Ir is with considerable satisfaction that We notice an announcement in our daily advertising columns, to the effect that, weather permitting, the Town Band will perform in the Public Garden four times a week. A very general impression had become prevalent in the Settlement that, now we have secured the services of an efficient Pablic Band, we have a right to expect more music than we hace had hitherto.
One evening a week in the Public Garden was certainly a meagre allowance, when we consider the fact that the musicians huve really nothing else to do beyond playing for our entertain. ment; and the Committee have acted wisely in making so prompt a concession to the wishes that have been expressed.
Now, however, that the summer is drawing to a close, and the nights becoming too damp and chilly for many more open-air performances, it would be advisable if the community were to express some opiniones to arrangements for the autumn and winter months.
The first idea which most naturally suggests itself is that the evening concerts might advantageously be relegated altogether (o the afternoon; and when the senso is a little farther advanced, this step will no doubt be taken, The arrangement uow in force, however, is one calculated to meet the circum. stanees of the present time. Four regular open-air concerts every seven days do not, we think, amount to an exacting demand, or ouo that will tax the resources of the Band too severely. Bat in a month or two more we shall begin to turn our thoughts in the direction of indoor amusements, and here the Public Baud might really be made to form the nucleus of a very charming and, in Shanghai, hitherto antried'system. Wo refer to Weekly Concerts, which might be given, say, in the afternoon or evening of some particular day, and in which the existing orchestra should be supplemented by the assistance of the many profes. signals we are fortunate enough to number in our midst. Wo do not intend to enter into the details of such a scheme: indeed we are not at present in a position to do so. But we are most certainly of opinion that a series of, say, Saturday Popular Concerts, to be given in any available hull—tho Temperance, the Masonic, or the Lyceara Thentro—would be a boon to hundreds, and prove a very grent success, They should be partly vocal and partly instrumental, sting of concerted 8 pieces, solos, trios, and so on, as in concerts everywhere else; the Town Band, of course, forming the mainstay ofthe whole. Nor would amateur por. formers be backward to assist, if we may judge of the ready and handsome manner in which they have come forward hitherto, As regards the basis on which such concerts could be given, we are fain to express ourselves with cantion, There would certainly be no objection to furnishing season-tickets to those who wished to purchase them; for it would be impossible, clearly, to make admission free. A small sam would have to be charged, of course, to defray the current expenses, and to remunera ate such professionals as were willing to ce-operate; and it would be wise, perhaps, to have two prices, It is nob necessary for us to dilate upon the advantages of such a scheme, for these mast be obvious to all. The opportunity of spending two or three hours every week in the quiet enjoyment of good music, and at the minimnn of outlay, would be, we are confident,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.