The Final Chapter: European and American Composers, Transcriptions, Orchestral Medium (Mid-20th Century)

Introduction

In the mid-twentieth century, after taking front stage at American colleges and universities, marching bands began receiving worldly recognition for their musicality. Significant efforts were made to increase their repertoire in substance and originality. During the World War II, the increased popularity of band ensembles began to spread across the world, evolving the art into the superpower it is today. International composers gained interest in band arrangements and soon realized the importance of creating transcriptions for their works. Decreasing the separation between original band literature and transcriptions led to a prominent difference in band and orchestral mediums.

Composers Gain Interest in Band Literature

Once the marching band presence was recognized in different countries, European and American Composers such as Robert Russell Bennett, Morton Gould and Vincent Persichetti gained interest in band arrangements and soon began to create their own variations of the music. 

Morton Gould

Morton Gould (1913-1996)

As one of the most influential composers in band arrangements, it is very possible that Morton Gould was the most significant American advocate for the wind band. He understood the performance possibilities of the band while few recognized the medium as a legitimate ensemble. The modern-day bands are indebted to Gould for his compositions, as well as other composers who were encouraged by Gould. In the late 1930's, the composer said in an interview, "Hearing Bill Revelli's University of Michigan Band...that really changed me. I realized what a great music-making machine we had...I wrote a great deal for band." After this realization, Gould went on to promote "serious" music for symphonic bands through his own compositions, upgrading school and college band repertoires tremendously.

Robert Russell Bennett (1894-1981)

Robert Russell Bennett 
By crossing into band literature with his 1950 piece, Suite of Old American Dances, Robert Russell Bennett used his orchestrating skills to please a different crowd with a new, innovative sound. The piece was played by the Goldman Band in Central Park, New York. The audience of over five thousand people responded positively, describing the piece as "infectious good humor, imaginative and masterful scoring, and creates a nostalgically pleasant mood." He often took inspiration from his personal experiences and matched them with the instrumentation of band ensembles. His arrangements were individualized to match each band to entertain his audience. Bennett's pieces continue to be a staple of band literature to this day. 

Vincent Persichetti 

Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)

After acquiring a solid reputation as a serious composer of works for a wide variety of mediums, Vincent Persichetti premiered Divertimento for Band, earning a measure of new and unthinkable recognition. The success of his piece led to becoming a leader in adding quality to the repertoire of bands everywhere. During speeches, he expressed his views on bands and band literature. His views described the respect and recognition he received from band conductors when creating band pieces. In a letter, Persichetti said that for bands to be eager to play what he writes makes the effort "both spontaneous and worthwhile...it seems to approach the relation of composer and performer in other, happier centuries." To him, band was a valid medium and equal to a serious artistic musical expression. He cared deeply for band literature and his connection was conveyed through his compositions.

Musical Transcriptions of the 1970s

The balance between original band literature and transcriptions began to turn into a different direction by the mid-1970s. It was determined by James Westbrook at the College Band Directors National Association convention that only 27% of musical compositions were transcriptions, or actually documented. Due to the increasingly large amount of literature being composed during this time, composers began to create pieces that could stand the test of time. This challenged composers to include additions to the music that would normally be verbally taught. The use of written dynamics, musical tempos and keys increased drastically as transcripts began to have a bigger presence in the repertoires of bands everywhere.

An early musical transcription from the 1970s

Orchestra vs. Band Mediums 

With the rise of band literature, there was still a huge divide between the two musical mediums. Bands were often frustrated by literature which is shorter in length and lighter in content. Many of the established Americans who wrote original works for band since World War II have written increasingly more for orchestras. Despite the band literature having more quality, some composers did not approach the band compositions with the same energy and musical commitment. One popular example is Samuel Barber's band piece, Commando March. This amazing piece never sustained the notoriety of his Violin Concerto and has now been forgotten, while his orchestral piece continues to be used.

Commando March, Samuel Barber

Violin Concerto, Samuel Barber

Conclusion

In the last five decades, the quality and sophistication of band literature has continued to grow. The commitment from renown composers to write for band ensembles has been most commendable. Composers are increasingly aware that new compositions for band tend to entertain audiences more than those for orchestral and other mediums. The large amount of literature that continues to enter the band field has finally made it possible to create a standard repertoire of great music and bands. This century challenges band proponents to continue to support the musical goals of school and professional ensembles. The continued success encourages the creation of new literature from the most capable composers available.

Information Sources:
Hawkins, Roy B. The Life and Work of Robert Russell Bennett. UMI Dissertations Publishing, 1989. Print.
Hoffman, Christine E. "Marching Bands." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 237-238. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. 

Morris, Donald A. The Life of Vincent Persichetti, With Emphasis On His Works for Band. UMI Dissertations Publishing, 1991. Print.

