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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