Contributed by Jack Kopstein

Soldier’s Songs and Marches

The lives of soldiers in the armies of the world have often been expressed in song. Cavalry troops often sang on the march. ‘Singers to the Front” would be the shout and the men would form up in three lines while rare songs of every description were heroically voiced. Troopships, particularly of the British Navy were a hotbed of sing-songs with sailors and soldiers joining in and provided instrumental backgrounds with fiddles and concertinas.

The repertoire of the soldiers would consist of songs which they had learned at home; folk melodies, street ballads, sentimental ballads. Many of the songs had a military reference but much of the folksy material was of the common culture.

The songs were frequently written down by officers and bandmasters. One such song is the Speech of Sgt Smith, a Song of the Royal Engineers was written down by a Captain Ward to the tune of Chesapeake and Shannon.

Some regiments encouraged the singing of traditional songs as evidenced by the Somerset Light Infantry with a song called High Germany. In Britain the wealth of folk music spawned the entrance of the Regimental march into the legend of the units which fought in various campaigns., the most famous being the Welch tune Men of Harlech which celebrates the stand by the defenders of Rorke’s drift January 22nd 1879.

Much of the early improvised material gained wide usage. The Battle of Waterloo is one of the oldest songs which trace its ancestry back to men whom actually fought at Waterloo. Many of the authors of the songs cannot be traced but since the songs travelled usually from mouth to mouth, the words were often altered to fit the conditions of service. The American civil war tunes became the battle cry for many troops, on both sides of the war. Men marched into battle, with voices raised singing the songs of war such as Battle Hymn of the Republic and When Johnny Comes Marching Home, or the Confederate song O’ I’m a Good Old Rebel.

In Britain an officer of the Rifle Brigade wrote in 1809 wrote:
“Our men are in very high spirits, and we have a most excellent band of music and thirty bugle-horns, through every country village strikes up the old tune Over the Hills and Far Away.

The songs and marches of the British Army inspired a writer to pen a book called The Romance of the Regimental March and which included a background to several of the marches which had become the official march of British military units.

Very clearly many marches were derived from the music of well-known classical composers, but others were the very simple tunes which gave meaning to the every day life of the soldiers. The Royal family succeeded in contributing marches, the most well known being the Royal Artillery Slow March written by the Duchess of Kent in 1836.

Very often music was written or sung to celebrate battles and wars. In the US the Battle of Trenton was remembered with a tune by the same name in 1792 by a composer named James Hewitt. The official marches of American fighting units became standard fare for early military bands such as March of the First Alabama Volunteer Regiment by John Holloway 1837. Later composers would express themselves with music which fêted US Presidents. Andrew Reinagle an early American composer wrote Jefferson’s March in 1804. Later funeral music for a president became common as evidenced by The President Harrison Funeral march of 1841.

The songs which commemorate both wars and popular figures seem to have been the driving force behind the phenomenon of the rambling soldiers. The Death of General Wolfe at The Heights of Abraham in Quebec 1759 is an example of the longevity of battle songs.

The song Cheer, Boys, Cheer made its appearance around 1854 and contained a phrase which was the proverbial complaint in the British Army in the nineteenth century:

Here come General Howl and Scoff
The head of the hungry army

No soldier song better defines this decade than the hymn Amazing Grace. Every Canadian service person killed in action in Afghanistan has been honored with the bagpipe rendition of the song. It was played over and over to commemorate and remember those killed in New York during 9/11 attack. It has become thematic of police officers killed in the line of duty and Firemen whom have given their lives to save others. The lyrics begin “Amazing Grace, how sweet it is” refer to the reclamation of the soul; it is played more often today to recognize those that served and whom have given their lives to save others or in remembrance. The music and words appear below.

The narratives, songs and ballads have combined over the centuries to present a view of service life through the eyes of its rank and file. It is through this historical contribution that we both understand and praise the sacrifice for those who take up the call of arms.

