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.
Pages:
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53