If a citizen raises his voice in the Dutch coal-mining town of Kerkrade (pop. 50.-ooo), the locals boast, "They can hear it in Belgium and Germany." For the last month, Kerkrade has been heard more clearly than ever—but visitors have been making all the noise. As the scene of a quadrennial spasm known as the "Fourth Musical Competition of Kerkrade," the town has become the Bayreuth of the marching brasses, the Salzburg of the wood winds, the Milano of the mandolin orchestras. Amateur bandsmen travel thousands of miles to compete in Kerk-rade's concours—this year there were 3,000 of them in 215...
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