THE UNIVMITY of SHEFFIEM Vol=E One Jack L-Scott
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THE UNIVMITY OF SHEFFIEM Department of Music The Evolution of the Brass Band and its Repertoire in Northern England Vol=e One Thesis presented for the degree of Ph. D. Jack L-Scott 1970 t(I Acknowledgments IV The time spent in research on this project has been invaluably enriched by the willing assistance of so many. I am grateful for the opportunity of being able to examine the instrument and music collections of the Sheffield., York Castlep Keighley,, Cyfarthfa and East Yorkshire Regimental museums. Acknowledgment is also given for the assistance received from the Sheffield Central Library (commerce and science and local history departments), Eanchester Central Librarys and espec- ially for the British Museum Reading Room and the University of Sheffield Main Library staff. From a practical point, acknowledgment is given to Boosey and Hawkes for a generous research grant as well as an extended personal tour of their facilities and to the University of S%effield research fund. Visits to 'Wright and Round, publishers of brass band music, have also been rewarding. Active partici- pation with the Stocksbridgep Sheffield Recreation and Staveley Works brass'bands has also proved valuable as well as the associ- ation with mmerous other bands,, notably Stalybridges and countless bandsmen. Finallys appreciation is expressed to the faculty, staff and students of the music department. The loss of Dr. Phillip Lord was a personal loss; the guidance of Professor Deane has been an inspiration. To my vifep Jan. and the childrenp go my special thanks for their patience and understanding. Jack L. Scott Sunmar7 vil The initial English amateur wind bands were reed bands which developed from the numerous military and militia bands prevalent during the beginning of the nineteenth century. These early amateur bands grew in numbers as the Industrial Revolution gave a new life to thousands of people in the northern counties. By the middle of the third decade., the bands began to convert to all brass instrumentation and by mid-century the brass band was common to all of the north of England and began to spread to the midlands and further south. The first Belle Vue Contest was held in 1853, and from that date, contesting has remained an important facet of the brass band movement. In the beginning,, amateur band rmi ic consisted of popular and patriotic songs. From the very popular contests., operatic sel- ections for brass band developed which remained into the twentieth centur7. These operatic arrangements with their dramatic programme and soloist-accompaniment design suited the brass band. By the end of the century,, brass bands were an important entertainment, if not cultural media for the working class bandsmen and their peer audiences. Y;j In the twentieth century the role of the bands reverted from one of entertainment for listenerso to its original role of providing an activity for the participants. One result of this reversion has been the composition of original works for brass banaby recognized English cmposers. The brass band in the span of one hundred and fifty years has become well established as an English tradition and heritage. Table of Contents x Page Volume One Introduction I Part I Instruments 20 Part II Instrumentation 107 Part IME lbsic 177 Vol=e Two Appendix I Ymsical Examples 269 Appendix II - Fingering Charts 416 Appendix III - British Patents Relative to Brass Instruments 423 Appendix IV Distin Family History 440 Appendix V Selected Original L%sic for Brass Band 468 Appendix VI Photographs and Drawings 473 Appendix VII "llusical Prize Fight" 508 Selective List of References 513 Index 521 Introduction As the nineteenth century begans England was involved in a nearly continuous state of'war. The Republic of France# and later,, an ambitious Napoleonj, proved to be of great military concern. Large rai ers of troops were necessary for employment in the many wide- spread conflicts* Moreover,, at home there was the constant apprehension of in- vasion of English shores by the French forces* For this reason., a strong home guard was steadily maintained. Sir Edward Cust writes 2 in Annals of Wars of the Nineteenth Century that in 18U+, the comr- bined forces of the regular army and the militia numbered two hundred thousandj, and that the King was empowered to call out the people to repel the invader while various counties were authorized to enrol all males between the ages of seventeen and fifty-five and form them into regiments for the civil defence. At this time there were no police, and dragoons were of the utmost importance for the preservation of order. The price of foodwas high everywhere and in Lancashire and Yorkshire the introduction of now machinery had created even greater unrest. Five regiments of cavalry