Twenty-Second Regiment Band Concert

Includes program.

“The irrepressible bandmaster of the Twenty-second regiment is steadily progressing in his arduous task of raising a New York military band to the standard of those magnificent organizations that Europe can boast, specimens of which were sent here at the last Boston jubilee. The concert last night showed, in the rendering of some of the selections, considerable progress since the first appearance of the band at the Academy of Music. The matériel is excellent, comprising some of our best instrumental soloists, such as Arbuckle, Lefebre and Sohst, and the work of moulding and tempering those elements so as to become homogeneous and in perfect discipline in the interpretation of a composition is already beginning to exhibit satisfactory results. This was shown last night particularly in the rendering of a very fine arrangement of ‘The Heavens Are Telling’ and a Meyerbeer selection. Much, however, remains to be done to gain expression and smoothness and to blend together the varied tones of a military band so as to form such a delightful ensemble as the Garde Républicaine bande or Godfrey’s admirable body of musicians presented. Mr. Arbuckle played one of De Beriot’s seven airs with variations, and the change from the violin to the cornet detracted none from the effect of the melody. In cantabile playing Mr. Arbuckle is sans reproche; but in rapid execution there is, at times, a want of finish and clearness. Mr. Lefebre gave a very interesting saxophone solo.”