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Scan 15
SA Dictionary Of Music, 1904
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1musical matters were, however, in a very primitive state, as at Bradford, for instance, where at this period the Band consisted of two violins, one banjo, and one brass whistle; while at Mexborough, the make up of the Band was as follows:—One violin, one flute, a bell, and a huntsman's horn. At Bristol, the only instrument so far in use was a cornet, played by a good performer who had just got saved. At Grimsby, the march was headed by four violins and a piccolo. A far better state of musical matters was to be seen at Portsmouth, under the leadership of our old veteran, Adjutant V. Case, for he managed in a short time to raise a large and good Band at this place, as at other Corps at which he was subsequently stationed. The General's second Order on Bands appeared in the War Cry, dated February 24th, 1881, and this was very important for it contained the first Band Rules sent forth from Headquarters. These rules still form the foundation of the present Band Regulations! The year 1881 was a striking one for the musical progress of The Army, for many of The Army's best Bands to-day were started then. In the summer of that year the Band at Portsmouth numbered twenty-one, and at Hull, Spennymoor, Leicester, Bristol, Grimsby, and Attercliffe some most satisfactory results were soon attained. The first chief task of the Musical Department was the preparing the old Band Book of eighty-eight tunes, which has had a very large sale. It was published in November of 1884. In August of the same year the present Band Journal was established, although at that period it only appeared at irregular intervals, and, at length after no little doubt as to what the effect would be, the Order appeared in the War Cry of May, 1885, that only music issued by Headquarters was to be used by Army Bands. For a little while a cloud here and there arose over our Bands, but to-day the sky is quite clear, and all see that this order was a wise and necessary one, that the playing of the Bands should be such as to meet Salvation Army needs. The character of the music which has been supplied in The Army Journals has won the respect of The Bands, and almost throughout their ranks complete satisfaction is found. It was in the Spring of 1887 that the Household Troops' Band was formed, and this Band reached the highest pitch of excellence so far attained in The Army. Its splendid playing did much to show the quality of Salvation Army music and to establish the Band Journal in general favour, while the playing in itself became a model that has influenced the whole of Army Bands. In December of 1890, the well-known "101" Band was formed, and a long run of success has attended it. The Trade Headquarters' Band was formed in February, 1895. To follow the rise and progress of each of our best Bands would be too long a task, although much that is interesting could be gathered. We look with wonder on what has been done. We see the hand of God in the marvellous growth of Bands in whose ranks are some 15,000 Bandsmen, young, healthy, intelligent, active and self-sacrificing in a manner as cannot be surpassed anywhere. There was a time when the outside world, and with some little reason, found fault with and made ridicule of Army Bands, but such things are almost entirely out of date. Our Bands, in balance, in tone, in execution, in discipline, in hard work, are such as not only to demand the respect of outsiders, but they are gaining that respect and arousing wonder as to what the next sixteen years will have to show if so much has been done in the past under so many disadvantages.
3Banjo. An instrument of the Guitar kind. America seems to be the place of its origin, or at least of its present form. The body of the instrument is made of a hoop, over one side of which parchment is stretched until it is sufficiently stiff to procure resonance when the strings are plucked by the fingers. The
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