The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-02-21
Concert Next Sunday Mt 4 D. m.

can Legion Concerts Is evidenced by
the fact that every Sunday afternoon
since the last concert from so to rs
people have come to the Opera House
hoping that they could hear another,
and these people have stayed and lis
tened to the rehearsals in the band
room.
The next concert will be next Sum
day, the oath. at p. m. and as the
program is to feature selections of
Names greatest band musician, r. B.
Hall, the New England March King,
the Independent Reporter has re-
quested an intimate friend and fellow
musician of Mr.. Hall, II. J. Libby of
Waterville. for an appreciation of his
musical life, and Is incorporating 1t in
this article. It likely is not generally
known that Halls famous De Molay
March was written for and dedicated
to De Molay Commandery, knights
Templar of Skowhegan. Halls Mill
tary Band of Wateryille was the fin
est band in Maine and frequently
played in Skowhegan and Hall, him
self frequently played cornet solos in
concerts here. He had formed many
friendships with Skowhegan Knight
Templars, and so when his band was
engaged to accompany De Molay
Commandery on its pilgrimage to
Moosehead Lake in 1901, he promised
Eminent Commander Joseph p. Oak
that he would compose and dedicate
to De Molay a new march for the oc
casion. This march is probably the
most famous march of its kind in the
IL , ..1a x.h ho 40
play martial music This famous
composition will be played Sunday by
Skowhegan Citizens Band. So many
people have asked who are the men,
bers of the band that we are here
giving the list;
Arthur b. Plummer, director; cor
nets, Merle Corson, Harry Libby, Al
ton Roite, Thurman Cole, Francis
Croteau, Forrest Furbush; trombones,
Walter Clark, Herbert Spear, Archie
Conant, Alton Whittemore, Herbert
Hilton. Warren Conant; B. B. Base,
Willard E. Kincaid, Thos. Fox. Jos.
Bovine; bass drum, Miltons Wash
burn; snare drum and traps, Walter
Eames; snare drum and bells. Jack
jenkins Jr.; alto, Harold Priest, c. A.
Z lO0ht w JOnESs w III ~ AL
dpews clarinets Franklin A. Marsh,
Vernon Perse, Martin Osberg, Ken
meth Woodbury.; baritone, Frank Mer-
rill; Eb Saxaphone, VIM. Sibald; Eb
Saxaphone and piccolo Jack Jenkins
r. B. HALL
r. B. Hall spent the first part of
his life in Richmond, Maine. He be-
gan the study of the cornet at an
early age and made rapid advance
ment. He obtained his first practical
experience in local bands and the
later played his first professional en-
.gagement in Boston. Walter Emer
son, the famous eornetist was soloist
with this band and from him Mr.. Hall
got many ideas of style and express
sion which later made him famous.
Shortly after the close of this engage
ment he went to Bangor, where he
was given the leadership of the Ban
gor band and where he also played
in the theatre. under the direction of
MEL Andrews. His genial manner
and wonderful 'cornet playing made
him the idol of the music loving pub
lie and they presented him with
beautiful gold cornet which was his
favorite instrument up to the time
of his death. 1t was here that he
wrote his first marches, selling them
for a small sum. practically giving
them away. These marches i'm
mediately caught the favor of the
musical public They sold by the
thousands and were played all over
the country "De Molay Red Men and
Sentinel" leaped into fame at once.
Could Mr.. Hall have foreseen the pop
ularity and the long continued sale
of these marches and secured as small
a royalty as five cents a copy, he
would have amassed fortune of no
mean figure. but as it was the pub
fishers reaped the reward. On his
removal to Waterville where he as
samed the leadership of the Water
Vile Military Band. his marches were
published by publishing company on
a royalty basis and he Jared better
financially but the first great sue
cesses netted him but paltry fifteen
or twenty dollars apiece.
r. b. Halls fame as march writer
is country wide. yes even world wide,
for wherever bands play there his
marches are heard, but his ability as
a cornetist does not receive the at
tention it deserves. He was unsur-
passed. His wonderful tone (de
scribed by one of his friends as "an
intensity of tone'') and his mastery of
any articulation possible for the cor
net place him in the opinion of those
who were fortunate enough to hear
him when he was at his best as one
of the foremost artists of his time or
any other time, past, present, or flu
ture His playing was done prac-
tically with one hand as one arm was
so weak that he could make but very
little use of 1t.
Perhaps the success of his marches
Is due to the fact that he was a ma
tura harmonist. He cast all the
cut and dried rules of harmony to one
side and wrote to suit himself! He
was fiercely attacked by theorists but
most of these theorists are forgotten
or dead and r. D. Halls marches still
ike.
Now as to the question of compari-