One of the oldest of Mr. Punch's young men thought he would like to hear
some orchestral music on Monday week last, so he dropped in at the Queen's
Hall to assist at a concert of the new British Symphony Orchestra. The name
of the founder and conductor, Mr. RAYMOND ROZE, was already familiar, for
Mr. Punch's young man was old enough to remember Mr. ROZE'S mother, MARIE
ROZE, in her brilliant prime as _prima donna_ of the Carl Rosa Company; and
he is glad to know that she is still living in her beloved Paris, where she
was decorated by M. THIERS for her gallant conduct during the siege of
1870. So it is pleasant to find her son so actively associated in the good
work of finding permanent musical engagements for demobilised soldiers in
the British Symphony Orchestra.
The B.S.O. men are not home-keeping soldiers. Every one of them has served
over-seas, and it was a pity that their names and the record of their
services were not printed in the programme, for it is a fine and
inspiriting list, and a striking disproof of the old tradition that
musicians must needs be long-haired, sallow and unathletic. Alert and young
and vigorous they appealed to the eye as well as to the ear, and they
played, as they fought, gloriously, these minstrel boys who had all gone to
the War. Strings and woodwind, brass and percussion, all are up to the best
professional level.
There is no movement which has a stronger claim on all men and women of
goodwill than that for providing employment for demobilized soldiers, and
the British Symphony Orchestra is a first-rate contribution to that
desirable end. The _personnel_ of the orchestra is all that can be desired.
It was bad luck that Mr. RAYMOND ROZE was prevented by illness from
conducting last week, but the band was fortunate in securing an admirable
substitute in Mr. FRANK BRIDGE. Mr. Punch gives the scheme his blessing
without reserve, but with a word of advice. To win for the B.S.O. the
success it deserves will need good judgment as well as energy and
efficiency. The art of programme-framing has to be studied with especial
care in view of the powerful but, we believe, perfectly friendly
competition of other established organizations. Last week's programme had
its _beaux moments_, but it had also at least two _mauvais quarts d'heure_.
The men, however, were splendid.
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[Illustration: MORE ADVENTURES OF A POST-WAR SPORTSMAN.
_P.W.S._ (_who has taken a Spring fishing_). "AND THIS IS WHAT I'VE PAID
THREE 'UNDRED QUID FOR!"]
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