Prince Arthur,
to Woolwich, to attend the fourth of the series of
afternoon concerts given ... by the Royal Artillery
Band, at which entertainments His Royal Highness

has been a regular attendant Though the

intended visit was not announced until the morning
of the day, there was an unusual demand for seats.
The band was in full uniform.8 The programme for
the concert could not have been better chosen if
the entertainment had been designed for the special
occasion, though, except a waltz bespoken by
Prince Arthur, there had been no idea of dis-
tinguishing this from any other of the series.

1 Warlike Woolwich. — Vincent.

2 Here is a letter on the subject, addressed to Mr.
Smyth :—

17, Hanover Square,

15th February. 1861.
Sir, — I have been so much surprised by the efficiency of
the band under your direction, that I cannot refrain from
expressing my satisfaction. I shall have great pleasure in
letting you have some of the Russian music you desire, and
would even not object to lead the band myself, if you thought
my so doing would be agreeable to the society of Woolwich.
Yours truly,

Prince George Galitzan.

8 Full dress was only worn on special occasions. Un-
dress uniform was worn at the R. A. concerts until December,
1874.

131

The symphony was Beethoven's No. 2 in D, a
most beautiful work, to which it is needless to say
that the utmost effect was given by this splendid
corps of musicians .... This was followed by a
selection from Auber's opera, Le Premier your de
Bonheur, .... the first time of its performance,
a production in which the Royal visitors manifested
great pleasure .... of the oboe solo from Don
Pasquale, played by Sergeant Jones, of the band,
we cannot speak too highly ; it was marvellously
excellent, and was rewarded by the most sincere
commendation, . . . the visitors were so delighted
that they promised, if possible, to attend again at
one or other of the two concerts which remain to
complete the series."1

The programmes at these concerts, which were
in many ways superior to those of Mr. Collins'
regime, usually consisted of a symphony, an operatic
selection (generally of Mr. Smyth's own admirable
arrangement), two vocal pieces, an instrument solo
(for both string and wind), which was a special
feature in the band's performance, an overture, and
one of Strauss' or Gung'l's waltzes.

The following is an extract from the United
Service Gazette, January 8th, 1869 : —

" The series of winter concerts given by the band
of the Royal Artillery were resumed at Woolwich
on Wednesday, the 6th inst. We are not surprised
at the esteem in which these concerts are held by
the officers of the regiment and the gentry of the

1 Kentish Independent, 28-11-68.

132

district. The music is of the best; it is rendered
by a powerful band in a most artistic manner.

" The programme performed on Wednesday was
the following: — Part I. — Symphony No. 4, Mozart.
Part II. — Part songs (1) April Showers, Hatton,
(2) Bring the Bowl, F. Boot; overture, Athalie,
Mendelssohn; flute solo, Original Air with Varia-
tions, Richardson (soloist, Sergeant J. A. Browne);
operatic selection, II Trovatore, Verdi ; waltz,
Die Grafenberger, Gung'l. The symphony was
played with wonderful power and precision, and the
efforts of the performers were warmly acknow-
ledged ; and as the other pieces were not less
admirably played, the concert was in every respect
most enjoyable. An interval was very agreeably
occupied by the singing of Hatton's part song,
April Showers, and a solo (Sergeant A. Mansfield)
and chorus, Bring the Bowl, the whole strength
of the band, upwards of sixty, taking part. The
voices are admirably trained, and the effect was so
marked as to make one astonished at the versatility
of the performers, who play wind instruments and
string, and sing equally well The arrange-
ment and execution of these concerts reflect the
highest praise on Mr. Smyth, on whose exertions
their success mainly depends."

In addition to those known as the R.A. Concerts,
there were several series of high-class vocal and
instrumental concerts given by the band, which
were a great success. Madame Smyth, the wife of
the bandmaster, a famous vocalist, organised a
singing class, composed of young ladies in the
town and garrison, many of them being daughters

133

of members of the band. These for a time sup-
planted the boys as sopranos in the band choir, or,
as it was now called, the R.A. Choral Union, which
sometimes numbered two hundred voices. They
performed choral works of every description —
operatic, oratorio, and even Mozart's Twelfth Mass
is found among their performances.

Several of these ladies afterwards became dis-
tinguished in the profession. We may name among
others, Miss Phillipine Siedle, Miss Julia Siedle
(now Madame Julia Lennox), and Miss Annie
Tremaine, known to a later generation as Madame
Amadi, of the Carl Rosa Opera. This lady was
known in Woolwich during the " sixties " as Miss
Creelman, then a pupil teacher at the regimental
schools (see programme on page 127). She was the
daughter of a sergeant in the Royal Artillery.

Signor Alberto Randegger conducted several
concerts in this theatre, assisted by several eminent
artistes, among whom were : — Madame Patey,
Madame Drasdil, Madame Rudersdorff, Madame
Emmeline Cole, Signor Pezze, Mr. W. H. Cum-
mings, and many others. Among the distinguished
amateurs who assisted may be mentioned the
present Lieut. -Col. Sir Arthur Bigge and the late
Colonel O. H. Goodenough, for whom Odoardi
Barri wrote his famous song, " The Old Brigade."

The officers and ladies of the garrison also gave
several series of concerts. They formed themselves
into an "Amateur Musical Society," and gave
frequent soirees musicales. Their programmes were
of considerable merit. On the following page is
one of them.

134

AMATEUR MUSICAL SOCIETY.
SOIREE MUSICALE, OCTOBER 19th, 1858.

PROGRAMME.— PART I.

Overture "Masaniello" Auber

Full Orchestra— Royal Artillery Band
Part Song "Ave Maria" Smart

Trio " Ti paego O Madre pia " Curschmann

Mrs. Franklin, Mrs. Leslie, and Lieut. Hicks, R.A.

Aria " Consider the lilies " Topliff

Mrs. Chataway

Duetto ..." Quis est homo" (Stabat Mater) ... Rossini

Mrs. LeMesurier and Miss Larios

Coro di Donne ... " Robert le Diable " Meyerbeer

Song "L'Espagnole"

Miss Larios

Concerted Instrumental Pot-pourri, arranged for > „ .
the occasion from " Robert le Diable " ... j Meyerbeer
Pianoforte, Mrs. Freeth and Miss Gore ; flute, Major
Gore ; cornet, Major Simpson, R.A. ; clarionet,
Captain Clerk, R.A. ; Stringed Quintett, Mr. Smyth
and members of the R.A. Band

PART II.

Overture "Martha" Flotow

Royal Artillery Band

Part Song " The Departure " ... Mendelssohn

Duet " O lovely peace " Haydn

Mrs. Freeth and Mrs. Chataway

Cavatina " Regnava nel Silenzio " (Lucia di. L.) Donizetti
Mrs. LeMesurier

Trio " L'usato Ardir " (Semiramide) ... Rossini

Mrs. Farmer, Mrs. Leslie and Mr. Hillier

Solo, Pianoforte ... " Cracovienne " Wallace

Mrs. Dames

Trio " L'Espagnole " Pinsuti

Mrs. Freeth, Mrs. LeMesurier and Miss Larios

Chorus " Bohemian Girl " Balfe

" God save the Queen " as Solo, Quartett and Chorus

Mrs. Franklin, Miss Mitchell, Captain Carpenter, R.A.,

and Major Simpson, R.A., with Chorus

The last concerts we shall mention in connection
with the R.A. Theatre are the musical "At Homes,"
given by the present Lieut. -Colonel H. W. L. Hime,
R.A., from 1881 to 1885. This officer, a highly
cultured musician and a pianist of considerable
ability, will be remembered in musical circles as
the author of " Wagnerism," a protest against
Wagnerian music. The programmes at his "At

135

Homes " were of the highest order, containing
some of the rarely-heard chamber music of the
great masters, several of which were presented for
the first time in England ; and one, Spohr's Trio in
D flat, had never before been heard in public.
It was through his efforts that Haydn's Passione
was performed by the R.A. Band at St. George's
Church, for the first time probably since the com-
poser's death.

A programme of one of these "At Homes," is
appended

26th JANUARY,
Largo, Op. I., No. 2

1882.— PART I.

Beethoven

Violin
'Cello .
Piano

Notturno ...
Movements 1

Flute

Violin

Viola

Cello

Piano

Bombardier E. Beech, R.A. Band

,, G. Shearer, „

Major Hime, R.A.

Marcia, Polacca, Adagio, Allegro

Sergeant F. Harris
Bombardier E. Beech
Musician W. Cooke
Bombardier G. Shearer
Musician W. Guest

Spohr

Benedictus" |

3. Mass in F ... \" Agnus Dei" I- ... Schubert

"Dona Nobis Pacem "J

Treble ... Master F. Jones

Alto ... „ C Barton

1st Tenor Mr. Theodore Barth

2nd Tenor Musician T. Burt, R.A. Band

Bass ... „ H. Smith, „

PART II.

4. Adagio, Op. 30, No- 2

Beethoven

Violin
Piano

Bombardier E. Beech, R.A. Band
Major Hime, R.A.

5. Quartett

Weber

Movements 1 Allegro, Adagio, Presto

Piano
Violin
Viola
'Cello

6. The Requiem

Miss Lovey

Bombardier E. Beech \
Musician W. Cooke I R.A. Band
Bombardier G. Shearer;

Mozart

136

There are several ladies and gentlemen connected
with the Royal Artillery who have risen to the highest
honours in the musical world. Miss Beatrice
Langley,1 one of the best living English violinists,
is the daughter of Colonel W. S. Langley, R.A.
Willett Adye, an amateur violinist of considerable
reputation, and author of Musical Notes (London,
1869), was the son of Major J. Pattison Adye, R.A.

Charles Manners, the celebrated bass singer,
who is making such a noble effort to establish a
national English opera, is Southcote Mansergh,
fourth son of Paymaster-Colonel J. C. Mansergh,
late R.H.A. Herbert Thorndike, a well-known
baritone vocalist, is the son of the Rev. C. F.
Thorndike, late R.A., and grandson of the late
General Daniel Thorndike, R.A. Gilberto Ghilberti,
a bass vocalist who sings in opera, oratorio and
concerts, is in reality Gilbert J. Campbell, son
of Major-General T. Hay Campbell, Royal (Madras)
Artillery.

One of the few ladies who have achieved success
as a composer of classical music is Miss Ethel
Smyth, the daughter of General J. H. Smyth,
R.A.2

A famous opera singer, known to the wide world
as Margaret Macintyre, is the daughter of General
J. Mackenzie Macintyre, Royal (Madras) Artillery.

1 This lady has played at the R.A. Concerts, as also
another well-known violinist, Louis Pecskai, his first ap-
pearance in this country.

2 It is said her talents were first seriously noticed by
Lieutenant-Colonel Ewing, the composer of " Jerusalem
the Golden," who persuaded her parents to send her to
Leipsic to complete her musical education.

137

The last we shall mention is a composer known as
" Dolores," whose songs acquired a considerable
amount of popularity in their day. " Dolores " was
the nom-de-plume of Ellen Dickson, daughter of
Sir Alexander Dickson, R.A.

The principal instrumental performers in the R.A.
Band in 1864 were : —

Flute, Sergeant J. A. Browne1 ; oboe, Corporal G.
Jones; E flat clarionet, Sergeant-Major J. Farlie2 ;
B flat clarionet, Sergeant F. Julian3; bassoon,
Sergeant J. Montara* ; cornet, Corporal J. Car-
penter5; horn, Corporal C. Buckland6 ; althorn,
Sergeant G. C. Smith ; trombone, Musician J.
Hunt7; euphonium, Sergeant G. Buckland; violin
(leader), Sergeant-Major J. Farlie; viola, Sergeant
J. Smith8; violoncello, Sergeant J. Clementi.9

The names of some of these performers occur in

1 Became bandmaster, Royal Horse Artillery (see
Chap. VII.).

2 Became bandmaster of militia.

8 One of the finest players of his day. Another member
of the band, B. C. Bent, became one of the finest cornet
players in America, and was for some time with Gilmore.

4 A very fine performer. For many years in the
Alhambra orchestra, died 1890. He was educated at the
Brussels Conservatoire. His son became sergeant-major
of the band.

6 An excellent performer. Pupil of the late J. Lawson.
Died 1867.

6 Afterwards solo cornet. Became bandmaster of the
Norfolk Artillery.

7 Became bandmaster of volunteers at Maidstone.

8 He was quartermaster-sergeant of the band and
principal bass vocalist for many years ; now residing at
Amersham. I am indebted to him for much information.

9 Grand nephew of the famous pianist, Muzio Clementi.

138

a poem that appeared in the Kentish Independent in
18641 :—

" Hark ! borne on the wings of the soft summer breeze,
That like sweet fairy kisses, stir softly the trees,
Comes a full wave of melody, thrilling and glad,
Such as never the wild harp of Orpheus had ;
And you can't help but stay on your journey to hear
The sweet sound as it rises so lovingly near,
Till your soul feels a witchery, solemn and grand,
Woke to life by the noble Artillery Band."

" See under the trees where, like beautiful blooms,
Fair woman with brightness the shadow illumes,
There Woolwich pours out in its beauty and pride
When the sun lights the hills from the western side ;
There Smyth waves his baton, as magi of old
Would, when charming base metal to silver and gold,
Till so gently, well up, 'neath his masterly hand,
Floods of melody from the Artillery Band."

" Hear Carpenter's cornet burst out with a sound,
Making silvery all the full echoes around,
Or Gritton or Chapman repeat the full strain
Till the very hills tremble with gladness again ;
Or Buckland's loud horn, like the thunder of war,
Bid the heroes around think of past fields afar,
With him Naylor the singer, and young Gordon stand
In thy ranks, O soul-winning Artillery Band."

