Victorian Bands’ League – Band Blasts from the Past

Managing the march cards (and other such material): roles of the amateur band librarian

November 2, 2023 Jeremy de KorteLeave a comment

Figure 1: Digital scan of march card back with Victorian Police Band stamp. (source: Victorian Bands’ League Archive)

Introduction:

His duties as Librarian (self-imposed) were to clean up the room after practices and to arrange the various sets of music so as to have any particular set “right under his thumb,” if required, at a moment’s notice; which was itself no sinecure. No practice or public performance was complete without him to distribute the music, whilst everyone always had a cheery word for Billy Wardle, whose ready smile was always evidence on such occasions. Old age and ill-health took him and for the last two years he had to relinquish all active connection with Band affairs, but his epitaph might well read thus: “He did his Job.”
(Faulkner in “WILLIAM WARDLE,” 1938)

William (Billy) Wardle, late of the Boorowa Town and District Band was one of those selfless band members who saw fit to undertake some necessary duties to support the band. That duty being the band librarian, and William Wardle was just one of many band members from bands everywhere who undertook the same role. Despite being untrained as librarians (in the formal understanding of the profession), and amateur, these band librarians organised large quantities of sheet music that the bands owned. They did their part to make sure the band master and each band member had their parts when and where required.

Who were these people, and why did they undertake such an arduous and difficult task? Working largely by themselves, they put their hands up time and time again to do the job, and we can see this in the records of Annual General Meetings that were held by bands. There, in amongst all the other committee positions such as President, Treasurer and Secretary, will be Librarian with the name of the band member (or members) who were elected to this position. Interspersed throughout this post will be lists of band members who were elected as band librarians. The lists are by no means complete as there were so many of them. Names and bands were chosen at random.

This author has some understanding of the role of librarians within community bands being a qualified librarian and having undertaken music librarian roles for bands in the past – the duties of this role in bands has barely changed, albeit for changing technology. This post will try to fit the role of the amateur band librarian within a broader context of music librarianship and librarianship in general. To start this post, we will see where librarianship as a trained profession has come from in Australia, and the very specialised role of music librarians. The next part of this post will unpack the job description of a band librarian, brief and undescriptive as they sometimes were. The third part of this post will highlight the appreciation that was given to band librarians by their bands for undertaking this role.

Figure 2: The Sydney Police Band, 1896. Senior-constable F. J. Knopp (Hon. Librarian) is seated second from the right in the front row. *Australian Town and Country Journal*, 28/03/1896, p. 20

1896	Sen. Const F. J. Knopp	Hon. Librarian	Sydney Police Band (N.S.W.)
1896	H. Northe	Librarian	Brighton Brass Band (Vic.)
1897	Mr. J. Lee	Librarian	Temperance Brass Band (W.A.)
1898	Mr. F. Morton	Librarian	Lilydale Brass Band (Vic.)
1899	Mr. Franks	Librarian	Tallangatta Brass Band (Vic.)
1900	Mr. M. Johnston	Librarian	Lake’s Creek Brass Band (Qld.)

Table 1: (“BRIGHTON BRASS BAND.,” 1896; “LAKE’S CREEK BRASS BAND.,” 1900; “LILYDALE BRASS BAND.,” 1898; “TALLANGATTA BRASS BAND.,” 1899; “TEMPERANCE BRASS BAND.,” 1897; The Crown Studios, 1896)

Librarianship and librarians:

In Australia, the establishment of Universities, Mechanics’ Institutes, schools, and municipal libraries meant that there was a greater need for librarians who understood the rigours of the position. Since the late 1800s, education for librarians in various areas of librarianship has developed consistent with the needs of the profession. Nowadays it is common to find full academic courses for librarians in Universities and TAFE’s. But back in the early days until training began to be more formalised, librarians generally learnt ‘on the job’. In this respect, we could equate this with the early band librarians in Australia who also learnt what to do within the confines of their organisation. There are similarities between the roles of a librarian and amateur band librarian as in general, both organise and catalogue resources. But this is where the similarity ends. This section will outline a brief history of librarianship in Australia and explore the specialised role of a music librarian.

In the library sector and in the band movement, both had the benefit of associations, but it was not always the case. In Australia, as we can see in previous posts, the first band association started forming in the late 1800s and State association started working together in the early 1900s (de Korte, 2018b, 2019a, 2019b). Within the library sector, the first attempts at association began in 1896 with the establishment of a Library Association of Australasia at the conference at The University of Melbourne (Keane, 1982a, 1982b). The Library associations gradually became more focused on the educational needs of librarians (this process took a few decades) as the associations recognized that the profession was changing, and, these associations proactively encouraged librarians to become qualified to do the job (Keane, 1982b). In contrast, the band associations, while representing a largely amateur movement of bands and musicians, at times tried to focus on education and training but unfortunately lacked the resources to do so (de Korte, 2022). Such was the difference between associations that supported professional work, and those that represented amateurs. This is a difference that will be evident throughout this post.

1901	Mr. J. Donelly Mr. H. Wilkinson	Librarian Assistant Librarian	Rutherglen Brass Band (Vic.)
1902	Mr. F. Raglass	Secretary and Librarian	Narandera Town Band (N.S.W.)
1903	Mr. W. Symmons	Librarian	Healesville Brass Band (Vic.)
1904	Mr. E. Schmidt	Librarian	Federal Brass Band (Echuca, Vic.)
1904	Mr. O. Brauer	Librarian	Petersburg Brass Band (S.A.)
1905	Mr. Overton	Librarian	Woodend Brass Band (Vic.)

