DOWN BEAT rUTUBE , June, 1939

“Stratosphere,” although modern is to be played, but flute, piccolo, greater effect on the modern or­ in structure and rhythm, utilize oboe or English horn as well. Thus, chestrator than merely the use of Classics Play Big Part reed effects and counter melodies every man in our 4-piece sax sec­ symphony combinations. It’s en­ that ring of the classics. tion, in addition to doubles on ten­ couraged the dance arranger to ex­ Of course, we aren’t the first to or, baritone and bass sax, B-flat periment with new combinations rely upon the classics for definite clarinet and bass clarinet, also play and to try to achieve symphony ef­ la Present Day Dance education in modern dance orches­ flute and clarinet. Two of them fects with smaller working units. tration. As far back as 1919 when also play the English horn, and Thus, it was while experiment­ was first taking one the piccolo. ing with clarinet tones that we hit from its crude natal state and PW’i Background Helps on the idea of playing clarinets Music, Snys Hal Kemp through megaphones in order to shaping it into a scientific and or­ Whiteman was a major factor in ganized technique, the King of achieve a deeper, richer sub-tone. BY HAL KEMP encouraging musicians to perfect In the same light, we get the ef­ Jazz fell back on the old masters. themselves on several instruments. It was he who first presented fect of a 10 or 12-man reed section A leader of a dance band writing about symphony and the Because of his own training with merely by having one B-flat clar­ Rimsky-Korsakow’s “Song of In­ the symphony, he classics is somewhat akin to n glass-jawed second-rater go­ dia" and Cui’s “Orientale.” Tommy inet, two flutes and an English ing up against Joe Louis, but it’s because of my keen interest was anxious to have his band horn play certain passages in uni­ Dorsey’s sparkling and compara­ sound like an aggregation twice in the classics and their influence on modern music, that I am tively recent recording of the form­ son. Casa Loma’s brilliant reed ef­ its size. He. therefore, insisted on fects and combination of reed and taking up a challenge to give forth with my observations er is even more up-to-date evi­ his men doubling on several instru­ dence of the influence of the old trombone tones is another illustra­ concerning the same. ments, and by that device coupled tion. masters. with varied instrumental combin­ The average dial-twister listening to our brand of dansapa- “Let The Critics Rave” Frank Black re-adapted an entire ations for different effects he was proved the apti­ tion would hardly suspect that behind our staccato rhythms series of classics to dance tempo able to get the effect of u 38-piece is a solid base of serious music and the classics. for transcription some years ago, band from 18 men. tude of modern popular musicians three of which I recall being Of course, it would be pretty dif­ when he recorded an album with Chaminade’s “Scarf Dance,” Ru­ ficult to improve on the old mas­ the Mozart string quartet. You’ll benstein’s “Melody in F,” and ters. The original score of Tschai- find great technique demonstrated Rachmaninoff’s “Kamenai Ostrow.” kowsky’s “Romeo & Juliet” is far by Harry James in reaching those Casa Lorna Uses Debussy more beautiful than any of our ceiling notes for which he’s so fa­ present dance arrangements of the mous. A great many of your top But the old masters’ influence swing men are fine enough musi­ has been felt to a greater extent theme we know as “Our Love.” But the modern composer and ar­ cians to hold down a chair in any than just the adaptation of a few symphony. of their beautiful themes to dance ranger, because of a continued study of the classics and the new So, next limi1 you hear ene uf tempo. You’ll find touches of Ravel your pHeudo-critics lambaet the effects now open to him, is able to and Debussy interwoven in various “long-hairs” and the symphony, achieve a new richness and color orchestrations of “pop” tunes. let him rave. Long after he’s gone, in the symphonic presentation of Ravel’s “Daphne and Chloe,” for Wagner, Debussy and Ravel will popular music. The modern com­ instance, can be heard in Mooney’s be teaching arrangers and popular poser in the popular field can add arrangement of “Speak Your musicians—and of both sweet and dozens of rich tonal effects which Heart," which we recorded for swing variety! Victor a year and a half ago. musicians a few decades ago never You’ll find a Debussy strain in the dreamed of. introduction of Casa Loma’s great How Hal Uses Megaphones . VIOLINISTS Decca recording of “Sunrise Ser­ The suggestion of reed instru­ Writs for Detail* enade.” mental combinations by the sym­ Amazing Naw Bridge Felton Co., York, Everyone Doubles Nowadays » phony, for instance, has had a The symphony has had a great influence on modern dance bands particularly in regard to saxophone sections. Fifteen years ago, a sax­ ophonist merely played that in­ strument. A few rare geniuses doubled on clarinet. Then came along a great reed master in the person of Ross Gorman whose bas­ ic schooling had been in the class­ ics. To B. A. Rolfe’s band and other ace radio bands of the day he brought the bass clarinet, alto clarinet, bassoon, English horn, oboe and a multitude of other reed, instruments that comprised his col­ lection of twenty-seven. Today, it’s hard to find a major dance orchestra where the men in the saxophone section don’t only play every clarinet and sax there

• How About Hal gets ideas from Debussy records between shows. PRESS CLIPPINGS We maintain a special entertain­ But it’s a fact. Several of the instrumental novelties in particu­ ment and radio department—in­ key men in our band, saxophonists lar-evidence his interest in the old quiries solicited. nmalLo 230 W. INh STREET Porky Bankers and Kenneth La masters. H i s “Hoi Polloi,” ameiKU new york city Bahn, for instance, along with our “Swampfire,” “Rigamarole” and R arranger, Harold Mooney, and I are intensely interested in the symphony, and it’s to that inter­ est that we owe many of our pres­ ent instrumental effects. Phono Records Help The little spare time afforded us by the mad whirl of band life is usually spent at rehearsals and Meet concerts of great symphony or­ chestras. Between shows at the­ aters while on the road we can usually be found grouped around a phonograph which grinds out our RUDY SCHMALTZ collection of Debussy, Ravel, Hon­ egger, Sibelius and Shostakovich, among others. When we set down in one city He Plays Violin for any length of time, Porky and myself take lessons in composi­ tion, orchestration and conducting. Kenny continues his studies of the woodwinds, while Mooney contin­ ues to delve deeper and deeper into . and he ran play it sweet or hot! The second fiddle man told the manifold problems of composi­ H.CHIRON him about Armour's Strings one day during rehearsal and Rudy tion and orchestration. And Harold’s compositions—his got a complete set the next day. He’s used Armour's Strings ever since. Why? Because he can get more out of Armour's Strings in MADE IN the way of Tone, Moisture-Resistance, and Long Life than any s NOW AVAILABLE IN TEN other string he’s ever used. EBONITE OR METAL aSENSATION DIFFERENT Violinists everywhere have discovered this same fact. That's AMONG THE STRI NGTH5 why so many of them are switching to ARMOUR every day. Enjoy K - I SOU WORLDS LEADING the extra-advantages of Armour’s Strings on your violin!...Get a SAXOPHONE set from your dealer today! You'll see why Armour’s Music AND CLARINET PLAYERS Strings are growing faster in popularity than any other brand.

There's a Finer String Here to Fit Your Pocketbook I COHORT MASTI« LA TRAVIATA IL TROVATORI H. CHIRON CO., Im. LA MELODIA LA BOHEMI 233 W. 424 YOU« MALIA ARMOUR and COMPANY, U. S. A