ALTISSIMO! RECORDINGS
FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER 2010
Krista Slinkard, Altissimo! Staff

MINNEAPOLIS POLICE BAND

In Minneapolis, MN, the winter snow may be falling, the temperatures might be dropping, and the wind might hit you in the face, but the Minneapolis Police Band will play on. This was the case this past December when the band performed in the Holidazzle Parades in Minnesota in bone-chilling 16 degree weather. Now that’s dedication! This group of musicians enjoys playing no matter what the situation may be. Comprised of both civilians and officers, both active and retired, the band strives to make music fun for all, including themselves.

Founded in 1917, the band’s first official performance was for an Armistice Day parade in November of 1918. These musicians typically march in 4 or 5 parades per year in addition to other concert performances. There are approximately 28 members in the marching band, 17 in the swing band, and 35 in the concert band, with an age range of 18-88. In this group, there are several military veterans, including two who specifically played in the US Army band during their service to their country.

The music is generally selected by the director, but the band is always open to public suggestions for expanding their library. Two recent directors mastered the art of selecting music. Retiring at the end of 2007, Officer Robert Falk ended his 40-year service as director of the band, which began in 1967. Mr. Falk was a respected member and leader of the band and in the community. Upon his retirement, Bob Dynan stepped out of his Assistant Director role and into the shoes of the Director.

The band tries to make their concerts very audience friendly, and even have a vocalist to accompany them on certain songs and also be the Master of Ceremonies or drum major, depending on what role he needs to fill that day. The talented band has a wide repertoire of tunes to choose from to play. Favorites include “Them Basses,” “Stars and Stripes Forever,” “American Patrol,” and “in the Christmas Mood,” a favorite for December concerts and parades.

In addition to playing locally, they have worked with elementary schools to promote the continued study of music and music education, and they have also traveled across the US and Canada. In 2006, the Minneapolis Police Band had the honor of being inducted into the Minneapolis State Music Hall of Fame.

At the end of a day’s practice, the Minneapolis Police Band members either go home or go back to protecting those they serve. Just another day in the life, but all the more worthwhile when there’s music to be made, and for that Altissimo! salutes this band in the Community Band Spotlight.

For more information on the Minneapolis Police Band, visit their website.

Special Thanks to Patty Bjork for being an excellent interviewee!

If you know of a band that we should highlight, please let us know! Email Krista at krista@militarymusic.com

Contributed by Jack Kopstein

Today, the U.S. military is often used as an example of racial equality and opportunity, but before 1948 segregation was the rule. Even though President Truman ordered formal integration, President Franklin Roosevelt made a step forward six years before that by suggesting that the Navy create black bands to elevate the status of black Navy men.

During the World War II, blacks were recruited into the Navy to serve only as cooks, mess attendants, or stewards. By Executive Order of the President blacks were allowed to serve as yeoman and other ratings in 1942. Starting in 1943, 5,000 musicians were recruited from across the country to officially serve as musicians. They were then sent to the Great Lakes Naval Base, near Chicago, for training to play in big bands. As a result this experiment was called “The Great Lakes Experience of World War II.” Following training, 25-piece bands were formed to tour naval bases across the United States and to raise morale where they played. When the war ended, the musicians went home. Some of them formed bands or joined other bands, and some became renowned jazz artists and arrangers. A couple of the more notable ones were Von Freeman and Clark Terry, the jazz trumpeter who later performed with Duke Ellington and the ”Tonight Show” band. Many of them just went into other lines of work.

In Seattle, we know that one of these bands may have been stationed at Naval Air Station Seattle, now known as Warren G. Magnuson Park. One member of the band (not known if he is shown in the photo) was Alvin Larkins.  Larkins came to Seattle when the Navy stationed him at NAS Seattle in 1943. After a long career of teaching music, Alvin Larkins Park was named after him in the 1970’s. Other known members of the band include, drummer Duke Moore (arriving in Seattle in 1942). Moore and other black musicians were best known for the jazz group, “The Question Marks.” Another member was vocalist Babe Williams, known for his renditions of tunes by the Ink Spots and Mills Brothers.