Table 2: (“Federal Brass Band.,” 1904; “HEALESVILLE BRASS BAND.,” 1903; “Petersburg Brass Band.,” 1904; “Rutherglen Brass Band.,” 1901; “Town Band.,” 1902; “Woodend Brass Band.,” 1905)

Music libraries and librarians:

Music Librarians are those that have worked, or currently work in highly specialised positions. They are, as the job title suggests, librarians who work with music resources whether that be sheet music, reference material or recorded music. While special music librarians have been working in this sector in Australia from the early 1900s, professional associations for this sub-sector came much later than regular library associations. The International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres (IAML) was formed in 1949 with an Australian chapter of IAML being formed in 1970 (“Australian Seminar in Music Librarianship,” 1970; Enquist & Flury, 2023).

Music Libraries were first established in Australia in 1913 with the opening of the ‘New South Wales Government Music Library’ which was a library that catered for “societies, church choirs, and other musical bodies” (“The New South Wales Government Music Library,” 1913). It was initially housed at the Sydney Girls’ High School before being moved to the N.S.W. Conservatorium. It is interesting to note that the article published in the Australian Town and Country Journal included a large picture (below) of all the trustees of this library, but no mention of the music librarians.

Figure 3: Trustees of the New South Wales Government Music Library. *Australian Town and Country Journal*, 30/07/1913, p. 27

Like their band librarian counterparts, some music librarians fulfilled roles attached to orchestras and choirs. In 1921 we hear about the passing of Mr. William Henry Gresty who was a Cornet player with Her Majesty’s Theatre Orchestra and in a later career was the Music Librarian with the N.S.W. Conservatorium Orchestra (“DEATH OF LIBRARIAN,” 1921). As it says in his obituary published by The Sun newspaper,

When the Conservatorium was founded he joined the staff as librarian, but kept his position at Her Majesty’s until a couple of years ago when he resigned because of the establishment of the Conservatorium Orchestra as a permanent body. From that time he devoted himself exclusively to the Conservatorium and orchestra, travelling with the latter, and performing an enormous amount of work in looking after the music and the orchestra generally
(“DEATH OF LIBRARIAN,” 1921)

Some years later, the Australian Broadcasting Commission was formed and being the national broadcaster that it was with radio stations around the country, they had a need for music librarians who organised recorded music. One of these music librarians was Mr. Gregory Spencer (pictured below) who was based in Sydney and was the “Federal Records Librarian” (“A.B.C. Librarian,” 1941). No doubt he dealt with music recorded by our brass bands and the A.B.C. Military Band (de Korte, 2018a).

Figure 4: *Goulburn Evening Post*, 18/07/1941, p. 5

The A.B.C. was also home to several innovations in music librarianship and music copying, including a music copying machine which was invented by their in-house music librarians (“COPYING MACHINE TYPES MUSIC,” 1948).

Just as there were varied roles for librarians, there were also varied roles for music librarians. While fewer in number, their expertise in managing large music-related resources was very much needed at the time – and still is needed. Given some music libraries, like the New South Wales Government Music Library, catered for amateur music groups, it is quite possible that knowledge from the professional music librarians was provided to individuals in these groups with tips on how to manage their music collections. But it is difficult to find some evidence of this happening.

1906	Mr. L. Else	Librarian	Cundletown Brass Band (N.S.W.)
1907	Mr. S. Lord	Librarian	Kew Brass Band (Vic.)
1908	Mr. L. Smith	Librarian	Alma Brass Band (N.S.W.)
1909	Mr. Jewell	Librarian	Borough Brass Band (Clunes, Vic.)
1910	Messrs. S. Bryant and H. Hoffmann	Librarians	Adelaide City Brass Band (S.A.)

Table 3: (“ALMA BRASS BAND.,” 1908; “CITY BRASS BAND.,” 1910; “CLUNES.,” 1909; “Cundletown Brass Band.,” 1906; “Kew Brass Band.,” 1907)

A vague role description and learning ‘on the job’:

There are dozens of minor details. A library of music has to be formed and maintained. A set of music for an ordinary selection lasting 10 minutes means an expense of from 10’6 to 15’6, and some libraries possess more than 1000 sets. A librarian has to be appointed to look after them.
(Fleming, 1939)

For the newly elected or re-elected librarians of brass bands, doing their duties was sometimes a tough ask. When new music arrived, they had to process and catalogue, stamp, file, and distribute the music to the band members and conductor. Brass band libraries could get quite extensive depending on the activities of the bands. However, there was one main problem. The brass band librarians were often provided with a vague rule on the duty of a librarian, but nothing explaining how to do the job – for some, it was too much. In amongst the sporadic publishing of rules and by-laws of brass bands are some general rules outlining what a librarian should be doing. Some rules were more descriptive than others, such as this rule from the Frankston Brass Band in 1913:

8. The Librarian shall have sole charge of all music of the band. He shall keep a record of name, and shall render to the Secretary annually a statement (or an account) of all music under his charge.
(Plowman et al., 1913)

…which contrasts with the rule provided for the Queanbeyan Town Band librarian in 1915:

40. Librarian’s duties : Charge of music.
(DeClifton & Mathews, 1915)

Rules governing the duties of librarians did not really improve over the years, yet still they carried out their duties. Based on this limited information though, it is quite clear where the librarians stood in chain of command with some rules stating that the librarian must report to the secretary. The Collie Brass Band in Western Australia had a rule that closely matched the rule from the Frankston Brass Band:

22. The Librarian shall take charge of all the music and shall keep correct list of names to tally with Secretary’s.
(“REVISED RULES.,” 1924)

Obviously, some bands provide better job descriptions for librarians in their rules than others. Perhaps this indicates a general envisioning in the band movement of what a band librarian should be doing, but there is no way of knowing this without some very in-depth research. The Peterborough Federal Band from South Australia was one band that did provide a very good rule for the librarian which no doubt helped them in their duties:

13. The Librarian shall take charge of, be responsible for, and keep a catalogue of all music the property of the Band; and distribute and collect the music at practices, concerts, and engagements. He shall furnish a written report of the state of the library at each annual meeting, and must adhere to By-law 21 (b).
(“Peterborough Federal Band,” 1931)

The band member who was elected to be Librarian at the Peterborough Federal Band in 1931 was a Mr. T. Jenkins (“Peterborough Federal Band,” 1931).

