The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-12
Marine Band Will
Play Here Tonight
in City Auditorium

Inc United States Marine band
will give a concert in the City audlto-
rum tonight, and the numbers include
everything fFesa The Beautiful Blue
Danube" to the entrance of the Gods
TO Waihalla from "Das Rheingold.
and including selections from Car
men" Such a catholicity OF taste in
program making speaks we'll not only
for the band but its leader. Lieutenant
William II. Santelman. The concert
is the first in the Radcliffe series for
the season.
The Marine band is the most fam
Gus organization of it's kind in the
country. 1t brought Sousa into the
limelight and under Lieutentnt San
lehman it is achieving a still greater
reputation.
Various stories are told of the ORR
gin of the corps. According TO some
history and a great deal of tradition.
II Is Italian. There is one story to the
effect that the Marine band was kid
mapped from Italy by Captain
Mcneil. of the American frigate Bos-
ton. The old sea captain was SO de-
lighted by the performance Of some
native musicians that he invited them
on board his ship to play, and by per-
suasions not fully recorded. prevented
them from getting ashore when he
weighed anchor. This story is not
precisely authentic, as many of the
archives which would show what be-
came OF these wandering Ministries
after they reached American shores.
were destroyed in 1s14. But there is
no doubt of the bands Italian origin.
as the official records show that II
was recruited early in the last century
by thirteen Italian musicians. who
formed the nucleus of what has bsse
come so great and famous an organ
izatton.
When the Marine corps was estab-
iished under an act of Congress APP
proved by President John Adams in
1898, the law provided for a drum and
ffe corps. sixteen drummers and six
teen afers For q long time there was
no regularly recognized leader. FRS,
one member and then another would
act as fife major. but the desire for
progress which has ever distinguished
the American spirit became manifest
in this connection and musicians were
imported from abroad to supplement
the severely martial style of instru-
ments to which the band had been
limited.
Italy provided a group OF musicians.
who soon succeeded in placing the
band on something of an artistic foot
ing. Since that day its prestige has
steadily increased until it is now one
OF the largest and most spiendidly
equipped governmental organizations
for musical performance that the
world has ever known.
1t is an object of especial American
pride and so1icitude, and it is init
mately associated with the great
events, social and official, In the ma
tional capitals life.
Lieutenant Santelman. the leader.
is a musician of broad experience and
accurate Attachments At an early
age ne studied violin in Germany.
Then he took up harmony and be-
came So fascinated with this branch
of musical study that he acquainted
himself practically with every instru-
ment employed in band or orchestra.
When Lieutenant Santelman conducts
he knows precisely what every instru-
ment should be doing, and the men
know that he knows, Under his
leadership the aggregation of men is
employed, 1t might be said, as a sim
gle instrument.
Spectacular effects of a personal or
physical nature are studiously avoid
ed Artistic effects OF the highest and
most brilliant quality are easily and
naturally attained by this band, Uncle
Sans one foster child inth domain
OF pure art.