" Hear Pattison's bass like the thunder of Jove,
With him bright Barney Keard, rather given to rove,
Or Montara's bassoon that trembles the air,
Or Browne's soft, sweet flute pours its melody rare ;
There's Julian's clarionette, the oboe of Jones,
Swell out with famed Farlie the overture's tones,
Oh, say, thou goddess of music, what land
Hath such minstrels as thine own Artillery Band."

1 Written by " C. J.," Rectory Grove, Woolwich.

139

" And many there are, too, full worthy of fame
That to me are unknown, but the grand deathless

name
That has wreathed them for years, shall for ever

remain.
E'en though Godfrey's Guards try their laurels to gain,
E'en though France sends her Guides, and proud

Austria boast
Of the bandsmen that lead on her white-crested host,
Their fame is but footprints along the ocean's sand,
But the proud rocks are thine, O Artillery Band."

" When in peace through the town, o'er the heath,
through the lanes,
Come the echoing sounds of thy silvery strains ;
Sturdy labour and age, maid and matron and child,
Throng, out of their cares for a moment beguiled.
But when war calls the soldier to battle and death,
Then like fire to his heart comes thy soul-stirring

breath,
And he cheers as the ship leaves his dear native land
To thy grand thrilling music, Artillery Band."

During the visit of the French fleet to Portsmouth
in April, 18G6, the R.A. Band was in attendance
with Jullien's celebrated band.

On the occasion of the state entry of the Duke
and Duchess of Edinburgh into London, the R.A.
Band, with the R.H.A. Band and the R,A. Brass
Band, took part in the ceremony, March, 1874.

The band attended the funeral of H.R.H. the
Prince Imperial of Prance, 1879.

Towards the close of 1879,1 the Duke of Cam-

1 About this time a library and reading-room was opened
for the band, and several of the officers made presents of
books and assisted in furnishing the room, notably Colonel
Goodenough and Major Hime. The library contains some
eighty volumes of text-books, tutors, vocal scores and
libretti of operas, oratorios, and other works.

140

bridge, approved of a new undress uniform for the
band, a patrol being introduced instead of the shell
jacket. It was taken into wear in 1880, and is
worn at the present time. It consists of a dark
blue patrol with scarlet collar, the front edges,
collar and cuffs being laced with gold tracing lace ;
gold cord shoulder straps, and gilt grenades for
the collar. The sergeant-major and quartermaster-
sergeant wear a similar patrol, with some additional
lacing.

In the summer of 1880 Mr. Smyth was granted
leave of absence, pending retirement, and during
the spring of 1881 he retired to Forest Hill, and for
a few years regularly attended the musical festivals
at the Crystal Palace, where Mr. (now Sir August)
Manns frequently played his selections.

He could not be called a great musician, but he
was pre-eminently fitted for his position. He had
a thorough knowledge of every instrument in the
band, even in his advanced years studying the harp.
His judgment was at all times sound ; he was known
and respected by Balfe, Costa, Jullien, Manns, and
other leading conductors.1 In 1860 he was one of
the judges at the Crystal Palace Brass Band Con-
test, the first contest held in the south of England.2
He was also one of a jury, with Sir Arthur Sullivan,
Sir Jules Benedict, Signor Arditi, and others
engaged by the Alhambra Company to adjudicate
at a musical composition contest in 1871.

1 British Musician, Sept., 1898.

2 Music for the People.— Marr, 1889.

SERGEANT-MAJOR,
ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND,

1879.

141

Although his own compositions were in no way re-
markable (being mostly marches, dance music, etc.),
yet his arrangements for orchestra and military
band were highly commended by some of the
leading men of his time. On the 3rd August, 1865,
Sir Michael Costa dined with the R.A. officers at
Woolwich, when the band played — overture, William
Tell, Rossini ; selection, L' Africaine, Meyerbeer ;
march, Eli, Costa ; selection, Dinorah, Meyerbeer ;
and the scherzo from Beethoven's symphony No. 8.
He expressed himself very much delighted with the
performance, but was puzzled over the selection
L' Africaine, and he asked Mr. Smyth where he
obtained it, as it was instrumented exactly as
Meyerbeer did himself, and he knew there were only
two full scores in existence, and it had only been
produced in London a few days before.1 So im-
pressed was Sir Michael that he presented him with
his oratorio, Naaman, and asked him to make a
selection from it, The following is a letter on the

subject : —

" 59, Eccleston Square,

" September 25th, 1865.
" Dear Sir, — I have had the pleasure to send
you by rail the full score of my oratorio
' Naaman,' as I promised, and hope that you
will arrange some of the pieces for your splendid
military band, which gave me much gratification
for all that they played under your able direction,
also as an ' Orchestre Band,' and I was agree-
ably surprised at their singing glees so well.

1 The fact was Smyth had heard the opera in Paris, and
having the vocal and piano score with him, he made notes
of the most striking or peculiar instrumentation as he
heard it.

142

" I have no doubt that the officers of the
regiment must feel very much satisfaction in
having a gentleman of your talent to preside
over such a distinguished body of Musicians.
Trusting that you may long be spared for the
good of Art,

" Believe me, yours very truly,

" M. Costa."

Sir Michael attended one of the R.A. Concerts
in February, 1869, when the selection from Naaman
was performed, and expressed his appreciation. He
also came to Woolwich the following year specially
to hear the band (military) play in the Repository.

Sir Jules Benedict also wished Mr. Smyth to
arrange the " Wedding March," to be sent to
Russia, on the occasion of the marriage of the
Duke of Edinburgh.

Under Mr. Smyth the band performed in all parts
of the country.1 The French Government applied
for the band to visit Paris, and Lord Granville told
Mr. Smyth that application was made for it to
visit Boston, U.S.A., to take part in the peace cele-
brations in 1872, but the Grenadier Guards Band
was sent instead, as it was thought that the British
Army would be better represented by red coats.
Applications have since been made for the band to
visit Hamburg, Berlin, Cape Colony and Canada.

Early in 1885 Mr. Smyth took ill, and died on
7th September following ; he was buried at Charlton
Cemetery, not many yards from Woolwich Com-

1 In 1864, Mr. Smyth was presented with a handsome
baton from the officers of the R.A. and R.E. at Portsmouth,
and the following year they presented him with a valuable
silver cup, much prized by him.

143

mon, where his reputation had been chiefly made.

The principal instrumental performers during the
later years of Mr. Smyth's regime were : —

Flute, Sergeant F. Harris ; oboe, Sergeant G.
Browne1 ; E flat clarionet, Sergeant W. Williams ;
B flat clarionet, Sergeant E. Burt ; bassoon,
Sergeant J. C. Montara2 ; cornet, Quartermaster-
Sergeant C. Buckland3 ; horn, Bombardier J.
Wilkinson; trombone, Sergeant W. J. Watts;
euphonium, Sergeant J. Findlay ; violin (leader),
Sergeant W. Wells ; viola, Corporal T. Cuthbertson ;
'cello, Sergeant J. Findlay.

Mr. Albert Mansfield, the sergeant-major, was,
on Mr. Smyth's retirement, appointed acting band-
master, a position he held with great credit to
himself and honour to his corps for fifteen months.
He was born at Fareham, Hampshire, about 1842,
and at a local concert his singing was noticed by
Sir Fenwick Williams, the Commandant of Wool-
wich, who was on a visit to that town, and finding
the boy willing, he enlisted him to join the R.A.
Band. When his voice broke, it developed into a
powerful tenor, and for many years, as the principal
tenor vocalist, he sang at concerts in all parts of
the country. He also became one of the leading
violinists in the orchestra, and first clarionet in the
military band.

In 1870 he was appointed sergeant-major, and he
also became bandmaster of the Royal Caledonian

1 Now in the Palace Theatre orchestra.

2 Became bandmaster of Militia Artillery at Scarborough.

3 Became bandmaster of the Norfolk Artillery.

144

Asylum. When Mr. Smyth went on leave pending
discharge,1 Mr. Mansfield took his position until a
bandmaster was appointed, although it was almost
settled that he should succeed to the position. He
had given every satisfaction, and was favoured by
the officers. In 1881 he successfully organised
and conducted two concerts given at St. James'
Hall, in aid of the service charities, etc., which
were highly commented upon by those in a position
to sanction his appointment as bandmaster ; and on
the 15th July of the same year the band was com-
manded to play at Windsor Castle, where it
performed (military) in the quadrangle, and the
late Queen Victoria personally complimented Mr.
Mansfield, expressing her approbation of the per-
formance of the band.

The programme performed on this occasion was: —

t. March " Rienzi " Wagner

2. Overture "Oberon" Weber

3. Reminiscences of Verdi Smyth

4. Ungarische Tanze Brahms

5. Waltz "Chantilly" ... ... Waldteufd

6. Reminiscences of Mozart Mansfield

7. Dance Bohemian ... " Les Fauvettes " Bosquet

8. Selection ... " Pirates of Penzance" ... Sullivan

9. Russian Dance Glinka

10. Caprice Militaire Herzeele

11. Ave Maria Schubert

12. Galop "Victoria" ... De Lara Bright

13. Part Song " O, who will o'er the Downs" ... Pearsall

14. Part Song ... " Night, Lovely Night " ... Berger

There was, however, a division among the officers
concerning the appointment of a new bandmaster ;

1 When Mr. Smyth retired he was presented with a
large photograph of the whole of the band, inscribed : —
" A souvenir of affection and esteem from the members of
the R.A. Band to Mr. Smyth, R.A. Bandmaster, 1881."
It is now in the possession of W. F. Howe, Esq., Brighton.

145

one party advocated a selection by the band
committee, and the other insisted on an open
competitive examination under a committee of
professional musicians totally unconnected with
the regiment. The latter scheme was adopted,
and a special sub-committee of officers was formed,
consisting of Lieutenant-Colonel (afterwards Sir
Charles) Nairne, Major H. W. L. Hime, Captain
E. C. Trollope, Mus. Bac.,1 and two others, who
were to receive the applications for the appoint-
ment. There were forty-four applicants, including
several gentlemen of high musical standing. Four
of these2 were selected for the examination, which
was held at Kneller Hall, under the present Sir
August Manns.8

The successful candidate for bandmaster, R.A.,
was Cavaliere Ladislao Zavertal, an eminent con-
ductor, resident at Glasgow.

1 Another officer of the regiment who has taken a
musical degree is Colonel Chamier, R.H.A., Mus. Bac.

2 Mr. Mansfield was one of them, but his health had for
some time been uncertain, and he failed to satisfy the
appointed examiners at Kneller Hall. He continued to act
as sergeant-major of the band, during which time the
officers tried to secure for him a commission as quarter-
master, but the authorities were afraid to set a precedent,
and another disappointment followed. He took his dis-
charge in 1882, and in March, 1885, he became bandmaster
of the Queen's Westminster Volunteers, a position he held
until 1899, when he retired under the age clause. So highly
esteemed was Mr. Mansfield that a farewell benefit concert
was given him at Queen's Hall, Buckingham Gate, under
the patronage of the Duke and Duchess of Westminster,
Colonel Sir Howard Vincent, and the officers of the corps.
He died in October, 1900.

3 The officers of the regiment presented Mr. Manns
with a valuable baton in recognition of his services, which
was handed to him by the late Sir Charles Nairne. This
officer took a great interest in the band, and was among
the foremost of its patrons.

Photo by Elliott & Fry, Baker Street.

<>^SA^ ^tSy&ZfiL* A* f.}

zty.0

CHAPTER VI.

1881-1904.

"By'r lady, he is a good musician."

—"KING HENRY IV."

'And gazing on his fervent hands that made
The might of music, all their souls obeyed
With trembling strong subservience of delight."

—SWINBURNE.

GAVALIERE LADISLAO JOSEPH
PHILLIP PAUL ZAVERTAL was
born at Milan, on the 29th September,
1849, in one of the houses now forming part of
the Hotel Manin, which at that time belonged to
his mother's family. It was in this house that
Mozart's son, Carlo, breathed his last, tended
until the end by Venceslao H. Zavertal and
Carlotta Maironi, nobile da Ponte, the father and
mother of Cavaliere Zavertal,1 both of whom were
musicians of considerable repute.

Cavaliere Zavertal was the second son, and after
having been taught the violin and pianoforte at

1 From Carlo Mozart the late Mr. V. H. Zavertal
received several precious autographs of his (Mozart's)
illustrious father, including a letter written after the first
performance of // Flauto Magico, also an oil painting of the
great Mozart's wife, Constanze Weber. These interesting
treasures are now in Cavaliere Zavertal's possession.

148

home, for his parents were his first teachers,1 he
was sent to pursue his studies at the Conservatoire
at Naples, where he took a scholarship for violin
playing. Here Tosti was his maestrino, or pupil
teacher, for the violin. But as his metier was
composition, he did not remain there for any length
of time.

He made his first appearance as a composer in
his fifteenth year at Milan, and the following year
published some pianoforte music. When only
nineteen, he wrote in collaboration with his father,
then the Director of the Municipal School of Music
at Treviso, an opera in three acts, entitled Tita,
which had a marked success, but it could not hold
its place in the repertoires on account of the libretto,
which was weak and written in dialect. It is in-
teresting to note that Gayarre, the celebrated
tenor, who learnt the score in three days to the
amazement of the composers, virtually began his
career with this opera.

Mr. Zavertal next returned to Milan, and at the
age of twenty entered the orchestra of a Milanese
theatre, and two months later he was appointed
conductor and composer to the same theatre. In
this capacity he wrote several successful operettas,
and made a name for himself as an orchestral

1 His father was a conductor and composer of great
ability, on whom the Italian Government conferred the
Cittadinanza Italiana. He saw much service in the wars of
1859-60, being present at the siege of Ancona, and received
honourable mention of his bravery from King Victor
Emanuel II. For many years he was Director of the
Conservatoires of Treviso and Modena. He came to Eng-
land in 1874, and resided at Helensburgh, near Glasgow,
where he was highly esteemed as a conductor and teacher.

