Salute America on Flag Day – June 14, 2011
Contributed by Jack Kopstein
*To celebrate Flag Day, ALL FLAGS are 20% off this week, online only!*
In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.
In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day; in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress.
Flag Day is not an official federal holiday, though on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) U.S. state to celebrate Flag Day as a state holiday, beginning in the town of Rennerdale. Title 36 of the United States Code, Subtitle I, Part A, CHAPTER 1-110 is the official statute on Flag Day; however, it is at the President’s discretion to proclaim officially the observance.
One of the longest-running Flag Day parades is held annually in Quincy, Massachusetts, which began in 1952, celebrating its 59th year in 2010. The 59th Annual Appleton Wisconsin 2009 Flag Day Parade featured the U.S. Navy. The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York, which bases its parade on the Quincy parade and typically draws 50,000 spectators.
Perhaps the oldest continuing Flag Day parade is at Fairfield, Washington. Beginning in 1909 or 1910, Fairfield has held a parade every year since, with the possible exception of 1918, and celebrated the “Centennial” parade in 2010, along with some other commemorative events.
Military Band Summer Concert Schedule 2011
Washington, DC Military Band Concerts
Altissimo is pleased to provide information on the summer concert series of the Washington Based Service bands. Just a reminder that we have great recordings of all of the bands listed below in our NEW SUMMER CATALOGUE
ENJOY
Washington, DC has enjoyed a tradition of live military band concerts since 1863. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force bands perform on alternating days throughout the summer. Concerts are free and no tickets are required. These performances honor those who have served our country and seek to inspire American patriotism. Read more about Military Bands.
U.S. Navy Band – Mondays 8 p.m.
On the West Front of the U. S. Capitol Building
June 6, 13, 20
July 25
August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Special Concert: Memorial Day – Sunday, May 29 at 7 p.m.
and on Tuesdays, 8 p.m.
at the Navy Memorial
June 7, 14, 21, 28
July 5, 19, 26
August 9, 16, 23, 30
U.S. Air Force Band – Tuesdays, 8 p.m
on the West Front of the U. S. Capitol Building
June 7, 14, 21, 28
July 5, 12, 19, 26
August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
U.S. Marine Band – Wednesdays 8 p.m.
On the West Front of the U. S. Capitol Building
June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
July 6, 13, 20, 27
August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
and on Thursdays, 8 p.m.
at the Sylvan Theater on the grounds of the Washington Monument
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
July 7, 14, 21, 28
August 4, 11, 18, 25
and on Fridays, 8:45 p.m.
at the Marine Barracks Washington, 8th and I Streets, SE
June 3, 10, 17, 24
July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
August 5, 12, 19, 26
U.S. Army Band – Fridays 8 p.m.
On the West Front of the U. S. Capitol Building
June 3, 10, 17, 24
July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
August 5, 12
Twilight Tatoo – Wednesdays, 7 p.m.
At Fort Lesley J. McNair, 4th Street and Maine Avenue, SW.
May 4, 11, 25
June 1, 8
from Jack Kopstein
Patriotic Music for All Occasions: Patriot Tunes Developed by Altissimo
The great sacrifice that helped to win the war
The Normandy landings, also known as Operation Neptune, were the landing operations of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. The landings commenced on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 (D-Day), beginning at 6:30 AM British Double Summer Time (GMT+2). In planning, D-Day was the term used for the day of actual landing, which was dependent on final approval.
The assault was conducted in two phases: an airborne assault landing of 24,000 British, American, Canadian and Free French airborne troops shortly after midnight, and an amphibious landing of Allied infantry and armoured divisions on the coast of France commencing at 6:30 AM. There were also decoy operations mounted under the code names Operation Glimmer and Operation Taxable to distract the German forces from the real landing areas.
The operation was the largest amphibious invasion in world history, with over 160,000[5] troops landing on 6 June 1944. 195,700[6] Allied naval and merchant navy personnel in over 5,000[5] ships were involved. The invasion required the transport of soldiers and material from the United Kingdom by troop-laden aircraft and ships, the assault landings, air support, naval interdiction of the English Channel and naval fire-support. The landings took place along a 50-mile (80 km) stretch of the Normandy coast divided into five sectors: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.
