The Lambertville record., 1920-10-22
SouSa and His Band
By II. S. Virgins.


leading bands and symphony orchestras
of the world, and that from time to time
have been interested in various musi-
cal societies, and also have had con-
siderable band experience myself, I feel
that / am about qualified to give a fair
and impartial opinion, or to comment
on the artistic ability of any musical
organization, as to how near they
approach what / consider the ideal in
their respective classes. In order to
give the reader an idea of the scope of
my observations, l take pleasure in stat
ing that l have attended concerts rem
dered by the following splendid musical
organizations: The Goldman Concert
Band, United States Marine Band, Chi
cago Marine Band, Pryor's Band, Mexi-
can National Band, the Kilties' Band.
La Guarde Republicaine Band, of Paris;
the Berlin Band, Innes' Band, Liberati's
Band, Creatore's Band, Filipino Band,
Dan Godfrey's British Guards Band and
the Grenadier Guards Band of London
In addition to the above list of top
notchers, l have also enjoyed many con-
certs given by a score of the best sym
phony orchestras in the world. While
all of the above are most excellent musi-
cial organizations, and they all enjoy a
splendid patronage, nevertheless, there
must be one musical organization which
we can single out and point to it as
possessing superior merit.
l am fully alive to the fact that the
Sousa Band is a unique organization; !;
that it is in class by itself; that its
concert tours carry it to just about every
point of civilization under the sun; that
its coming is always hailed with delight
everywhere, and that it has played to
and pleased more of the music-loving
public than any other musical organiza-
tion in existence. l am much pleased
to state that / have had the extreme
pleasure of enjoying the playing of this
Incompatible band at nearly every i'm
portant point from Manhattan Beach
to the Mississippi River. also had the
pleasure of meeting Mr.. Sousa num-
ber of years ago, when he was on tour.
I very well remember the first time that
l had the privilege of attending Sousa
concert. 1t was back in 1897, at the
old Harlem Opera House, New York
City. 1 can recall two of the numbers
on the program: Overture, Carnival
Romaine," and the "Second Hungarian
Rhapsody" That was not the first time
that I had heard these two selections
played, but it was the first time that l
discovered the real beauty in then-the
first time that had heard concert rem
dered by band whose personnel was
made up entirely of artists. The playing
by the band and Mr.. Sousa's style of
conducting simply captivated me. The
program was of generous length, but it
being the first Sousa concert that l
ever had attended it was not long enough
for me. | wanted more, more, more
The music made an indescribable impress
sion on me. The mastery technique of
the stick was always evident. Mr.
Sousa's every movement was crystallized
into bewitching melody or unique effects
by the members of his band.
The alluring harmony, the faultless
unison, the thrilling crescendos, the pur-
ity and delicacy of the pianissimo move
ments and the power of the fortissimo
strains simply enthralled me, so to
speak, and | have been an ardent ad-
mirer of the Sousa Band ever since.
Good music is one of the things that
make life worth living; it has an uplift-
ing tendency; it causes one to forget
the grind of every day life. The more
we hear of the better things of life the
more it takes to satisfy us, but Sousa
is the best panacea of which l have any
knowledge, and his generosity is not
equaled by any other bandmaster. By
actual count l have known him to play
fourteen encores at a single concert.
Sousa will play an extra in the time
that many conductors will be splitting
the air bowling to ther audience.
ra1 oh roOnaxrsc
worth-that's the way you feel when
thoroughly appreciate good music, and
craving for it-a craving that's got to
be satisfied through the best available
channels.
Some years ago a rumor was current
that Mr.. Sousa once discovered an old
organ-grinder playing in front of the
Grand Central Station, New York City.
He was playing at a very slow tempo,
and Mr. Sousa discovered that it was his
own Washington Post March" that was
being murdered. The story goes that
Mr.. Sousa approached the organ-grinder
and taking hold of the crank of the ma
chine replayed the march, at lively
tempo reminding the organ-grinder that
that was the proper way to play a
march. Next day the organ-grinder
appeared at his favorite stand and de-
cided that he would do bit of adver-
tising for himself, and when he played
the Sousa march he displayed large
card bearing the following: Washing
ton Post March, arranged by Sousa and
played by student of Sousa."
On Sunday night, September 26th last,
the Sousa Band gave an anniversary con-
cert at the New York Hippodrome, it
being exactly twenty-eight years since
Mr.. Sousa organized his band, which
was quite a success from the start, soon
became popular and a little later devel-
oped into the best, and has for many
years enjoyed the honor of being the
most popular and famous musical organ
ization in existence. Mr.. Sousa had his
band augmented to 100 performers for
the anniversary concert. The monster
Hippodrome was crowded to capacity.
There was an ovation for the 'March
King" now a lieutenant-commander,
when he appeared on the stage, and at
the end of the fifth number Mr.. John
Fulton, secretary of the Musicians Club,
stepped upon the stage and paid glow
ing tribute to Mr.. Sousa. About the
same time large wreaths and flowers
were brought on the. stage from both
sides and presented to the March
King" Sousa was literally buried be-
hind them. Every one in the great
ampitheatre rose and cheered loud and
long, and, to complete the climax,