149

conductor, receiving favourable notice from many
eminent critics, including the well-known " Fillippo
Fillippi " of the Perseveranza. At one of these
operettas, Sura Palmira Sposa, Princess Margherite
of Savoy, now Dowager Queen of Italy, was present.

In 1871, just after the Franco-German War,
he came to Glasgow, where the conductorship of
two musical societies had been offered him. Here
he came in contact with Dr. Hans Von Biilow,
whose orchestra he conducted for a time, accom-
panying him on a concert tour to Edinburgh,
Dundee, and other towns in Scotland. He relates
how he was visited at a late hour one night by an
emissary of the Choral Union, and asked if he would
undertake the duties of conductor, someone being
wanted immediately to fill the position. It was short
notice, for he had both rehearsal and concert on
the following day, and the work was unknown to
him, but all went well, and Von Biilow expressed
on this as on many other occasions his appreciation
of the abilities of Cavaliere Zavertal.1

He also conducted the Glasgow Orchestral
Society, Hillhead Musical Association (which he
held for ten years), and the Pollokshields Musical
Association,2 which he took over from his father,
then in failing health.

Towards the close of 1881, the bandmastership
of the Royal Artillery fell vacant, owing to the
retirement of Mr. Smyth, and Cavaliere Zavertal
was the successful candidate for the position. He

1 Strand Musical Magazine, Aug., 1897.

2 Music and Musicians, — Marr, 1887.

150

was appointed on the 10th December, 1881, but did
not take his duties over until the New Year. He
was the first bandmaster of the Royal Artillery to
receive the warrant rank ; his predecessors were
generally staff- sergeants. Under Cavaliere Zavertal's
fostering care the R.A. Band has attained a degree of
excellence never before reached by an army band,
and has consequently fulfilled many important
engagements, both as an orchestra and a military
band.

The band was engaged at the International
Health Exhibition, 1884 — at the opening ceremony,
8th May, and during August and October. In 1885
it was present at the opening of the Alexandra
Palace Exhibition, and at the opening of the Inter-
national Inventions Exhibition, 4th May, 1885, and
played there during August, October, November,
and at the closing ceremony.

In July, 1886, H.M. King Edward VII. (then
Prince of Wales) selected the R.A. Band to play at
Marlborough House State Ball. It was also en-
gaged the same year at the International Exhibition,
Edinburgh, and at the National Art Exhibition,
Folkestone.

Her (late) Majesty Queen Victoria graciously com-
manded the band (orchestral) to play at Windsor
Castle during the State Dinner, on the occasion of
the visit of the Emperor and Empress of Germany,
25th June, 1887, when the Queen twice expressed
her very great pleasure to Cavaliere Zavertal, and
Her Majesty remained in the room until the end of
the programme, which was very unusual for her to
do. The band also took part in the Jubilee

151

celebration, being stationed at Buckingham Palace.
In this year it was engaged at the Royal Jubilee
Exhibition, Manchester.

On the 26th August, 1887, the R.A. Mounted
Band at Woolwich was finally disembodied, twelve
of its members being drafted into the R.A. Band,
which was now ordered to provide a mounted
portion from its own ranks, to consist of: —

1 Sergeant (in charge)

2 Acting Bombardiers
17 Bandsmen

It was headed by a pair of silver kettledrums,
without bannerols, carried by a grey horse.

On the 9th August, 1897, the dissolution of the
mounted portion was ordered, the members taking
their usual places in the R.A. Band.

During 1888 the band performed from May to
November, including the closing ceremony, at the
Colonial and Indian Exhibition. It was also
engaged at the International Exhibition, Glasgow,
from the opening ceremony, 8th May, to 21st May,
and from 29th October to the closing ceremony.
Cavaliere Zavertal, at the composer's request,
scored for the military band Dr. Mackenzie's
Inaugural Ode, written for and performed at the
opening of the exhibition. He also acted as the
adjudicator at the military band contests held in
connection with the exhibition. The band was also
engaged at the Anglo-Danish Exhibition, and the
Fisheries Exhibition, 1888, and at the Spanish
Exhibition the following year.

152

In May, 1889, a series of orchestral concerts
were inaugurated, at Cavaliere Zavertal's sugges-
tion, at St. James' Hall, Piccadilly, four to be given
annually.1 These invitation concerts have proved
immensely popular, and receive high praise from
the London Press. Commenting on the first
concert (8th May), the British Bandsman says : —
" The concert was quite a startling feature, as no
outsider suspected any British Army corps capable
of bringing to the front an excellent orchestra
which can with ease compete with the best existing.
Excepting the Philharmonic, the Richter, and Mr.
Manns' orchestras, which are generally formed of
the pick of the profession, we do not know in
London an orchestra which can equal the Royal
Artillery Band. Conductors wishing to learn how
lights and shades are to be thrown into an or-
chestral performance might study Mr. Zavertal's
conductorship — their time will not be wasted. The
performance of the overture Mignon, and of Liszt's
Hungarian rhapsody No. 7, were great features of
bravura, and took the audience by surprise. The
reading, particularly of the rhapsody, challenges
comparison with Richter's performance of the same
piece, although in that case Mr. Zavertal's merit
is far greater, as in his band he has certainly
not such qualified musicians as the Viennese con-
ductor."

The following is an extract from a pamphlet
published by the officers, R.A., concerning these
concerts : — " Nothing, however, has tended to

1 Only two concerts were given in the first year.

153

increase the reputation of the band as these public
exhibitions of its capabilities before crowded
London audiences. Letters of congratulation and
appreciation are constantly received by the Sec-
retary from those who are evidently lovers of
music and critics of the art in its highest sense ;
and it was recently represented to the Committee
that the band should no longer hide its light under
a private bushel, but should court public criticism
and invite professional attention to its performances,
with a view to ascertaining whether, as was sup-
posed, it could compete with other and better-
known string bands, and justly claim a place
amongst the orchestras of the kingdom."1

The Daily Telegraph,2 21st November, 1892,
says : — " From an executive point of view their
character is high, while it is the care of Cavaliere
Zavertal, the conductor, to make the programmes
worthy of an audience.3 In a very distinct sense,
therefore, the band of the Royal Regiment is one
of the musical institutions of the metropolis. If
anyone present went to St. James' Hall4 with an

1 " Herr Strauss is a great conductor of dance music,
and his orchestra thoroughly understands him, but in other
respects our colours need not be lowered, for have we not
our unequalled Royal Artillery String Band ? " — Musical
Standard.

2 The Daily Telegraph ranked the R.A. Band with the
King of Wiirtemberg's Band, which took first prize at the
Paris Exhibition.

8 Sir Arthur Sullivan, speaking to Cavaliere Zavertal on
one occasion at Ascot (an engagement the band has fulfilled
for twenty years), said : " You are playing music, it is a
pleasure to listen to you."

4 These concerts were transferred to Queen's Hall,
Langham Place, in 1894, where they are still held.

154

idea that allowance would have to be made for
military musicians, he must have been pleasantly
surprised. The Royal Artillery orchestra has a
right to be heard anywhere and to play anything on
precisely the same conditions as any other band.
It is qualified to take rank among the best, and
entitled to be judged by the highest standard."

The Musical Times, 1st December, 1892, says: —
" The performances on this occasion reached a
higher level than before, a fact which seems to
indicate that further advance towards the ever-
receding goal of perfection may be confidently
expected. To descend to particulars — the playing
showed an attention to detail and an amount of
care and finish that might very well be regarded as
a model for other musical organisations."

The Sunday Times, 20th November, 1892, says : —
" The Royal Artillery has reason to be proud of its
band. We wonder how many regiments in the
world can muster such a capable and well-trained
body of orchestral players. ... In many respects
the performance of these things could not have
been improved upon."

At these concerts H.R.H. Princess Christian, the
late Duke of Cambridge, Earl Roberts, and most of
the artillery officers, past and present, have been
regular attendants. The following letter from
H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, then Commander-
in-Chief, addressed to the General Officer Com-
manding at Woolwich, was published. This official
congratulation to the officers and band alike was
an honour never before bestowed on a military
band in our service.

155

" Horse Guards,

" 29th April, 1895.

Sir, — I have the command of His Royal High-
ness the Commander-in-Chief to inform you
that His Royal Highness was present at the
concert given by the Royal Regiment of Artillery
on the 26th April, at the Queen's Hall, and was
much pleased with the excellent taste displayed
in the selection of the programme, and still more
with the magnificent execution of the various
pieces.

" His Royal Highness is satisfied that the high
merit attained by the band of the Royal Artillery
is due alike to the interest taken in it by the
regiment at large and the talents and energy
possessed by Cavaliere Zavertal and the mem-
bers of the band.

" His Royal Highness commands me to express
his great pleasure in having been present on
this occasion, and desires that you will be good
enough to convey this expression of approval to
the President of the Band Committee and to
Cavaliere Zavertal.

" I am, etc.,
" (Signed) F. T. Lloyd, d.a.o."

The programme played on the occasion referred
to was 1 : —

PART I.

1. Symphony ... "Lenore" (No. 5) Raff

Allegro, Andante Quasi Lar ghetto, Tempo di Marcia,
Agitato, Allegro

1 The Times, commenting on the concert, said : —
" . . . . The concert given .... in the Queen's Hall
by the splendid band of the Royal Artillery was in every
way as enjoyable as its predecessors. A remarkably fine
performance of Raff's gruesome, but extraordinary clever
Lenore symphony occupied the first part of the concert, the
horn passages in the vigorous march being played with rare
beauty of tone and precision. . . Abendruhe, by Loeschhorn,
for strings only, one of Liszt's Hungarian rhapsodies, and
Grieg's Solvejg Lied, were all beautifully played with the
delicacy or force as occasion required, which have raised
the band to its high estate."

156

PART II.

2. From the incidental music to " Cleopatra "... Mancinelli

(a.) " Triumphal March "
(b.) " Andante " (Barcarolle)
(c.) "Overture"

3 " Abendruhe " (for strings)... Loeschhorn

4. ... " Ungarische Rhapsodie," No. 2 in D ... Lisrt

5 " Solvejg's Lied " Grieg

(From Peer Gynt Suite, No. 2)

6. Overture "Tannhauser" Wagner

The principal instrumental performers in 1890
were : —

Flute, Bombardier D. Green ; oboe, Bombardier
W. Hayward1 ; E flat clarionet, Musician W. John-
stone ; B flat clarionet, Sergeant W. Foster ;
bassoon, Quartermaster-Sergeant W. Houston2 ;
cornet, Sergeant S. Jenner3 ; horn, Corporal W.
Sugg4 ; althorn, Corporal W. Robinson5 ; trombone,
Bombardier E. Parnum6 ; euphonium, Bombardier
H. Gepp ; harp, Bombardier D. Green7 ; violin
(leader), Bombardier A. Cunningham8; viola, Musi-
cian L. Myers9; 'cello, Sergeant-Major E. Walker.10

Her late Majesty Queen Victoria graciously com-
manded the band (orchestral) to play during dinner
at Windsor Castle, 21st November, 1890, and again

1 Now in the Alhambra orchestra and oboe professor at
Kneller Hall.

2 Now in the orchestra at the Borough Theatre, Stratford.

3 Became bandmaster, 3rd Lanark Rifle Volunteers, now
in the orchestra at the London Hippodrome.

4 Now musical director, Grand Theatre, Woolwich.

5 At present in Dan Godfrey's orchestra at Bournemouth.

6 Now in the orchestra at the Borough Theatre, Stratford.

7 Now in the orchestra at the Empire Theatre.

8 Now bandmaster, R.A, Band, Dover.

9 Now musical director, Empire, Leeds.

10 Now bandmaster, Honourable Artillery Company.

157

on the 7th July, 1891, and also at a similar function
at Buckingham Palace, 5th July, 1893.

In May, 1895, the band was engaged (orchestral)
at the Sunday Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall,
South Kensington, an engagement it still fulfils,
drawing immense audiences. On the occasion of a
Special Memorial Concert, after the death of the
late Queen, some hundreds were turned away from
the doors unable to gain admittance, and the
concert had to be repeated on the following Sunday.
Another record audience was at the Coronation
Sunday Concert, when some twelve thousand
people were present.

The Metronome, a New York paper, says : —
" The customary interregnum has been observed
at the Sunday afternoon concerts at the Royal
Albert Hall, Cavaliere Zavertal and his splendid
Royal Artillery Orchestra1 of eighty, having taken
their usual holiday after playing one of the best
season's round concerts in this magnificent hall
they have ever played. The idle twaddle which
was talked a year or two ago about the coming
disbandment of this fine body of players has long
since passed out of notice, and the band, either as
military band or an orchestra, is to-day as fine as
ever ; while in the matter of repertoire it is positively
unique. To hear them thunder out the Kaisermarsch
of Wagner, and then murmur the La Colombe
entr'acte of Gounod, is something to go home and
think about for days. Dynamic force or dove-like
tenderness is all the same to these splendidly

1 It now attends every fourth Sunday as a military

band.

158

trained musicians and their keenly intelligent chief,
who is au fait with every class of music."

The Daily Telegraph says : —

" It is agreeable to learn that very soon Cavaliere
Zavertal, a musician to the tips of his fingers, will
once again be at hand with the string band of the
Royal Artillery to make pleasant music for the

habitues of these concerts Their playing

gains in finish and feu sacre year by year, and it is a
joy to listen to them."

On the 12th June, 1895, a grand military concert
was given at the Queen's Hall, Langham Place, in
aid of the Royal Cambridge Asylum, the bands of
the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers, with the
Grenadier, Coldstream and Scots Guards Bands
giving their services.

The Musical Times, commenting on the concert,
says : —

"The Guards Bands in combination did justice
to Massenet's Scenes Pittoresques. The special
successes of the occasion were gained by the string
band of the Royal Artillery in the first portion of
Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, and in the majestic
In Memoriam overture of Sullivan, the latter a
superb performance."

