6 
of course, not open to the public, the room was crowded—and, apparently, by 
appreciative listeners. They had certainly no reason to complain of the quality 
either of the music selected or of its performance. An interesting piece 
by the conductor, called “ In a Trance,” was played, to the manifest plea¬ 
sure of the guests. It is, perhaps, necessary to say that this was one of 
the occasions on which this celebrated military band is not a military band, 
but transforms itself into an ordinary orchestra of “ strings ” and “ wind.” 
It numbers about a hundred performers, who, in a musical sense, are, like the 
army to which they belong, “ ready to go anywhere and do anything,” with per¬ 
fect assurance of success. Indeed, the performances on this occasion reached a 
higher level than ever before, a fact which seems to indicate that further advance 
towards the ever-receding goal of perfection may be confidently anticipated. 
This admirable force has evidently adopted “ Excelsior ” for its motto. 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. Nothing slipshod, nothing rough or undisciplined was to be 
detected. Everything had been rehearsed till it was really ready. How seldom 
do such conditions obtain ! 
SUNDAY TIMES. —November 20th. 
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. Admiration for the ability of Cavaliere Zavertal and his men 
was aroused, not for the first time, on Friday afternoon at St. James’s Hall, when 
they executed with refinement and intelligence such works as Schubert’s “ Un¬ 
finished ” Symphony, Bizet’s “ Arlesienne ” Snite (No. 1), and Liszt’s first 
“ Hungarian Rhapsody.” In many respects the performance of these things 
could not have been improved upon. There was a large and demonstrative 
audience. 
THE STANDARD.—November 19th. 
For some years past the Royal Artillery Band has given afternoon concerts in 
the West End of London, greatly to the satisfaction of the many admirers of an 
excellent instrumental force. The first performance of the present season took 
place yesterday afternoon in the presence of a very large assemblage. The pro¬ 
gramme was well chosen, and, though sufficiently varied, appealed exclusively to 
amateurs of culture and intelligence. Schubert’s ever-welcome f ‘ Unfinished ” 
Symphony in B minor was rendered with refinement. The band is in a thorough 
state of efficiency, thanks to the careful training of its talented conductor, 
Cavaliere L. Zavertal. 
THE QUEEN.—November 26th. 
The Royal Artillery Band, which, including strings and wood-wind, numbers 
nearly a hundred perfoimers, gave an excellent concert at St. James’s Hall on 
Friday afternoon, and played before a very large audience a well-chosen selection 
of pieces, prominent among which ranked Schubert’s “ Unfinished ” Symphony, 
which was given in really admirable style, its finished interpretation reflecting the 
highest credit on this very efficient body of instrumentalists. The intermezzo 
from “ Cavalleria Rusticana ” also found a place in the scheme, and met with the 
customary encore; the programme opened with the “ Tannhauser ” overture, 
and included an interesting morceau “ In a Trance,” by Cavaliere L. Zavertal, 
the very able and efficient conductor of the band. 
