The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1892-11-03


the entertainment of the people few
conductors have been his equal
From a boy Mr. Gilmore had been
associated with military bands He
had had little or no experience with
the higher work of the orchestra He
was with an English band in Canada
in his boyhood and went to the sleepy
but delightful old town of Salem,
Mass, before he was 21 and organized
brass band. Salem always has been
one of the prominent musical centers
of New England, but it was too small
place for this restless, ambitious
Irishman. He soon went to Boston,
where he organized Gilmore's band,
which speedily made national repy-
tation. The new leader proved HIM
self worthy successor to Kendall.
After some short tours the war broke
out and he induced the band to go to
the field with the Twenty-fourth Mas
sachusetts regiment. Later he was
made master of all the bands in Louis
lana by Gen. Banks. After the close of
the war he was the protector of the
colossal peace jubilees held in Boston
in 1869 and 1879. These jubilees,
though they did little for music, were
conceived upon colossal scale and en-
| listed the services of some of the most
noted European bands as well as of
such musicians as Johann Strauss, Abt,
Bendel, Arabella Goddard, Parapa-
Rosa, and others. In the performance
of lighter works they were specially
| III II
present will forget the spectacle of
Strauss leading 1000 instruments
through the "Blue Danube"
waltz or of Abt conducting his
own song, "When the Swallows
Homeward Fly" with 10000 voices.
When it came to the higher music,
however, the huge aggregation of in
struments and voices was anything but
effective. Still the jubilees spread
Gilmore's name far and wide and his
reputation became international. He
improved this opportunity to make
successful foreign tour On his
return in 1873 he was
offered the leadership of the
Twenty-second Regiment band. Since
then he has travelled all over the
United States giving concerts, and his
name has become familiar as house
hold word in festivals, concerts, at sea-
side resorts and exposittons, and in
great public celebrations.
As a musician picturesque" is the
word which best describes him, and he
sometimes carried that quality into the
sensational, as when he utilized the
firing of artillery and ringing of church
bells and pounding of anvils to add
noise to his playing. He was audacious
to degree and lacked the quality of
reverence. He always looked to the
entertainment of the people, and If he
had thought it would enhance their
delight he would not have hesitated to
arrange symphony of Beethoven
with artillery to mark the rh ythm or
to have accompanied the Largo of Han.
del with anvils. This was the
secret of his popularity-his con-
slant endeavor to give the ma sses
what they wanted and to
please them at whatever cost, and he
never failed to succeed in doing it. No
leaders name was better known among
| the people, ana no leauer was more
popular. To his other qualities as
leader he added marvellous industry,
executive ability of high order, sue
,essful org anizing capacity, and the
faculty of attaching himself TO hismen
by strong and lasting personalities.
The latter Characteristic was due to his
genial, affable and diplomatic DISPOSE
ton, in which respect he was the ideal
Of the refined Irish gent leman.
Sr. LOUIS, Mo-, Sept. 26.-At meet
ing of the Gilmore Military band and
business Manager j. Fl. Lane it was
decided, with the approval of Mrs. p,
8. Gilmore, to continue the organiza-
ton under its old name, with Sergt.
Charles w. Freudenvolt as director,
and Mrs, and Miss Gilmore as pro-
prietors. The band win complete Its
engagements at the So Louis exposi-
ton under Mr. Reudenvolt, and carry
out the plans of Col, Gilmore for its
winter concert tour.