Figure 6: Peterborough Federal Band, 1924 (source: State Library South Australia: B+27818)

It must be said that these band members were used to working under all sorts of rules, by-laws and other regulations – we saw as much in a previous post on the deportment of band members (de Korte, 2021). So having minimal direction on the operating of a large music library was an issue that they dealt with as best they could. Occasionally there were some from this time who found they did not have enough time to undertake the role. In an article published by the Dimboola Banner and Wimmera Mallee Advertiser newspaper in January 1914, Mr. Moy of the Dimboola and District Brass Band submitted his resignation to the band from his post as librarian which was read out at the Annual General Meeting.

The secretary read a letter from Mr Moy, in which he tendered his resignation of the post of librarian.

Mr Moy said that it was a farce for him to continue to hold the position, as he could not find enough time to attend to his duties. He moved that Mr C. Deneys be appointed. After several other members had been nominated and had refused the appointment, Mr Deneys consented to take it, and Mr L. Frazer was elected as his assistant.
(“Dimboola Brass Band.,” 1914)

The position was obviously not for everyone.

Regarding the passing of knowledge from one band librarian to another, we can only assume that there was some kind of handover and there might have been contact between individual band librarians from time to time. Unfortunately, the newspaper articles of the time and other material did not delve into these small details. Any word about training for amateurs in this kind of role is non-existent. This is in contrast with their professional counterparts where there is mentions of the training they required to become fully-fledged librarians (“LIBRARIANSHIP DIPLOMA,” 1939; “Record library school opens,” 1945).

We know what kind of work they did, and it has survived the years. In band libraries all over Australia are collections of music, some decades, or centuries old. Below is a small sample of band stamps that were diligently stamped on every piece of sheet music. Some of the stamps are very old examples, yet they lasted, and we know that a band librarian at some stage was involved in processing this music.

Figure 7: Samples of band stamps found on sheet music (source: Victorian Bands’ League Archive)

1911	Mr. C. Stewart	Librarian	Derby Brass Band (Tas.)
1912	Mr. P. Cutter	Librarian	Yea Brass Band (Vic.)
1912	Mr. D. T. Hobbs	Librarian and property master	Railway Brass Band (W.A.)
1913	Mr. E. Woolrich Mr. C. Hawkes	Librarian Assistant Librarian	Warburton Brass Band (Vic.)
1914	Mr. Deneys Mr L. Frazer	Librarian Assistant Librarian	Dimboola and District Brass Band (Vic.)
1915	Mr. Smallhorn	Librarian	Westonia Brass Band (W.A.)
1915	Mr. E. Urlwin	Librarian	Balaklava Brass Band (S.A.)

Table 4: (“Balaklava Brass Band.,” 1915; “DERBY BRASS BAND,” 1911; “Dimboola Brass Band.,” 1914; Presto, 1913; “Railway Brass Band.,” 1912; “WESTONIA BRASS BAND,” 1915; “Yea Brass Band.,” 1912)

Always appreciated:

It would be fair to say that a band could not function without a librarian, or two librarians as was the case in some years. As well as their participation as band members, they had these additional tasks to do. We saw at the head of this post the appreciative comments for the late William Wardle of the Boorowa Town and District Band. Every so often there would be another article published in the newspapers about other band librarians who received appreciative comments and presentations from their bands.

In September 1910, the Kew Band in Melbourne awarded their band librarian Mr. Les Smith with a gold medal in appreciation of his services to the band (“Kew Band Presentation.,” 1910). The article published in The Reporter newspaper can be viewed below, and it was obvious that the Kew Band thought very highly of Mr. Smith.

Figure 8: *The Reporter*, 30/09/1910, p. 7

The Murray Bridge Brass Band thought highly of their (former) librarian in 1912 when they placed on a meeting record the “good work done by Mr. W. Paige as librarian to the band, which position is now occupied by Mr. G. Hoare.” (“BAND MATTERS.,” 1912). In Queensland, the Maryborough Naval Band presented their band librarian with gifts for his service. The said person also had other important roles within the band.

During practice at the rooms Lennox street on Thursday night last, the President, Mr. H. A. Reed, sought permission of the Conductor, Mr. W. Ryder, for the Patron, Mr. J. E. Archibald to give a short address to the bandsmen. At the conclusion of the address, a presentation was made to Mr. Vin Zemek (Deputy Band Master, Senior Band and Librarian) of a gold mounted cigarette holder and good supply of cigarettes, for his past untiring efforts in the interest of the band, and his successful work as librarian.
(“NAVAL BAND ASSOCIATION.,” 1919)

Figure 9: Photograph of members of the Maryborough Naval Volunteer Band after they had returned from the brass band contests held in Ipswich on 2nd January 1905. Mr J. Zemek was the conductor. (source: State Library of Queensland: 3234)

It was sometimes necessary for band members to move on from their bands, for whatever reason that may be. At a concert in November 1937, the Mount Gambier Citizens’ Band used the interval to give a presentation and thanks to Euphonium player, committee member, and band librarian Mr. Bern Holman who leaving to take up other activities (“BAND RECITAL.,” 1937).

Sadly, during the First World War, many Australians gave their service and paid the ultimate sacrifice. Private W. C. Carlson of Kapunda, South Australia was one of them and an obituary published in the Kapunda Herald newspaper made mention of his extensive involvement in organisations in the town, including service with the Kapunda Brass Band.

He was an active member of the Kapunda Brass Band, also a member of the local lodge of Rechabites. When the members of the brass band met for practice on Wednesday night Bandmaster Neindorf made feeling references to the death of Private Carlson, who had been an enthusiastic member for a number of years, during which time he acted as librarian. Members sood to order with bowed heads for a time, and then adjourned as a mark of respect for their late comrade.
(“For King and Country,” 1917)

They did their jobs.

