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90
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
M A W 11 17,
'STAR-SPANGLED BANNER" SUFFERS FROM ARRANGEMENT
"GALLAGHER AND SHEAN" POPULAR
Dr. Edward Schaaf, Well-known Musician and Composer, Points Out Difficulties in Proper Band
Arrangements Due to Peculiarities of Composition—Some Practical Suggestions
Both Orchestras and Vaudeville Singers Using
That Number With Much Success
In whatever key it is arranged, "The Star-
spangled Banner" is awkward to sing, mainly
because it embraces a range of tones beyond the
capacity of untrained voices.
Nor is there much to be said for band ar-
rangements of the national hymn. No matter
in what key a band arrangement is scored there
is great difficulty in getting satisfactory results,
Dr. Edward Schaaf
owing to the peculiarities of the melody itself.
A few practical observations on this point will
be useful.
When arranged for band in the key of F the
"Slar-spangled Banner" sounds very brilliant,
but tho parts for cornets and trumpets lie un-
comfortably hi^h for the average performer. On
the other hand, in the key of B flat the melody
is easier to play, but, contrariwise, is generally
less brilliant in effect, although, curiously
enough, the parts in the middle strain lie in
such a way that the effect in B flat is even
more brilliant than in F. Brilliance, however,
is not so much called for in the middle strain,
so that the B flat key must be considered, on
the whole, less desirable, though easier to play.
It is unfortunate that the custom of opening
a performance with the "Star-spangled Banner"
is not carried out with more dignity and great
musical care A bad impression is always made
upon an audience when the opening perform-
ance at a concert is so slipshod, as is com-
monly the case with the national hymn. Now,
apart from the question of respect for the na-
tional song, as evidenced by the band's standing
up, the fact remains that to play from memory
is nearly always disastrous to the general ef-
fect. In practice it means that as many in-
struments as possible try to play the melody,
because that is more easily remembered. The
low bass instruments, on the other hand, natu-
rally fall into root tones in the bass, leaving
the important and, in fact, essential middle parts
to be scrambled through anyhow. In other
words, as any one can hear at any time, when
the "Star-spangled Banner" is played from
memory the result is what musicians call "all
top and bottom." There is no richness, no
"bsodv" or solidity to the music; and this comes
about simply because it is much harder to
memorize the interior parts.
Consequently,
these parts are badly memorized, or mutilated,
by being played only in part.
Even the best bands in the country sin in this
respect. To be candid about it, I am obliged
to say that I have never heard the glorious
music of the "Star-spangled Banner" worthily
"IN
ROSETIME"
8ometh
m^n t t i r e l y
A WALTZ BALLAD
With a thrilling, pulsing melody
that grips the heart strings.
THE MID-WEST MUSIC HOUSE, Publishers
6434 Woodlawn Ave.
Chicago, 111.
Released March 1 on Edison Record 51097
played by a band in the United States. To
iiiui- it a.-! it should sound one has to go abroad,
where tiie bands at the fashionable s^a-resorts
and summering places, 'not being under any pa
triotic necessity, take the music as music sim-
ply, use their notes and remain seated.
1 have nothing whatever against American
players standing to play the "Star-spangled
Banner," but they should be compelled, never-
theless, to play with their notes in front of
them.
Only a short time ago, during a concert given
by one of the most famous bands of America,
1 was compelled to hear how the trombonists
were slighting their parts. Why were they do-
ing this? Simply because their memories failed
them from time to time.
The fact is that arrangers of band music do
not give a melody to any one set of instru-
ments in its entirety, save in exceptional cases.
It would not do to let a particular group monop-
olize the melody or even carry it all the way
through with others coming in occasionally. In
order to obtain and preserve rich effects
throughout a piece the middle parts must be
treated with skill and care. That means that
these parts are likely to be complex and to re-
quire careful playing. The richer the harmonic
setting of a piece the more care must be given
to playing the interior parts correctly.
In the case of the "Star-spangled Banner"
the harmonic intervals in the middle parts are
hard to remember, and for that reason trom-
bonists and hornists cannot be expected to
memorize them. The same is true of the clari-
nets, when they are not engaged in playing the
melody. Yet they can slip up a little in their
harmonic parts without so bad an effect.
For these reasons—and others which could be
brought up—I consider that a reform in the
manner of performing the "Star-spangled Ban-
ner" is really imperative. No more slipshod
performances from memory should be tolerated
and bandmasters and leaders of orchestras
should insist their men play from their notes.
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JEROME H. REMICK6CO.
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• • •
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• • • CHICAGO
The Jack Mills, Inc., song, "Gallagher and
Shean," continues to be played by orchestras
almost everywhere and there is hardly a vaude-
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vocally or instrumentally. The sales of the
number are quite heavy in volume and it has
been one of the biggest successes on the talk-
ing machine records for some time past. The
number is so popular that it is being trans-
lated into several languages, from which, pre-
sumably, the publisher will get a royalty.
Without going back too far in popular music
history, it can well be said that "Gallagher and
Shean" is one of the biggest successes, as far
as novelties go, in this generation.
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Cliff Hess, the well-known pianist and com-
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Jack Mills, Inc., catalog. It is entitled "Corn
on the Cob." The number has already been
recorded on several talking machine records.
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