At First I Thought It Simply A Very
Unpleasant Joke, But When It Finally Dawned Upon Me That Those Two Men
Were Really In Earnest, I Was Positive They Must Be Crazy, And That I
Told Them.
The whole proposition seemed so preposterous, so
ridiculous, so everything!
I shall always believe that Bishop Brewer
suggested church music by the soldiers. Faye is adjutant and in
command of the band, so I was really the proper person to take charge
of the church musicians if anybody did, but the undertaking was simply
appalling. But the commanding officer insisted and Faye insisted, and
both gave many reasons for doing so. The enemy was too strong, and I
was forced to give in, the principal reason being, however, that I did
not want some one else to take charge!
In a short time the little choir was organized and some of the very
best musicians in the band were selected for the orchestra. We have
two violins (first and second), one clarinet, violoncello, oboe, and
bassoon, the latter instrument giving the deep organ tones. There have
been three services, and at one Sergeant Graves played an exquisite
solo on the violin, "There is a green hill far away," from the
oratorio of St. Paul. At another, Matijicek played Gounod's "Ave
Maria" on the oboe, and last Sunday he gave us, on the clarinet,
"Every valley shall be exalted." The choir proper consists of three
sergeants and one corporal, and our tenor is his magnificence, the
drum major!
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