1916	Mr. F Rowe Mr. J. Matthews	Librarians	Wandiligong Brass Band (Vic.)
1917	Mr. H. Little	Librarian	Landsborough Brass Band (Vic.)
1918	Mr. J. Ormondy	Librarian	Guyra Brass Band (N.S.W.)
1919	Mr. Wilfred Webster	Librarian	Penguin Brass Band (Tas.)
1920	Mr. R. Fielder	Librarian	Bayswater Brass Band (Vic.)

Table 5: (“Bayswater Brass Band.,” 1920; “GUYRA BRASS BAND.,” 1918; “LANDSBOROUGH.,” 1917; “PENGUIN BRASS BAND,” 1919; “Wandiligong Brass Band.,” 1916)

Conclusion:

They worked without the professional knowledge or qualification of a librarian, yet they basically did the same jobs, and organised their band libraries as best they could. In hindsight, would these band librarians have benefited from classes or knowledge from professional librarians? The band movement was very much amateur and as was evident, the crossover of professional knowledge was sporadic at best, even for musical training. Given that early librarians in Australia had limited training themselves, one could only imagine the trials and tribulations of band librarians as they sought to make sense of the role they had to do.

It is through the work of band librarians of the past that we have surviving sets of music that has been neatly catalogued and stamped, ready for future librarians to keep organised. We can see the band stamps in corners of sheet music, the marches that were stuck onto cards, the frail sets of music that were handwritten, and the envelopes and folders to store the music. And if we dig deeply enough, we have their names and bands.

1921	Mr. H. R. Hochuli	Librarian	Magill Brass Band (S.A.)
1922	Mr. J. Donnelly	Librarian	Skipton Brass Band (Vic.)
1923	Messrs. W. Stavert and R. Bassman	Librarians	Mullumbimby Citizens’ Band (N.S.W.)
1924	Mr. Wes Stokes	Librarian	Association Brass Band (Bowral, N.S.W.)
1925	Mr. A. Clarke	Librarian	Latrobe Federal Brass Band (Tas.)
1926	Mr. J. Donaldson	Acting Librarian	Kellerberrin Brass Band (W.A.)
1927	Mr. A. L. Davidson	Secretary and Librarian	Bordertown Brass Band (S.A.)
1928	Mr. Alf Worrall	Librarian	Victor Harbour Municipal Band (S.A.)
1929	Mr. R. Ainsworth	Librarian	Wingham Band (N.S.W.)
1930	Mr. P. Bandt Mr. A. Pedler	Librarian Assistant Librarian	Freeling Brass Band (S.A.)

Table 6: (“ASSOCIATION BRASS BAND,” 1924; “Bordertown Brass Band,” 1927; “FREELING BRASS BAND.,” 1930; “Kellerberrin Brass Band.,” 1926; “LATROBE BRASS BAND.,” 1925; “MAGILL BRASS BAND.,” 1921; “MUNICIPAL BAND,” 1928; Norris, 1923; “Skipton Brass Band.,” 1922; “WINGHAM BAND.,” 1929)

References:

ALMA BRASS BAND. (1908, 27 June). Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45035483

[Armidale Brass Band]. (n.d.). In S10.4 – Band Stamps (Digital scan of band stamp on sheet music ed., Vol. S10 – Music (Sheet)): Victorian Bands’ League Archive.

ASSOCIATION BRASS BAND. (1924, 27 May). Southern Mail (Bowral, NSW : 1889 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article114059676

Australian Seminar in Music Librarianship and Documentation – Adelaide 1970. (1970). [Report]. Australian Journal of Music Education(7), 53-54. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.870190744257826

A.B.C. Librarian. (1941, 18 July). Goulburn Evening Post (NSW : 1940 – 1954), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article103631833

Balaklava Brass Band. (1915, 26 August). Wooroora Producer (Balaklava, SA : 1909 – 1940), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article207099757

BAND MATTERS. (1912, 06 December). Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147749582

BAND RECITAL : Presentation to Committeeman. (1937, 30 November). Border Watch (Mount Gambier, SA : 1861 – 1954), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article78003653

Bayswater Brass Band. (1920, 17 December). Reporter (Box Hill, Vic. : 1889 – 1925), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article257155681

Bordertown Brass Band. (1927, 24 June). Border Chronicle (Bordertown, SA : 1908 – 1950), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212866665

BRIGHTON BRASS BAND. (1896, 28 March). Caulfield and Elsternwick Leader (North Brighton, Vic. : 1888 – 1902), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article66852240

CITY BRASS BAND. (1910, 02 May). Express and Telegraph (Adelaide, SA : 1867 – 1922), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article209909713

CLUNES : Brass Band. (1909, 25 February). Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 – 1924), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article217280286

[Coburg Central Brass Band Club]. (n.d.). In S10.4 – Band Stamps (Digital scan of band stamp on sheet music ed., Vol. S10 – Music (Sheet): Victorian Bands’ League Archive.

