The Salvation Army Band
In Three Colts Lane in an old wool-shedGlory, Hallelujah!We frighten the living and raise the dead,Sing Glory, Hallelujah,Shout Glory, Hallelujah!And while the rats were running round,The boys and girls Salvation found.
In Three Colts Lane in an old wool-shedGlory, Hallelujah!We frighten the living and raise the dead,Sing Glory, Hallelujah,Shout Glory, Hallelujah!And while the rats were running round,The boys and girls Salvation found.
In Three Colts Lane in an old wool-shed
Glory, Hallelujah!
We frighten the living and raise the dead,
Sing Glory, Hallelujah,
Shout Glory, Hallelujah!
And while the rats were running round,
The boys and girls Salvation found.
William Boothbegan the work of his Christian Mission in the poorest slums of London in 1865. He had determined to preach the Gospel to the masses of people who were not members of any church. The beginning was hard. Rough crowds gathered along the streets, shouting, yelling, pelting Booth and his followers with stones, mud or old vegetables. Many times the ‘Salvationists’ were forced to don clean uniforms before taking their places in their meeting.
But Booth and his workers were brave and persistent. They soon realized that singing, even when occasionally aided by a cornet, tambourine or drums, was not suitable music to lead their crusade. In England in that period, brass bands were at the peak of their popularity. Fortunately, just at that time—1878—the Fry family, a group of successful instrumentalistswere converted to Booth’s cause. They offered the services of their brass quartette, and soon a brass band became a necessary part of the Salvation Army.
It was a wise choice. Trumpet tones and drum beats could silence an unruly mob, and also carry the hymn tunes far and wide over the crowd. Not only could a band play effectively in the open air, but the players were able to carry the instruments and march as they produced the music.
The Christian Mission was reorganized in a military fashion. The name was changed to the Salvation Army with General Booth at the head. The Salvation Army brass bands began to multiply rapidly.
In 1880 George Scott Railton, an officer in General Booth’s Salvation Army, arrived in New York from London. With him came seven fine, wholesome-looking young women to aid in bringing Christianity to the poor, down-and-out slum dwellers in America’s greatest city.
This small group of Salvationists was well aware of the valuable help given by band instruments in their work. But on this first appearance in the Bowery they had to depend on their voices alone. The little company had sailed across the Atlantic in the steerage where there was no room for their trumpets, drums and other instruments. Bravely they marched along the street singing hymns set to the tunes of the popular songs of those days.
The words ofAll Around the World the Salvation Army Rollswere sung to the tune ofOld Black Joe.What a Friend We Have in Jesuswas fitted to the tender melody ofIn the Gloaming. These and many other touching songs brought numerous converts from among the listeners.
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.
As a “militant religious” order, the Salvation Army naturally follows the military-like rules and regulations issued by the International Headquarters in London. These rules apply to bands as all band members are required to belong to the Salvation Army. They must obey all regulations pertaining to their habits, their personal living, religious beliefs, wearing of the uniforms and their support of the organization.
The Salvation Army Band’s top man is the bandmaster who is responsible for all the music produced by the organization. He chooses the band members after each one has been carefully investigated by the Salvation Army authorities. The bandmaster also trains his group, and conducts the rehearsals and concerts.
The bandleader, or band Sergeant, conducts the religious services for the band members only. He isresponsible for their spiritual welfare. It is he who gives the bandsmen advice, counsel and discipline. According to an unwritten law, each bandsman—unless previously released by an acceptable excuse—attends every rehearsal and engagement throughout the entire year.
The officers of the Salvation Army are chosen from the soldiers in the ranks, who have had a high school education. They receive nine months’ training in one of the four Salvation Army Schools. This is a varied course which even includes instruction in how to choose a wife or a husband. No officers are permitted to marry anyone not in the Salvation Army, nor without the consent of their superior officers. Army wives always hold the same rank as their husbands.
Cadets, in addition to their other courses, learn to play several musical instruments, including the accordion, euphonium, trumpets and trombones. They are graduated as a probationary Lieutenant. After one year of correspondence study—still on strict probation—they are given the commission of 2nd Lieutenant and the standing of ordained ministers of the Gospel. Their training continues through various ranks: 1st Lieutenant, Captain, Major, in staff as Brigadier, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Lieutenant Commissioner to Commissioner.