On February 28, 2003, tribute was paid to the Navy’s first “official” black musicians through several events in Chicago.

Jive Bombers jazz band of World War II: In January 1943, the U.S. Naval Military Band transferred from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois to Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle. A group of these musicians formed their own jazz ensemble, the “Jive Bombers.” This information and the band roster was prepared by Jacqueline E. A. Lawson and band member John Willis correctly captioned a photo in the collection of the National Archives.

The Naval Military Band, originally formed at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, consisted of about 24 members. The Military Band was transferred to Sand Point Naval Air Station in January 1943. They performed weekly at bond rallies in “Victory Square” which was located in downtown Seattle in front of the Olympic Hotel on University Street between 4th and 5th Avenues. They also participated in parades and performed at various Navy functions.

Several members of the band (about 18 of the below-named individuals) formed a jazz group, calling themselves the “Jive Bombers.” They performed locally (out of uniform) at various private functions — such as weddings and fraternity parties — often with jazz groups organized by local musicians such as Al Hickey and Bob Marshall.

Here are the names of the musicians pictured at the top:

First Row
Robert Braxton, clarinet
Andrew E. Wade, III, clarinet
Al Hickey, clarinet
Wm. Funderburg, saxophone
Charles Ethridge, saxophone
John Irons, trumpet
“Doc” Wheeler, trumpet
J. Chavis, trumpet

Second Row
John Willis
“Baby” Greer
“Deany” Clark
Clifton Rice
Robert Young
unidentified
F. Leftrict
Dave Bradford
Alvin Cola

Standing
unidentified
Jarvis
J. Jacquet
Alvin Larkins
Robert Marshall
Edward Middleton
Edwin Middleton

After discharge from the service, some members of the Jive Bombers remained in the area and continued to play professionally for private and public social functions and dances. Additional local musicians who performed with these groups included: Kenny Boas (piano), “Baby” Greer, Ralph Davis (drums), Elmer Gill (piano), Duke Moore (drums), Johnny Moton (piano), Wyatt “Bull” Ruther (base), Leon Vaughn (trumpet), and Gerald Wiggin.

The Jive Bombers also made a recording of the Dixieland tune ROSETTA as seen above Since this recording is marked as “3” there may have been several others in the same series recorded by WESTERN RECORDING STUDIOS (Seattle Washington). The label shows the name THE USS Bunker Hill. It was one of 24 Essex class aircraft carriers commissioned during the war. The ship went into action in the Pacific in 1943 and the Jive Bombers band may have been the ship’s band and made the recording prior to shipping out.

On February 28, 2003, tribute was paid to the Navy’s first “official” black musicians through several events in Chicago.

Sources
Laney, Mary. Time has come to honor Navy’s black musicians in WWII. February 10, 2003 Chicago Sun Times.
Lazarus, Judy R. The Navy’s ‘jazzy’ history. February 2003. Great Lakes Bulletin.
Museum of History and Industry. Duke Moore drummer with The Question Marks. 2002.
Museum of Music. Integrating the Navy with Jazz: The Great Lakes Experience, 1942-1945.
May 19, 2003. Vibrations.
Seattle Parks and Recreation. Alvin Larkins Park. December 31, 2003

A Concert for Brass Band, Voice, and Piano
Contributed by Jack Kopstein

On September 27, 1974, the Music Division of the Library of Congress recreated a typical concert of brass-band and vocal music from mid-nineteenth-century America. Recorded selections from that concert were presented. These recordings were the result of several years of research by Jon Newsom of the Music Division and many more years of experience and study by the late Frederick Fennell, founder and former director of the Eastman Wind Ensemble and professor of music at the University of Miami, and Robert E. Sheldon, then of the Smithsonian Institution’s Division of Musical Instruments and presently Curator of Musical Instruments in the Music Division, Library of Congress. Because the purpose of these recordings was to demonstrate the style and quality of the popular music of the era, the musicians used instruments appropriate to the period.