COPYING MACHINE TYPES MUSIC. (1948, 02 June). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22543108

Cundletown Brass Band. (1906, 24 January). Manning River Times and Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts of New South Wales (Taree, NSW : 1898 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article172821374

de Korte, J. D. (2018a, 12 July). The A.B.C. Military Band: an ensemble of the times. Band Blasts from the Past : Anecdotes, Stories and Personalities. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2018/07/12/the-a-b-c-military-band-an-ensemble-of-the-times/

de Korte, J. D. (2018b, 15 March). The politics of affiliation: The Victorian Bands’ Association to the Victorian Bands’ League. Band Blasts from the Past : Anecdotes, Stories and Personalities. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2018/03/15/the-politics-of-affiliation-victorian-bands-association-to-the-victorian-bands-league/

de Korte, J. D. (2019a, 07 December). Brass bands of the New South Wales Central West: Part 2: Association and competition. Band Blasts from the Past : Anecdotes, Stories and Personalities. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2019/12/07/brass-bands-of-the-new-south-wales-central-west-part-2-association-and-competition/

de Korte, J. D. (2019b, 05 June). Finding National consensus: how State band associations started working with each other. Band Blasts from the Past : Anecdotes, Stories and Personalities. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2019/06/05/finding-national-consensus-how-state-band-associations-started-working-with-each-other/

de Korte, J. D. (2021, 03 November). Earning points: proper deportment of band member’s. Band Blasts from the Past : Anecdotes, Stories and Personalities. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2021/11/03/earning-points-proper-deportment-of-band-members/

de Korte, J. D. (2022, 04 April). Training Bandmasters in the art of conducting: the problems, the stats quo, and the plans. Band Blasts from the Past : Anecdotes, Stories and Personalities. https://bandblastsfromthepast.blog/2022/04/04/training-bandmasters-in-the-art-of-conducting-the-problems-the-status-quo-and-the-plans/

DEATH OF LIBRARIAN : State Orchestra Official. (1921, 03 June). Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221464087

DeClifton, G., & Mathews, F. W. (1915, 18 May). Queanbeyan Town Band. Queanbeyan Age and Queanbeyan Observer (NSW : 1915 – 1927), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31665819

DERBY BRASS BAND. (1911, 03 February). Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50459725

Dimboola Brass Band : GENERAL MEETING : WEEKLY PAYMENTS BY MEMBERS TO CEASE : DEPUTY BANDMASTER TO BE APPOINTED : NEW INSTRUMENTS NEEDED. (1914, 23 January). Dimboola Banner and Wimmera and Mallee Advertiser (Vic. : 1914 – 1918), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article152648753

Enquist, I., & Flury, R. (2023). Chronology, 1949-2018. IAML : International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Documentation Centres. Retrieved 14 September 2023 from https://www.iaml.info/iaml-chronology

Federal Brass Band. (1904, 29 January). Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 – 1954; 1998 – 2002), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115056762

Fleming, A. (1939, 28 May). OUR BANDSMEN PLAY— : To the TUNE of £70,000. Sunday Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1926 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article98236539

For King and Country : Late Private W. C. Carlson. (1917, 22 June). Kapunda Herald (SA : 1878 – 1951), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article124989226

Fosbrooke, A. R. (1905). Maryborough Naval Volunteer Band, Queensland, 1905 [Photographic print : black & white]. [3234]. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland. https://hdl.handle.net/10462/deriv/248614

[Frankston Silver Band]. (n.d.). In S10.4 – Band Stamps (Digital scan of band stamp on sheet music ed., Vol. S10 – Music (Sheet)): Victorian Bands’ League Archive.

FREELING BRASS BAND. (1930, 27 June). Bunyip (Gawler, SA : 1863 – 1954), 11. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96669501

GUYRA BRASS BAND. (1918, 09 May). Guyra Argus (NSW : 1902 – 1954), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article173591348

HEALESVILLE BRASS BAND. (1903, 18 July). Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian (Vic. : 1900 – 1942), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60284026

[Heidelberg District Band]. (n.d.). In S10.4 – Band Stamps (Digital scan of band stamp on sheet music ed., Vol. S10 – Music (Sheet)): Victorian Bands’ League Archive.

Keane, M. V. (1982a). Chronology of Education for Librarianship in Australia, 1896-1976. The Australian Library Journal, 13(3), 16-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049670.1982.10755458

Keane, M. V. (1982b). The development of education for librarianship in Australia between 1896 and 1976, with special emphasis on the role of the Library Association of Australia. The Australian Library Journal, 31(2), 12-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049670.1982.10755450

Kellerberrin Brass Band. (1926, 15 January). Eastern Recorder (Kellerberrin, WA : 1909 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article256404975

Kew Band Presentation. (1910, 30 September). Reporter (Box Hill, Vic. : 1889 – 1925), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article89698013

Kew Brass Band. (1907, 06 September). Reporter (Box Hill, Vic. : 1889 – 1925), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article90312804

LAKE’S CREEK BRASS BAND. (1900, 05 April). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52571271

LANDSBOROUGH : BRASS BAND. (1917, 01 August). Ballarat Courier (Vic. : 1869 – 1886; 1914 – 1918), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article73321617

LATROBE BRASS BAND. (1925, 17 September). Daily Telegraph (Launceston, Tas. : 1883 – 1928), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153656236

LIBRARIANSHIP DIPLOMA : Establishment Sought. (1939, 28 January). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 13. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12091273

LILYDALE BRASS BAND. (1898, 02 December). Lilydale Express and Yarra Glen, Wandin Yallock, Upper Yarra, Healesville and Ringwood Chronicle (Vic. : 1898 – 1914), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article258343462

MAGILL BRASS BAND. (1921, 11 August). Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 – 1929), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63195858

[March Card Backing with Victoria Police Band stamp]. (n.d.). In S10.3 – March Card Backs (Digital scan of march card back and band stamp ed., Vol. S10 – Music (Sheet)): Victorian Bands’ League Archive.

