Regimental Bands, they came in all sizes, big and small

Civil War Regimental Bands came in all sizes and the size of the the band did not automatically dictate whether the band was good or bad musically.

For the most part, Confederate Bands were usually smaller because of manpower requirements and the need for instruments. Many confederate Bands consisted of as few as five or six musicians playing instruments they had picked up from defeated or captured Union Bands. An exception to this was the Stonewall Brigade Band of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Brass choirs of instruments existed in the south before the war with the Moravian Brass choirs. Their musicianship was unpareleled in the 1850s. Other confederate bands of less than ten members probably lacked the polish of the "Stonewall" band.

At the beginning of the war and throughout, Union bands were larger and perhaps better equipped to handle the duties of a Regimental or Brigade Band, with individuals assigned to the task. Many of the bands had a "Regimental march or quickstep" that was composed excusively for their regiment, and in many cases these marches or quicksteps were complex and difficult to perform, requiring a more advanced degree of musicianship.

Union Regimental and Brigade Bands consisted of from twelve to as many as twenty four musicians. The larger bands might also have one or two woodwinds.

Field music was an important part of a Civil War soldiers life and was recognized as such by the officers who took extra measures to provide it.

Abraham Lincoln and the Brodhead Brass Band

2009 will be a very special time in American history. It will be the bicentennial year of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. We know that Lincoln loved music, that he was a terrible dancer, and that he was fond of the ladies. We can picture the ungainly Lincoln on the dance floor, all arms and legs attempting a polka or waltz and the very tall Lincoln and the very short Mary Todd together on the dance floor.

Of all of the bands that Lincoln must have heard, only the 1st Brigade Band remains active today. It existed before the Civil War as the Brodhead Brass Band and during Lincoln’s debates with Douglas, the small brass band from Brodhead, Wisconsin, traveled south across the Illinois border to play at the debates. The Brodhead band became the 3rd Wisconsin Infantry Band and then the 1st Brigade Band. Undoubtedly, Lincoln heard it play several times. We know that he heard it as the Brodhead Band at the debates with Douglas.

It may astound some people that the present day band actually has at least two horns that Lincoln heard play. One is an E flat alto that was used at the debates. The other is an OTS baritone used by the 1st Brigade Band during several troop reviews that Lincoln attended.

During the upcoming bicentennial celebration year of Lincoln’s birth, the band will undoubtedly be busy with concerts, balls, and historic presentations. Make plans now to engage the band for your Lincoln celebration in 2009. They have programs for all sorts of occasions. See their promotional film clip on this website and contact Dave Woolpert or Ed Pierce for more information.

Civil War Composers, who was the best? Who is your favorite?

This is a subject I always wanted to comment, so here goes.

My candidate for the best composer of music for Civil War bands is Claudio S Grafulla. For those out there who hav’nt heard his name, he composed “Washington Grays” I always theorized that his lady love was stolen away by an Eb cornet player and he found this way of retaliating. The music for an Eb cornet player on the march in Washington Grays is brutal. Add to that that the typical Civil Was band had only 1 or perhaps 2  Eb cornets and you can appreciate that when playing Washington Grays on the march, the Eb cornet player was a very busy guy!

I can remember as a H.S. bandsman in the 50s, when in a band competition, the judges always trotted out Washington Grays as a “sight reading” test, and it always evoked groans of pain from the cornet section.

Some non musician types think John Phillip Sousa composed during the Civil War. NOT TRUE! John Phillip was a lad of 4yrs at the time and can be seen on pictures of the U.S. Marine Band at the side of his father, who played Trombone.  John Phillip continued in the path started by Claudio S Grafulla.

Any other examples out there of Civil War Band composers?

Battle of the Bands July 2006

Two bands of Civil War vintage instruments play in competition across the Canon River then join forces for “Home Sweet Home.” First Brigade Band from Wisconsin and 26th North Carolina Regimental Band based in Baltimore both played during the Vintage Band Festival held in Northfield, Minnesota during July 2006. Dr. Paul Niemisto of St. Olaf College was the organizer.

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