Band concerts of the mid-nineteenth century frequently included vocal music, which as a genre was inseparable from the band music of the same era. The performances included a number of songs performed by Merja Sargon, assisted by Bernard Rose, who also plays two piano solos using the Smithsonian Institution’s 1850 Chickering square piano. Although this is a parlor instrument, it is the kind used by Jenny Lind on her American tour of 1850-52. The iron-frame piano, first introduced by Alpheus Babcock in 1825, was manufactured by Jonas Chickering in Boston in 1840 and was widely popular by the 1850s. Miss Sargon and Mr. Rose are joined in one piece by Robert Stallman, who plays a modern adaptation of the Boehm-system, wood, conical-bore flute. It produces a timbre very much like that of the 6- and 8-keyed flute common in the period.

The Programme (Click on a Track to Listen)
1.   Hunters’ Chorus, from The Rose of Erin (Band)
2.    O Summer Night, from Don Pasquale (Band)
3.    Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway (Vocal)
4.    The Herdsman’s Mountain Song (Vocal)
5.    Captain Shepherd’s Quickstep (Band)
6.    Captain Finch’s Quickstep (Band)
7.    Indiana Polka (Band)
8.    Old Memories (Vocal)
9.    The Moonbeam Waltzes (Band)
10.    La Fontaine (Piano)
11.    Upon a Summer’s Day(Vocal)
12.    Slow March: Midnight! (Band)
13.    Scots Wha Hae: Variations (Piano)
14.    General Taylor Storming Monterey (Band)
15.    Lilly Bell Quickstep (Band)
16.    Why, No One to Love? (Vocal)
17.    Free and Easy (Band)

Musings
By Jack Kopstein

TUNES OF GLORY: Marches of Two World Wars

The twentieth century will be remembered mostly, not for innovations, but the two largest conflicts in world history. The Great War from 1914 to 1918 was to be the “War to End All Wars,” but within 21 years the world again was involved in a terrible clash. The world still is engaged in a horrible conflict. It is, however, music which seems to have the ability to transcend the quarrel. Many marches have been written to memorialize the battles and military units.

The composers seem to be able top represent servicemen and women in not only praise in name but by the irresistible melodies that provide a moving tribute to the spirit of both their service and country.

I will not delve into much background for the marches, but try and list them by composer and in which war they appeared.

The most well known of the famous marches was “Colonel Bogey,” as it was played, whistled and sung throughout both wars and remains to this day one of the world’s most famous marches. Kenneth Alford had a knack of writing great material which has stood the test of time. In 1917, “Voice of the Guns” and the naval marches “On the Quarterdeck” and the “Middy” are but a few of the stirring renditions he composed.

On the other side of the ocean, John Philip Sousa was busy writing a whole host of great marches, and in 1918 added two of the greatest when he wrote “The Field Artillery March” and the march “Solid Men to the Front.”

In Germany and Austria, several marches existed prior to the war, but some of the most popular were the well known “Prussian Glory” by March composer Johann Piefke. The traditional “Parade March #2” was used universally in the German army. Julius Fucik wrote a number of marches. He was a Bohemian (Czech today) who composed the enormously popular “Entry of the Gladiators.” The most popular march, however, was the march by Carl Teike, “Old Comrades,” which remains as one of worlds finest today.

The Second World War marches of Kenneth Alford included two that made their appearance in 1941. “The Army of the Nile,” which quotes Last Post and Lights Out, represents the allied victory in North Africa. The march “Eagle Squadron” quotes the “Star Spangled Banner” and the RAF March Past. The Eagle Squadron was itself formed from a number of American Pilots who joined the RAF prior to the American entry in the war.

