GRAND CONCERT IN COOKSTOWN
Mid-Ulster Mail - Saturday 08 March 1902
On Friday evening, under the auspices of Cookstown Amateur Brass Band, a grand concert was given in the Assembly Rooms. The attendance must have been gratifying to the promoters, who spared neither pains nor expense in bringing before the audience a novelty in the form of a good programme of instrumental music.
The performances by the band, which were very well received, reflect the greatest possible credit on the members and their efficient conductor, Mr. W. Williams, Belfast. Mr. Williams' three sons (whose ages range from about 12 to 16 years) took their different parts in the band selections, and had a very cordial reception when they appeared in their individual items. They elicited well-merited applause, and had to respond to hearty recalls. It should be mentioned that two of the selections by the band in the appended programme, viz., "Erin" and "Cooktown", were composed by Mr. Williams. Miss Montgomery Cookstown, who was the only local artiste outside the band, accompanied the several items on the piano in her usual efficient style. and the committee are deeply grateful to her for her services.
The following were the items on the programme:
Part I. March, "King Carnival" (R. B. Hall), Band ; song, "The Toilers" (Cowan). Mrs. Girvin (Newry); sonatina, "La Russe" (Tschaikowsky), Williams' Quartette Party; selection "Erin" (Williams), Band ; song, "Girl of my Heart" (Sidney Jones), Mr. J. Ramsay. and to an encore "The Holy City" : cornet solo. "When other Lips," (Balfe); Master A. E. WiIliams; song (humorous), Mr. J. Markland.
Part ll. March, "Cookstown" (Williams), Band ; song, "The Valley by the sea" (Adams), Mrs. Girvin, who responded to an encore; quarto and roundelay, from "William Tell" (Rossini), Williams Quartette Party; selection,"The Mikado" (Sullivan), Band; song, "Anchored" (Adams), Mr. J. Ramsay; trombone solo, "Death of Nelson" (Braham). Master E. A. Williams; song (humorous), Mr. J. Markland; National Anthem, Band.
Mr. Markland had a very poor reception on his second appearance, and his efforts were anything but appreciated by a large section of the audience.
In the interval between the first and second parts of the progamme, Mr. John Glasgow said he had been desired by the band to make a statement regarding them, and had much pleasure in acceding to the request. The members of the band were, almost without exoeption, of the artisan class, and the expense involved in retaining the services of a teacher were a very heavy tax on them. They had in Mr. Williams a most satisfactory teacher, but they did not see they could be able to retain him without outside help, and they appealed to the public to assist them by becoming members. They also wished to learn a higherclass of music than that usually acquired by similar bands, so that they could secure engagementseither as a full band or in smaller parties at bazaars, athletic sports, concerts, demonstrations etc. and to enable them to learn classical and sacred music of the class referred to the services of a capable teacher were necessary.
Another difficulty they had to encounter was that of members of the band leaving the town for situations elsewhere. There was a mistaken idea that it wasundignified to belong to a band. That might be true of some bands, but it would not lower the dignity of any one to be a member of the band that had been performing that evening. It had kept free of all troubles that beset bands in Cookstown, and the fact that Mr. Williams' three sons were members of a band should be an incentive to any young man in any station to join their ranks. They aimed at having a band of double the size required, so that in the illness of any member or his unexpected absence at an engagement, his place could be filled be a fellow-member of experience.
They had still further difficulty, and it was in regard to their instruments, which were not quite satisfactory. Mr. Williams was satisfied he had in the members of the band the material out of which to make a band with proper instruments. To take part with any hope of success in any competition the band would require to have instruments which, for 25 persons, would cost £200. Some bands have £600 worth of instruments for 36 performers. The band is determined to have a satisfactory outfit, though they sincerely hope to have it for some years yet, but they are about to secure trustees, so that if any persons favour them with subscriptions towards a new set of instruments the subscribers could be satisfied with the knowledge that their contributions toward that would be devoted to no other object. The speaker hoped that the appeal would secure for the band the support they desired.
Mr. Williams, speaking subsequently, recommended practice on a wind instrument for lads of delicate constitution, and appealed to parents and employees to permit their sons and apprentices to join the band.
