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Being the history
of the
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The Lawrence City Band....a Local Legacy....Summer Concerts in the Park...l854 to 2000....Dots on either side of these dates indicate the concerts to be non-ending. The band did not suddenly appear, as by magic. The men must have been part of musical organizations before coming west. Their music was so important they brought their instruments with them into the new land and, as they played, brought enjoyment to the other residents. It is doubtful if the timing of the performances was well set but occurred when the musicians were available.
Over the years, however, music has been so much a part of the lives of the people, they have grown accustomed to having the "Summer Band Concerts in the Park". It has caused the expertise of the musicians to become greater and be able to produce some of the best of all band music. At any rate, judging from the support for these concerts by people from all walks of life, there is every reason to believe "Summer Band Concerts in the Park" will indeed live through still another century. The enclosed documentation fills in the ensuing years between l854 and 2000, but the end result is the same: People learning to play an instrument, enjoying it to the extent it is never put away, gathering to share their musical expertise and, almost as an after thought, family, friends and lovers of band music coming to listen. Age, education, finances...all stratas of society gather to listen, and, yes, to relax.
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At best, it was a frightening thought to talk, plan and finally make the decision to come to the Kansas territory in the l850's. No doubt the travelers were told they were foolhardy to move into such uncharted paths. What should be taken on such a journey? Everyone knew it would be difficult and only the most necessary and important items could be taken. The pragmatist would have left his horn at the family home on the east coast, but these people were planning beyond the journey and something of less value could be left behind... the horn was coming to Kansas. There were l25 people meeting in Boston under the sponsorship of the Emigrant Aid Society and the musicians with their horns must have each made very personal decisions as to what they were going to take with them.
Thinking others would not understand the love they felt
for their horn and the music that could be produced, it is doubtful it
was discussed with anyone. Imagine how surprised Frank Savage was to learn
on the day of departure that he, his brother and two cousins were each
traveling to Kansas and surprise of surprises, each carried his musical
instrument. Thus two cornets, a fife and a bugle have the distinction
of being the first band to start the trek to the new territory. Different
accounts of this particular departure state as many as eight musicians
were in this first band. Perhaps after seeing the original four, others
decided to do the same. John Greenleaf Whittier, a friend of the Savage
family, had written a poem, "The Kansas Emigrant", in honor of these brave
pioneers and had printed the poem on cards to distribute to the people
at the train station. Enthusiasm reigned. One of the small bands of musicians
discovered the words fit the melody of "Auld Lang Syne" and Frank Savage,
the accepted conductor of the group, struck up the tune for all to sing.
And sing they did, all the verses, not just once, but many times. The
conductor held up the train while the people finished the song for the
last time and the "band" was the last to board the train for the New Land.
It was a long difficult trip but made easier by the strains of familiar
songs played by the band. Songs like "Annie Laurie," "Oft in the Stilly
Night" and, of course, "Auld Lang Syne" with the words of "The Kansas
Emigrant". Tempers flared, tiredness and discomfort the rule of the day;
but when the horns were raised and the sounds drifted through the train
and over the water or plains, hearts were made lighter and the people
felt better about the days to come. By l860, life was more or less routine,
at least insofar as pioneer days were concerned. The labor was always
difficult, the dangerous ruffians who roamed the prairies had to be guarded
against, illness was always a problem, loneliness and discomfort was always
present. In the midst of this busy survival schedule, the band was called
upon for special events...weddings, funerals, gatherings of all kinds.