The British Musician says : —

" Nothing told better throughout than Sullivan's
noble overture In Memoriam as rendered by the
Royal Artillery Band. Expression and spirit were
as near perfection as possible, and the imposing
finale made even more than the customary im-
pression upon the hearers."

The R.A. Band, with the bands of the 1st and

159

2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards, Royal En-
gineers, Grenadier, Coldstream and Scots Guards,
took part in the Grand Military Tattoo at Windsor
Castle on the 19th June, 1897. Three days later
the band (military) took part in the Diamond
Jubilee celebration, and, with the band of the
Royal Military School of Music, accompanied Sir
George Martin's Te Deum at St. Paul's Cathedral.
In the evening it played at the family dinner at
Buckingham Palace ; and also at a garden party
there in the following month.

On the 22nd November, 1899, the band, by the
gracious command of the late Queen Victoria, gave
a State Orchestral Concert in St. George's Hall,
Windsor Castle, when the Queen signified her
appreciation by presenting Cavaliere Zavertal with
a gold-mounted baton, having on it the Imperial
Crown, and embellished with precious stones. His
Majesty King Edward VII. and Queen Alexandra
(at that time Prince and Princess of Wales), with
the Emperor and Empress of Germany, Prince
Christian, and many of the nobility, warmly con-
gratulated Cavaliere Zavertal on the performances
of the band.

The programme performed on this occasion was : —

I.March ... From the suite " Sylvia " Delibes

2. Vorspiel ... " Das Heimchen am Herd " ... Goldmark

3. Three Dances from the music to " Henry VIII." ... German
( (a) Adagietto from the suite " L'Arl&sienne " ... Bizet

'^(b) " La Chaise a Porteurs " ... Chaminade

5. Ballet Music ... " Der Damon " Rubinstein

6 "Abendruhe" Loeschhorn

7- Angelus from the suite " Scenes Pittoresques " ...Massenet

8. Overture "Cleopatra" Mancinelli

"York Marsch"
" God save the Queen "

160

In 1900 the band attended Her late Majesty's
garden party at Buckingham Palace ; and again
when the Prince and Princess of Wales received
Earl Roberts on his return from the Boer War
(1901).

On the 22nd February, 1901, it was ordered to
take part in the funeral procession of Her late
Majesty Queen Victoria, and had the honour (by
His Majesty's command) of being placed in front
of the Royal remains, playing Chopin's Marche
Funebre, which started the procession.

The band was engaged (both orchestral and
military) at the International Exhibition, Glasgow,
1901, from July 29th to August 10th, and had a fine
reception, " for nowhere are the Royal Artillery
more admired than in the Second City " — (Glasgow
Evening News). Its performances were highly
commented upon, and as " an orchestra it was
declared to be the finest combination that had been
before the Glasgow public " — (Orchestral Times).

In January, 1902, some doubts were expressed in
the Orchestral Times as to the abilities of the R.A.
Band as a military band. The article referred to
was : — " It has become the fashion lately in certain
circles to acknowledge the high attainments of the
Royal Artillery Band as an orchestra, but to assert
that as a military band there has been a great
falling off during the last decade."

This resulted in some correspondence, and it was
then decided, with the approval of the Commander-
in-chief, to give a military band performance at one
of the London concerts. The first Queen's Hall
concert of the year (21st March) was the one

161

selected. The programme was divided into two
portions, the one orchestral, and the other military.
The programme was : —

ORCHESTRAL.
March ... " Pomp and Circumstance " ... Elgar

Symphony... " From the New World " ... Dvor&k

MILITARY BA-ND.

Fest Marsch from " Tannhauser " Wagner

Overture in C (op. 24) Mendelssohn

Scenes from the opera "Una Notte a Firenze " ... L. Zavertal
Overture "Guillaume Tell" Rossini

The concert was highly successful, and " reflected
great credit upon Cavaliere Zavertal,1 and his
accomplished subordinates."

The Orchestral Times says : —

" We feel proud in being the acknowledged cause
of this interesting departure, since it was con-
clusively proved that the Royal Artillery Military
Band is in every way worthy of its long reputation,
of its distinguished conductor, and of the noble
regiment to which it belongs."

The Daily Graphic says : —

" The idea was a capital one, and gave incon-
testible proof of the versatility of the Royal
Artillery musicians, who appear to be just as
much at home with clarionets and cornets as with
violins and 'cellos."

The Standard says : —

" The subsequent performances yesterday showed

1 "The bandmaster who, above all others that have
played a part at our Exhibition, showed a thorough under-
standing of what music is suitable for a military band, is
Cavaliere Zavertal." — GlasgowEvening News.

162

that the string players were equally at home with
the wood wind family, and most effective renderings
were secured of the reception music from the second
act of Tannhauser, etc."

The Daily Telegraph says : —

" The musicians .... then came forward as a
military band, in which capacity success was again
achieved."

The Daily News says : —

" A capital military programme was gone
through."

The Daily Chronicle says : — " The result was
highly satisfactory."

The instrumentation of the band on this occasion
was : —

MILITARY.

Piccolos

... 2

3rd and 4th Horns

• 4

Flutes

... 2

Altborns

• 3

Oboes

... 4

Trombones

■ 5

E flat Clarionets (1st & 2nd) 4

Euphoniums

1st B flat Clarionets

... 13

Bombardons

. 7

2nd H 11

... 9

Contra Basses f String,) ..

. 2

3rd „

... 6

Timpany

Bassoons (1st and 2nd)

... 4

Side Drum

1st Cornets

... 7

Bass Drum and Cymbals

2nd 11

... 6

—

1st and 2nd Horns ...

... 5

ORCHESTRA.

1st Violins

... 15

Cornets

2nd »

... 14

Horns

Violas

... 10

Trombones

'Cellos

... 9

Euphonium

Contra Basses

... 10

Timpany

Harp

... 1

Side Drum

Flutes and Piccolo ...

... 3

Bass Drum

Oboes and Cor Anglais

... 3

Cymbals

Clarionets

... 3

—

Bassoons

... 3

163

The R.A. Band, with the bands of the 1st and
2nd Life Guards, 10th Hussars, R.A. Mounted
Band, Royal Engineers, Grenadier, Coldstream,
Scots and Irish Guards, Royal Marine Artillery,
Royal Marines (Plymouth and Deal), and the Royal
Military School of Music, gave a grand military
concert at the Crystal Palace on the 9th July, 1901,
in aid of the service charities. The R.A. Band also
supplied the orchestral accompaniments to many
eminent singers, among whom were Miss Macintyre,
Miss Marie Brema, Mr. Santley, Mr. Ben Davies,
and Signor Ancona.

On the occasion of the Coronation Procession of
H.M. King Edward VII., 9th August, 1902, the
band (military) was stationed on a specially erected
platform opposite the Guards' Memorial in Waterloo
Place. It was engaged also during the City of
London Coronation Celebration, 25th October,
1902, when the King and Queen were entertained
to luncheon at the Guildhall, on which occasion a
portion of the band (orchestral) performed during
the reception in the Guildhall Library, whilst
another portion (military) was stationed on the
line of route.

On the following day the band (orchestral) was
in attendance at St. Paul's Cathedral when Their
Majesties attended the Thanksgiving Service. Here
they performed: overture, Loyal Hearts, L. Zavertal;
Mendelssohn's Hymn of Praise; Ave Maria, Schu-
bert ; and Wagner's Kaisermarsch. Sir George
Martin's Te Deum was also accompanied by the
band, and the composer expressed on this, as also
on the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee Celebration,

164

his sincere commendation on the artistic rendering
of the pieces.

The reputation of the Royal Artillery Band is
second to none in the metropolis. It has been
engaged at the most important city functions
at the Guildhall for many years, notably the
receptions given to Prince Albert Victor of Wales,
1885; Shah of Persia, 1889; Emperor of Germany,
1891 ; King of Denmark, 1893; Khedive of Egypt,
1900 ; Lord Milner, 1901 ; Earl Roberts and
Viscount Kitchener, 1902 ; President of the French,
1903 ; King of Italy, 1903 ; etc., etc. ; and the
Lord Mayors' Banquets. It has been in frequent
attendance at the receptions, conversaziones,
dinners, balls, etc., held at the Mansion House,
Foreign Office,1 Colonial Office, India Office, Royal
Academy, etc., and most of the city companies,
institutes, societies, etc., and among its patrons may
be mentioned the Duke of Sutherland, the Duke of
Westminster, the Duchess of St. Albans, the late
Marquis of Salisbury, Earl of Londesborough,
Lord Wolverton, Lord Brassey, Baron Rothschild,
etc. ; engaged by the latter during the visit of
His Majesty the King (then Prince of Wales) in
1885, and also during the visit of the late Queen
Victoria in 1890.

The following programmes are inserted as
specimens of the music performed by the Royal
Artillery Band at the present time. The first pro-
gramme is of interest, since it was not performed ;

1 Lord Granville was extremely interested in the R.A.
Band, and whilst he was Colonial and Foreign Secretary
the band was always engaged at the official functions.

165

for the Royal Artillery Theatre, where the R.A.
Concerts were held, was totally destroyed by fire
in the early morning of the 18th November, 1903,
the day on which the concert was to have been
given : —

ORCHESTRAL.

ROYAL ARTILLERY CONCERT,

Wednesday, 18th November, 1903.

PART I.
1. Marche du Synode de " Henry VIII." ...

2. Symphony, No. 9 in D dur

Allegro assai, Andante, Allegro

PART II.

3. " Scenes Alsaciennes " (Souvenirs)

i. Dimanche matin
ii. Au Cabaret
iii. Sous les Tilleuls
iv. Dimanche soir

4. Sevillana (Scena Espagnole) ,

5. Quintette (Strings) "Schlummerlied"

6. Overture ... " Die Moldaunixe "

Saint-Saens
... Mozart

... Elgar
L. Zavertal
Rozkosny

ORCHESTRAL.

ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND CONCERT,

Queen's Hall, Langham Place,

December 17th, 1903.

PART I.
1. March "Cleopatra" ...

2. " Symphonie " 2e en la mineur

. f A llegro marcato
' I Allegro appasionato
ii. Adagio
iii. Scherzo Presto
iv. Prestissimo

Mancinelli

Saint-Saens

166

PART II.

3. " Les Erinnyes " (Trag^die Antique) Massenet

i. Prelude
ii. Entr'acte
iii. Final.

4. " Berceuse de Jocelyn " Godard

5. Sevillana 'Sc&ne Espagnole) Elgar

6. Intermezzo "Cleopatra" MancinelH

7. " Capriccio Italien " Tschaikowsky

MILITARY BAND.

SUNDAY CONCERTS, ROYAL ALBERT HALL,

28th February, 1904.

ROYAL ARTILLERY MILITARY BAND.

Marche Indienne ... " L'Af ricaine '•' Meyerbeer

From the suite " L'ArWsienne " Bizet

i. Prelude. ii. Minuetto

" Ungarische Tanze," No. 5 Brahms

Overture ... "William Tell" Rossini

Cavaliere Zavertal, the conductor of the R.A.
Band, is a prolific composer, and in addition to the
opera Tita, he has written two others, Una Notte a
Firenze and Mirra.

Una Notte a Firenze (Lorenzaccio), his tragic
opera, was composed in 1870, and produced at
Prague ten years later, where it excited a perfect
furore of enthusiasm,1 and a special performance

1 Musical Biography. — Baptie, 1883.

167

of the opera was given for the Crown Prince
Rudulf of Austria, at his personal request.
Through its interesting action and charming music,
it gained the favour of the critics and public.
Fired by the success of this work and the approval
of the public, he wrote a second opera for the
National Theatre at Prague, called Mirra, which was
successfully produced there on the 7th November,
1886, and at the conclusion of the performance
the composer was presented with a wreath of
laurels.

Whilst at Prague. Cavaliere Zavertal made the
acquaintance of Dvorak, and owing to the anta-
gonism of a Wagnerian section the latter said that
he would conduct the opera Mirra if no one else
did. When the eminent Bohemian composer visited
England, he was the guest of Cavaliere Zavertal
at Woolwich ; and when he heard the R.A. Band
(military) playing the Church Call (" Christchurch
Bells "J1 at the Sunday morning church parade,
he remarked, *■ It sounds like a beautiful organ."
He also attended one of the R.A. Concerts in the
theatre, when the band (orchestral) performed his
new overture Mein Heim.

Among innumerable smaller works for orchestra
and military band, including selections, overtures,

1 The " church call " was first played in Woolwich by
the R.A. Bugle Band in the early " sixties," and was also
played by the R.H A. Band during the " seventies." When
this band was broken up in 1878, it was taken up by the
R.A. Band, and has since been played regularly at the
Sunday morning church parade. The notation (as played
by the band) is to be found in Spare Moments with the Royal
Artillery Band— Boosey & Co., 1889.

168

marches, dance music, etc., and many beautiful
songs, which Cavaliere Zavertal has written, we
may mention a quartette for piano, violin, viola,
and 'cello, and an Album for the pianoforte, dedi-
cated to Queen Margherite of Italy, who graciously
sent him in return a handsome pin of considerable
value, with her initials cut in diamonds and rubies.

He has also written two symphonies, in which he
" has shown himself to be a master of orchestration
and to possess in a pronounced degree the gift of
musical expression."

His first symphony, in C minor, dedicated to his
father, received high praise from the London and
Dresden Press, and was highly commended by
Dr. Richter, who promised to introduce it to Vienna.

The second, in D minor, was first produced at an
R.A. Concert, April, 1888, and was highly spoken of
in our leading journals. The Times, Daily Telegraph,
Standard, Athenceum and others agreed in declaring
this symphony a masterpiece. From a commen-
datory notice in the Athenceum we quote the
following : — " The themes throughout this sym-
phony are remarkably piquant and spirited, and the
treatment clear and concise, though strictly sym-
phonic. The scoring is very full and rich, the writing
for the wind showing .... a full knowledge of the
art of producing true colour and contrast."