Mid-Ulster Mail - Saturday 08 March 1902
On Friday evening, under the auspices of Cookstown Amateur Brass Band, a grand concert was given in the Assembly Rooms. The attendance must have been gratifying to the promoters, who spared neither pains nor expense in bringing before the audience a novelty in the form of a good programme of instrumental music.
The performances by the band, which were very well received, reflect the greatest possible credit on the members and their efficient conductor, Mr. W. Williams, Belfast. Mr. Williams' three sons (whose ages range from about 12 to 16 years) took their different parts in the band selections, and had a very cordial reception when they appeared in their individual items. They elicited well-merited applause, and had to respond to hearty recalls. It should be mentioned that two of the selections by the band in the appended programme, viz., "Erin" and "Cooktown", were composed by Mr. Williams. Miss Montgomery Cookstown, who was the only local artiste outside the band, accompanied the several items on the piano in her usual efficient style. and the committee are deeply grateful to her for her services.
The following were the items on the programme:
Part I. March, "King Carnival" (R. B. Hall), Band ; song, "The Toilers" (Cowan). Mrs. Girvin (Newry); sonatina, "La Russe" (Tschaikowsky), Williams' Quartette Party; selection "Erin" (Williams), Band ; song, "Girl of my Heart" (Sidney Jones), Mr. J. Ramsay. and to an encore "The Holy City" : cornet solo. "When other Lips," (Balfe); Master A. E. WiIliams; song (humorous), Mr. J. Markland.
Part ll. March, "Cookstown" (Williams), Band ; song, "The Valley by the sea" (Adams), Mrs. Girvin, who responded to an encore; quarto and roundelay, from "William Tell" (Rossini), Williams Quartette Party; selection,"The Mikado" (Sullivan), Band; song, "Anchored" (Adams), Mr. J. Ramsay; trombone solo, "Death of Nelson" (Braham). Master E. A. Williams; song (humorous), Mr. J. Markland; National Anthem, Band.
Mr. Markland had a very poor reception on his second appearance, and his efforts were anything but appreciated by a large section of the audience.
In the interval between the first and second parts of the progamme, Mr. John Glasgow said he had been desired by the band to make a statement regarding them, and had much pleasure in acceding to the request. The members of the band were, almost without exoeption, of the artisan class, and the expense involved in retaining the services of a teacher were a very heavy tax on them. They had in Mr. Williams a most satisfactory teacher, but they did not see they could be able to retain him without outside help, and they appealed to the public to assist them by becoming members. They also wished to learn a higherclass of music than that usually acquired by similar bands, so that they could secure engagementseither as a full band or in smaller parties at bazaars, athletic sports, concerts, demonstrations etc. and to enable them to learn classical and sacred music of the class referred to the services of a capable teacher were necessary.
Another difficulty they had to encounter was that of members of the band leaving the town for situations elsewhere. There was a mistaken idea that it wasundignified to belong to a band. That might be true of some bands, but it would not lower the dignity of any one to be a member of the band that had been performing that evening. It had kept free of all troubles that beset bands in Cookstown, and the fact that Mr. Williams' three sons were members of a band should be an incentive to any young man in any station to join their ranks. They aimed at having a band of double the size required, so that in the illness of any member or his unexpected absence at an engagement, his place could be filled be a fellow-member of experience.
They had still further difficulty, and it was in regard to their instruments, which were not quite satisfactory. Mr. Williams was satisfied he had in the members of the band the material out of which to make a band with proper instruments. To take part with any hope of success in any competition the band would require to have instruments which, for 25 persons, would cost £200. Some bands have £600 worth of instruments for 36 performers. The band is determined to have a satisfactory outfit, though they sincerely hope to have it for some years yet, but they are about to secure trustees, so that if any persons favour them with subscriptions towards a new set of instruments the subscribers could be satisfied with the knowledge that their contributions toward that would be devoted to no other object. The speaker hoped that the appeal would secure for the band the support they desired.
Mr. Williams, speaking subsequently, recommended practice on a wind instrument for lads of delicate constitution, and appealed to parents and employees to permit their sons and apprentices to join the band.