The Salvation Army bands are in three different grades. The top-ranking ones are the various Headquarters Staff Bands, all well-trained, expert musicians. The Corps bands come second—there are many of them—more bands of this class than in any othermusical organization in the world except school bands. One night each week band rehearsal is held in each Corps hall and all the youngsters in the neighborhood gather there, welcome to listen and learn. Many Corps bands hold a summer camp, two weeks or more, for young musicians who are anxious to play in a band.
The third band group is selected from the young people of the Salvation Army with fully 18,000 members. These youth organizations are feeders for the Corps bands. Many young musicians have been helped by this organization. When a boy, Harry James—the famous trumpeter—played in a Salvation Army band in Texas. George Paxton also took his early instruction on the cornet in a Salvation Army boy’s band in Newark, New Jersey.
No members of a Salvation Army receives any salary for his services. James Petrillo once asked a bandsman in a street corner Salvation Army band “What union do you belong to?” “The Union of God,” the player answered. Petrillo made no reply but threw a coin on the drum as he passed on.
The Salvation Army in the United States is divided into four territories and each has a music secretary who directs all the musical activities in his section. At present, these officers and their territories are as follows:
There are approximately 700 large, all-brass Salvation Army bands in this country. These are among the most outstanding:
The International Staff Band at the Headquarters in London is perhaps the most widely-known of these Salvation Army bands. Many prominent official positions and men of noted various professions may be found playing beside a music-loving laborer or some one in a lowly walk of life.
The New York City Staff Band of thirty men was organized in 1887 and has played continuously ever since. This is the most famous Salvation Army band in the United States. Brigadier William E. Bearchell, the bandmaster, is an outstanding musician, versatile and talented. He is a composer, a chorus conductor, organist and former bandmaster of the Brooklyn Citadel Corps Band, which was then known as one of the finest Salvation Army bands in America.
The New York City Staff Band is remarkable for its distinctive tone color. This is due to the use of several unusual instruments: the flugel-horn, the E-flat cornet and the G-trombone. The handle of this tromboneslides the slide down farther than other trombones and makes the tone much deeper.
This famous band has given many concerts throughout Canada, toured England where they played at Buckingham Palace, Crystal Palace and various famous places in London. They have played at the White House for every President since Theodore Roosevelt first invited them. They have been heard in New York at the Metropolitan Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, at the World’s Fair, and in great halls, universities and cathedrals in all parts of the United States.
The Chicago Staff Band of the Central Territory Headquarters is another nationally-famous band. This organization is highly rated by music circles in the United States. With their outstanding bandmaster, Captain Carl Lindstrom, these thirty bandsmen were recently guests of the Texas Music Educators’ Convention.
In 1883 a music publishing department was established in London. There all vocal and instrumental music was carefully edited and published. This was in accordance with the rule that all music used in the Salvation Army must be composed or arranged by its members and published by the organization. This regulation is to insure the use of music that is absolutely suitable for the service in order to obtain the proper atmosphere and results. Good, appropriate music is essential. The Salvation Army music is not intended for the use of the public but for the Army alone.
The music material is thoroughly screened. Each number is played by the Headquarters Staff Band for the Music Editorial Board, which carefully judges its fitness and desirability.
Today in the United States the Salvation Army music is published in San Francisco, Chicago and New York under the same rules and restrictions as were originally observed in London. The instruments used by the Salvation Army bands all over the world, are made in the Army’s instrument factories at St. Albans, England. As with the Army music, these instruments are sold only to Salvationists.
No longer can the music of the Salvation Army be classed as cheap or inferior. For more than fifty years, high-ranking musicians, composers, and outstanding performers on various musical instruments have successfully done their part to build and keep the music and the bands of the Salvation Army to a high standard of content and performance.
While contributions to Salvation Army Music are made by musicians from all parts of the globe, three of the most prominent composers are Americans. They are Erik Leidzen, considered by many as the foremost arranger for bands in the world today; Emil Soderstrom, staff arranger for NBC in Chicago; and Brigadier William Broughton, who has written more music for the use of the Salvation Army than any other American composer.
