Abstract
Historical scholarship in both professional and school bands in America has been uneven and too often neglected over the years. In The Golden Age of American Bands, A Document History (1835 – 1935), author Bryan Proksch has provided an extraordinary boost with his compilation of documents covering major developments of American bands. From the origins of the first brass bands in the 1830s to the arrival of Frederick Fennell at the Eastman School of Music in 1935, this chronologically-organized source book helps readers develop an understanding of how bands became a unique cultural force in America. He tells this story through the original documents and first-person accounts of the times.
Each of the seven chapters contains a range of document types to cover key developments with a special effort to include writings by as many major figures as could be located. In doing this we become witness to “essays, interviews, personal and business correspondence, diaries, poems, etc.,” preserved in the original (judiciously edited) wordings. There was a conscious effort by the author to seek out the lesser known, more obscure documents, thus avoiding the more easily-located materials. Perhaps the most appreciated part of the text is that each of the entries is prefaced with a succinct reader’s guide of sorts to explain the context and potential idiosyncrasies.
The first chapter, “Beginnings (1835-1859),” examines the influence of the Dodworths and Antoine Jullien. The development of band instruments and whether to include them in the ensemble are topics as well. Chapter two, “The Civil War (1860-1865),” provides first-person perspectives from both Union and Confederate sides. In chapter three, “The Jubilees (1866-1879),” the book revisits Patrick Gilmore’s influence on the nascent town band movement and his World Peace Jubilees.
Chapters four and five, “The Gilded Age (1880-1896) “and “The Band Age (1897-1914)” confirm the band as an American cultural presence. It is established that, in Gilmore’s words, “Bands shall be King and Orchestras Queen.” Instrumentation becomes standardized, professional bands flourish, town bands thrive, school bands are born, and Sousa reigns. There are documents regarding the contributions of “Ladies’ Bands,” band pedagogy, the unique life of a professional band musician, and the culture of the circus band. The competitive nature of the musician becomes evident and we learn what Victor Herbert really thinks of John Philip Sousa’s conducting. A maturing cultural hierarchy in musical America as identified by Lawrence Levine in his book Highbrow/Lowbrow is apparent. 1
In chapter six, “World War I (1915-1919),” and the final chapter, “Transition and Decline (1920-1935),” the pros and cons of ragtime (jazz) in band programming and contributions of African-Americans including James Reese Europe are presented. The business of bands, from marketing to instrument manufacturing to publishing to negotiations with employers is examined via these primary source materials, again, accompanied with Proksch’s astute prefatory remarks. We learn how bandmaster and composer Karl King really feels about one, Edwin Franko Goldman, as Goldman hits the road as the “new march king,” succeeding the recently deceased Sousa. There are also several appraisals regarding the relationship between the rising school band movement and the declining professional band market. Finally, Proksch provides room for some humor (“The only beer that should be tolerated in the band-room on a practice night is Meyerbeer.” p. 106).
Undoubtedly one of the most useful features of this book is the listing of periodical sources. An astonishing number of trade journals, pamphlets, magazines, and the like relating to American bands and band music was published during the period relevant in this text. Forty-five of these sources were listed in an appendix in an annotated format. This is a valuable tool for researchers as dates of publication and where to find these resources are described as well as their content and scope. I know of no other source that includes such a list.
Quibbles are few: The quality of photographs accompanying the text is below standard. Also, footnotes rather than endnotes would have been a welcomed convenience for the reader. In general, this book succeeds as a significant survey of the development of the American band during its most robust age. It also acts as a valuable resource for those seeking historical research ideas and techniques. While reading, I found myself thinking, “hmmm, we really do have a gap in our knowledge of this area.” Finally, it is an interesting and worthwhile read for band aficionados or anyone wishing to deepen their understanding of American band history.