the experiences of a bandmaster-第1章

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The　Experiences　of　a　Bandmaster


By　John　Philip　Sousa




During　eighteen　years　spent　in　playing　music　for　the　masses；　twelve
years　in　the　service　of　the　United　States　and　six　in　that　of　the
general　public；　many　curious　and　interesting　incidents　have　come
under　my　observation。

While　conductor　of　the　Marine　Band；　which　plays　at　all　the　state
functions　given　by　the　President　at　the　Executive　Mansion；　I　saw
much　of　the　social　life　of　the　White　House　and　was　brought　into
more　or　less　direct　contact　with　all　the　executives　under　whom　I
had　the　honor　of　successively　servingPresidents　Hayes；　Garfield；
Arthur；　Cleveland　and　Harrison。

They　were　all　very　appreciative　of　music；　and　in　this　respect　were
quite　unlike　General　Grant；　of　whom　it　is　said　that　he　knew　only
two　tunes；　one　of　which　was　〃Yankee　Doodle〃　and　the　other　wasn't！



The　President's　Embarrassing　Demand。

I　think　I　may　say　that　more　than　one　President；　relieved　from　the
onerous　duties　of　a　great　reception；　has　found　rest　by　sitting
quietly　in　the　corner　of　a　convenient　room　and　listening　to　the
music。

Once；　on　the　occasion　of　a　state　dinner；　President　Arthur　came　to
the　door　of　the　main　lobby　of　the　White　House；　where　the　Marine
Band　was　always　stationed；　and　beckoning　me　to　his　side　asked　me　to
play　the　〃Cachuca。〃　　When　I　explained　that　we　did　not　have　the
music　with　us　but　would　be　glad　to　include　it　in　the　next
programme；　the　President　looked　surprised　and　remarked：

〃Why；　Sousa；　I　thought　you　could　play　anything。　　I'm　sure　you　can；
now　give　us　the　'Cachuca。'〃

This　placed　me　in　a　predicament；　as　I　did　not　wish　the　President　to
believe　that　the　band　was　not　at　all　times　able　to　respond　to　his
wishes。　　Fortunately；　one　of　the　bandmen　remembered　the　melody　and
played　it　over　softly　to　me　on　his　cornet　in　a　corner。　　I　hastily
wrote　out　several　parts　for　the　leading　instruments；　and　told　the
rest　of　the　band　to　vamp　in　the　key　of　E　flat。　Then　we　played　the
〃Cachuca〃　to　the　entire　satisfaction　of　Mr。　Arthur；　who　came　again
to　the　door　and　said：　　〃There；　I　knew　you　could　play　it。〃

The　ladies　of　the　White　House　were　always　interested　in　the　music；
and　frequently　suggested　selections　for　the　programmes；　Mrs。　Hayes
being　particularly　fond　of　American　ballads。　　During　the　brief
Garfield　administration　there　were　no　state　receptions　or　dinners
given　by　the　President；　and　the　band　did　not　play　at　the　White
House；　except　for　a　few　of　Mrs。　Garfield's　receptions　immediately
after　the　inauguration。　　While　Mrs。　McElroy　was　mistress　of　the　
Executive　Mansion　for　her　brother；　President　Arthur；　the　lighter
music　was　much　in　favor；　as　there　were　always　many　young　people　at
the　Mansion。

Miss　Rose　Elizabeth　Cleveland　was　much　interested　in　music；　and
evinced　a　partiality　for　Arthur　Sullivan's　melodies。　Mrs。
Harrison's　favorite　music　was　Nevin's　〃Good　Night；　Beloved〃　and　the
Sousa　marches。　　The　soundness　of　Mrs。　Cleveland's　musical　taste　was
shown　by　her　liking　for　the　〃Tannhauser〃　overture　and　other　music
of　that　character。

The　Marine　Band　played　all　the　music　for　President　Cleveland's
wedding；　which　took　place　in　the　Blue　Room　of　the　White　House。　　The
distance　from　the　room　up…stairs　to　the　exact　spot　where　the
ceremony　was　to　take　place　was　carefully　measured　by　Colonel　Lamont
and　myself；　in　order　that　the　music　might　be　timed　to　the　precise
number　of　steps　the　wedding　party　would　have　to　take；　and　the　climax
of　the　Mendelssohn　〃Wedding　March〃　was　played　by　the　band　just　as
the　bride　and　groom　reached　the　clergyman。



