A History of Bands in the United States Navy

Abstract

ALTHOUGH THE NAVY HAS HAD BANDS SINCE THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY, LITTLE HAS BEEN WRITTEN CONCERNING THE BACKGROUND, DEVELOPMENT, AND PURPOSE OF THIS DIVISION OF OUR NAVY. THIS WORK ENCOMPASSES A DETAILED STUDY OF THE ENTIRE BAND PROGRAM. IT BEGINS WITH THE ORIGIN OF NAVAL BANOS AND FOLLOWS THE GROWTH OF THE PROGRAM WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY BAND, THE U.S. NAVY BAND, THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, AND THE NUMEROUS GENERAL SERVICE BANDS. THESE INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE AMPLIFIED BY DISCUSSING THE MUSICIANS AND THEIR MUSICAL ABILITIES, THE VARIOUS INSTRUMENTATIONS OF NAVAL BANDS, THE BANDLEADERS AND THEIR QUALIFICATIONS, THE MUSICAL REPERTOIRE OF THESE BANDS 1 THE CURRICULUM AT THE SCHOOL AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN TRAINING BANDSMEN, AND THE ABILITIES OF THESE BANDS AS CONCERT AND DANCE ORGANIZATIONS. FINALLY THE PROGRAM IS EVALUATED BY TWO SPECIAL REPORTS SUBMITTED TO AND AT THE REQUEST OF THE BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL; ONE REPORT BY A FORMER HEAD OF THE MUSIC PROGRAM, AND THE OTHER BY THE AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION. THE WRITER ALSO INCLUDES HIS OWN SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS BASED ON HIS KNOWLEDGE AS A NAVY MUSICIAN. THIS IS THE ONLY HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SUBJECT AND HELPS TO EXPLAIN THE PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF BANDS, BAND MUSIC, AND THE NAVAL MUSICIAN IN RELATION TO THE OTHER DIVISIONS OF THE NAVAL SERVICE.