Trained bands

“ The London trained bands, under Skippon, received their baptism of blood in Newbury marsh and meadows, where they were drawn up, with the cavalry on the flanks. Rupert was seconded that day by some of the boldest and fiercest cavalrymen in the Royal armies; and he poured them again and again, a raging flood of foaming horse and men, upon the Parliamentarians. Pressing up to the very edge of flashing pike-points, with desperate stroke and thrust, and discharge of pistols, the gallant cavaliers strove to reach the sturdy Londoners ”

“ Booth answered, "That he supposed they were both together, and they should find them by and by." "What!" cries the lady in the blue domino, "are you both come upon duty then with your wives? as for yours, Mr. Alderman," said she to the colonel, "I make no question but she is got into much better company than her husband's." "How can you be so cruel, madam?" said the shepherdess; "you will make him beat his wife by and by, for he is a military man I assure you." "In the trained bands, I presume," cries the domino, "for he is plainly dated from the city." ”

“ The whole kingdom will be at once eased of that ridiculous feather-cap's expense of militia and trained-bands, which serve for little else but to justify the picking the peoples' pockets, with an annual tax of trophy-money, and every now and then putting the city of London and parts adjacent, to ten thousand pound charge, to beat drums, and shoot muskets, for nothing ”

“ Laying their hands on whatever ammunition they could find, and summoning their friends by drums belonging to the trained bands, they proceeded to attack the mansion of the unpopular mayor. Whilst a messenger was hurrying off to Fairfax for military aid, the mayor, the sheriffs and the Committee of Militia had to repel as best they could the attacks of the mob, who kept firing through the windows of the lord mayor's house. ”

“ In fact, many an ordinary military band might well take a lesson from them in the grace and point with which they play, and also in the perfect tune and delicacy of tone of all their instruments—virtues that are not common to boys’ bands; extreme roughness, want of tune and tone, and total absence of grace or expression, being the usual failings of juvenile players. That the Vernon band is carefully taught, and trained with the utmost care and skill, there can be little doubt ”

“ What is more thrilling than a fine brass band? There’s something about a band that sets hearts pounding and pulses racing.
Band music stirs all ages. Young and old pour into the streets to see and hear a band. Mothers with babies in their arms and wide-eyed youngsters clinging to their skirts, line the sidewalks. Small boys run to keep pace with the drummer, then with shoulders back and stomachs stuck out, they proudly march beside them. Old men lift heads high, women’s eyes are tear-filled as the band brings sad memories. ”

“ Troops will step faster and march for a longer time to the rhythm of a drum than to any other way of keeping time. What is more stirring than the heavy, measured boom-boom-boom of the bass drum, the rhythmic clatter of the snare drum and the great blasts of tone from the huge, wide-mouthed horns?
In the beginning American military band music mainly consisted of the shrill tones of the fife paced by the rattle of the snare drums with their vibrating snares. ”

“ The influence of band music on the fighting man’s morale has been recognized since historians began to write. A band, especially a military band, may inspire courage, a wish to fight or a will to win. It beats the rhythm for marching feet and gives a tune for whistling. ”

“ Since that long-ago day when Joshua commanded his seven high priests—probably the first seven-piece [12] wind band—to blow their rams’-horn trumpets as they marched seven times around the walled city of Jericho, countless marches have been played. And the walls still “come tumbling down” in hearts that thrill to band music.
Down through the ages the band, in its development, has sounded the call to arms and played the hymns of peace. In years gone by the music of the band led the townsfolk to the village green. Today the concert bands draw thousands of people to the public parks. ”

“ Edwin Franko Goldman. “They are manifestations of a popular musical culture which finds in them an expression of something not provided by any other type of concert organization. Most important, they are a form of local, or regional, or national organization fulfilling a genuine community need and serving a genuine community interest....
“The band has introduced many people to music—both listeners and performers. A band plays for the masses with mixed tastes. It is close to the people, bringing many into firsthand contact with live music.” ”

“ When Commander Brendler took over the leadership [32] of the U. S. Navy Band he began to work on his theory that the band should play all types of music for all kinds of people. He increased the organization to one hundred members, and he also formed a number of different units within it. Most of these players are accomplished symphony orchestra performers and a dozen or more are recognized soloists. The Navy Band contains a complete symphony orchestra; a modern “swingphonette” which plays equally well light opera or the latest “bebop”; and small groups for dances or concert programs. ”

“ While the United States Army Band was the only major service music organization to tour the combat area during World War II, it must be pointed out that such an experience and its unceasing companion, mental, physical, and spiritual discomforts seem glamorous to the men only in retrospect. ”

“ Most boys who have begun their music study with the band make it a hobby in later life, and many choose it as their lifetime profession. Composers, arrangers and music publishers have come from this Farm and Trades School Band, while many other former players have become valued members of symphony orchestras, opera and theater orchestras and nationally-famous concert bands. ”

“ Before many months had passed Commissioner Railton found a number of instrumental players among his members. Instruments were collected, a brass band was assembled to inspire the people and “banding”—the Salvation Army’s word for it—began in America. Songs had a great influence in this religious campaign, especially when accompanied by a good brass band. The rhythmic, catchy tunes were carried to the watching crowd and many an unsavory barrage of stale eggs or tomatoes was stopped by the strains of the music. ”

