Great bands of America

by Alberta Powell Graham

MAJOR WILLIAM F. SANTELMANN

Leader of the Marine Band

Another 8th grade football game was on. Both teams were putting up a hard fight. Clutching the ball tight against his body, Bill Santelmann raced towards the goal. The next minute, it seemed to him, that both teams had landed on top of him. When the heap of waving arms and legs had been unscrambled, Bill couldn’t get up.

“That’s not too bad, fellow,” said the gym teacher cheerfully as he looked over the victim. “Just a broken collar bone, I think. It will heal in no time.”

But a horrible thought came into Bill’s mind. “Will I ever be able to play my violin again?” Just the night before, he had heard the Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert, with Fritz Kreisler playing his violin. He had resolved then and there that nothing should keep him from being a violinist.

“And now, this would happen!” he said to himself. “Well, this settles it. No more athletics for me! Playing my violin means more to me than playing football.”

William F. Santelmann was born on February 24, 1902, in Washington, D. C. His father, Captain W. H. Santelmann, was the leader of the U. S. Marine Band.

Of the six children in the Santelmann family, Bill was the only one who had inherited the father’s musical talent. Any one of the three daughters could play the piano well enough to accompany them and the whole family enjoyed singing together on their evenings at home. But Bill’s two brothers pooh-poohed the idea of having anything more than that to do with music.

However, Bill had loved music since he first heard his father play the violin, and he was always thrilled when he watched him lead the gay Marine Band. Finally, when the boy was six years old, Captain Santelmann gave in to his pleading and bought him a small violin. He at once began to give Bill music lessons and was very proud of his son’s love of practicing and his rapid progress.

When Bill entered the McKinley Training High School, he resisted the temptation to try out for any of the athletic teams. Instead he signed up for the orchestra where he was made a welcome member. He also studied at the Washington College of Music from which he was graduated in 1920. Then he left his home and native city to enroll at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

There young Santelmann studied under a staff of famous instructors. Playing in the orchestra, he enjoyed the association with some of the members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra who often played with the Conservatory group in order to gain practice and experience. During the time Bill was in this school he met Margaret Randall, an organ student from Ohio. He knew this was the girl he would marry some day.

Although Mr. Santelmann was willing and financially able to pay his son’s expenses at school, William wanted to help out. He did this by teaching at Groton, a well-known school for boys.

After his graduation from the Conservatory, William Santelmann returned home to Washington, D. C., where he has lived ever since. “In fact,” he said recently, “we Santelmanns like Washington. My sisters and brothers all live here too.”

In September, 1923, he entered the U. S. Marine Band, thereby achieving a boyhood ambition. As all bandsmen were required to play both a band and an orchestra instrument, William chose for his second instrument the euphonium which his father had also played in the same band.

William Santelmann progressed from rank to rank until he was the concert master of the symphony orchestra. In 1927 his father retired and Captain Taylor Branson then assumed the leadership with William as second leader. Thirteen years later Captain Branson retired and presented William with the same baton that his father had used.

Exceptionally well-trained in the traditions and duties of the Marine Band, Major Santelmann is a successful leader, well-liked by his men and popular in Washington. His enjoyable programs for state affairs and for other occasions have won high praise. After the concerts which he arranged for the visit of the rulers of England, Major Santelmann received personal thanks from King George and Queen Elizabeth.

Another unusual occasion which Major Santelmann will never forget was the concert played on the White House lawn, May 20, 1943. Prime Minister Churchill had requested a program of Stephen Foster ballads and American war songs. The audience was made up of President Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, McKenzie-King of Canada and all the other members of the war planning staffs of America and England. Just as the band began to play the first number, the rain poured down in torrents. Nevertheless the drenched listeners sat through it all while Roosevelt and Churchill sang and whistled with the band.

The Santelmanns live on a half acre of ground in Virginia. Major Santelmann said, “I did marry my college sweetheart! In fact, we are still sweethearts although we celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary in May, 1950.” They have two children, William Jr. and Betty Jane.

Major Santelmann’s hobbies center around his home too. “Yes, I have a hobby,” said he, “several of them in fact. I like to work with my hands, anything that is good hard work.” He has made cement blocks and covered an attractive terrace with them. He gives his garden a great deal of time in its season, and he likes to chop wood. By trimming and cutting the trees on his own land, Major Santelmann supplies all the wood needed for the fireplace.

These hobbies have kept him physically fit and mentally alert for his exacting job. For Major Santelmann is successfully carrying on the ideals and high standards of his famous band, “The President’s Own.”

The U. S. Navy Band

The Brandywine, an American man-of-war, entered on her payroll of July 26, 1825, the name of James F. Draper, a musician at “ten dollars per month.” This was the first name on the band list of our Navy, but other names were added rapidly. James F. Draper, whether fifer or drummer we do not know, may not have rated as much of a musical man in his day, but his name is the first of a noted organization in the world of music.

Soon other ships had three or four musicians whom they called out on special occasions. When battles with pirates and other enemy ships thinned the numbers of the crews, the bands were sent ashore to recruit men to fill their quotas. The bands marched through the streets, loudly rolling their drums and tooting their shrill fifes, to call landsmen to join them in sailing the seas to find treasure and adventure.

Thirteen years later, 1838, a naval band was officially entered in the Pay-Table of the Navy’s Register. It consisted of a bandmaster, four first-class musicians, and one second-class musician. From that time on, bands were found on many ships, but this increase in the number of navy bands was due to the wishes of the individual commanders of ships, fleets and stations.