" The power of writing melodiously," says the
Musical Times, " is shown in all its movements, in
the andante especially, while everywhere the in-
strumentation is managed with consummate skill."

The Musical World says : — " The experienced hand
could be detected in the skilful orchestration."

169

Cavaliere Zavertal is now a naturalised British
subject, and the senior bandmaster in the service.
He received his commission as honorary second
lieutenant on the 28th December, 1898, which was
followed on the 15th November, 1899, by the full
rank.

For his services during the Diamond Jubilee
Celebration, Queen Victoria bestowed on him the
Jubilee Medal, and in March, 1901, His Majesty
King Edward VII. decorated him at Marlborough
House with the Royal Victorian Order, appointing
him a member of the fifth class. He has also
received official recognition from several European
monarchs. For doing credit to the Italian art in a
foreign country, King Humbert nominated him
Cavaliere of the Crown of Italy. His Majesty the
King of Greece conferred on him the high honour
of the Order of the Redeemer. The late King of
Servia appointed him a Knight Companion of the
Royal Order of Takova, and the Sultan of Turkey
bestowed on him the Commander's Star of the
Osmanieh. Some years ago a further distinction,
valuable because of its extreme rarity, was con-
ferred on him when the Society of St. Cecilia of
Rome elected him one of its members.

On the 26th June, 1896, the Duke of Cambridge,
Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Artillery, visited
Woolwich, and decorated Cavaliere Zavertal with
the Saxe-Coburg- Ernestine Order of Art and
Science, conferred on him by His Royal Highness
the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. There was
a full parade of the Royal Artillery in garrison in
honour of the event, when the Duke of Cambridge

170

read the letter which had been received from the
Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha1 : —

"Clarence House, St. James's, S.W.,
" 30th March, 1896.

" Sir, —I am directed by the Duke of Saxe-
Coburg and Gotha to forward to you the Cross
of His Royal Highness's Order of Art and Science
for presentation to the conductor of the Royal
Artillery Band, Cavaliere L. Zavertal. His
Royal Highness has had frequent opportunities
of hearing the band both at the Albert Hall and
the Royal Academy, and he is desirous of
showing his great appreciation of the very high
state of proficiency the band has been brought
to under Cavaliere Zavertal's management by
sending him the Order I have named.

" I am desired to request that you will be kind
enough to have His Royal Highness's wishes
carried out at an early date.

" I have the honour to be, etc.,

" (Signed) D. J. Monson,

'* Comptroller."

The Duke of Cambridge said he was very
pleased to have the opportunity of carrying out His
Royal Highness's wishes, and, addressing Cavaliere
Zavertal, said:— "I can only tell you that the
admirable manner in which your band is conducted
bears testimony to the great care and talent be-
stowed upon it. In addition to being yourself
gifted, you have the power of instilling into the
minds of the various bandsmen the delicacy of

1 This letter was first made known at the annual ball of
the Royal Artillery Band in the R.A. Theatre, when the
present Sir Frederick Maurice, k.c.b., then Commandant
of Woolwich (who always honoured this function, together
with Lady Maurice, by their presence), read the letter to
the whole assembly.

3 S

U <J

w ^

u g

Q -5

- i*

171

touch which is required by the players of the
various instruments " After a few further compli-
mentary remarks, he concluded by saying that he
did not hesitate to declare that the superior of the
Royal Artillery Band did not exist in this or in any
other country.

To be successful in art, one must be always
beating his own record. And in that respect
Cavaliere Zavertal stands pre-eminent. He took
over the Royal Artillery Band with one hundred
and twenty years' reputation as a wind and string
band, which has steadily increased as military and
orchestral music advanced ; yet since he became
conductor its reputation has advanced yearly, until
it is now acknowledged one of the finest military
(wind) bands in British service,1 and "the finest
permanent orchestra in the kingdom"2; "whilst
the band as a whole will bear comparison with any
in the world,"8 thus worthily sustaining the proud
motto of the distinguished regiment to which it
belongs — Ubique.

1 Although bearing well in mind Mr. Malaprop's legend
that " comparisons is oderous," we may be permitted to
mention the competition opened by the proprietors of The
Regiment newspaper in February, 1897, for their readers to
decide by voce which were " the six best military (army)
bands in the United Kingdom " The result was : —

1st— Royal Artillery Band
2nd — Grenadier Guards
3rd — Royal Engineers
4th -Coldstream Guards
5th — Scots Guards
6th — Royal Marines

2 Orchestral Times, Feb., 1902.
s Referee, Oct., 1903.

APPENDIX A.

Establishment of the Royal Artillery Band,
June, 1904.

1 Bandmaster (2nd lieutenant)

1 Band Sergeant (hon. sergeant-major)

4 Sergeants (1 hon. quartermaster-sergeant)

2 Band Corporals (1 hon. sergeant)
2 Corporals (1 hon. sergeant)

2 Bombardiers (1 hon. sergeant, 1 hon. corporal)
4 Acting Bombardiers (2 hon. sergeants,1 1 hon.
corporal)

10 Unpaid Acting Bombardiers (3 hon. sergeants)

16 Musicians

51 Bandsmen (gunners)

Boys' Detachment, R.A. Band.2

4 Gunners
10 Boys

1 Two honorary sergeants at Kneller Hall, undergoing
a course of training for bandmasters.

2 This detachment comprises men and boys in various
stages of proficiency, from which vacancies in the band are
filled.

APPENDIX B.

Bandmasters,
Royal Artillery Band.

1772— Antony Rocca

1774 — Georg Kohler

1777_priedrich Wielle

1802— G. Schnuphass

1805— M. Eisenherdt

1810 — George McKenzie

1845— William G. Collins

1854 — James Smyth

1881 — Cavaliere Ladislao Zavertal

APPENDIX C.

Band Sergeants

(Honorary Sergeant-Majors since 1863 J,

Royal Artillery Band.

1810— John Wilkinson
1837— William Collins (sen.)
1843— Robert Scott
1847 — William Newstead (sen.)
1852 — Thomas Gilbertson
1853— Samuel Collins
1861— John Parlie
1867— Thomas Butter
1870— Albert Mansfield
1882— John Montara
1889 — George Browne
1889— Edward Walker1
1896— Walter Sugg2
1901— Albert C. Mansfield8

1 Bandmaster of the Honourable Artillery Company.

2 Musical director, Grand Theatre, Woolwich.

3 The nephew of Albert Mansfield, the acting band-
master, R.A., 1880-81.

APPENDIX D.

The Royal Horse Artillery Band,

S*' H E first two troops of Royal Horse Artillery
(C7l were raised in January, 1793, and two
drummers, furnished with bugle-horns, were
allowed to each troop.1 About 1797, trumpets were
given to them, and they were designated trumpeters.

In the early years of the last century we find
that the Royal Horse Artillery possessed a band,
and this, although not officially recognised, was the
first mounted band in the regiment. It was sup-
ported solely by the officers of that branch, and
was composed of the trumpeters of the various
troops, under the direction of the trumpet-major.

It was not of much importance until the appoint-
ment of Bombardier Henry Lawson, of the R.A.
Band, as trumpet-major, R.H.A., in succession to
Hall. Henry Lawson was one of the finest cornet
players of the age, having been compared with
Kcenig, the famous cornet player of Jullien's Band.2
Lawson joined the R.A. Band in 1823, and was the
first solo cornet in its ranks. In 1845 he was

1 History of the R.A.— Duncan, 1872.

2 Music and Musicians. — Marr, 1887.

From a photo.

177

appointed trumpet-major, R.H.A., and under his
tuition the band made considerable progress. He
was discharged in 1852, and became bandmaster of
the Forfar and Kincardine Militia Artillery, which
position he held until his death in 1856.

George Collins, a brother of the Bandmaster
Collins, R.A., was appointed trumpet-major when
Lawson was discharged. He was a fine field
trumpeter and a fair cornet player, and under him
the band was brought to a high state of proficiency.
When the organisation of the regiment was changed
to brigades in 1859, Collins was appointed alter-
nately to A and B brigades, whichever happened to
be stationed at Woolwich. In addition to the
trumpeters, two drivers were allowed from each
troop or battery for the band. Collins was dis-
charged in January, 1870.

He was succeeded by Sergeant James Alexander
Browne, of the R.A. Band, but as bandmaster — the
first and only one in the Royal Horse Artillery, the
vacancy of trumpet-major being filled by someone
else.

James Alexander Browne was born at Artillery
Place, Woolwich, 9th May, 1838, and belongs to an
essentially military family. His grandfather was a
sergeant-major in the 6th Carabineers, and was
wounded in the Irish Rebellion (1798) and again at
Buenos Ayres (1806). His father was a staff-
sergeant in the Royal Horse Artillery ; his uncle
was bandmaster of the 49th Regiment, and his
half-brother was colour-sergeant of the same
regiment, and was killed at Inkerman.

178

In December, 1848, James Browne1 joined the
R A. Band, being instructed on the flute and violin.
But his great ambition was to use his pen ; and
from mere observation and personal study, without
lessons from anyone, he began to compose and
arrange, and in November, 1851, when only thirteen
years old, a selection from Norma, which he had
arranged for orchestra, was performed at the R.A.
Concerts.

This brought him to notice, and a few years later
we find him the solo flautist of the band and
playing first violin, at the same time fulfilling
engagements in the principal London orchestras.

In 1866 he was sent to Maidstone for six weeks
to organise a band for the Royal Horse Artillery
Depot, and in December, 1869, he was offered the
bandmastership of the Royal Horse Artillery at
Woolwich, and was appointed the following month

Under his baton the band attained a degree of
skill equal to the best cavalry bands in the service,
and about six months after his appointment he was
publicly complimented by the late Duke of Cam-
bridge on the improvement of the band.

The reputation of the band increased so rapidly
that it fulfilled engagements in all parts of the
country. The late Mr. Fred Godfrey thought so
well of it that for many years, when the Coldstream
Guards Band was unexpectedly ordered for duty,
he sent his engagements to the R.H.A. Band.

1 His two younger brothers [George and William] also
served in the band, and one of his sons (who was for a
time in the band) is at present a battery sergeant-major
in the regiment.

179

As there had been a great increase in the number
of batteries, the trumpeters who had not a settled
position in the R.H.A, Band were dispensed with
altogether, and bandsmen were mustered as non-
commissioned officers and drivers.

The band mounted thirty-six men, with kettle-
drums and scarlet bannerols. The uniform was
similar to that of the rank and file, with the
exception of the busby plume, which was scarlet.

After the Franco- Prussian War there was a
great increase in our Field Artillery ; and in con-
sequence there were two large bands — the R A.
Band and the R A. Brass Band, both dismounted
and without duty; while the R.H.A. Band had to
attend all the parades of the Royal Horse Artillery
and the Field Artillery. The officers of the former
naturally resented this, as they supported the band,
and frequently when they required its services
found it ordered for duty with the Field Artillery.

This brought matters to a climax, and towards
the end of 1877, just as Mr. Browne was getting
the band in first-rate order, with apparently a
splendid future before them, a committee decided,
with the approval of the Duke of Cambridge,
on the formation of a Royal Artillery Mounted
Band, to be composed of the best members of
the R.H.A. Band and the R.A. Brass Band, under
Bandmaster James Lawson, of the latter.

Mr. Browne retired as bandmaster on the disso-
lution of his band, when he accepted the position
as bandmaster to the South Metropolitan Schools
at Sutton. He has been very successful in this
position, having sent some hundreds of boys into

180

army bands, and in 1880 he took first prize at the
School Bands Competition at the Crystal Palace.
He retired from this position at the dissolution of
the Schools (1902).

He was musical director at the Royal Court
Theatre, 1880-1, under Mr. Wilson Barrett, and
has been conductor of several orchestras. He has
written much music, and though very little of it
has been published, his selections " From East to
West," " Nautical Gems," " Reminiscences of Sir
Henry Bishop," etc., issued by Messrs. Lafleur,
have been popular for over twenty-five years, and
still command a sale.

During the past twenty years he has been
engaged in several literary ventures. While serving
in the R.A. Band he made a name for himself in
the literary world by his North-West Passage (1860),
and also his England's Artillerymen (1865), a his-
torical record of the regiment. He was also
engaged by the committee of the Royal Artillery
Institution on literary work, and during 1884-5
contributed many articles to the Service Advertiser.

He was editor and proprietor of the Surrey
Musical Journal, 1885-6, sub-editor of the British
Bandsman from 1891, and sole editor from 1895-98
inclusive ; and since 1900 he has been editor of the
Orchestral Times.

APPENDIX E.

The Royal Artillery Mounted Band
(Woolwich).

u~>^ H E Corps of Drummers and Fifers," as
(Gj they delighted in being designated, had
existed since 1747, when Colonel Belford
introduced " the first fifers in the British Army "
into the Royal Artillery {see Chap. I.).1 Exactly
a century afterwards the drum was discarded as a
signal instrument in the R.A.,2 but was retained as
a marching instrument in conjunction with the fife.

The drums and fifes at Woolwich, under the care
of the drum-major and fife-major, was a very
efficient band, and relieved the R.A. Band from
much regimental duty.

In 1856, with the Crimean War at an end, great
changes were made in the organisation of the army.