MUNICIPAL BAND. (1928, 01 June). Victor Harbor Times and Encounter Bay and Lower Murray Pilot (SA : 1912 – 1930), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article167135026

NAVAL BAND ASSOCIATION : PRESENTATION TO MR. VIN ZEMEK. (1919, 27 May). Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser (Qld. : 1860 – 1947), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article151041581

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Norris, A. (1923, 04 October). Mullumbimby Citizens’ Band : ANNUAL REPORT AND BALANCE SHEET. Mullumbimby Star (NSW : 1906 – 1936), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article125397418

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Woodend Brass Band. (1905, 14 January). Woodend Star (Vic. : 1888 – 1942), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article270719524

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Testing times: the resilience of Australian bands during the Great Depression

October 18, 2020October 29, 2023 Jeremy de Korte1 Comment

165x215mm — A large room of tables stocked with fruit and vegetables with a brass band in the centre of the crowd. (Source: State Library of Western Australia: 8292B/A/6851-1)

Introduction:

From conversations I have had with bandmasters in Australia it would appear that the bands generally have been very hard hit by the depression, but I have been struck by the fine spirit and courage shown generally by them in these passing troubles. Undoubtedly brighter times are coming, and they will be rewarded for the admirable attitude they have taken right through.
(Adkins, 1934)

The years from 1900-1950 are filled with historical events that caused great upheavals in society across the globe. Australia was similarly affected, and nominally our bands as well. It was not all doom and gloom for bands as this time is one that I personally regard as a golden period. However, when society experienced hardship, our bands did as well. The Great Depression from 1929-1939 is just one of those events that was global, but it was felt right down to the tiniest country town. As for our bands, numerous articles published in newspapers tell of struggle and hope. The words from Capt. H. E. Adkins, quoted above, then conductor of the A.B.C. Military Band attest to this.

In a previous post the impact of the “Spanish” Influenza on our bands was examined. Australian society could not have predicted that a decade later they would again be thrust into convulsions not because of a health crisis, but an economic crisis. Australian bands that existed at the time relied heavily on local council support and the goodwill of subscriptions from the general public. The money was necessary to keep them going and keep them supplied. Yet, as can be seen, there were some bands that were formed during this time. Music, it seems, was a way in which people could forget their struggles and enjoy some community.

This post will obviously highlight some of the struggles that were experienced by bands and band associations during this time; unfortunately, this is unavoidable. It is also necessary to provide context. This post will also highlight the resilience of our bands during this time. Many survived in the most trying of circumstances. They also kept up a regular pattern of concerts, parades, contests, and other events and in one instance, they also gave their support to the desperate of society.

The Great Depression is but one event in history, as is the Coronavirus pandemic of today that is again impacting our many bands. Resilience is a common term that defines the bands of the time.

The Great Depression in Australia: a brief history:

The headlines on an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald on October 26^th, 1929, did not mince words: “Wild Selling. New York Panic. Profits Wiped Out. £80,000,000 Slump.” – the stock market in New York had crashed on October 24^th and this sent the economy into a tailspin (“WILD SELLING,” 1929). The crash on October 24^th, 1929, has been well-documented and for much of the world, this had profound consequences. However, there had been economic troubles in Australia leading up to this event during the 1920s and this led to a decade of financial hardship for all:

As for many other countries, the 1920s were a decade of mixed blessings for Australia. State governments continued to borrow to finance important public works projects, but underlying problems remained. Post-war inflation in 1919 and 1920 was followed by a recession. Unemployment hovered at around 10 per cent during the 1920s. Loan funds from London dried up after 1927, limiting debt-financed public works.
(Eklund, 2008)

The early years of the Great Depression were very hard in Australia with major unemployment, collapse of the wool and wheat prices, social unrest, displacement of people and governmental problems (Eklund, 2008; National Museum Australia, 2020). Williamson (2009) tells us “it was the working classes and those who became unemployed who bore the greatest brunt of the Depression.” and that “Losing a job broke the work and leisure routines of an individual’s life, and the victim further lost the company of workmates.” (from Electronic Article).

From 1930 a form of welfare assistance was given to needy households and was either in the form of “sustenance”, “the dole” or “rations” which was “barely enough to survive” (Hutchens, 2020). This later evolved into other forms of basic work on designated projects for governments and local councils. In 1932, 60,000 Australians – men, women and children, were dependent on this scheme and unemployment hit a peak of 32% (National Museum Australia, 2020). A small song sung by the unemployed and children basically summed up the situation that thousands found themselves in:

“We’re on the Susso now,
We can’t afford a cow.
We pay no rent,
We live in a tent.
We’re on the Susso now.”
(Hutchens, 2020; McAnulty, 2017; National Museum Australia, 2020)

The immediate effect of such large job losses and unemployment led to mainly men wandering the country in searching for work (Eklund, 2008). As well as this, those that remained in work faced cuts to wages and underemployment, which added to the social problems. Many who had lived reasonable well in the 1920s found themselves in employment situations that they had not previously encountered (Eklund, 2008).

By the later parts of the 1930s, economic conditions gradually improved although unemployment was still a major problem (“Australia’s Rise From Depression,” 1936). Recovery was slow, and then tempered by the advent of the Second World War – the next global period of strife.

Finances and Administration:

How did Australian bands weather this economic storm, and what do the available records tell us? The Annual General Meetings of individual bands and associations provide snippets of information as to how they fared, and thankfully these meetings were detailed in local newspapers. The Hills Central Brass Band from South Australia held an Annual General Meeting in March 1930, the early years of the Depression. In their reports the band said they were faring well and had accrued a small credit. A paragraph from the article that was published in the Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser newspaper provides an insight into their awareness of the economic situation.

The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet referred to the excellence of the report. Mr. Duffield had made a very capable secretary, and took a keen interest in the band. The report was the best they had had. With regard to the financial position of the band the speaker though it was highly satisfactory, considering the present depression.
(“HILLS CENTRAL BRASS BAND.,” 1930)

The Devonport Brass Band from Tasmania took an insular view of the conditions when they held their meeting in March 1931 insofar as the rest of Australia was having problems, but their band was proceeding as best they could. Their acknowledgement of the present conditions opened the report of the AGM as detailed in an article published by The Advocate newspaper.

The report of the year’s working of the Devonport Brass Band at the annual meeting this evening will reveal that there is little sign of the depression so far as the fortunes of this organisation are concerned.
(“DEVONPORT.,” 1931)

Peterborough Federal Band, 1924 (source: IBEW))

Back to South Australia, at an Annual General Meeting of the Peterborough Federal Band held in July 1931, the financials were outlined, and credit was given to the secretary of the band for his sound management of the finances during the previous year.

