Francis Scala, US Marine Band Leader

In a previous post, I named Claudio S Grafulla as the leader of the Marine Band. That is incorrect, Grafulla was the leader of the 7th N.Y. Regimental Band. William Hall was kind enough to forward to me a copy of Francis Scala obituary which contained some interesting facts about Scala and the Marine Band.

Scala was born in 1819 in Naples and came to the U.S. in 1839. He went to Washington in 1842 and became the leader of the fife corps and the eventially the leader of the band when brasses were added. The band increased from 12 to 25 members under his leadership and gained a national reputation.  Scala continued as the first and only leader of the Marine band for the next 25 years. He resigned in 1871 . He died in 1903 leaving a wife and 11 children.

During the Lincoln presidency he composed for the band and at the wedding of Kate Chase to Senator Sprague at the White house , the band played two of his compositions a waltz and a polka which were dedicated to Kate Chase.

Mr. Hall has also informed me that my favorite march “Washington Grays “was written for the 8th N.Y. Regiment which wore gray uniforms. My thanks to Mr. Hall for the correction and the information about Francis Scala.

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

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?