Due to a high demand, Altissimo! Recordings developed Patrotic Music for All Occasions, complete with 23 patriotic songs suitable for any occasion. Appropriately titled, Patriotic Music for All Occasions features many fantastic songs that represent America and its citizens’ love of country, and it’s the perfect patriotic summer holiday soundtrack. Songs like “Yankee Doodle” and You’re a Grand Old Flag” bring back memories of Fourth of July celebrations, while other songs such as “Amazing Grace” and “Taps” round the album out in an inspirational and moving way. This album contains over 50 minutes of classic, stirring patriotic music. Each piece is performed by one of the many great Military Bands of this country, including the United States Army Band, The United States Marine Band, The United States Coast Guard Band, and the United States Air Force Heritage of America Band. Patriotic Music for All Occasions is the ultimate collection of all the patriotic music we have come to know and love.
Our current newsletter had the incorrect link. Click Here to Read the 4th of July Article
Contributed by Jack Kopstein
Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. It is a day to honor those who died defending their nation.
Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day and originated in the aftermath of the 1861–65 Civil War, during which more American soldiers died than in any other war before or since. After the Civil War, grieving citizens around the nation began holding memorial ceremonies, decorating the graves of Civil War soldiers with flags and tributes. Waterloo, New York, is officially considered the “birthplace” of Memorial Day because it was the first to make the practice of honoring the Civil War dead a citywide event when it held its first Decoration Day in 1866.
General John A. Logan, commander-in-chief of the veterans’ group the Grand Army of the Republic, made a formal proclamation designating May 30, 1868, as a day of remembrance of the nation’s war dead. The holiday was originally intended to honor the Civil War dead. After World War I, Decoration Day was expanded to honor those killed in all of the nation’s wars, and after World War II it became known as Memorial Day.
In 1971, Congress designated the last Monday in May as the national Memorial Day holiday. It has become a day on which the dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places.
The traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. On Dec. 28, 2000, the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance was established to promote the spirit of unity and remembrance through a minute-long observance. Congress wanted to bring the country together in an act of national unity, ensure that the nation remembers the sacrifices of America’s fallen, and to put ‘memorial’ back into Memorial Day.
The commission urges Americans worldwide to observe the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day at 3:00 p.m. local time (duration: one minute). The 3:00 p.m. local time was chosen because it is the time when many Americans are enjoying their freedoms on the national holiday. Americans may observe a Moment of Remembrance by pausing for a moment of silence or listening to “Taps.” The commission also urges Americans to perform its Memorial Day anthem, “On This Day,” which was composed by award-winning composer Charles Strouse.
The Moment does not replace the traditional Memorial Day observances. It is intended to a be a unifying act of remembrance for Americans of all ages. By participating in the Moment Americans can help reclaim Memorial Day for the noble and sacred reason for which it was intended—to honor those who died in service to our Nation.
Many Americans confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered on Veterans Day, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor ALL those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime.
Music has always played an import part of the Memorial day tributes and the Public Broadcasting System each year salute Veterans across America with a rousing program from Washington DC featuring the National Symphony orchestra and several musicians from the American service bands. Many of the songs and marches may be heard on Altissimo! recordings.
Other popular ways to celebrate Memorial Day include visiting your local veteran’s cemetery to lay flowers on a grave, or to visit a veterans hospital or VA association and talk to the veterans there. The tradition of wearing poppies in honor of America’s war dead takes its origin from the poem “In Flanders Fields,” written in 1915 by John McCrae. There is also a musical version of this poem arranged for band by Jack Kopstein.
In Flanders Fields
written in 1915 by John McCrae
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Flanders, in north-west Belgium, was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the World War I. One of the few things said to have survived the bloodshed was the poppy. John McCrea, a Canadian doctor serving on the battlefield, wrote this poem after treating the battle wounded and burying the dead.
View original post at: http://www.calendar-updates.com/info/holidays/us/memorial.aspx
Altissimo Salutes
C.G. Conn History
C.G. Conn, the oldest continuous manufacturer of band instruments in America, literally gave birth to the U.S. band instrument manufacturing industry. Today, C.G. Conn encompasses some of the greatest names in musical instruments Always committed to serving the needs of students, music educators, amateurs, and professionals, C.G. Conn’s history reflects a history of commitment to originality and quest for the ultimate in design and craftsmanship. Conn continues to be an industry leader in musical performance.