Another significant march written for wartime experience is the “British Eighth”. It was dedicated to the British Eight Army in the North African campaign. The American composer Lorenzo Elliot sent the march to General Montgomery who described it is as “a first class march.” One march which perhaps stands out is the march “Arromance” written by Albert Kelley. It is a march which commemorates the D-day Landings. Another march which made its way in the small screen in the highly popular series “Victory at Sea” was the march “Guadalcanal” written for the series by the eminent American Broadway composer Richard Rogers. Kelly also added a great march to the military band repertoire with the march “Arnhem.”

In addition to the fine marches of commemoration there were also two wonderful melodic marches written to honour the veterans.  “The American Legion March” by Charles Parker and the “Royal British Legion March” written by Thomas Bidgood. Bidgood wrote the magnificent “Vimy” march, which has been recorded and re printed several times. It is very interesting to note that there are nine marches titled “The American Legion March” written by various composers as well as Morton Gould’s American Legion Forever. The Royal Canadian Legion of Canada recently adopted a march by distinguished Canadian musician Edwin Barlow of Guelph Ontario.

We are always interested in hearing your comments about your favorite march. Some years ago Norman Smith who wrote several books on March music (March Music Notes) worldwide canvassed several of his correspondents on the world’s most well liked marches. Please let us know your choices!

This interesting article is proof that you never know what you’ll find at the flea market!

A Note about the author, Lt. Justin Thompson: He is an officer serving with the Canadian Forces 4th Air Defense Regiment. He is an artillery officer. This story is very fascinating and has a great deal of human interest.

Vinyl Essay
By Lt Justin Thomson
Canadian Forces Gagetown, NB

Contributed by Jack Kopstein

To Joe and Martha Thatcher, that Sunday morning started off like any other. For the past year now they had spent every Sunday morning at the flea market, in the same corner every week, selling their relics, old VHS tapes, and a large collection of novels. Joe loads the car and takes one last look around the house. He spies the small stack of vinyl records, dusty in the corner. With hesitation he asks his wife, “Should we bring the vinyl?”

Flea markets are often synonymous with large collections of junk. At first glance, I’m inclined to agree: to my left a middle aged woman is selling a candle holder with two German shepherds dancing around the candle; one of the dogs has only one eye remaining. There is a man in the back with a stunning collection of tins and buttons, with a stack of random National Geographic magazines dating back to August, 1972. Right in front of me an elderly couple are selling what seems to be a lifetime supply of romance novels, a stack of Disney VHS tapes, and a box of vinyl records. It’s the stack of vinyl that catches my eye and draws me over.

A month before this trip I purchased a brand-new record player from the local mall. It’s something I’ve always wanted to have. For a long time I’ve had a deep appreciation for music. My father has been a radio announcer for 25 years, and over time I’ve learned to play a variety of musical instruments. Even though records were phased out by cassette tapes, and made even more irrelevant with the introduction of CDs and mp3s, there is something about the sound of music on vinyl that I just love. In just a few short weeks I’ve managed to build a decent collection of my favourites: Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, and lots of classical. This particular trip to the flea market has me looking for Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Although Thriller was my main objective, I always keep an eye out for the obscure, as any good collector does. Last week at the flea market I found a priceless gem, an album entitled How to Train Your Dog. I sometimes wonder if I’m abnormal for picking up a lot of what I do, but then I’m reminded of one of my neighbours, who is so devoted to her gardening that she’ll cover half her lawn with umbrellas when it rains to keep her beautiful flower arrangements dry. I take comfort knowing I’m just as crazy as my neighbours.

I start leafing through the elderly couple’s small collection. A few records are catching my eye, and I start setting them aside. Most of it is Christmas-related, the Charlie Brown Christmas story for example. As I’m nearing the end of their collection, I discover the inspiration for this essay.