Sir Fenwick Williams, the Commandant of
Woolwich, decided to abolish the drums and fifes
in the Artillery, and to introduce in their place a
bugle band, using the same service-pattern bugle.
The organising and training of this band was
entrusted to Trumpet-Major James Lawson, the
well-known solo cornet player of the R.A. Band,
who, by his indomitable perseverance, raised it

1 Memoirs of the R.A. — Macbean.

2 Artillery Regimental History.— Miller,

182

from " the humble position of a small bugle band
to one of the finest military bands in the service."1

James Lawson2was born at Mill Lane, Woolwich,
11th October, 1826, and came from an old artillery
family, his grandfather, father — who was master-
gunner at Tilbury Fort, and five brothers all served
in the regiment.8 He joined the R.A Band in 1839,
and was instructed on the E flat clarionet, singing
the solo soprano in the band choir, until his
seventeenth year. Having some liking for the
cornet, the bandmaster placed him under the
tuition of his elder brother, Henry, the solo cornet,
and such progress did he make that within eighteen
months he made his debut as a soloist at a morning
concert in the Officers' Mess, where he was com-
plimented by Lord Bloomfield, who came from
among the audience to congratulate him.4

Mr. Lawson took Koenig as his model ; his tone
was pure, and his execution more like that of a
vocalist than a performer on a brass instrument.
Firework exhibitions were not to his taste, though
he could play florid-tongueing polkas with any
of his contemporaries.5 In 1845 he succeeded his
brother as solo cornet, and he now devoted himself
to musical study, taking lessons in harmony and
composition from John James Haite, of London,
a well-known musician and writer of the time.
He was appointed fife-major, R.A., and later

1 Music and Mtisicians. — Marr, 1887.

2 His grandson is at present serving in the band.

3 Two of these, Henry and Edward, served in the band.

4 Kentish Independent, 12-1-01.

5 Orchestral Times, Feb., 1903.

Photo by Long & Faulkner, Woolwich.

^i^^^sX^Tt

183

trumpet-major, R.A., and in 1856 he was selected
to form the R.A. Bugle Band. He pointed out
to the officers that his men, being restricted to
harmonics of the service instrument, the tunes
would soon become monotonous ; so they consented
to let him introduce a chromatic attachment which
fitted to the bugle and gave it practically the same
compass as the cornet.

The band at first numbered only twenty-four
performers, and made its first appearance less than
twelve weeks from its formation at the guard
mounting parade. During the summer evenings of
1857-8 hundreds of people assembled every night at
nine o'clock to hear this band perform the tattoo on
the front parade. In the course of time the band
proved so serviceable that E flat horns, B flat
tenors, euphoniums and basses were introduced;
but all in copper.

The duties in connection with his band were
found to be such that it necessitated Mr. Lawson
severing his connection with the R.A. Band, which
took place in October, 1858. Up to 1859 he held
the position of trumpet-major, R.A., but in this
year the ranks of regimental trumpet-major, drum-
major and fife-major were abolished. It was
decided, however, that Mr. Lawson should be borne
on the establishment of the regiment as drum-
major, and he drew his pay as such, although he
never wielded the drum-major's staff, but was
known as the leader of the bugle band. He was
appointed master on the 1st April, 1865, but
continued to be borne on the pay lists of the
regiment as drum-major until 1882.

184

Mr. Lawson was now looking ahead to more
ambitious performances, and we find that so marked
a progress did his band make that he had it entirely
re-instrumented as a brass band; and in May, 1869,
it was ordered that in future it should be known as
" The R.A. Brass Band," numbering forty-seven
performers. With this formation it entered the
lists at the Crystal Palace Band Contest in 1871
and carried off the first prize of £50.

In November, 1877, it was decided to form a
mounted band for the regiment, composed of the
best members of the R.A. Brass Band and the
Royal Horse Artillery Band, under the direction of
Mr. Lawson, of the former, which came into effect
19th January, 1878. It numbered sixty performers,
although only forty-two were mounted, being the
largest mounted band in the service, and as such
has always headed the Lord Mayor's Procession.

The uniform was a dark blue uniform with gilt
buttons, scarlet collar and cuffs, which were laced
with gold, as also the back of the skirt. Trousers
of dark blue, with scarlet stripe, and a head-dress
similar to the R.A. Band — the helmet. They wore
a white slung belt and cross belt.

In January, 1882, Mr. Lawson was ordered to
proceed to Kneller Hall, where he received his
certificate as trained bandmaster in compliance
with the Horse Guards' order, and was later
appointed to the warrant rank.

The mounted band fulfilled engagements in all
parts of the country, and gave concerts at the R.A.
Theatre in turns with the R.A. Band, and it is
believed to have been the only band that played at

185

this period the entire symphonies of Beethoven,
Haydn, etc., with wind instruments alone. In 1886
it was engaged at the International Exhibition at
Edinburgh, both at the opening and the closing
ceremonies, and created a great impression, being
considered the finest military band present. Sir
James Gowans, the chairman, spoke highly of its
performances, and Mr. Lawson was publicly pre-
sented with a gold medal " as a souvenir of his
visit, and the great satisfaction his band had given."
This was the only medal awarded for musical
performances at the exhibition.1

No sooner had it returned to Woolwich than its
dissolution was ordered. The Duke of Cambridge
decided to have a Royal Artillery Mounted Band at
Aldershot, and in November, 1886, twenty-eight
members were transferred to Aldershot to form
the nucleus of the new band, under the direction of
Mr. Sims, from the Cavalry Depot, Canterbury.

Mr. Lawson retired on the 16th November, and
on the 22nd, at a general meeting of the officers of
the Royal Artillery in their Mess-room, an elaborate
testimonial was presented to him. It consisted of
a tea and coffee service in sterling silver, including
a large tray suitably inscribed : " In recognition of
his services as bandmaster, Royal Artillery Mounted
Band, and his long and honourable career of over
forty- seven years in the Royal Regiment of
Artillery."

The remaining twenty musicians of the mounted
band at Woolwich struggled on under Sergeant-

1 Kentish Independent, 30-10-86.

186

Major Anderson until 26th August, 1887, when they
were finally assured of their fate. Twelve were
drafted into the R.A. Band, which was ordered to
provide a mounted portion from its own ranks ;
others were transferred to the ranks. Sergeant-
Major Anderson is now bandmaster of the 3rd
Kent R.G. Artillery.

During the band's short existence, over two
hundred passed through its ranks, and it furnished
solo cornet players to the bands of the three
regiments of Foot Guards,1 notably the well-known
soloist of the Grenadiers, Mr. John Williams, now
bandmaster of the 2nd Kent R.G. Artillery. Several
of the old mounted band entered Kneller Hall and
became successful bandmasters. Among them were
Mr. J. Manuel Bilton, the present bandmaster of
the Royal Horse Guards, Mr. J. S. Dunlop, late
Scots Greys, and the late Mr. Shields, 5th Lancers.

On his retirement, Mr. Lawson found scope for
his industry and love of music as an instructor of
bands in Kent, Surrey and Essex. For forty years
he was bandmaster of the North Surrey Schools at
Anerley, and during this long tenure of service he
furnished some hundreds of musicians for army
bands. For some twelve years he was on the
Plumstead Vestry, and was three years on the
District Board at Charlton. The Woolwich Board
of Guardians had him for about seven years, and
was their vice-chairman.

He died on the 19th January, 1903, and was
buried at Charlton Cemetery.

1 Music and Musicians. — Marr, 1887.

APPENDIX F.

Regulations for the Guidance of the Master,

the Non-commissioned Officers, Musicians,

and Boys of the

Royal Artillery Band, Woolwich,

1st April, 1856.

1. The master of the band is not required when engaged
at practice, etc., to attend to other calls for his presence
than those conveyed to him from the offices of the Adjutant-
General or Commandant.

2. Battalion matters requiring the presence of men of
the band are to be so arranged as not to call upon them
during the hours of practice.

3. The hours of assembly for practice, whether for the
band at large, adult-learners, or boys, will be intimated by
the bandmaster to the orderly non-commissioned officer,
who will be held responsible that due warning is given to
those whose presence at such practice is required.

4. Clean undress uniform is to be worn by the whole of
the band when assembled for practice, whether in the fore-
noon or afternoon.

5. When at practice, the members of the band are
expected to pursue the same line of conduct as required
from soldiers when on parade, as far as regards attention
and respectful behaviour towards the senior present on the
occasion, and under no pretence whatever is any individual
to leave the practice-room without first obtaining the per-
mission of the master or non-commissioned officer in charge.

6. The additional pay from the band fund is intended to
reward merit and talent, and, as an inducement to young

188

musicians, so to apply themselves to their profession as to
become efficient performers. Inattention or misconduct on
the part of any member of the band reported by the master
and duly investigated, will subject the individual complained
of to permanent forfeiture of such additional pay, or to
deprivation thereof for a given time, according to the nature
of complaint against him.

7. That the bandmaster may be made aware of all orders
concerning the band issued from the office of the Adjutant-
General or Commandant, the orderly non-commissioned
officer will attend daily at the Garrison Orderly Room to
copy such orders, and he will be held responsible that they
are, as soon after receipt by him as possible, shown to the
master that he may give directions for their being carried
out.

8. Each member of the band will be held responsible
for the preservation of the instrument or instruments, and
music or books, in his possession.

9. Attendance at practice with an instrument in such a
state as to prevent or retard practice will subject the
individual to punishment for neglect of duty and the charges
for repairs, unless he shall have previously reported to the
bandmaster that the instrument was out of order.

10. The sergeants of the band will attend the afternoon
practice of adult-learners and boys, and it is to be clearly
understood that all other non-commissioned officers of the
band, and all men in receipt of extra pay from the band
fund, are liable to be called upon by the master to assist in
such instruction.

11. No music or music book, the property of the regi-
ment, is to be taken from the practice-room without the
sanction of the bandmaster and the cognizance of the
librarian. The librarian will be held responsible that a
record is kept of all music, or books of music, taken (with
proper permission) from the practice-room, and that the
return thereof is duly noted. In case of books or music
being brought back in a defaced or damaged state, the
librarian will not fail to acquaint the bandmaster thereof,

189

that he may determine what course to pursue to have such
books or music replaced or repaired at the expense of the
person to whom they were entrusted.

12. Leave of absence, whether from practice, parade, or
roll call, is only to be obtained on application, through the
master of the band, or, in his absence, through the senior
sergeant.

13. On the admission into hospital, or absence of any
member of the band, the non-commissioned officer in
charge of his room will cause the instrument and music in
his possession, as well as his regimental appointments and
necessaries, to be carefully collected and delivered to the
orderly non-commissioned officer, who will make out two
inventories, one of what the man had in charge belonging
to the band and the property of the regiment, and another
of the man's regimental appointments and necessaries.
The articles included in the first inventory should be handed
over to the sergeant appointed for that duty for safe keeping
during the man's absence or sickness, and those in the
second inventory should be lodged in the quartermaster's
store.

In the case of absence or sickness of those permitted to
live out of barracks, the orderly non-commissioned officer
will be held responsible for collecting, making inventories,
and disposing of their instruments, music, appointments,
and necessaries, as above directed.

14. The cleanliness and order of the practice-room will
rest with the orderly non-commissioned officer, the senior
sergeant detailing weekly, by name, the men and boys who
are to be employed under the orderly for those duties.

By order of the Band Committee,

Charles Bingham, Lieut. -Colonel,

Secretary.

By order of the Commandant,

R. K. Freeth, Captain,

For the Brigade-Major.

INDEX.

PAGE

Academy of Arts, Royal 164

Adye, W 136

Agreement, Articles of 36-38

Aitken, W 79

Albert Hall 157-158, 166

Alexandra, Queen . . 159
Alhambra, Concert at the 110
Allowances, Band 68, 69, 109
Amadi, Madame (see Creel-
man)
Amateur Musical Society

133-134
97

HIIUCISUll, VV ,

Anderson, Sergt
Arsenal, Royal
Art and Science,

• • • £7/

-Major 186

62, 87

Order of 169

Arthur, Prince

.. 130

Ashe, A. . .

.. 39

.. 99

Ashley, C.

" At Homes,"

65, 73
Lt.-Col.

Hime's . .

134-135

Aylesbury

.. 99

Bagpipes . .
Baird, Dorothea

23-24
.. 129

Balfe

.. 140

Band Fund 68, 109. 112-114
Band Sergeants, List of 175
Band, word first used (x) 25
Bands in Crimean War 117
Bands, Instrumentation of

(see Instrumentation)
Bands introduced . . 32

Bands, Militia . . . . 66

Bands in Peninsular War

66-67
Bands, Strength of (see

Establishment)
Bandmaster, Advertise-
ment for . . ..41
Bandmaster, Examina-
tion for.. .. 85,145

PAGE

Bandmasters, List of 174
Bandmaster, Pay of (see

Pay)
Bandmaster, Selection of 145
Barker, L. . . . . 122

Barret, C. . . . . 28

Bath 110

Beech, E. . . . . 135

Belford, Colonel W. 29, 31
Bellingham, J. . . 86, 97

Benedict, Sir J. . . 140, 142
Bennett . . . . (!) 43

Bent, B. C. .. (8) 137

Berlin 142

Bessborough, Earl . . 128

Bigge, Sir A 133

Bingham, Lieut.-Col. C. 112

Bingle, J 40

Birmingham . . . . 123
Bishop Auckland . . 123

Black Men in Bands 50-52,64
Bloomfield, Col. J. .. 112
Bloomfield, Lord 62, 63, 64,
71,85, 112, 182
Blizzard . . . . (!) 87

Boehm, T., The Inven-
tions of . . . . 103

Bolitho, S 40

Boos6, C. .. ..90

" British Grenadiers " 92-94

Brandram, S 128

Brass Band, R.A. 179, 184
Brassey, Lord . . . . 164
Brigade Bands . . . . 124
Bright, De L. 118,123,144
Brighton .. ..99-102, 123

Bristol .. .. 110, 123

Brome, Lieut. -Gen. J. . . 27
Browne, G. 143, (i) 175, 178
Browne, J. A. 101, 128, 132,
137, 138, 177, 178, 179, 180
Browne, W. . . (i) 178

Bruce, Miss .. ..73

I N D EX — con tinned.

PAGE

Buckingham Palace 157, 160
Buckland, C. 137, 138, 143

Buckland, G. . .

. 137

Bugle Band .. 181-183

Bugle, Key
Bull Tavern

56, 67
. 81

Biilow, Hans V. . .

. 149

Burnand, Sir F.. .

. 129

Burnett, J.