One Saturday night in 1873, Civil War veteran Charles Gerard Conn got involved in a brawl that resulted in a split lip. Not good news for a man who played cornet with the Elkhart, Indiana “Brick Brown Band.” In order to get around this problem, Colonel Conn set out to perfect a special rubber-cushioned mouthpiece so he could continue playing. The new mouthpiece, which he later patented, caught the eye of other musicians. He made a few for his friends, but soon there was such a demand for his mouthpieces that he rigged up a lathe from an old sewing machine and began turning them out as fast as possible.
In 1875, a French musical instrument maker named Dupont stopped by the shop and asked if he might use Conn’s bench to repair some horns. After watching him work for several days, Conn decided that he, too, could make a horn. In that same year, in a closet-size shop only 20 feet square, Col. Conn produced the first American-built cornet.
By 1879 the shop moved into larger quarters, and Conn began adding instruments to his line. In 1888, Colonel Conn brought 15 European instrument craftsmen to the United States and gave them the space, the tools and the incentive to make the finest instruments their skills would allow. Their expertise, teamed with the Colonel’s ingenuity and ambition, soon produced instruments so exceptional that they were accorded highest honors in the 1893 World’s Columbia Exposition in Chicago.
Twice the Conn plant burned to the ground. Twice it was rebuilt, bigger and better than before. Famous bandmasters and musicians visited the plant and personally endorsed “Conn Wonder Instruments.” John Phillip Sousa, Patrick Gilmore, Herbert Clarke, Arthur Pryor, A. Liberati and others were frequent visitors.
Vaudeville was at its peak, and the theaters and music halls of Elkhart saw a steady procession of the finest bands and musicians of the day. All played the Colonel’s instruments. Conn instruments – ornate and often jeweled – became world famous as Sousa and others toured Europe playing before kings, queens and czars.
The Colonel also loved strange and bizarre instruments. In 1907 he built an Immensaphone, the largest horn in the world. It measured 12 feet in diameter and 35 feet long. The Conn factory also built the world’s largest drum, a slide tuba to make noises like a ship’s warning whistle, tenor tubas for the jackass role in Strauss’ Don Juan, and a saxophone for one-armed musician Al Miller.
Since the first American cornet in 1875, C.G. Conn continued producing “firsts” throughout its distinguished history: the first American saxophone, first double-bell euphonium, first sousaphone (built to the great Sousa’s specifications), and a long list of many others.
In 1915, Colonel Conn sold the C.G. Conn Company to C.D. Greenleaf. Greenleaf, almost clairvoyantly, realized a need for the advancement of instrumental music in the schools. His foresight and energy continued to add to Conn’s innovations. He was responsible for founding the first national school for band directors, first and only center for the study of musical acoustics, first successful short action valves, first all-electronic organ and first fiberglass sousaphones, among other legendary advancements.
During World War II the Conn factory was completely converted to manufacture precision instruments for defence. Conn received four Army-Navy “E” Awards – the first given in the band instrument industry. During the Korean War part of the facilities was converted to defence production, and Conn achieved another record in precision manufacturing.
Many of today’s most preferred instruments owe their original success to Conn’s innovation. C.G. Conn French horns, for example, have been the horn of choice for the Hollywood film industry for most of the 20th Century. C.G. Conn Symphony Series trombones have a legendary place in the classical trombone world. Today’s best trumpet players are discovering the break-through performance with Vintage One trumpets. These innovative designs, enhanced by superior craftsmanship and technological breakthroughs, have provided today’s musicians with the superior instrument performance.
Building on the proven designs of the past, C.G. Conn continues to meet the demands of today’s best musicians. As well, amateur and student musicians can enjoy the very best in instrument technology and performance with brass instruments and saxophones from C.G. Conn.
Altissimo Recordings Salute CG Conn Band Instrument Company for their fine musical instruments and preserving band music in the United States and Canada.
View original here: http://www.cgconn.com/content/history.php
Altissimo commemorates the Civil War, which began on April 12th, 1861 and is remembered here in a musical sense with the bands and the music. It has been 150 years since the first shot rang out at Fort Sumter on that fateful day, but the music and the bands are perpetuated historically by several re-enactment bands across America. The Civil War Collection should assist in understanding the dedication of the bands and musicians both today and during the great conflict.