Rhodes, Stephen L. “Twentieth Century Repertoire.” (2007): n. pag. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.lipscomb.edu/windbandhistory/RhodesWindBand_12_20thCenturyRepertoire.htm.>
Scott, Ronald D. Band Music of Morton Gould. UMI Dissertations Publishing, 1989. Print. 
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The Transition: Military Band, WWI Veterans, Style Changes (Early 20th Century)

Introduction

At the turn of the century, there was a drastic change in Marching Bands that paved the way for today's modern ensembles. The touring of professional groups, such as "The Brass Band," was replaced by educational institutions. American schools began to use the groups such as "Sousa's Band" as a template to build their programs. Starting with the University of Illinois, school bands from across the country who were conducted by both former professional band directors and academically trained teachers, began to participate in nationwide playing and marching contests. [1]

A. A. Harding and the "Role of the Military Band"

Director Harding started his career in 1905, when as a student, he was appointed as the Assistant Director of Bands at the university. This launched the very first college band program in the world. In 1907, and for the following 43 years, Harding was the Director of Bands. The role of the military band began development when the performance's focus was shifted from the military field to the auditorium. This change was inspired by bandleaders John Philip Sousa and Edwin Franko Goldman. Sousa also composed the "University of Illinois March" for Harding in 1929 and recognized the University of Illinois Band as the “world’s greatest college band.” He expressed his love for Harding's program by leaving his personal library of band music to the University Band after his death. [4]

Albert Austin Harding (1880-1958)

World War I Veterans

After being trained in the service bands during the war, veterans began to take music teaching positions. This led to a huge upswing in the quality of bands at American schools. In 1918, Captain Frank Drye lead the bands at Tuskegee. He was a veteran of Lieutenant James Reese Europe’s famous “Harlem Hellfighters” band during World War I and became the “best known, black, college-band director in the country during the years 1918-30." Captain Drye trained scores of students who later became successful bandmasters at a variety of other institutions. Among the students Captain Drye mentored while on faculty at Tuskegee was Phillmore Mallard “Shorty” Hall, who eventually taught Dizzy Gillespie in North Carolina. So begins the cultivation of a formal process for training young musicians in America’s predominately black educational institutions. This was a turning point for band programs around the country. It began to minimize the racial divide that existed in band and other talent competitions. These programs became a platform for early signs of equality. [2]

Tuskegee Band, circa 1927

Evolution of Styles

At the rise of marching bands in American schools, programs began to evolve into differing styles. Marching bands became categorized based on primary function, instrumentation, and style, although many organizations filled multiple roles

Fifth Army Band, circa 1920

Military Bands
Historically being the first marching bands, military style was adapted by many schools at the start of their programs. As the bands developed, they were connected to the military or R.O.T.C. departments for sponsorship. Given their original purpose, military marching bands usually marched straight lines, one forward direction, with no variation. 

                                                                                       Corps Style

Texas A&M Corps Formation outside of Old Main, circa 1920

Unlike the military band style, corps style step sizes change constantly to accommodate the different forms the band created on the field. These forms were linear, curvilinear, and even scatter. Music selections included symphonic music, film scores, world music, jazz, rock, and pop music. This style began to work on entertaining an audience. There was an increase in bands entering musical competitions and festivals. Due to the social climate at the end of World War I, the band instrument industry needed a new market for instrument sales. In 1923, the Chicago Piano Club, a dealer's association, searched for entertainment for the annual convention of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, an association of manufacturers, publishers, and dealers. The contest raised $10,000 for funding. By launching the first national school band competition, over thirty bands responded and a new market was created. Corps style was on the rise. [3]

Show Bands 
With the rise of football and other school functions and activities, show bands were geared towards crowd entertainment, and performed on fields, stages, arenas, etc. Many historically black colleges and universities adopted this style when it was discovered that contemporary music had a significant musical contribution to make. W.C. Handy, known as the "Father of the Blues," made sure this style and music was widely accepted. He stated, "I rendered a program one evening in the chapel, but I had a secret plan to include a stirring ragtime number, My Ragtime Baby, which our minstrel band had featured. The students couldn’t sit still, nor could the teachers. I explained how I had tricked them and made them appreciate the potentialities of ragtime by giving it a high-sounding name." This style played a big role in fighting racism and the divide that existed between the majority and the minority. [2]

William Christopher Handy (1873-1958)

Conclusion 

During the 20th Century, municipal and military bands continued, but colleges and universities clearly had gained the spotlight. Due to the end of World War I, there was a large supply of veterans willing to run the programs and competitions that needed to save market systems. The Military Band acted as the leader in bringing these programs into our schools. There was a steady growth in bands everywhere and the purposes continued to evolve. The creation of various styles increased the number of bands in America exponentially and are still used in today's programs.