The secretary’s annual report disclosed a very active and successful year, whilst the balance sheet showed the Band to be on a sound footing; two years ago the overdraft was in close proximity to £200, last year it had been reduced to £14/6/5, and this year closed with a credit balance of £15/0/3, the receipts being £116/19/1 and the expenditure £87/12/5; this in face of the terrible depression that has existed, is a wonderful achievement, and reflects great credit upon the secretary (Mr. W. H. Kaehne), whose sole aim has been a credit balance, and he is to be highly complimented on reaching his objective.
(“Peterborough Federal Band,” 1931)

In these early years of the depression, it is obvious that bands were well aware of the prevailing economic conditions. However, it was not just individual bands that were taking notice, the band associations were as well. In May 1932 the Queensland Band Association held their Annual General Meeting and mention of the depression was made in the annual report.

Fees received for registration for the year totalled £119 18s 6d., as against £106 8s 6d. in the previous year. The 1933 contests would be held at Mackay. Notwithstanding the prevailing depression the association had held its own financially and closed a successful year with a credit balance of £91 11s 4d. compared with £105 16s 1d. last year.
(“BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1932)

Unfortunately, some bands inevitably ran into trouble during this period and either went into recess or disbanded. Finances were certainly a factor in this, but loss of members was another – which will be explored in the next section. In 1932 the Yeppoon Brass Band, located in North Queensland, announced that it would go into recess due to lack of funds and members (“INTO RECESS,” 1932). However, in a generous move, the band allowed remaining members to keep their instruments while in recess. The Franklin Harbour Band from the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia lamented its struggles in an article published by the Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune newspaper in November 1936.

… at present one of the depression periods is being experienced and unless a revival of interest by the young men of the town and district is evinced, there is a possibility of the band after 25 years of continuous existence, sinking into oblivion.
(“FRANKLIN HARBOUR BAND.,” 1936)

Franklin Harbour Brass Band (date unknown) (source: IBEW)

The Gawler Brass Band was another that faced growing troubles and in 1938 announced that it was disbanding due money being owed to the local council – they owed £100 for instruments – and lack of members as they had gone from 24 players to 12 (“Gawler Brass Band May Not Continue,” 1936).

This call for more support was a common one from bands and associations as their finances dwindled and membership became problematic. The then Secretary of the Tasmanian Band Association, a Mr W. H. Gray was one who called for more support in a long letter published in The Mercury newspaper in January 1932 (Gray, 1932). The letter is interesting given that Mr Gray makes no mention of the Depression while calling for more support for the bands – the subject of the letter is mainly about bands playing in certain parks from which they gain revenue. However, one cannot help but feel that the impact of the Depression was implied when Mr Gray writes in his letter,

The bands are prepared to carry on provided the necessary public support is forthcoming, but many of them are doomed to early extinction if that support is not more liberal from now on. The Sunday evening concerts provide a most pleasant hour, and are a wonderful tonic and inspiration for the following week’s worries and cares.
(Gray, 1932)

Of course, there were always some who resented that brass bands were getting any form of support at all, which was perhaps understandable. One person from regional South Australia wrote a pointed letter to the Advertiser and Register newspaper complaining that the Government was not doing enough to help primary producers and instead found some money to fund an Institute in Waikerie and buy instruments for the Waikerie Brass Band (to the value of £350) (Rogers, 1931).

Waikerie Brass Band, 1930s (Source: State Library South Australia: B 34089)

There are still more stories to be found regarding the experiences of bands in the Great Depression and thankfully, some are brought to light through community newspapers. For example, two stories about the Walcha Brass Band, published in the Walcha News newspaper (Walsh, 2019a, 2019b). The Walcha Brass Band suffered through the 1930s due to the impacts of the Depression but recovered soon after the cessation of the Second World War and survived until 1969 when it disbanded (Walsh, 2019b).

If this small sample of AGM’s are to go by it is evident that bands were fully aware of the impacts of the depression. Which made them all the more pleased to find they were riding the economic impacts as best they could.

Employ a Bandsman:

Every band wants to retain their members as best they can. This was no different for the bands during the Depression years where, as it was mentioned, people had to leave their localities to find work elsewhere. Again, the fact that bands were losing members due to Depression conditions, factors that were really beyond their control, sometimes had a detrimental effect on the bands. One strategy that bands used was to try to find employment for bandsmen in their own localities and on occasion implored local businesses to help them. This was not an easy thing for bands to ask.

Freeling Brass Band (date unknown) (source: IBEW)

In 1931 the loss of members from the Freeling Model Brass Band from South Australia was noted as a significant factor affecting the survival of the band. We can see in an article published in The Bunyip newspaper just how dire the circumstance of the band was in 1931.

The secretary (Mr. E. L. Anders) read the report and balance sheet on the year’s work. He stated that the Band were in a financial position, but were unfortunate in losing eight playing members during the year; some having left the district through unemployment. […] He also stressed the point, that little or no interest was shown by the playing members and the support from the public was very scanty. This let the band down badly, and if not more support was forthcoming, the band would have to go into recess for a short period. […] A lengthy discussion arose, and for a time it was hard to distinguish what was being said. It was proposed that the band go into recess. After order was restored, it was proposed and seconded that the band carry on.
(“FREELING MODEL BRASS BAND.,” 1931)

The Muswellbrook Brass Band, located in the Newcastle area of New South Wales, recognized that they might lose two members due employment issues and they made a request to the public in their March committee meeting. This request was detailed in the local Muswellbrook Chronicle newspaper.

Employment Sought for Members.