President　Cleveland's　Veto。

A　few　days　before　the　ceremony　I　submitted　my　musical　programme　to
Colonel　Lamont　for　the　President's　approval；　and　among　the　numbers
was　a　quartet　called　〃The　Student　of　Love；〃　from　one　of　my　operas。　
Even　in　the　anticipation　of　his　happiness　Mr。　Cleveland　was　keenly
alive　to　the　opportunities　for　humorous　remarks　which　this　title
might　afford　to　irreverent　newspaper　men；　and　he　said　to　his
secretary：　　〃Tell　Sousa　he　can　play　that　quartet；　but　he　had　better
omit　the　name　of　it。〃　　Accordingly；　〃The　Student　of　Love〃　was
conspicuous　by　its　absence。

When　North　Carolina　celebrated　its　centenary；　the　Marine　Band　was
ordered　to　Fayetteville　to　participate　in　the　ceremonies。　　The
little　Southern　town　was　much　interested　in　the　advent　of　the
〃President's　Band；〃　and　the　prevailing　opinion　was　that　〃Dixie〃
would　be　tabooed　music　with　us。　　Before　the　exercises　a　local
committee　waited　upon　me　and　intimated　that　〃Dixie〃　was　a　popular
melody　in　that　vicinity。

〃Of　course；〃　said　the　spokesman；　〃we　don't　want　you　to　play　anything
you　don't　want　to；　but　please　remember；　sir；　that　we　are　very　fond
of　'Dixie'　here。〃

Bowing　gravely；　I　thanked　the　committee　for　their　interest　in　my
programme；　but　left　them　completely　in　the　dark　as　to　whether　I
intended　to　play　the　loved　song　of　the　South　or　not。


〃Dixie；〃　by　the　President's　Band。

The　ceremonies　opened　with　a　patriotic　address　by　Governor　Fowle；
lauding　the　glories　of　the　American　flag　and　naturally　the　only
appropriate　music　to　such　a　sentiment　was　〃The　Star…Spangled
Banner；〃　which　the　crowd　patriotically　cheered。

The　tone　of　the　succeeding　oration　was　equally　fervid；　but　the
speaker　enlarged　upon　the　glories　of　the　Commonwealth　whose　one
hundredth　anniversary　was　being　celebrated。　　The　orator　sat　down；
there　was　a　momentary　pause；　and　then　as　I　raised　my　baton　the
strains　of　〃Dixie〃　fell　upon　the　delighted　ears　of　the　thousands
round　the　platform。

The　unexpected　had　happened；　and　such　a　shout　as　went　up　from　that
throng　I　have　never　heard　equaled。　　Hats　were　tossed　in　the　air；
gray…bearded　men　embraced；　and　for　a　few　minutes　a　jubilant
pandemonium　reigned　supreme。　During　the　rest　of　our　stay　in
Fayetteville　the　repertoire　of　the　Marine　Band　was　on　this　order：　　
〃Yankee　Doodle；〃〃Dixie；〃　〃Star…Spangled　Banner；〃〃Dixie；〃　
〃Red；　White　and　Blue；〃〃Dixie。〃

In　all　my　experience　the　acme　of　patriotic　fervor　was　reached　during
a　reunion　of　the　Loyal　Legion　at　Philadelphia　some　years　ago。　　The
exercises　were　held　in　the　Academy　of　Music；　and　the　band　occupied
the　orchestra　pit　in　front　of　the　stage；　which　was　crowded　with
distinguished　veterans。

I　had　strung　together　for　the　occasion　a　number　of　war…songs；
bugle…calls　and　patriotic　airs；　and　when　the　band　played　them　the
martial　spirit　began　to　stir　the　people。　　As　we　broke　into
〃Marching　Through　Georgia；〃　a　distinguished…looking　old　soldier
stepped　to　the　foot…lights　and　began　to　sing　the　familiar　words　of
the　famous　song　in　a　loud；　clear　voice。　　The　entire　audience　joined
in；　and　as　the　swelling　volume　of　melody　rolled　through　the　house；
the　enthusiasm　waxed　more　intense。

Verse　after　verse　was　sung；　interrupted　with　frantic　cheers；　until
it　seemed　that　the　very　ecstasy　of　enthusiasm　had　been　reached。　　It
was　only　when　physically　exhausted　that　the　audience　calmed　down
and　the　exercises　proceeded。



A　Chorus　of　Ten　Thousand。

During　the　World's　Fair　at　Chicago　my　present　band　was　giving
nightly　concerts　in　the　Court　of　Honor　surrounding　the　lagoon。　
Onone　beautiful　night　in　June　fully　ten　thousand　people　were
gathered　round　the　bandstand　while　we　were　playing　a　medley　of
popular　songs。