were required permanently to rmin- I* J. W. Fortescueq A History of the British Vol. VO London, 1920,, pp. 231-232* 2. Sir Edward Custs Annals of Wars of the Nineteenth Centu Vol* I# London, 16629 p*193* tain order in the distuxbed districts of Yorkshire, Lancashire 1 and Cheshire alone. In addition to the regular regiments quartered at home., each area had its ow organization of local militia or volunteer regiments serving the same general purpose as the regularso thatWast to main- tain law and order in the event of civil disturbance and provide a defence should there be an invasion of French troops. The regular army served full time while the militia and volunteer groups were activated only for annual training and in times of crisis. Nearly all of these army units of regimental size., both regular bands In the in- and local militias contained military of music. the bands by stance of the regular arqr regimentso were supported the but officers and the bandsmen were not con-scripted soldierso profess- ional musicians hired on contract by the officers. The Bolton Vol- 1803 unteers were formed in by Col. Ralph Fletcher* This regiment included a band of music which continued on as the Bolton Reed Band after the regiment disbanded in 1815- The cost of the regiment and 2 the band to Col,. Fletcher was Zl., 000 per yearo 3 In Mlitary Musics Farmer gives information that "many of these local Militia or volunteer bands surpassed the bands of the regular 1. J. W. Fortescues A History of the British Amy., Vol. 3X., London,, 1920j, p. 169 2* William Millingtonp Sketches of Local Musicians Ifusical g-oci_eties., and Pendlebury, 1884s P-57. 3- Henry George Farmers Military Ilisic., London., 1950s p-42- service and some were led by well known musicians" - Samuel Mather, Sheffield organist and founder of the Yorkshire lbasic Festivals,, 1805- was bandmaster of the Sheffield Volunteers in John Parry., from composer and critic., was bandmaster of the Denbeigh Militia 1797 ýo 1807- All of these military bands kept an active schedules much to the delight of the local populace. For the regular army units and the local volunteers while on annual training., there were the evening formations., Saturday parades, monthly inspections and the frequent marches from town to town.. In addition,, numerous civic and social functions were attended throughout the year. The following entry 2., 18021.. the from the diary of Thomas Asline Ward dated April , concerns evening parade of the Sheffield Volunteer Infantry while on annual training in Doncaster, "The captains gave their reports to the adjut- ants the band performed several airs, marches, etc$ and the whole were dismissed. Sometimes the bond would chuse to remain half an hour after parade to amuse themselves and the inhabitants". This same band performed at a dinner for the regimental officers and Doncaster City Officials. "The regimental band enlivened the company at in- 2 tervals by songss glees and airs which were greatly appreciated"* 1. Alexander B. Bells ed-O Peeps into the Pastp Sheffieldp 1909p p-23. 2o Jbidov p. 21+. The size of the average military band in 1800 varieds but was usually made up of eight to twelve players. The instruments played were flutess clarionetss bassoonss trumpetss hornss serpents and percussion. By 1815, the average size had risen to nearly thirty players with the same basic instruments. The Royal Artillery Band, which numbered twelve in 1798j, could muster thirty-eight in 1812., whilst the Coldstream Guards Band had risen from twelve in 3.785 to twenty-two in 1815- one feature of these bands was their outstand- ingly colourful uniforms. In general, the practice was to dress the band in the colour of the regiment's facingsp and as these were., at that times very varied in hues bands were to be seen in coats of red., blue., blacks buffs white.. orange., yellow or green; the green varied 2 as much as seven different shades. The fact that the bands were always under. the direct control of the regimental officers created a great rivalry among regiments to produce the best band. Newspaper accounts of the period 18C4-1815 show that the military bands did play a very important rble in the official and social func- tions of the day. Virtually no procession or gala event was held without a band in attendance to provide the necessary musics which invariably was; ' God Save the Kirko,,, Rule Britannia and assorted gleess songs and airs- The Sheffield Yercury of July 25,1812., contained George Farmers Kilitary Musics Londons 1950s p. 42. 2. Henry George Farmer., Memoirs of the Royal Artillery Bands Londons 19U+P pp-53-54- two references to bands performing in Sheffield on Mondays July 20, 1812. Me first was a local celebration of Pitt's birthday in which the newspaper makes mention of a band in attendance during the procedure of toasts following the dinner.