Information Sources:
[1]Hoffman, Christine E. "Marching Bands." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 237-238. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Sept. 2013.
[2]Lewis, William Dukes. Marching to the Beat of a Different Drum: Performance Traditions of Historically Black College and University Marching Bands. Thesis (M.A., Folklore) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003.
[3]Rhodes, Stephen L. “The American School Band Movement.” (2007): n. pag. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.lipscomb.edu/windbandhistory/RhodesWindBand_09_AmericanSchoolBand.htm>.
[4]University of Illinois. “The Legacy of Illinois Bands.” Illinois Bands. 2010. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://bands.illinois.edu/ >.
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Wikipedia

The Beginning: First Ensembles, Brass Bands, and "Sousa's Band" (19th Century)

The First Ensembles

The very first instrument ensembles began with the sponsorship of companies and the development of instruments. Companies were in favor of having ensembles perform concerts for entertainment and began to endorse it in America. Music could now be obtained by all people and was no longer limited to the "elite" group. This availability increased the interest of learning to play music. The concept of achieving even sound and a high pitched quality became easier with the development of new instruments. In 1818, the instrumental valve was patented and added to brass instruments. Heinrich Stoelzel and Friederich Bluhmel, two Berlin musicians, discovered this addition and changed the pitch of natural notes. This produced a larger sound for outdoor crowds and led to the invention of the chromatic scale.

Collection of Saxhorns

The next invention, by Adolphe Sax, was a family of chromatic valved brass instruments. These instruments were rather large and resulted in a mellow sound that blended well with other instruments. These instruments had good intonation, and an evenness of timbre throughout the entire range of the horn. Their carrying power contributed to the success of the very first ensembles and led to its next stage, "Brass Bands."

The Brass Band

The brass band first became prominent during the Civil War. As soldiers marched from one location to another, wind instruments and percussion were used as music and communication on the grounds.  The instruments used during this time were organized into four categories, the bell front instrument, bell front cornet, circular cornet and upright instrument. These early instruments were not able to retain good intonation together. This required the skilled players to adjust the pitch with alternate fingerings and using their mouths (the way they played the instrument). 

 

"Signing-up" a civilian band just recruited for a Civil war regiment. The men, garbed in civilian coats and hats, carry a variety of brass instruments including sax horns and comets. The percussion section includes a large bass drum, a snare drum, and a pair of cymbals.

  

It was also very common for a regimental band to be formed by the men in service. If they were already enlisted and could play a brass instrument, they were moved into the band to enhance the ensemble. In other cases, if men could play two different instruments, they were added to keep the music fresh and not wear out the same instruments.

This stereo card shows a Civil War band on a parade ground.

During this time, men were recruited to serve in quality bands. One technique used to recruit were to promise  they would be amongst famous bands. In many cases, this was enough to convince them to join and leave their families and friends behind. When enlisted, the musicians were given standard survival equipment, such as trousers, stockings, a canteen, and knapsack. If the bands were attached to military regiments, they were able to serve patriotic duty and were often used to recruit new service men. This established many bands and increased their prominence drastically. The Union Army Bandmaster Patrick S. Gilmore's band instrumentation is still the model for the concert band. However, military leaders began to leave and start their own ensembles separately. After being the leader of the U.S. Marine Band, John Philip Sousa evolved this idea, forming his own "Sousa's Band."

Sousa's Band

In 1892, Sousa began to tour with his band in the United States and Europe. His most popular piece, "Stars and Stripes Forever", written in 1896, is an example of the distinct American music he performed. For over four decades, the band played the same genre of music and style of marching. Sousa was the most successful composer of the concert bandleaders and produced marches that drew in the attention of audiences everywhere. His style was often compared to the waltz, the way its style was suited to the band and expressed in such a thorough manner.

John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)

Another reason for Sousa's longevity was the financial support it received from the American government. His band performances always embodied patriotism and were used as tactics to bring the people together. Audiences were often of different political parties, beliefs, and geographical areas. However, they all shared the enjoyment of watching the band's performance. The financial support helped the band in management costs and allowed Sousa's career to last as long as it did.

A poster advertising the band in 1920.

Conclusion

During the 19th Century, the marching band gained relevance because of its evolution in instruments. Discoveries and inventions all played roles in making organized ensembles popular in the nation and other countries. After developing strong instruments, the bands were used to the benefit of soldiers in war. They were linked to military regiments and quickly gained rank in American history. Finally, major military leaders, such as John Philip Sousa began to branch off to form their own bands. This introduced the idea of separate entities for performance and entertainment during parades, festivals, etc.

Information Sources:  

"The Band Business in the United States Between the Civil War and the Great Depression." Condaris, Christine. Wesleyan University, ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing, 1987.

"The History, The Lives, and The Music of the Civil War Brass Band." Frederick, Matthew David.The University of Texas at Austin, ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing, 2004. 
Hoffman, Christine E. "Marching Bands." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 237-238. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 20 Sept. 2013.
 Multimedia:

 "The History, The Lives, and The Music of the Civil War Brass Band." Frederick, Matthew David. The University of Texas at Austin, ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing, 2004.

"Military Bands." Military Images 28.1 (2006): 34-37. Military & Government Collection. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. 

Newcomer's Town. http://www.newcomerstown.com/sons.daughters/yingling/1920.00.00.yingling.manuel.001.htm

Wikipedia- John Philip Sousa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Philip_Sousa

YouTube- The History of the Marching Band. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9j_2F7xsLA