Tucked away behind an album of great duets by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn (which I also picked up) is an album titled, THE GUNS – A Centennial Tribute to the Royal Canadian Artillery. It’s the only military related vinyl in their collection. I pull it out and start to look it over. Pulling it out, I see that it’s in great condition, no scratches. I wonder if it’s ever been played. The elderly gentleman at the table finishes with a customer and notices I’ve pulled a few records aside. “The records are a dollar each,” he tells me. Putting on my best poker face I pay him for the vinyl’s, trying to disguise my excitement. I’m afraid he’ll notice my tremendous interest and like a good economist, jack the price up. Lucky for me he doesn’t pick up on my paranoia, and I hurry home to hear the results of my dollar well spent.
When I get home I head right for my record player. A quick glance at the back of the album cover reveals the fifteen tracks that make up the vinyl. My knowledge of the songs was limited. I’ve been to a few mess dinners before and seen the lyrics for “Screw Guns” on some of the menus. I recall that I’d heard a young vice PMC lead a choir of mess dinner attendees in the singing of that same song at one particular mess dinner, allowing everyone to indulge in a much needed fifteen minute bathroom break afterwards. As I further examine the record I am impressed with the artwork design that was chosen to contain the vinyl. The front cover is a simple pattern of the artillery’s colors, with the insignia in the center. The inside cover is decorated with a 2-part print of four artillerymen standing by what appears to be a firing an M105. The text in the corner is a description of the artillery memorial located on the historical “Major’s Hill Park” in Ottawa. Along with the track listing, the back cover is decorated with artwork of an artilleryman in ceremonial dress about to fire a cannon. Canadian Parliament is seen in the background. The back also states that the vinyl was recorded by the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, under the direction of a Major C.A. Villeneuve.

Not knowing very much else about the vinyl I found curiosity increasing. I decided to embark on a challenging crusade to find out as much information as I could about this historical treasure. I started my search on the first website that popped into my head: E-Bay. It’s not that I would ever consider selling this relic; but that my immediate curiosity had me wondering if there was an accompanying monetary value, perhaps more than the dollar I used to purchase it in the first place. Neither my search on e-bay nor my quick google search turned up anything relevant. Not the best start, less than a day in and I’d almost exhausted all of my resources for finding out more information. I had one more option available that I’d brainstormed: the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum. By calling the museum I was able to get in contact with Clive Prothero-Brooks, who works with the collections that come into the museum. He got back to me via e-mail a few days later. Despite having a collection of over 400 military vinyls, he did not have the album in question. He did, however, give me some useful information. He wrote, “I am guessing the date of release might be 1971, that would be 100 years from the formation of the RCA in 1871.” He wasn’t sure on how many vinyls had been pressed, but he guessed not many. He told me about the International Military Music Society (www.immscanada.ca), saying that he used to be a member, and that they might have more information.

Seeing as how my e-bay and google resources had wilted faster than my neighbour’s flowers in the frost, I saw no other option than to go forth and try the IMMS. Clicking on their ‘contact us’ page I sent an e-mail to CWO (retired) Jack Kopstein asking for help. Jack Kopstein delivered. Not only is Jack a member of the IMMS, he is also the site admin at worldmilitarybands.com. Further to that, he’s written a book entitled, When the Band Begins to Play – A History of Military Music in Canada. Needless to say, an essential ally in my crusade for knowledge. He confirmed that the record was released for Oct 20th, 1971, the centennial anniversary of the Royal Canadian Artillery. At the time, the album was recorded in Montreal by the RCA band, the oldest in the Regular Canadian Army, dating from 1899. This particular band, under the direction of (then) Major Charles Villenueve, was the band that, a few years later, would go back into the recording studio and record all of the national anthems for the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. As the plot thickens I find myself needing more information. I send Jack the track listing and he sends me back a description of just about every track on the album. I discover that a lot of the tracks, for good reason, are deeply rooted within the history of the artillery. A few were initially written to honour British artillery. One folk song was written as a ‘trot’ song for mounted horseback troops pulling gun carriages. “Post Horn Gallop” was used as a call to alert all on the gun line that the mail had arrived, an obvious favourite among the troops. The opening track, titled, “A Centennial Salute” was written by one of the band’s own members, G. Pando. As the needle touches the spinning vinyl, history comes to life as a boisterous fanfare erupts into my living room, sounding triumphant, not unlike the opening theme from Star Wars. It only cost me a dollar.

