, 1884-10-16
THE B%ANDMASTER.
The Musical Career of Gilmore, Of
National Jubilee. Fame.
Hoyhood In IreIand-In the Army
Inauguration OF Michael Hahn
nj New OrIoans-Boston,~
~"JubIlee.v


Louisville Courier-JournaL
Patrick ). Gilmore was born on Christmas
Day, $50, ia the County Galway, ireland.
During the dny. Of his boyhood he ahowed an
iuteiis, love Tor music. Riddles. flies and
drum. made by his own hands were his toys,
aHi whatever was productive Of melody or
harmony fell upon his ear like a charm. At
hr-t his parents intended him for the priest
hood, hut Mt length he was placed in IA large
mercantile HOUSE in Athlone. The head OF
the concern soon discovered that Young Gil.
more was devoting more time % music and
musical instruments than was consistent
with his duties as business apprentices; but
his talents were appreciated, and the boy
was relieved from the ~drudgery Il trade.
with the understanding that he should tench
the young SONS OF his employer what he
knew about music" Thus, at the age Of Is,
the present bandmaster may be said 30 have
been u music taacher in Ireland. Athlone
being a large garrison town, there were gen
orally three or four British regiments quar-
tered there, and young Gilmore could always
10 found among this band boys. Finally, n
retired bandmaster and famous musician,
named Heating. took the musical prodigy in
hand and put him through "a course of har-
mony and Instrumentation, 50 that in a short
time he could play his part upon any instru-
ment ia the Athlone amateur band. OF
which he was a member, aud for which he
conpossd several pieces.
At the ags Of 10 young Gilmore packed up
his musical instruments and sailed for Bos-
ton. In IA week after his arrival he was in
stalled rs leader Of "a band, and SUCCESSFULLY
led the Charleston. Suffolk, and Boston brig
ude bands. An offer Of IA thousand a year.
and all he could make, Induced him TO leave
Boston and 60 10 the ~neighboring city OF
Salem 10 lead tbs band there, which he did
with great success for four years. Return
ing t. Boston he organized Gilmore's band,
which soon bscame famous throughout the
country When the war broke out he and
his band wont b the front with the Twenty
fourth Massachusetts volunteers. Service in
the cause found Gilmore at New Orleans in
1864, where all the bands and music in the
military department were placed under his
charge.
Here IL was that he organized what may
be styled his first great Jubilee, the occasion
being the restoration OF civic power under
the stars and stripes in that city. He pro-
Jsctcd the plan Of having "a chorus Of 10, 900
school children and 500 musicians, with In
fantry and artillery accomplishments, IN a
grand national concert to aid In the i~naugur-
utiou ri Michael Hahn, the first governor Of
Louisiana elected under the Union admins.
tration just before the close Of the war. The
aai -alty Or inducing the children OF New
Orleans, whose parents were 30 opposed to
tine course q events, to take part in such a
contest. required much tact and persever-
cnc.. Tho day appointed, the 4th OF March,
l,6l, came, and amid salvos OF artillery and
the grand chorus Of 10, 1000 young voices and
on instruments, Michael Hahn was installed
governor, and the reins of power passed
from military into civic hands. Gilmore
says that throughout his career he never ex-
p-'rienced such a thrill Of pleasure as on this
occasion, when he drew out Of 10000 young
southern threats the inspiring national song:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph
shall wave.
Der the land OF the free and the home Of the
brave
The loyal element Of New Orleans loaded
him down with gifts after this great fote, one
Jf the gifts being a silver goblet filed with
gold, pre4ented him at a complimentary
dlnner given him by 100 gentlemen previous
e. hi return b Boston. A few years later
h. conceived tue idea OF the great National
Pence Jubilee, % which was held in Boston:
and It's successful accomplishment was looked
upoA as something almost miraculous, ere
ating not only n national interest. but at
tracing the attention Of the civilized world.
Even Stanley stated that the news Of On
morris great Boston Jubilee found its way
[, him in the depths Of the Africa wiids,
where he was searching for Livingstone.
Three years after the first Jubilee, which
was entirely national in character, Gilmore
yearncd for a musical gathering which should
represent all nations. With this idea, he
visited the chief governments Of Europe, tho
result b ing that in 1877 Boston was again
tine center OF attraction for the eyes and ears
II all musical C~hristendom Never in the
worlds history had there been such a gather
ing Of musicians The chorus numbered
2l,0Jo voices and the great orchestra 1000
Instruments. In addition 10 these, the band
Ut the G%renaiier guards, from London. came
10 represent the British, the band of the
Gard Itepublicaine, from Paris, the French;
aud the band Of the Kaiser Franz regiment.
from Berlin, the Germans, while Johann
Strauss stood up for tho blue Danube and
Austria.
In 1873 Gilmore moved TO New York and
organized the now famous Twenty-second
Regiment hand, which, after playing for sew
cral seasons in Gilmore's garden, and max
ing many concert tours throughout the
country, even as far as San Francisco, went
to Europe. and there won the reputation OF
being one Of the finest military bands Ia the
world. The multitudes that have assembled
for the past six years around the mus
stand, under the burning sun at Manhattai.
beach, attest the power Of GilmoreS music.