Civil War Composers, who was the best? Who is your favorite?
May 31, 2008 · Print This Article
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?
Who’s the best? That’s a tough one. Claudio is certainly a good candidate. The bulk of his work, and his presence in the brass band movement was certainly impressive. But, there are others to consider.
If you had asked the question 100 years ago, you probably would have gotten Patrick S. Gilmore.
50 years before that you might have gotten the Dodworth family.
Downing, Ingalls, Eaton. Johnson, JP King.Hall. Julien.Willis, Bond, White, Winner, and Kleber were all prolific and accomplished writers.
But then is should also be remembered that all of the above also would interpret and arrange music composed by others, and some of the best work they did was to adapt the work of Strauss, Verdi, Donizetti, Gounod, Rossini, Mozart, Bellini. Mendelsohn, and Beethoven.