Director　Tomlins；　of　the　World's　Fair　Choral　Associations；　was　on
the　stand；　and　exclaiming；　〃Keep　that　up；　Sousa！〃　he　turned　to　the
crowd　and　motioned　the　people　to　join　him　in　singing。　　With　the
background　of　the　stately　buildings　of　the　White　City；　this　mighty
chorus；　led　by　the　band；　sang　the　songs　of　the　people…〃Home；　Sweet
Home；〃　〃Suwanee　River；〃　〃Annie　Laurie；〃　〃My　Old　Kentucky　Home；〃
etc。；　and　never　did　the　familiar　melodies　sound　so　grandly
beautiful。

The　influence　of　music　to　quiet　disorder　and　to　allay　fear　is　quite
as　potent　as　its　power　to　excite　and　to　stir　enthusiasm。　　A　case　in
point　happened　at　the　St。　Louis　Exposition；　where　my　band　was
giving　a　series　of　concerts。　　There　was　an　enormous　audience　in　the
music　hall　when；　in　the　middle　of　the　programme；　every　electric
light　suddenly　went　out；　leaving　the　house　in　complete　darkness。

A　succession　of　sharp　cries　from　women；　the　hasty　shuffling　of　feet；
and　the　nervous　tension　manifest　in　every　one；　gave　proof　that　a
panic　was　probably　imminent。　　I　called　softly　to　the　band；　〃Yankee
Doodle！〃　and　the　men　quickly　responded　by　playing　the　good　old　tune
from　memory　in　the　darkness；　quickly　following　it　with　〃Dixie〃　on
my　orders。　　The　audience　began　to　quiet　down；　and　some　scattering
applause　gave　assurance　that　the　excitement　was　abating。

〃The　Star…Spangled　Banner〃　still　further　restored　confidence；　and
when　we　played　〃Oh　Dear；　What　Can　the　Matter　Be？〃　and　〃Wait　Till
The　Clouds　Roll　By；〃　every　one　was　laughing　and　making　the　best　of
the　gloom。　　In　a　short　time　the　gas　was　turned　on；　and　the　concert
proceeded　with　adequate　lighting。


In　the　desire　to　do　especial　honor　to　a　certain　foreign
representative　during　the　World's　Fair；　I　had　a　particular　piece　of
music　in　which　he　was　interested　arranged　for　my　band；　and　agreed
to　play　it　at　a　specified　concert。　　The　music　was　given　to　a　member
of　the　band　with　instructions　to　copy　the　parts　and　deliver　them　at
the　band…stand。

The　foreign　gentleman　was　present　at　the　concert　with　a　large　party
of　friends；　whom　he　had　invited　to　hear　this　particular　piece　of
music。　　When　the　librarian　asked　the　musician　for　the　parts；　he
could　not　find　them；　and　a　search　high　and　low　for　the　missing
music　was　without　avail。　　Much　to　my　chagrin；　it　was　necessary　to
omit　the　number　and　send　explanations　and　regrets　to　the　dignitary　
whom　it　was　designed　to　honor。

At　the　end　of　the　concert；　when　the　men　were　packing　to　go　home；　the
player　found　the　missing　band　parts　stuck　in　the　bell　of　his
instrument；　where　he　had　placed　them　for　safe…keeping。


In　a　little　Michigan　town　my　band　was　booked　for　an　afternoon
concert；　and　on　our　arrival　the　local　manager　assured　us　that　we
should　have　a　good　house；　although　there　was　no　advance　sale。　　He
explained　this　by　saying　that　the　townspeople　did　not　like　to　buy
their　tickets　until　the　last　minute。

The　theatre　was　on　the　second　floor　of　the　town　hall；　the　ground
floor　being　given　over　to　the　fire　department；　the　especial　pride
of　the　community。　　Twenty　minutes　before　the　concert　a　large　crowd
had　gathered　round　the　box…office　to　buy　tickets　when　the
fire…alarm　sounded；　and　the　entire　population　promptly　deserted　the
muse　of　music　and　escorted　the　engine　and　hose…cart　to　the　scene　of
action；　leaving　the　band　absolutely　without　an　audience。



A　Tuneful　Locomotive。

Once　when　we　were　playing　during　warm　weather　in　a　theatre　situated
near　a　railroad；　the　windows　were　left　open　for　ventilation。　　The
band　was　rendering　a　Wagner　selection；　and　at　the　climax　was
playing　with　increasing　force。　　The　last　note　to　be　played　was　a
unison　B　flat；　and　as　I　gave　the　sign　to　the　musicians　to　play　as
strong　as　possible　the　volume　of　sound　that　followed　fairly　
astonished　me。　　I　had　never　heard　fifty　men　play　with　such　force
before　and　could　not　account　for　it；　but　the　explanation　soon
became　manifest。　　As　the　band　ceased　playing；　the　same　note