Their instruments were drums, fifes and trumpets. The music aboard ships was available for balls, entertainment programs, and funeral services. Some ships carried fine bands of as many as twenty players each. These bands became very popular and were soon considered a part of a ship’s life.

There was no distinction made between the musicians and the ordinary seamen. The bandsmen had to perform regular sailors’ duties such as shoveling coal, scrubbing the decks or doing whatever they were called on to do. In the beginning they were rated as seamen. After the year 1830, musicians were entered as first-class though they were still paid ten dollars per month.

In battle, bandsmen, like other sailors, had their own posts assigned to them. In the early days when they served as ammunition passers so many received injuries to their hands that the bands were depleted. It was then decided to detail them as stretcher bearers.

Bandsmen always keep on at their regular schedule of musical business, even in wartime unless engaged in battle. Rehearsals are held in the morning, concerts on deck at noon for the crew, and concerts for the officers in the evening. The band plays at all ceremonies. It plays colors when the ship is lying in port, plays at Sunday morning church services on the ship and also for a Sunday evening concert.

During World War I band music was very popular. Everyone—soldiers, sailors and civilians—wanted music, and the government gave them good music. Outstanding Navy bandleaders directed the finest talent obtainable in playing the music that everyone loved to hear. There were Sousa’s thrilling marches and there were songs that inspired courage and gave cheer—Over There, Smiles, Keep The Home Fires Burning and dozens of others. In this period, America’s noted “March King,” John Philip Sousa, took over the leadership of the Great Lakes Navy Band and made it a world-famous organization.

With the Armistice came the breaking up of the marvelous service bands. But the Navy Department, now fully aware of the great necessity for band music, appointed a musical unit to officially represent the United States Navy. They chose their foremost musical group, The Navy Yard Band of Washington, D. C. The selection of a leader was most important, but after careful consideration, Bandmaster Charles Benter was appointed to the post. Lieutenant Benter left a successful term of service on the U.S.S. Connecticut to reorganize and direct the Navy’s band of eighteen members. That the new leader was well qualified was soon plain to all. By 1923 Lieutenant Benter had sixty-three enthusiastic, capable performers playing twenty varieties of instruments. Under this able director, the Washington Navy Yard Band soon made a place in the hearts of all in the Capital city.

A special act of Congress, signed by President Coolidge on his inauguration day, made this organization the permanent, official band of the United States Navy. Congress also gave the U. S. Navy Band the official right to play for three organizations: the American Legion, the DAR and the American Red Cross. The band’s name was changed from the Washington Navy Yard Band to the United States Navy Band. Another noticeable change was made then,—the band gave up wearing the traditional bell-bottomed trousers, adopting instead the regulation Chief Petty Officers’ uniform, dark blue in winter and white in summer.

The United States Navy Band spends its working time in Washington, D. C. within the walls of the Naval gun factory. Their great library is housed here and also their valuable band instruments. In the huge, historic, sail loft the band practices, gives concerts and plays its radio broadcasts.

The regular duties of the U. S. Navy Band include playing at the Presidential Inauguration ceremonies, at many White House affairs, and in numerous parades held in the Capital. The U. S. Navy Band plays at the funeral services of all Navy men buried in Arlington Cemetery, as well as at funerals of statesmen, congressmen and other prominent officials.

The Navy Band has toured the United States playing in most of the large cities in every state. Canada, where it is a great favorite, Alaska, Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti and the Virgin Islands, have all been visited by this popular organization.

Many young men are eager to enlist in the Navy Band. They are attracted by its glamour and by the opportunity to get a good education and to see the world. But it isn’t easy to get into the music department of the United States Navy.

Every candidate must have a high school education or its equivalent and must pass the tough mental and physical examinations when he enlists. If he passes these—and not everyone does—he goes up against stiff examinations of his aptitude in music and his training and experience in it. Then follows a period of basic training in a “boot” camp. After this comes the real test, an eighteen months’ course of hard work in the United States Navy School of music in the Washington Navy Yard. He studies ear training, harmony, theory, music history, two instruments and band music—all of these added to the regular military discipline and drill. After this course is all completed these well-trained Navy musicians are sent in regular band units aboard battleships, cruisers and carriers. Eventually some fortunate bandsmen return to Washington to fill vacancies in the U. S. Navy Band.

The whole idea of the Navy School of Music was planned and carried out by Lieutenant Benter during his leadership of the Navy Band. After almost twenty-five years in this service, Lieutenant Benter retired from his post January 1, 1942. He passed on his baton to Charles Brendler, the Assistant Band Leader, a member of the Navy Band since 1917. At this time the Navy School of Music was removed from the supervision of the U. S. Navy Band, and Lieutenant James M. Thurmand, Jr. was made director of it.

When Commander Brendler took over the leadership of the U. S. Navy Band he began to work on his theory that the band should play all types of music for all kinds of people. He increased the organization to one hundred members, and he also formed a number of different units within it. Most of these players are accomplished symphony orchestra performers and a dozen or more are recognized soloists. The Navy Band contains a complete symphony orchestra; a modern “swingphonette” which plays equally well light opera or the latest “bebop”; and small groups for dances or concert programs.

This versatile band has broadcast thousands of radio programs, of which the “Navy Hour” is the best known. Their summer evening concerts on Capitol Hill are attended by huge throngs of devoted listeners. Commander Brendler loves music and music-lovers, and wants his band, which he pronounces the world’s finest, to play for all America. Truly this is a band for all the people.