Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-01-31
Sgashlnatun Staudara
HOW S0CSA CAPITULATED,
And Resigned the White House
Band for one of His own.

Great Musical Organization" the Cos
moDolHdn Magazine for August gives a
history Of the inducements held out to
John Philip Sousa to give mp the
United States Marine Band and form
IA more brilliant organization OF his
own. From this article we make the
following extract:
1t is fortunate fact that MIR. Sousa
finally responded favorably to the rosy
pictures presented to his consideration
by Mr.. Blakely, and that, in almost
less time than it takes to tell it, he
had resigned his government connec-
ton, and was at the head of perhaps
the most skillful array OF band musi-
clans ever congregated in the country.
They comprised dozen OF the dead
Gilmores favorite artists, several mem
bers of the Thomas and Seidl orches-
tras. and skilled soleists from the ia
nous organizations of England, Ger
many and France. AS individual mu-
sicians, every member is an accom-
plished soloist, and in ensemble play
ing the long, painstaking, exacting
drill they have received has resulted in
perfection as gratifying to their
reader as it is delightful to the public.
The recognition OF the excellence
of the new organization was instantan-
eous. Triumph after triumph imme-
diately rewarded it. 1t was at once
selected by Theodore Thomas to fur
nish, with his own orchestra, the
music for the opening of the Worlds
Fair. 1t was rendered by him an en-
gagement for the entire season at
that great exposition. 1t instantly
succeeded TO Gilmore's great annual
engagements at Manhattan Beach, at
the Madison Square Garden, and at
the st. Louis Exposition. It was
summoned to the California Midwin.
ter Fair, and between these and its
concert tours, it is giving, during the
present year beginning with February
Oath and ending with the winter holi.
days., series of ten months of daily
concerts-the longest continuous sea.
son of the kind known to musical his.
tory.
The musicians of the country have
been as quick to acknowledge the 81.
periority Of this great organization as
the managers, the press, and the pub
lie. Prof. w. s. B. Mathews, the dis
tinguished musical author and critic
commenting in his magazine, Music
upon the performances of the band at
the Worlds Fair, declared: "Sousa's
Band stands at the head. 1t is as
much alone as the Boston Symphony
Orchestra under Gericke was alone, or
the Chicago Exposition Orchestra
under Thomas was alone. To me it
seems that Sousa has attained q
standard of finished and sympathetic
intelligence such as have never be-
fore recognized in a military band"
Equally pronounced have been the
expressions, over their own sigma
lures, of such distinguished musicians
and composers as Dudley Buck, Alex
ander Lambert (the head OF the New
York Conservatory of Music), Homer
N. Bartlett, Bruno Oscar Klein,
Robert Thallon, and many Others. As
for the press of the country, it is a
unit in placing the band at the head,
in the position it has earned. The
New York Herald declared, after its
first concert, that cit is new sensa-
ton to hear such music from a mill.
tary band" The Chicago papers
fairly mourned its necessary departure
from the Worlds Fair. The Herald oil
that city said: "One blast from
Sousa's band was worth more to the
Exposition than all the other organi.
cations the management could furnish
in a year." And again: "Those re-
maing bands draw about as many peo
pie to their stands in a week, as Sousa
used to play to every afternoon"
The San Francisco papers testified
with one accord that the coming Of
Sousa instantly and greatly increased
the numbers in attendance at the
Midwinter Fair. 1t is, further, cor.
daily conceded by the citizens OF st
Louis that Sousa's Band is the pre-.
vailing factor in the continued success
of that most prosperous of local expo.
sitions; and as for Manhattan Beach
no unprecedented observer can refrain
from testifying that, combined with
the admirable management, and ma.
tural attractions which distinguish the
place, Sousa and his band are. what
the people flock to hear and see.
As for Sousa himself, he is an un.
commonly busy man. Between his
exacting duties as leader and the
public's demand for his compositions
his time is completely occupied. Be
sides his recent new marches, the
Manhattan Beach" and Liberty
Bell" he has just finished an opera
for DeWolf Hopper, and the PLEASANT.
est fact in this connection is that the
revenue from his compositions nets
him q considerable fortune every year
and Mr.. Hopper is 80 enthusiastic over
his newly completed opera, that he
declares, with the utmost earnestness,
that Sousa's royalties from its produc.
ton will assuredly make him rich.
OF course, its great success is pecu.
1iarlv gratifying IN the creators nj