Evening star., 1951-02-04

The attention of the public and
of musicians is so focused on the
contribution made to the music
life by renowned artists and en-
sembles that little knowledge is
had of the important work being
done in other circles. Tomorrow
night in Baltimore, graduation
exercises will be held for band
masters of the Salvation Army.
At that time, some 80 musicians
from the District, Maryland and
Virginia will receive diplomas fol-
lowing an extensive training
course by the distinguished COM
poser and arranger of band music,
Erik Leidzen.
Mr.. Leidzen's name appears in
some form on nearly all band pro-
grams. However, in all his wide
experience, rarely has he been so
enthusiastic about his efforts as
he is OF his training work with
Salvation Army musicians. The
idea started two years ago in New
York and spread to Boston, Pitts
burgh and now Washington. Dur
ing this time over $50 men have
taken the course. 1t consists of
three hours intensive study for
IL evenings and Mr.. Leidzen
makes the trip each week from
New York for this instruction.
Starts From Scratch.
Inc amazing part about these
Salvation Army men who pledge
themselves to six hours personal
study OF music each week, is that
very few of them have had previ-
Gus musical training or are Sc
lected because of any special
talent. They are assigned to this
part of the Salvation Army pro-
gram and like good soldiers, see
their duty and do it as we'll as
possible. Mr.. Leidzen says he
begins from scratch" and some
times, from less than scratch.
The first lessons are elementary
In the extreme but so we'll
planned is the course, that in no
time at all progress is so fast
that even the principles of music
arrangement can be included.
The Salvationists' ensemble is
all brass, following the British GUS
tom. The reasons for this, aa
explained by Col Wesley Bouterse,
head of the Washington group, is
that the sound of the band
reaches farther than that of the
human voice and serves as the
first requisite of the Army's work
that of attracting people to hear
its message. He calls it tool |
of our ministry" and compares it
to a voluntary church choir. So
imbued with the spiritual force of |
music and its powers of regenera-
ton was one cornetist that he
travelled an estimated 1000 miles
back and forth to attend the II
evenings of Mr.. Leidzen's course
and the graduation exercises.
The Salvation Army has
musical idiom almost totally un-
known. The basis of it is an
association of ideas. The texts |
of familiar hymns are set TO other
tunes or new words may be writ
ten for the well-known tunes.
Simplicity is the key note and
the important point Of all music
is to put over a message and I
never purely entertainment. The
army publishes its own music and
once in while will permit other
groups to use it. One instance
of this was the request of the
renowned band conductor, R. F.
Goldman, to play one of the num- |
bers at a concert by his group |
in New York. DR.. Goldman was
a regular attendant at Mr.. Leid- |
zen's Salvation Army course in
New York.
The Spirit Is the Thing. !
The music is based on three
things-to accompany the singers,
as a propaganda agent and as
part of the religious services. But.
as Col. Bouterse says, THE spirit |
is the thing" Each of the grad
uated bandmasters tomorrow
night will return to his post
Co\<op CL,ho Ioip