Civil War Band Collection:
1st Brigade Band of Brodhead, Wisconsin
History of the 1st Brigade Band
In 1857, a group of citizens of Brodhead, Wisconsin, decided to form a brass band. They initially called themselves the Brodhead Tin Band, from the set of inexpensive tin instruments that they had purchased. Soon they purchased a set of brass instruments, however, and became known as the Brodhead Brass Band, or “B.B.B.” Under that name, they performed at the debate between senatorial candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas on August 27, 1858 at Freeport, Illinois.
During May and June 1861, the members of the band enlisted in the Union Army as the band of the 3rd Wisconsin Volunteer Regiment, commanded by Col. Charles Hamilton. The high spirits of the time inspired Edwin Oscar Kimberley, the band’s leader, to write a song in praise of Col. Hamilton, “Hamilton’s Badger Boys” (the song was later published in 1899). Despite this valiant beginning, the 3rd Regiment participated in the campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia during 1862, suffering from the hazards of battle and losing instruments during retreats. In July 1862, the government decided to reorganize music within the military and the regimental bands were mustered out. The 3rd Wisconsin Volunteers were discharged in July.
In early 1864, the citizens of Brodhead and other nearby towns raised the funds to enable the band to enlist again, as a brigade band associated with the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 15th Army Corps. This time, they bought top quality instruments produced by D. C. Hall of Boston and had proper uniforms made by the Smith and Bostwick Department Store Janesville. They also copied their music into the leather-bound partbooks of this collection, which contain about sixty tunes, including dances, songs, hymns, and marches.
By the end of August 1864, the band was looked upon as a credit to the brigade and their services were sought after. Kimberley wrote:
“We continue to improve in playing slowly, and are looked upon as gentlemen and good musicians by the entire division! General Smith is trying to get us at his headquarters, he thinks all the world of us. I think if Brodhead could hear us play, or Janesville they would open their eyes”.
(Edwin Oscar Kimberley, to his mother, undated letter in Wisconsin Historical Society)
After a furlough over Christmas of 1864, the band returned south and participated in Sherman’s march through the Carolinas. During a brief respite in the action in April, Kimberley reported that the band had received attention from Gen. Sherman, himself:
Last night, according to previous notice, we repaired to Sherman’s headquarters for a serenade. A new song, composed by prisoners [Lt. H. S. M. Byers of Iowa, who wrote the song while a prisoner of war in Charleston, S.C.] is in my possession, entitled When Sherman Marched Down to the Sea. After some rehearsing, I was the first one to sing it before our old hero, Billy T. [Sherman] and his entire staff, after which I sang another and rec’d a very high compliment from Sherman. After playing several pieces the crack band of the army made its appearance, namely the 33d Massachusetts and played several pieces. After all this we played another piece and returned to camp, assured we had done honor to ourselves at least. After getting in camp our Brigadier [Clark] came with a compliment from Sherman to our band, stating we were the model band of his entire army. This, said by a Gen’l of such wide world renown is certainly a big thing!-a great feather in our caps. The Massachusetts Band spoken of has always had the name of being the best band in Sherman’s Army – pronounced by Sherman himself at Savannah. Not wishing to boast I will say of ourselves – we are not afraid of any Band in this Dept. of Tennessee or Georgia. During the campaign we done considerable playing and [were] spoken of very highly as good players and a band of gentlemen. We have strived to live up to and merit a continuance of that good name.
(Edwin Oscar Kimberley, to his mother, 7 April, 1865,)
At the end of the war, the 1st Brigade Band participated in the Grand Review in Washington, D.C. on 8 June 1865 and, after a brief period in Kentucky, returned home. As a final hurrah, the band was invited to play at the homecoming celebration held by the town of Galena, Illinois, for General Ulysses S. Grant on August 18, 1865.
The band continued in existence with varying membership into the early twentieth century as the Brodhead Silver Cornet Band.
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About the music collection
The musical legacy of the 1st Brigade Band presented here consists of a set of twelve, leather-bound partbooks (although one of the twelve has lost its leather cover and some pages) and seven envelopes of other music manuscripts. The partbooks contain about 55 numbered selections and several unnumbered tunes. Most of the numbered tunes appear in all of the partbooks (although sometimes with variations in the numbering), but the unnumbered tunes generally appear in only a few of the partbooks. Usually the unnumbered tunes are fit into empty staves or pages among the numbered tunes, so it is possible that the other players had these added tunes on loose sheets that have been lost, or perhaps the musicians wanted the melody easily available. There are also instances where a number and title were entered at the top of a page, but no music was copied.
