Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
F I R S T STEPS
OF S O M E PR
By B. BRITTAII
to the cornet and made such rapid progress that he was made
solo cornetist of the band as well as assistant conductor. At
fifteen he won a scholarship for the cornet at the National
Conservatory and later studied under Jules Ledy, the noted
virtuoso on that instrument. At the age of twelve Mr. Gold-
man began the study of the piano and later the violin, but
LIEUT.-COM. JOHN PHILIP SOUSA
the cornet was his favorite and at the age of seventeen he be-
came cornetist with the Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra.
N view of the number of children in the schools of the For the past twenty-one years he has confined himself to con-
ducting various orchestras.
country, or of school age, taking in-
B. A. Rolfe, who has won fame as the
struction in the playing of musical
leader of one of the popular radio orches-
instruments of various types, it might be
tras in sponsored programs, may be said
well for music merchants generally to
to have inherited his talent as a band
hold up before both the children and their
leader from his father, A. B. Rolfe. He
parents the careers of many men who
started his musical education at an early
have made their marks in American mu-
age and when only six and a half years
sic as band and orchestra conductors and
old was regarded as an accomplished pic-
concert soloists.
colo player. Later he learned the alto
The careers of many of these promi-
trombone and in 1891 toured Europe as a
nent musicians should serve as an inspira-
boy prodigy on the cornet. On his return
tion to youngsters who, at the outset,
he spent several years playing in theatres
have difficulty deciding upon what instru-
and with circuses with his father's band,
ment to study or who may become dis-
and when he was twenty years old organ-
couraged over the progress made. More-
ized his own "Silver Cornet Band" in
over, these same careers emphasize most
Utica, N. Y.
strongly that the time to start musical
Vincent Lopez, to whose music hundreds
training is at a very early age, and cer-
of thousands have danced, may also be
tainly before the tenth birthday. More-
said to have come by his talent naturally,
over, they prove that the development of
NATHANIEL SHILKRET
for his father and mother were both fine
musical talent is far more important than
the selection of the interpreting instrument, because with the musicians. When a toddler he wanted to learn to play the
proper musical foundation the correct instrument will come piano, but did not
\
in time. In a great many cases the instrument upon which meet with much en-
How-
prominent musicians have won fame is not the instrument couragement.
ever, his p a r e n t s
upon which they began their first training.
John Philip Sousa, famous band leader and writer of stir- finally secured for
ring marches, chose the violin as his first instrument and took him a mandolin and
lessons in a conservatory of music in Washington, D. C , in a guitar and taught
which city he was born. He started at the age of eight and him the fundamentals
remained with the same teacher until he was twelve years old, of music. At the age
when he started playing the violin professionally, and at nine- of six he finally
teen he was conducting an orchestra. For many years past, reached his goal and
however, since the time he was the leader of the United began to study the
States Marine Band, Mr. Sousa has been the head of a mu- piano, his father mak-
ing him practice sev-
sical organization in which the violin finds no place.
eral hours each day.
Edwin Franko Goldman, director of Goldman's Band
which gives an extensive series of public concerts in New York With the study of
each summer season, joined a boys' band when eight years the piano Mr. Lopez
old and was assigned to the alto horn. After about two also became firmly
weeks' instruction he was given up as hopeless and untalented. grounded in music
B. A. ROLFE
A few weeks later he was given another chance and assigned generally, which is
I
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
February, 1931