. 22

Burt, E

. 143

Burt, T

. 135

Butter, T.

. 175

Cambridge, Duke of 9

2, 117

118,126, 154, 155, 16

9-171,

8, 185

Campbell, G. . .
Canada

. 136
. 142

Cape Colony
Canterbury Old Stagei
Caroline, Queen. .

. 142
s 128
. 63

Carpenter, Captain
Carpenter, J. 127, 12!

. 134

5, 137,

138

Carrodus, J. T.

. 120

Carson, J.

. 46

Carter, J.

(i)73

Cathedral, St. Paul's

159,

33-164

Cervetto, J.

. 63

Chamier, Lieut. -Col.

(i) 145

Chapel, Artillery 73, )
127 (see Th
Chapman, W.
Chatham

58, 89,
eatre)
. 138
. 42

Chatham, Earl of

. 44

Cheltenham

. 99

Chelsea, Concert at

. 98

Chipp, E

Chipp, T

Chew, R

(i) 73
(i) 73
. 79

Choral Union, R.A. 1

32-133

Christian, Prince

. 159

Christian, Princess

. 154

" Church Call" ..

. 167

Church Parade . .

.. 88

Clarionet introduced

.. 33

Clay, F. . .
Clementi, J.

. 159
. 137

Clerk, Captain H.

. 134

Colchester . . J

)9, 123

Colchester, Dr. ..

. 74

PAGE

Coldstream Guards Band,

49, 98, 158, 159, 163, 178
Cole, Madame E. . . 133

Coleman, G. . . (s) 79

Collins, F. .. 84,98

Collins, G. . . 84. 177

Collins, J. .. 80,84,98

Collins, R 83

Collins, S. ..83,98,175

Collins, Sgt. W. 79, 83-84, 175
Collins, Stuart (Dick) (*) 83
Collins, W. G. 80, 83-86, 92,
100-101, 104-105, 131, 174
Colonial Office . . . . 164

Commandants, R.A. Band,
38, 39, 41, 56,61,65,81,111

Albert Hall 157-158, 166
Alhambra .. ..110
Chelsea .. ..98

Crystal Palace . . 163

In the North .. ..110

Massed Bands 158, 163

Military Band 160-162, 166
Queen's Hall,

152-156, 158, 165
R.A. 61, 80, 88, 97, 122,

129-132, (i) 136, 165, 167
R.A. Theatre 127, 132-135
St, James' Hall

{see Queen's Hall)
Congreve, Sir W. . . 63

Cooke, W 135

Cornets introduced 67-68

Coronation Celebration 163
Coronation Procession,

77-78, 163
Contest, Brass Band . . 140
Contest, School Bands 180
Costa, Sir M., 124,140,141-142
Cousins, A. .. . . 121

Coventry . . . . . . 123

Coxheath Camp. . .. 44

Creelman, Miss . . 127, 133
Crown of Italy, Order of

the 169

Crystal Palace . . 99, 110,

140, 163, 180, 184
Cumberland, Duke of,

28, 29, 30
Cummings, Dr. W. H. . . 133
Cunningham, A. . . 121, 156

I N D EX — continued.

Curtail . .
Cuthbertson, T.

PAGE

25, 32
.. 143

Daumichen (or Dimechin),

C 45-46

De Bathe, Sir H. . . 128

Drecy, Sergt 125

De Grey, Earl . . . . 126
Denmark, King of . . 164
Devine, S. . . . . 80

Devine, W 79

Devizes 123

Dickson, Ellen . . . . 137

Distin, J (2) 66

Dolby, Madame Sainton- 86
" Dolores" .. ..137

Downham, Mus. . . 63

Drasdil, Madame . . 133

Drouet, L 62

Drum Calls . . . . 20
Drum-major 31, 32, 94-97,

181, 183-184
Drum-Major-General . . 21
Drummers 19, 21. 24, 26,

95, 176, 181
Drummond, Col. P. (3) 61, 81
Drum presented by the

Earl of Chatham . . 44
Drummers, Rules for . . 20

Dunlop, I. S 186

Durham 110

Duties of Drum-major. . 32
Duties of R.A. Band,

37, 87-89, 187
Dvorak, A 167

Eberhardt, H 68

Edinburgh .. ..150

Edinburgh, Duke of 139, 142
Edward VII., H.M. King

150, 159, 163, 164, 169
Egypt, Khedive of . . 164
Eisenherdt, M. .. 56-57,174

Elliott, Mr 62

Elliott, William . . . . 40

Emerson, J. . . . . 46

Engagements, Fulfilment

of 80

Engineers, Band of Royal

104-105, 158, 163
Establishment, Bugle

Band . . . . 96, 183

PAGE

Establishment of Bands,

33-34, 35-38, 40, 48-51, 68
Establishmeut, R.A. Band
36-37, 40, 45, 46, 51-53, 64,
69, 78, 97, 111, 173
Establishment, R.A.B.,

Mounted Portion . . 151
Establishment, R.A.

Mounted Band .. 184

Establishment, R.H.A.

Band 179

Eugenie, Empress . . 130
Evans, R. . . 121-122

Exeter 123

Exhibitions —

Health; Alexandra
Palace; Inventions;
Edinburgh; National
Art, Folkestone . . 150
Jubilee ; Colonial and
Indian ; Glasgow ;
Anglo-Danish;
Fisheries ; Spanish 151
Glasgow .. ..160

Faddy, Major . . . . 74

Fane, Sir S. P 128

Farlie, J... 97, 137, 138, 175
Faversham . . . . 123

Fifers 19, 23, 24, 29, 32, 181
Fifers re-introduced . . 29
Fifers, Rules for . . 20

Fife-major 31, 32, 94, 181, 183

Findlay, J 143

Flute introduced . . 52

Foot Guards Bands 48-51
Foote, Colonel, F.O.B... 121
Foreign Office . . . . 164
" Forty Thieves," The 78-79
Foot, 48th, Band of . . 66

Foster, W 156

Franky, C. . . . . 45

Frederick, Emperor of

Germany . . . . 130

Frederica, Princess . . 130
Freeth, Captain R. K. . . 112
French Fleet, visit to

Portsmouth . . . . 139

French, President of the 164

Fulham 65

Funeral Procession of

Queen Victoria . . 160

I N D EX — continued.

PAGE

Galitzan, Prince G. . . 130
Gear, Handel .. ..73

Geary, P 40

Germany, Emperor and

Empress of 130, 150, 159,
164
George III. at Woolwich,

47, 48
George IV. . . 63, 64, 71

Gepp, H 156

Ghilberti, G. (see Campbell)
Gilbertson, T. 98, 101, 175
Glaysher, C. M. 120, 125, 126
Glee Class 63, 73-74, 76, 86,
89, 97, 101, 116, 122, 127,
132-133
Gloucester .. ..123

Godfrey, Charles (sen.) (2) 66
Godfrey, Dan . . (3) 117, 139
Godfrey, Fred . . . . 178

" God save the Queen " 117
Goodenough, Col. O. H. 133
Gordon, C. .. 98,138

Gore, Major .. .. 134
Granville, Lord .. 142, 164
Green, D. . . . . 156

Grenadier Guards Band

98, 142, 158, 159, 163
Gritton, J. . . . . 138

Greece, King of . . . . 169

Guard Mounting . . 87

Guards, French Imperial,

Visit of .. .. 125-126

Guest, W 135

Guildhall, London . . 164

Haite, J. J.
Hall, Trumpet-maj
Halliday, Mr.
Hamburg
Hampton, J.
Harris, F.
Hatfield ..
Hautboy (see oboe)
Hayward, W.
Henry, ?&.(&., Capt
Henry, J. . .
Henrietta, J.
Hicks, Lieut. A.
Hibernian School,
High Elms

.. 182
or .. 176
.. 56
.. 142
45,46
135, 143
.. 99

121, 156

.A... 77

.. 46

.. 125

.. 134

Royal 109

.. 73

PAGE

Hime, Lt.-Col. H. W. L.

134-135, 145

Hoff, Mr 74

Hollingshead, J. .. 31

Hon. Artillery Co. 25, 49

Hon. East India Co.'s

Band 125

Horse Artillery Band,

Royal 126, 139, 176-180, 184
Horse Grenadier Guards 25
Horse Guards, Royal

Band of .. ..98

Horticultural Society . . 66

Houston, W 156

Howe, W. F. . . (i) 144

Howell, J. .. ..73

Hull 123

Humbert, King .. ..169
Hunter, Miss .. 127-128

Imperial Guards of France,

Visit of.. .. 125-126
Imperial, Prince . . 139

India Office . . . . 164

Instrumentation of Bands,

33-34, 4S-52, 56-57, 102-103
Instrumentation of R.A.

Band 36, 37, 73, 78, 116, 162
Instrumentation of R.A.

Bugle Band . . . . 183

Instruments, Purchase of 112

Ipswich 123

Irish Artillery Band . . 53

Irving, H. B 129

Italy, King and Queen of

164, 168, 169

Janissary Bands (J) 50

Jenner, S. . . . . 156

" Jingling Johnnie " .. 51
John, A. .. .. . . 45

Jones, Col. J. E. .. 81

Jones, G. . . 131, 137, 138

Johnstone, W. .. .. 156

Jordan, Dr 120

Jubilee Celebrations,

1811—57, 1S87-150,

1897—159, 169

Julian, F... 127,128, 137, 138

Jullien (sen.) . . 140, 176

Jullien, L. (jun.) .. 139

I N D EX— con tinned.

PAGE

Keard, B 138

Kcenig . . 68, 176, 182

Keir, W 80

Kenning, Dr. . . . . 74
Kent Bridge (see Key Bugle)
Kent, Duke of . . . . 56
Kent, Duchess of .. 65

Kettledrums, 22, 26, 27-29, 36
Kettledrums, William IV.'s

72-73
Key Bugle . . 56, 67

Kitchener. Viscount . . 164

Klose 103

Kneller Hall 118-122, 184
Kohler or Kiihler, G ,

42, 43, 44, 174

Lambert, J. . . . . 46
Langley, Beatrice . . 136

Lake, W... 98, (*) 114, 122

Lawson, E (2) 182

Lawson, H.,

79, 80, 176-177, 182
Lawson, J., 85, 86, 96, 98,

100, 122, 179, 181-186
Lennox, Madame Julia 133
Leslie, Fred . . . . 129
Liebhart, Madame . . 102
Life Guards Band 69, 98,
158-159, 163

Lindley, R 62

Liverpool . . . . 123

Londesborough, Earl of 164
Louise, Princess . . 130

Lowrie, Lieut. -Col. J. . . 96

Macintyre, Margaret .. 136
Magrath, Miss .. .. 127

Maine, V 97

Maine, W. . . . . 101

Manners, Charles . . 136
Manns, Sir A. . . 140, 145
Mansergh, S. (see Manners)
Mansfield, A. 127, 128, 132,
143-145, 175

Mansfield, A. C 175

Marches, Regimental . . 92
Mansion House . . . . 164
Marguerite, Queen . . 168
Maurice, Sir F. . . (J) 170

Maylor . . . . 127, 137
Mayor, Lord . . 164, 184

PAGE

McCombie, Mr 81

McKenzie, G. 59, 61, 63, 72,

74, 76, 79, 81, 82, 85, 92,

112, 174

McLaren, C 125

McLaren, J. .. 0)125

McLaughlin, G 122

" Messiah," Performance

of 73

Mess Nights . . 65, 88

Middlesex Militia .. 68

Militia Bands .. ..66
Mills, Horace .. ..129
Milner, Lord . . . . 164
Montara, J. 128, 137, 138

Montara, J. C. . . 143, 175
Morgan, Captain . . 44

Mori, N 62

Morris, Corporal . . 63

Mounted Portion, R.A.

Band 151

Mozart, Carlo . . . . 147
Music Bill .. ..43

Music Fund .. ..47
Musician, Rank of (x) 53

Music for Military Bands 90
Music, Scarcity of 89-90

Miinster, Count . . . . 130
Myers, L. . . . . 156

Nairne, Sir C 145

Newcastle . . . . 110

Newstead, H. . . (*) 105
Newstead, W. (sen.) 97, 175
Newstead, W. (jun.) . . 105
19th Foot, Band of 107-108

Oboe . . . . 24, 25, 32
Officers' Mess 61, 88, 129,
141, 185
Ophicleide . . . . 56
Osmani6h, Order of . . 169
Oxford 123

Palliser, Colonel .. Ill

Pandean Reeds, Band of

68-69
Panoptican (see Alhambra)

Parnum, E 156

Patey, Madame . . . . 133

Pattie, Mr 74

Pattison, G 138

INDEX — continued.

PAGE
Pay of —
Bandmaster . . (2) 69, 109
Drummers . . 19, 21, 26

Fifers 19

Kettledrummer 22, 28

R.A. Band .. 37,40

Trumpeters . . . . 21

Pecskai, Louis . . (*) 136

Peddie, A. . . 40, (i) 45

Peninsular War, Bands in 66
Percussion Instruments,

Introduction of . . 49

Persia, Shah of .. ..164
Pezze, Signor . . . . 133
Phillips, Major-General

35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 41
Plain Clothes, Wearing

of 80

Plymouth .. ..108

Portsmouth .. ..139

Potter, Cipriani . . 85

Practice .. .. 87-88

Prendergrast. J. .. 80

President, R.A. Band . . 112

Principal Instrumentalists,

79-80, 97-98, 137-138

143, 156

Programmes 61-62, 86, 97,

98, 122, 123, 127, 131, 132,

133, 134, 135, 141, 144, 155-

156, 159, 161, 165, 166

Queen's Hall Concerts

(sec Concerts)
Quist, Col. C. A. 56, 61, 65, 69

R.A. Concerts (see Concerts)

Randegger, A 133

Redeemer, Order of the 169
Reeves, Harry . . . . 77

Reeves, Harriet . . 75

Reeves, John S. 74, 76, 77
Reeves, Sims (John) 75-76

Reichenbach, A
Reidel, Mons.
Reviews . .
Richardson, J.
Riddle . .
Roberts, Earl
Robinson, W.

