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.
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| 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).
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"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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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 