Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1910-02-11

True, l wrote "Dixie," and made i
popular on the stage, but it was South
ern musician who arranged it for his
band and gave it to the world"
| The Southern musician is Herman
Arnold, of Memphis, cornetist, band
master, director of many Orchestras
He was the first to orchestrate 'sDixie, >
the popular vaudeville melody that
Emmett had composed IN few minutes
to fill in gap in his New York pro-
gram. 1t was played first by band
at the Inauguration of Jefferson Davis
as President of the Confederacy. And
the tale is a romantic one.
Professor Arnold was a very young
fellow then. He had been in America
with his father and two brothers only
seven years, being a native of Germany,
born near Leipsic in 1887. His orches-
ira played an engagement in Mont
gomery some time in 1859. He went
serenading one night with some of his
music-loving friends there, and because
Of this serenade met beautiful South
ern girl, and Immediately signed up for
concerts for the next year. He remain
ed after that to teach and to organize a
band, of which his orchestra was the
nucleus, and the fact that the pretty
Southern girl was still in Montgomery
had something to do, it seems, with the
musical progress of that city.
This band was known as Arnold IS
Southern American Band. 1t was the
only one in the South except the ones
in New Orleans, and the first one that
Alabama had ever had. 1t was an in
stitution that met with speedy appro-
baton. Rooms were set aside in the
State House for the practice of the band
and to be used as instruction rooms by
the young bandmaster. The Governor
and his staff dropped in to hear the
lessons and the rehearsals, and the
men of the organization were well-nlgh
to having their heads turned with
praise. Once the band went to Selma,
going by boat down the river, for there
was no railway then binding the towns
together. 1t was when the South was
in a ferment and disruption near. The
band played loved airs such, as
"Suwanee River" and the town, went
- G0,,fh
loving and music-mad in those days.
The Inauguration exercises of Jeffer-
son Davis were to be held on February
1861. The bandmaster was to furnish
music for the occasion, music for pa
rades, balls, conventions and other poll
tical rallies. There was little avalla-
BILE that was suitable. Something new
must be had for the presidential inau-
guration, anyway. The pretty South
ern girl had cap;tulated by now and
was Mrs. Arnold. To her came an in
spiration: "Mr. Arnold, why not play
Dixie for the parade ? 1t is catchy,
pretty air." 1t had been heard on the
stage at Montgomery and had appealed
to the popular taste. 1t had only been
played on piano so far
The idea seemed good. Professor
Arnold set to work arranging it for the
uses of his various band instruments,
and on sheet of paper made rough
draft of the arrangement. The band
rehearsed this, with other music, for
several days. It seemed worthy agood
place on the program. So when the
procession was formed on the morning
of February IS, 1861, at the Exchange
Hotel, to escort the President-elect,
jefferson Davis, to the State House,
shortly to become the Capitol of the
Confederacy, Arnold's band was placed
at the head, with the First Alabama
Regiment next, and as the carriage,
drawn by six gray horses, swung into
place, the band played 'sDixie." ("
And this was the first time In the
history of that most popular OF all
American ais that "Dixie" was evel
played by band, given place among
the street airs and placed in the roper.
toire of the whistling, singing, cheer
ing public.
The band played the air many time;
that day. 1t was stationed near the
steps of the State House, when Davis
standing before little table, took the
oath of office and made an address
Then slowly flag futtered to the stat
above the State House. 1t was a flag
with the tri-colors of liberty, stripes
of alternating red and white, with
cluster of white stars on blue field
Somewhere near the building cannon
doomed. The crowd turned to thu
band. sDixie Dixie ~ it cried, ant
over and over again the band playet
"Dixie.n Since then it is safe to say
that no crowd has ever heard the tun'
played through in silence. The music
is usually drowned out before the oan'
has ssturned the tune.
! Prophetic Davis, two days after nj
Inauguration, wrote his wife: IL wa
Iinaugurated here Monday, havlns
reached here on Saturday night. In
audience was large and brilliant. UP
on my weary heart was showere'
lsmiles, plaudits and flowers; but be
i vond them saw troubles and thorn
linnumerable.
The troubles came swiftly, out I'll