That the Salvation Army bands have achieved a high rating is proven by the interest shown in them bySousa in his time and by today’s noted bandleader, Dr. Edwin Franko Goldman. And also by Albert Spalding, Marian Anderson and other “greats” in the music world who have appeared on the Salvation Army Band programs.
The Salvation Army bands proclaim salvation through their music. It sustains the religious feelings, spirit, and fervor of the converts. Salvationists regard their music as the greatest part of their religious service. Some officers say it is fully sixty per cent more effective than their preaching.
That the Salvation Army follows the ideas of the ancient Greek philosophers is true: “the first duty of music is to ennoble the soul.” Perhaps the musicians of the Salvation Army have come closer to the real use and meaning of music. They know its power to rescue hardened souls from sin, to inspire the disheartened with courage, to do right and to instill new joy into saddened lives.
“Captain Holz? I’m sorry sir, he just left with the band. They’re giving a half-hour concert on the steps of the Sub-Treasury building down in Wall Street. Helen Jepson of the Metropolitan Opera is going to sing with them today. You might call the Captain here in about three-quarters of an hour.” And the man at the information desk in the large lobby of the headquartersof the New York Salvation Army, smilingly turned to the next in the waiting line.
Even as the telephone conversation began the tall, young Captain had been climbing into a crowded auto that had been waiting at the curb in front of the huge Centennial Memorial Temple.
Captain Holz is indeed a busy man. As the Territorial Music Secretary, of the Eastern division of the Salvation Army, he is directly responsible for all the music activities in eleven eastern states. This means that Captain Holz supervises 266 Salvation Army bands as well as small instrumental groups and vocal choruses and glee clubs. He also directs the New York Temple chorus of more than 100 voices. In addition, the Captain is Deputy Bandmaster of the famous New York Headquarters Staff Band, conductor of its fine male chorus and also of the Brass Octette.
Captain Holz is thoroughly accustomed to the life of a soldier in this “militant religious” order. He is a fourth generation Salvationist, born in the Salvation Army, when his father Brigadier Ernest Holz was in charge of the Salvation Army Corps in Pittston, Pennsylvania.
A move to the Southwest sent Richard to high school in Oklahoma City. There, following his bent, at the age of sixteen, he was conductor of the Salvation Army band. He attended the University of Oklahoma, majoring in music education. Young Mr. Holz came to New York in 1935, worked in the Public Relations Department at the Territorial Headquarters and at the same time continued his college studies atthe New York University. In 1937, he entered the Salvation Army Training College in New York, received his Commission and was appointed a Corps officer in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Captain Richard Holz and Lieutenant Ruby Walker were married at the Centennial Memorial Temple in New York on January 7, 1941. Commissioner Richard E. Holz, the grandfather of the groom performed the marriage ceremony, and the Headquarters Staff Band provided the music for the happy occasion. The young couple made their home in Elizabeth until Captain Holz was appointed in the United States First Air Force in April 1943.
Even during the War, music continued to be one of the Captain’s chief interests when his Salvation Army trumpet “Shorty” sounded church calls and accompanied the singing. At Laurinburg—Maxton Army Air Base—he received glider training with the Airborne Troops in the Troop Carrier Command. And as chaplain of the 872nd and 882nd Airborne Engineers, he served in New Guinea, Leyte and Okinawa. Captain Holz was with the first group of Americans to enter Japan when, on September 1st, 1945, he and his jeep “Sweet Chariot” were flown to Tokio.
It was upon his return from service in the United States Army that Captain Holz was appointed Territorial Music Secretary of the Eastern Section of the Salvation Army. He has written a number of musical compositions. His works, as well as that of other outstanding musicians, have noticeably improved the quality of the music of the Salvation Army.
Captain Holz believes that many of the new attractive ideas found in modern dance music “can be used just as easily in the service of the Lord as in bebop.” Many of the well-known band and orchestra leaders, early in their music experience played in Salvation Army bands. The bands of Stan Kenton and Woody Herman are two of the Captain’s favorites.
Another one of Captain Holz’s duties—not a minor job either—he is Editor of the Salvation Army Music Publishing Department at the New York Headquarters. Many musicians say that the best Salvation Army music in this country comes from this department.
At this time Captain Holz is arranging a Salvation Army Hymnal for Youth and also is putting the finishing touches on an instruction method for cornet, horn, baritone, tuba and trombone.