“ The young men form themselves into bands to the number of twenty to thirty, called the reed band—reeds from six to eight feet in length with holes similar to the flute, but held upright in front of each musician—forming a circle like our military bands, and perform tunes. The women and children walk round on the outside singing and clapping hands in time to the music. This performance generally begins about sundown, and is kept up for several hours. ”

“ McAllister was not a University man; he never graduated from a music school, never had a doctor’s nor a master’s degree. Yet he created one of the greatest high school bands in the world and was known and loved by millions of young Americans.
[178] As We Go Marching On
And so they have all marched—the military bands, Sousa, Gilmore, Pryor, Conway, the town and community bands, and the college and school bands. They have marched right into the hearts of the people, young and old, rich or poor, from Maine to California. ”

“ With the extensive program of concerts, radio and recording engagements, dances, football pageants, as well as the many regular functions in which the college bandsmen take part, a wealth of opportunity is given a college student interested in gaining experience in music. ”

“ Finally Captain Curry enrolled more than one hundred of America’s finest bandsmen in the United States Army Band. They represent a large cross section of colleges, universities, symphony orchestras and many name dance bands, as well as almost every important American music school. Even the American Indian is represented by a full-blooded member of the Onondaga tribe. While at the very heart of the organization is a small and respected group of men remaining from the original “Pershing’s Own” Band. ”

“ The shrill, noisy brass bands of early days have been supplanted by fine symphonic bands. Master instrument makers have invented a variety of new band instruments capable of producing many novel and artistic effects. Gifted musicians are composing and arranging music especially suited to these various instruments. The band has proved its worth and earned its right to the large place which it now occupies in our American way of life. A band is a necessary part of every community. ”

“ In our own country neither the Puritans nor the Quakers of New England’s early days would allow the use of musical instruments. But the German and Swedish colonists brought their music with them to this country.
The first band in New York City consisted of four sturdy Dutch citizens who played the trumpet, flute, violin and drum. They gave a free concert every Saturday afternoon at Bowling Green to crowds of one hundred or more people. This was in the 1630’s. A few years later seven younger, better-looking men made up a rival band. They played louder and became more popular. ”

“ Of course, we must not cherish unbridled musical ambitions, because a full band means forty pieces, and on that establishment we should require even now a very large number of bandsmen. But I think it might be possible to provide drums and fifes for every battalion, full bands at depots, and a proportion of battalion bands at half or even one-third establishment. ”

“ During World War I band music was very popular. Everyone—soldiers, sailors and civilians—wanted music, and the government gave them good music. Outstanding Navy bandleaders directed the finest talent obtainable in playing the music that everyone loved to hear. There were Sousa’s thrilling marches and there were songs that inspired courage and gave cheer—Over There, Smiles, Keep The Home Fires Burning and dozens of others. In this period, America’s noted “March King,” John Philip Sousa, took over the leadership of the Great Lakes Navy Band and made it a world-famous organization. ”

“ Bandsmen always keep on at their regular schedule of musical business, even in wartime unless engaged in battle. Rehearsals are held in the morning, concerts on deck at noon for the crew, and concerts for the officers in the evening. The band plays at all ceremonies. It plays colors when the ship is lying in port, plays at Sunday morning church services on the ship and also for a Sunday evening concert. ”

“ I therefore urged that the commanding officers be impressed with the fact that the primary object of the band is not to fight, but to cheer the fighters, and the better their music, the greater its beneficial effects upon the spirit of the soldiers, and that therefore all bandsmen should be compelled to devote at least five or six hours every day to the practice of their instruments and to rehearsals, and that other duties should be made subsidiary to their musical work and should not be of a character to unfit them for a proper performance on their respective instruments. ”

“ The United States is today’s greatest musical nation, and bands have played a great part in developing and spreading the love and understanding of music among young and old in this country. A band is a strong music educational force; a school or college band has the widest opportunity in the world to personally convey music to the people. ”

“ The small-town band is a distinctly American tradition, one of those we often associate with “the good old days.” But today’s municipal bands are directly descended from those town bands, good or bad as they may have been. Colonel George Howard, leader of the Army Air Force Band, says, “Town bands were organized and conducted by men who had a real love for music, organizational ability, and community spirit. We must never underestimate the tremendous job they did in helping to elevate the plane of American culture.” ”

“ It was unfortunately quite possible that the members of the football club had pawned the instruments, intending, of course, to redeem them when the club funds permitted.
“I'm sorry for you.” said Hinde. “It's awkward for you losing your drums and things just now, with this demonstration of yours advertised all over the place. You'll hardly be able to hold the demonstration, will you?”
“The demonstration will be held,” said O'Farrelly firmly.
“Not without a band, surely. Hang it all, O'Farrelly, a demonstration is no kind of use without a band. It wouldn't be a demonstration. ”

“ The brass bands, with which travelers' ears are regaled everywhere in the country, are composed of this part of the population. It is no uncommon thing to see bands composed entirely of young boys, from twelve to eighteen years, who render the music in such a manner that a master from the Old World would find but little to criticise and much to commend. ”

“ The horses seemed to be crossing their slender legs to the beat of the music, and at each boom of the drums they reared gracefully.
But Johnny’s father didn’t know that Merle Evans, bandmaster of the Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey Circus, was keeping his third eye on the waltzing, glossy-coated horses and directing his band to follow them. Merle says that he uses three eyes during performances—one to watch his music and one to glance at his players, but the third one never misses anything that goes on under the Big Top.
Actually, horses learn to dance without music. ”