There are partbooks in the collection for the following instruments: 1st and 2nd E♭ cornet; 1st and 2nd B♭ cornet; solo alto E♭ horn; alto E♭ horn; 1st and 2nd B♭ tenor horn; 1st and 2nd B♭ bass horn; E♭ tuba; and drum/cymbals. A few partbooks are likely missing, since the band contained about sixteen members.
The music found in the folders is not present in the partbooks, with one exception (Col. White’s quickstep). Several items consist of a signature of folded sheets with the music for that tune entered as single parts for the various instruments one after the other, and in some cases also containing a scored version of the piece. Because most band music was unpublished, especially as band arrangements, this type of item represents the way that band music circulated among bandleaders, who would then copy out the parts for their own band, or have the players copy out their parts, and then send the packet to the next person on the list.
This collection is housed in the Special Collections Department of Memorial Library at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
The Music
About half of the pieces in this collection are identified as quicksteps. At the time of the Civil War, quickstep was a generic term applied t a broad class of duple meter (either 2/4 or 6/8) compositions and arrangements. They were what we would now call marches and their main purpose was to carry the band and troops along while marching. (At that time, marches were stately pieces (usually 4/4, or occasionally in 12/8, meter) meant for processions and ceremonial occasions.) Quicksteps were also commonly also used in concerts and serenades. Some tunes have “quickstep” as part of their titles and in some it was simply understood. The word was frequently abbreviated to QS or Q.S.
Because moving troops was the main duty of a Civil War band, their appetite for quicksteps was insatiable. There were eventually so many arrangements that frequently they were not given titles; just numbers in the band book (this was also common with waltzes and polkas). Tunes of all sorts (from hymn tunes to popular sentimental ballads to excerpts from European opera and concert music) were adapted to the quickstep idiom. In addition, quickstep medleys have five or six tunes strung together with little or no transitional material and the added tunes were virtually as popular as the first one. In this collection two good examples of quickstep medleys are “The Battle Cry of Freedom” (paired with “Kingdom Coming”) and “Weeping Sad And Lonely (When This Cruel War Is Over)” (paired with “Hoist Up The Flag”).
There are also several numbers either written or arranged by Claudio Grafulla, a prominent bandleader and composer of band music, including “Centennial quickstep,” “Attila quickstep,” and “Colonel White’s quickstep.”
As would be expected, there are patriotic tunes, including “The star spangled banner,” “America,” and “Hail Columbia.” Several of the partbooks contain musical notations for various military purposes, such as reveille, tattoo, and cheers. Also present is an arrangement of “Dixie,” by Dan Decatur Emmett, which was popular in the North as well as in the South, followed by “Ned Kendall’s Favorite Reel”.
The third group of musical material represents sacred music, including “Pleyel’s hymn,” “Notting Hill,” and “Come, ye disconsolate,” by Samuel Webbe. There are at least three different funeral marches.
The composers of almost all of these pieces are not identified in the partbooks themselves. Some have been identified by using various catalogs and reference sources, but it is likely that the unidentified tunes in this collection are unique. Since Kimberley is known to have composed, it is likely that some of the arrangements are by him.
Today’s 1st Brigade Band
The 1st Brigade Band was organized in 1964, by Fred Benkovic, a Milwaukee instrument collector, as a result of the efforts of citizens of Galena, Illinois, to reconstruct Gen. Grant’s homecoming celebration in 1865. Over the years, the group has performed countless times throughout Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest, as well as at various battlefields and historic sites throughout the country. The band has also released several recordings of Civil War era music, including selections from the 1st Brigade Band partbooks, which are often used in television and film productions based in the Civil War era. It is an affiliate of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin and is supported and sponsored by Heritage Military Music Foundation, Inc.; a non-profit, educational, historical, and patriotic organization. Their headquarters is in Heritage Hall in Watertown, Wisconsin. For more information, please visit their website at http://www.1stbrigadeband.org
View this article and more: http://uwdc.library.wisc.edu/collections/MillsSpColl/BandBooks