I used to play violin in an orchestra before I joined the military, so I have a certain respect for each instrument, and how one person can bring together all that sound with metronome-like unison. I’m talking of the conductor. Jack tells me about Charles Villenueve. He was the director of music for the band from 1968-1978, later became the Supervisor of Music of the Canadian Forces, and retired as a Lt Colonel. Although he doesn’t have his contact information, he supplies me with a few leads to follow up on. A few days later I would be rewarded. Lt. Claude-Christian Richer from the musical History and Heritage section of NDHQ sends me an e-mail. He has included Charles Villeneuve’s military biography along with a phone number where I can reach his residence in Quebec. From the bio I learn that not only was he the CF music supervisor, but also was the music services adviser for the Chief of the Defence Staff, and the commandant of the Canadian Forces School of Music. After he retired from the regular force in 1984 he remained active in military music, holding director and advisor positions within the cadet music system. He fully retired in 1990 and enjoys spending his winters living in Florida. This is relevant because when I called him he was only a few weeks away from heading south, making me consider pressing a few vinyl records myself, in order to become famous enough to be able to afford the same luxury.

When I dialled the last digit of Charles Villenueve’s phone number and heard it start to ring, everything came together and hit me. This all started as an innocent trip to the local mall on a Sunday. Now I’m calling the man who directed this very band to play the very songs that I hear wafting through my apartment. I went from knowing nearly nothing about the album to getting to know so much more about the culture and history of military music, and the people involved. I’m so full of myself I almost forget that Charles is waiting for me to respond. “Hello?” Best not keep him waiting; the man wants to get to Florida before the snow hits. I explain who I am and how I got his number, and why I am calling. He is very friendly and more than willing to humour me and answer my questions. We spend the next half hour or so chatting about the album, the band, and his experiences. He tells me that the record took only two to three days to record. While recording, if someone made a mistake, they would stop and raise their hand so that the band could stop and try another take. Some mistakes were able to be covered up through the work of the recording studio. He tells me that the soloist who preformed the “Post Horn Gallop” has since passed away of cancer. The project itself was all funded by the Royal Canadian Artillery, and he wasn’t sure on how many copies had been made, but he did pull his out while we were talking. He figured there weren’t many out there. Up until 2007 he’d been conducting an orchestra in Florida while living there, but now he said he enjoys his time with his wife, kids, and grandchildren. Finally, he shared a funny story that occurred during the artillery centennial anniversary celebration in Petawawa during the performance of “Screw Guns”. The band started playing the tune, oblivious to the fact that the artillery was setting up for a gun salute. Half way through the song a deafening BOOM explodes from the howitzers set up next to the band. Everyone in the band stops playing except for a lone trumpeter. After realizing what happened the band shares a laugh and joins back in, and finishes strongly together.

My view of the record has totally changed from when I first laid my hands on it. I now have a much deeper appreciation for everything that went into making it, and it feels good knowing that I own a piece of history relevant to my profession, and was fortunate to learn as much as I did. I must take to time to recognize Clive, Jack, Claude-Christian and Charles, without your help I would not have had the opportunity to discover all that I did, so thank-you. Thanks to all who helped me on this endeavour, as I only made mention to the major contributors, there were a few more people behind the scenes that helped steer me in the right direction. I’d like to end with something that Jack Kopstein said to me in his first e-mail. He suggested that I transfer the recording to CD or onto my computer if I had the means, as it is valuable because of its historical significance. It made me wonder how I was able to attain it for less than the price of a cup of coffee. Whether you believe in fate or not, there is no denying I was in the right place at the right time; I’ve since returned to continue my search for epic vinyl, and I always see that couple selling their treasures, but have never again seen them with their box of vinyl.

Altissimo! has one album by the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, entitled Encore!, available here