Sometimes the musicians just gathered to practice and the neighbors would
sit on their porches or on the lawn to listen. No where is it stated whether
this early band had brought music or whether they played the melodies
known to the people by ear. It was probably a combination of both. The
Kansas Conference of the Methodist Church was held in Lawrence that year
and the Methodist Sunday School arranged for a concert by the band. It
must have been a success for Gov. Charles Robinson was so moved and amazed
at what could be done with their battered old instruments, he started
a campaign to raise money for new instruments. People gave freely, the
new instruments were purchased, delivered and the band practiced diligently
from a score in order to present the first concert with their new instruments
on August 20, l863. They gave their concert down by the bridge with everyone
having a fine time listening to the music, visiting with neighbors and
friends, laughter, singing, dancing...a good time was had by all. The
next day came Quantrill's Raid...three musicians were killed , others
injured and the whole of Lawrence was, in practical terms, destroyed physically,
mentally and emotionally. Joseph Savage had survived the raid and was
riding to his farm north of Lawrence when he saw upon a fence post one
of the horns belonging to the band. The marauders had found it in one
of the homes and for some reason took it along as they left Lawrence,
probably not wanting to carry it any farther. The horn was bent and slammed
on to the post for all to see. The horn is now on exhibit at the Kansas
Museum of History in Topeka, Kansas. It was at least a year before the
bandsmen were ready to pick up their instruments and again bring forth
the melodies enjoyed by the people. In fact, it was the thought of another
raid such as the one from Quantrill that pulled them together into a band
for the militia. From this time onward there has always been a band in
Lawrence, Kansas playing concerts for the populace. The conductors changed,
the musicians changed, the location changed, even the name of the band
changed. No matter... the music continued. The main bands as found in
the enclosed documents are as follow. October, l864...a militia band serving
at the front for two weeks. l867...the band assisted in the exercises
of the first commencement at the University of Kansas. 1877 or 1879 or
1880...Lawrence Cornet Band. First appearance at the Commencement Exercises
of the Lawrence Public Schools. l879...Played for the 25th anniversary
of the arrival in Lawrence of the group from New England who left Boston
in l854 singing "The Kansas Emigrant". 1884...Bell's Military Band. John
Bell had a music store on Massachusetts street. Played the trumpet. 1888...First
Regiment Band. Led the Lawrence Cyclones when they took first prize in
Washington. The Lawrence Cyclones was a drill team sponsored by the Republican
Party. 1900-1906...Buch's Military Band. Had 28 musicians. Played for
Gov. Theodore Roosevelt, vice-presidential candidate, at Santa Fe station
for a ten-minute train stop. Gathered funds and provided labor to build
the gazebo in South Park. When this band was discontinued, the slack was
taken up by the Haskell Band, the Lawrence High School Band and the University
of Kansas Band. The residents still had their concerts in the park but
the bands apparently did not request the musicians of Lawrence to participate. |
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"l856...the Old Band met at the farmhouse for its weekly practice. During
the week they might be farmers, mechanics, or business men; the weeks
toll of loss and hardship might have been heavy; but on this one night
they were only band boys...their anxiety was to play their musical scores
with such correct time and expression as to meet with the approval of
their leader, a trained Boston musician. They always gave an outdoor concert
to an unseen audience before separating. The people of the farms for miles
around would come to their doors. Forgotten would be the tough sod, the
protracted drought, forgotten the green wood, the hard water, the latest
ague chill. Even the constant menace of the border ruffians would be forgotten
while they listened to the music of the "Old Band." Written by Susan Alford,
Published in the Atlantic Monthly, Volume CXLIII January-June, l929 "l903...Homeowners
living near the parks, always had friends sitting on their porches, steps,
and porch railings, to listen to the concerts. On particularly hot nights,
the women would fan themselves with fans made of cardboard with a wooden
handle, advertising some merchant's wares, or those made of basket weave
straw. ...Many horsedrawn carriages would park along the curbing near
the band, and listen to the concert. Men, women, and children strolled
around the bandstand, disregarding the attacks of mosquitoes, chiggers
and June bugs with their clutching claws." Article found in the Gazette,
June l0, l903. "l920...again this summer, as in years gone by, the music
of John Philip Sousa and others will again break the stillness of the
warm summer evening around the town squares or city parks.
He primes his band to perform difficult numbers well, but the whole idea is to have fun. ' It's that kind of activity,' states Kelly, 'It's not a concert hall.'" Article by Chuck Twardy, Lawrence Journal World, June l2, l983 "l996...It's one of the few places kids can hear classical music in an environment that's friendly to kids... they can move around....The informalness of it is really good. You can visit with your neighbors and still enjoy the concert and not really bother anybody too much." Robert E. Foster, Journal World, June 4, l996. The above quotations span one-hundred and forty years and there are many more similar ones in the enclosed documentation. The similarity is such that the dates could be removed, and the material is still true. The purpose of all the bands was to provide enjoyment for young and old, musicians and listeners. Granted, the bands had different names but their ranks were always filled with residents of Lawrence, Kansas or the surrounding area. The fact the Lawrence City Band is of such extremely high expertise to be honored nationally is of great satisfaction to all Lawrence residents. As long as there are musicians willing to work hard enough to gain the necessary skills, as long as there are people willing to give the extra effort necessary for the organization, as long as there are people interested in coming to listen to the band, the Lawrence City Band will exist. History will continue to repeat itself. In checking the Britannica World Language Dictionary, a legacy is, "a bequest. Hence, anything, as a characteristic
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07/20/1999, Lawrence Journal World, "City Band to Perform
Season Finale"
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