45, 46
.. 126
32, 47-48
.. 40
.. 81
154, 160, 164
..156

PAGE

Rocca, A 40,41,174

Rothschild, Baron . . 164
Rudersdorff, Madame . . 133
Rudyerd, Colonel S. . . 81
Rules and Regulations,
R.A. Band . . 36-38, 187

Salisbury .. ..123

Salisbury, Marquis of . . 164
Sandhurst, R.M. College

at 109

Sax, A., and his Inven-
tions 103

Saxe-Coburg, Duke of 169-170

Schallehn, H 118

Schnuphass, G. . . 55, 56, 174
School, Duke of York's

87, 109
School of Music, Kneller

Hall .. .. 118-122
School, Royal Hibernian 109
School, Royal Naval . . 87
Schroeder, J. . . 45, 46

Scott, R 175

Seaton, Lord . . . . 108

Secretary, R.A. Band,

44, 112, 153
Seguin, E. . . . . 73

Sergeant, Rank of Hon. 126
Sergeant-majors, List of 175
Serpent, Introduction of 52
Servia, King of . . . . 169

Shaw, J. . . . . 67

Shearer, G 135

Sheerness Band 124-125

Shields, Mr 186

Simpson, Major . . 134

Sims, Mr. . . . . 185

Singing Class (see Glee Class)

Smart, Sir G 74

Smith, Chas. M. (J) 71, 79

Smith, G OH9. 137

Smith, H. .. ..135

Smith.Joseph 101,127,128,137

Smith, Trumpet-major. . 125

Smyth, J... 107-114, 118, 120,

123-124, 126, 131-132, 134,

138, 140-145, 174

Smyth, Madame 126, 132

Spagnoletti .. ..62

" Spare Moments with

the R.A. Band" (*) 167

INDEX — continued.

PAGE

Spindler, G.

. 45

Uniform of —

St. Albans, Duchess of

. 164

Drummers . . 27, 94

Street, Captain . .

. 112

Fife-major, trumpet-

St. Cecilia, Society of

.. 169

major & trumpeters 95

Stephens, J.

. 40

Kettledrummer .. 22

Sternberg, F.

. 45

R. A. Band 54, 55, 69-71, 90,

St. George's Church,

91, 114-116, 140

125, 126. 135

R.A. Mounted Band . . 184

Stevenson, Sir J.

. 74

R.H.A. Band .. ..179

Strauss Orchestra

I1) 153

United States . . . . 142

Stretton, A. J. .. 120-121

Stretton, E.

. 121

Valve, Introduction of the 67

Sugg, W 156,175

Victoria Gardens . . 71

Sullivan, Sir A. .. 140,

(3) 153

Victorian Order, Royal. . 169

Sunderland ;

. 110

Victoria, Queen . . 77, 144,

Supper given to Mr

150, 159, 160, 164

Smyth

. Ill

Sussex, Duke of . .

. 65

Wales, Prince Albert

Sutherland, Duke of

. 164

Victor of . . . . 164

17th Lancers, Band of (*) 117

Takova, Order of . . 169

Teck, Princess Mary of 130
Thames Ditton . . . . 65

Theatre, R.A. 127-129, 133-
135, 165, t1) 170, 185
145
74
136
148
48

Walker, E 175

Warren, R 80

Warley Band . . 124-125
Waterson, J. .. (8) 117

Trollope, Capt. E. C.
Thorndike, General D.
Thorndike, H. ..
Tosti

Townshend, Lord
Tremaine, Miss (see Creel

man)
Triebert
Trowbridge

Trombone introduced . .
Trumpet Calls

Watts, W.
Wellington, Duke of
Wells, M.
Wells, W.
Westminster, Duke of

Wiele, F.

43-46, 55, 174

143
99
101
143
164

103

123

21, 22, 176

Trumpeters
Trumpet-major

94, 124, 176, 183
Trumpet, Valved . . 67

Tunbridge Wells . . 123

Turkey, Sultan of . . 169

Ulrich.J 29

Uniform of —

Bands .. .. 53, 69

Black Bandsmen . . 50
Drum-major . . 94-96

Wieprecht, W 102

Wilkinson, James . . 143

Wilkinson, J. (sen.) . . 175
Wilkinson, John (jun.) 80, 86
William IV. 60, 70, 72, 78, 81

Williams, J 186

Williams, Sir F... 143,181

Williams, W 143

Windsor Castle,

144, 150, 156, 159
Winslow, J. . . 40

Wolverton, Lord • . 164

Wood, Sir D 99

Wright, Captain . . 74

York

123

Zavertal, Carlotta . . 147

Zavertal, L. 147-153, 155, 157-

159, 161, 165, 166-171, 174

Zavertal, V. H. .. 147, 148

Choice volume, thick cr. 810 bound in red cloth, 5s. set.

The Music and

Musical Instruments

of the Arab

WITH

introduction oa How to Appreciate Arab Music

FRANCESCO SALVADOR-DANIEL

Director of the Paris Conservatoire of Music under the Commune of 1S7I

Edited with Notes, Memoir, Bibliography and 30 Musical Examples
and Illustrations

HENRY GEORGE FARMER

Author of "Tht Rise and Development of Military Muiic," "Memoirs of the
Koyal Artillery Bar.d," etc.

LONDON
WILLIAM REEVES, 83 CHARING CROSS ROAD, W.C,

Office of "The Musical Standard."

Contents of The Music and Musical Instruments
of the Arab.

Memoir of Francesco Salvador-Daniel. By
Henry George Farmer.

The Music and Musical Instruments op the Arab-. By
Francesco Salvador-Daniel.

introduction.— how to appreciate arab music.

Author's residence among the Arabs— Could at first discern no melody nor rhythm
—No musical theory— Arab music to-day the game as European music of the lliddl'-
Ages — Vestiges of Arab civilisation in Spain — Why the author claims to speak at
an authority on the subject of Arab music.

CHAPTER I.— THE THEORY OP ARAB MUSIC.

Arab musical history — Musical system borrowed from the Greeks— Their defini-
tion of music — Theovetic or speculative music — The science of numbers— Dispute
hetween the Pythagoreans and Aristoxenians — The Jews in progress of musical art
—Practical mnsic.

CHAPTER II.-THE CHARACTER OF ARAB MUSIC.

Why Europeans do not appreciate this music— The " gloss " or embellishments —
Band of the Bey of Tunis — A certain habituation or " education of the ear " neces-
sary to understand Arab music — Arabs unacquainted with harmony — An Arab eon-
cert — The Noubtt — Berheraf — Character of Arab melody — No third or quarter tones
in their music — The drawled scale — The terminations.

CHAPTER III.— THE DIATONIC MODES OF THE ARABS.

Arab and Greek modes — Tones of plain-song — Historical resume — Four principal
modes — Irak — Mezmoum — Ed,.eil—Ujorla — Four secondary modes — L'saui— Saika —
Uvia—RriM-Edzeil.

CHAPTER IV.— ARAB MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Tetraohord and hcxachord— Instruments nsed by the ancients— Those of the Arabs
—Gosba—l'aar—Dof—Kannirii—Djaoiiak—Raita or Gaita—Atabal—Atambor—Der-
bouka — Bendair—Kemendjah — Rebab — Koii.ilra — Value of octaves unknown to the
ancients— Chords of the third and sixth— Boetius— St. Gregory— Guido of Arezio
lays the foundation of a single scaler — harmony.

CHAPTER V— THE RHYTHM OF ARAB MUSIC.
Arab rhythm is regular and periodic— Rhythm with the Greeks— Poetic rhythm
applied to music and the dance— Tempus Perfectum and Tempos Imperfectum—
Rome varieties of Arab rhythm— Independence of percussion instruments—
" Rhythmic harmony."

CHAPTER VI. -THE CHROMATIC MODES OF THE ARABS.

Wonderful effects attributed by Arabs to their music— Dance of the 7) jinn— Song
ot Salah Bey—The Alfarabbi legend— The chromatic modes— Rummel-H etOr—L SOXn-
Sebah^-Zei&an—Asbein—Biabolus in Mnsicn—Thc habit of hearing and ' education
of the ear "—Poetic exaggeration— Examples of the law of habit acquired by
education of the car.

CONTENTS (continued)—

CONCLUSION.— ARAB INFLUENCE ON EUROPEAN MUSIC.

iiesnme of previone deductions — The sj Acta of Pythagoras passed on to Arabs—
Influence of the Arabs upon Europe up to the fifteenth century — Provoneal literature
und the troubadours in relation to the Arabs— The Arab minstrel and his Garayous,
the forerunner of the European minstrel and jongleur — Arab music to-day what
European music was prior to fourteenth century — Whilst European musio has pro-
gressed, that of the Arab hag remained stationary — A source of new wealth of har-
mony hidden in Arab music.

Notes on Arab Music. By Henry George Farmer.

I. No science of music with Arabs to-day. 2. Similarity of Arab music with
modern Catholio church music. 3. The music and poetry of the Arabs passed ou to
the troubadours. 4. Survivals of Arab musio in Spain. 5. Musical history, in theory
and practice, of the Arabs. 6. Arab music unappreciated by Europeans. 7. The
rhythm of the Arabs. 8. The " gloss " or embellishments a reason for the difficulty
in understanding Arab music. '.). The " "loss." 10. The Xonba or Arab symphony.
11. Bechrraf, or prelude. 12. The use of " circles" in Arab music. 13. Preludes.
11. The tonic in the third or fourth decrees of the scale. 15. The nasal method in
sinking and the 'portamento in playing an essential among the Arabs. 16. The Irak
mode. 17. The Mezitiomn mode. 18. The Edzeil mode. 19. The Ojorka mode. 20.
The minor soale among the Arabs. 21. The L'tttfin mode. 22. The Saika mode. 23.
The ile'ia. mode. 24. The R&sd-b'dzeil mode. 25. The Taar or tambourine. 2G. The
dosha and Djaonak • flutes). 27. The liof or square drum. 38. The Kanoun or
harp. 29. The lowest note on the Kanoun. 30. The Gaita or oboe in Spain. 31. The
Atabal and Nacgvaires ^ kettledrums). 32. An Arab military hand. 33. The Atain-
bor or side-drum. 34. The Drrbouka. 35. The Benda'ir. 36. The Rebab and
Kemendjah. 37. Kouifra. 38. The names of the notes in Arabic. 39. The Gunibry.
40. An Arab orchestra. 41. Avicenna on Arab musio. 42. Influence of Arab music
on the natives. 43. The Rinnmrt-ilcia mode. 41. The L'm'iu-Sebal, mode. 45. The
Zeidan mode. 46. The Asbein mode. 47. Arab modes not mentioned by Salvador.
47a. Invention of notes. 48. Harmony unknown to Arabs. 49. Felicien David and
Arab music. 50. The origin of the Moors.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Eastern Rebab Plater.

Eastern Kemendjah Player.

Music Example, " L'Ange du Desert."

Music Example, " Kadria Zendani."

Music Example, " Mah-Buby Labas."

M usic Example, Nouba-L'sa'in.

The Irak Scale.

Music Example in Irak Mode.

The Mezmoum Scale.

Mcstc Example in Mezmoum Mods

The Edzeil Scale.

Music Example in Edzeil Mode

The Djorka Scale.

Mcstc Example in Djorka Mode.

The I, 'sain Scale.

Music Example in L'sai'n Mode

The Saika Scale.

Music Example in Saika Mode.

The Mi ia Scale.

Music Example in Me'ia Mode.

The Rasd-Edzeil Scale.

The Taar.

The Djaoluk and Gosba.
The Dop.
The Kanoun.
The Atabal.
The Atambor.
The Derbouka.
The BendaIr.
The Eastern Rebab.
The Moorish Rebab.
The Moorish Kemendjah i ix Tran-
sition).
The Moorish Kemendjah.
The Kouttra.
The Ounibrt.
The Uummel-Meia Scale.
The L'saIn-Sebah Scale.
The Zeidan Scale.
Music Example in Zeidin Modi.
The Asbein Scale.
Music Exampii in Asbein Mod*.

Price 3/6 net.

THE BISE AND DEVELOPMENT
OF MILITARY MUSIC

HENRY GEORGE FARMER

(With an Introduction by Lieut. A. Williams, M.V.O.,
Mus.Doc, Bandmaster Grenadier Guards)

13 Illustrations.

London
WILLIAM REEVES, 83 Charing Cross Road, W.C.

Price 5/-
MEMOIRS OF

THE ROYAL ARTILLERY BAND

ITS ORIGIN, HISTORY AND PROGRESS

HENRY GEORGE FARMER

14 Illustrations

London
WILLIAM REEVES, 83 Charing Cross Road, W.C.

CORRIGENDA.

PAGE LINE

42 11 for Kiihler read Kohler.

50 4 (of footnotes) for Zarzas read Zarnas.

79 4 (of footnotes) for Chapter VII. read Appendix D.

80 3 (of footnotes) for Chapter VI. read Appendix D.
86 3 (of footnotes) for Ibid read the bandmaster, R.A.
95 5 for light blue read dark blue.

98 2 (of footnotes) for Chapter VIII. read Appendix E.

107 1 (of footnotes) for Sept., 1398, read Sept., 1898.

116 8 for Fugel horns read Fliigel horns.

120 22 after the word music insert at the present time.

123 33 for Bishop's Auckland read Bishop Auckland. [Pia.

134 7 for Ti Paego O Madre Pia read Ti Prego O Madre

137 2 (of footnotes) for Chapter VII. read Appendix D.

153 11 (of footnotes) for twenty years read ten years.

163 28 for they performed read it performed.

PRINTED BY

H. PRYCE AND SON, 33-35, POWIS STREET,

WOOLWICH, S.E.

i-i

r c*_

c<i

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