Reference was made to the possibility of losing two valuable members of the Band owing to their inability to obtain employment in the town. The hope was expressed that this matter would come under the notice of the general public, and that anyone in the position to offer employment would communicate with Mr. Wallace (hon. Secretary).
(“MUSWELLBROOK BRASS BAND.,” 1935)

Similarly, in the same year, the Dandenong Brass Band from Victoria (as can be seen in the article below) also put out a plea to try to find employment for two of their members.

The Waratah Brass Band from Tasmania and the Port Adelaide Municipal Band were other bands that noted the loss of members due to employment issues (“WARATAH.,” 1935; “YOUR LOCAL BAND NEEDS SUPPORT!,” 1938). It was a circumstance that many bands found themselves in during these years.

Port Adelaide Municipal Band (Source: *The Citizen*, 30/11/1938, p. 7)

Finding themselves in a slightly different situation, in 1937 a brass band located in Canberra was “disbanded as a protest against the refusal of the Department of Interior to guarantee all members permanent employment.” (“BAND IS NOT TO PLAY,” 1937). They were to play at an Armistice Service at Parliament House which forced the Department of Interior to hire a Sydney based band (“BAND IS NOT TO PLAY,” 1937). However, in trying to defend this decision, the Secretary of the Department, Mr. Carrodus did say…

…that at least half of the members of the band had been given departmental jobs, but because of the stringent observance of the Returned Soldiers’ Preference Act it would be impossible to absorb them all.”
(“BAND IS NOT TO PLAY,” 1937)

It is hard to read of these circumstances and not feel saddened about the state some of these bands. They were trying to exist in a time of history where outside forces were affecting how they operated; membership and commitment being a major part of those factors. No doubt they were doing the best they could under the circumstances.

The bands played on:

Brass band marching on Anzac Day, Sydney, 1930 (Source: National Library of Australia: 14446)

Music has always been known as a great reliever to troubles and during this time our brass bands rose to the challenge, not only for the good of the band and band members but also for the public and other causes. In fact, some commentators suggested that there was no need for music making to stop. In 1931 a Dr A. E. Floyd wrote in an article published in the Australasian newspaper,

The effect of the present financial stringency on every man’s music and musical progress need not be unmitigatedly bad; indeed it may be easily, with a little forethought, be decidedly good.
(Floyd, 1931)

Admittedly, the context of Dr. Floyd’s article was more on making music in the home environment. However, there is no doubt that his thoughts were cross-applicable to playing in ensembles outside of the home as well – his encouragement was for people to keep making music no matter the circumstances for health reasons.

For our bands it was a little more difficult as engagements slowed and money was scarce. The bigger bands, often based in metropolitan centres were luckier than most as they could keep up with a regular pattern of performances, parades and competitions. Indeed, the Victorian Bands’ League presented some very impressive massed band events during this time including one in 1937 that involved six hundred bandsmen! (“BIG BANDS DISPLAY,” 1937). In Sydney, a grand competition was held in 1938 which drew together bands from across Australia (Bandsman’s year book, 1938). While in the regional town of Wellington in New South Wales, their first competition in twenty five years was labelled a “Tremendous and Outstanding Success” by the Wellington Times newspaper (“WELLINGTON BAND CONTEST.,” 1932).

Music for a cause:

The brass bands also did their bit for charitable causes and lent their services to help the needy. For the bands, this was not a new style of engagement as over time they were regularly engaged in helping raise money for charity – the Victorian Bands’ League massed bands event in 1937 raised money for charity. However, during the Great Depression this was giving a new meaning and we find the bands involved in some distinct social causes as well.

We can see that bands were an uplifting presence. In North Queensland the Mirani Brass Band helped to lift spirits during a harvest thanksgiving event and the band was noted for their playing – practices had lifted after harvest when more members were available (“DISTRICT NEWS.,” 1930). While over in Western Australia, the Merredin Brass Band joined other local organisations in an engagement that raised money for the needy in the district (Branson, 1931). The Matron of the Clare Hospital located in South Australia wrote an appreciative letter to the Blyth Agriculturist newspaper to thank the “generosity of the general public” and the Clare Brass Band was given a special mention for raising money for a new dressing table in the Isolation section (Pattullo, 1934).

The thanks went both ways. In April 1930 a letter was published in the Burra Record newspaper co-written by the President, Bandmaster and Secretary of the Spalding Brass Band thanking a Mr. P. Clark of Burra for financing a trip and engaging them to play (Hewish et al., 1930). No doubt the band was grateful for these kinds of opportunities.

We can also see mentions of brass bands leading marches and demonstrations, which is perhaps understandable. Many brass bands were supported by industry at this time and no doubt some of the workers were affected by the conditions around them. Mention was made of a brass band leading an Anti-Eviction procession in Sydney in 1933 and in Newcastle, a brass band headed up 600 unemployed from the “West Wallsend District” who marched on the town hall in 1935 (“ANTI-EVICTION PROCESSION.,” 1933; “UNEMPLOYED,” 1935).

*Sydney Morning Herald*, 14/08/1933, p. 10

Resilience:

We have already seen that some of the effects of the Great Depression on brass bands led to them going into recess or suffering financial and membership difficulties. We have also seen that bands kept up their activities as best they could. They were resilient in the face of adversity. And if it was one activity that brought people together, it was the brass band. In this decade, some bands even started up again.

In the township of Leeton, located in the Riverina district of New South Wales, a long letter was published in the Murrumbidgee Irrigator newspaper written by a contributor with the colloquial name of “Has Been”. In 1932 the Leeton Band resumed practicing and this writer waxed lyrical on how much this band would mean to the town.

Sir,- I notice by your advertising that the Leeton Band is commencing its practices again, which means that we are again to have the pleasure of hearing band music. This, I am sure, will be very pleasing to quite a number of people in our town and district, for the band is a decided acquisition to any town, no matter how small.
(“Has Been”, 1932)

Of course, there was a trade-off to reforming the band and “Has Been” wrote an appeal to the townsfolk to look for employment opportunities for bandsmen.

Might I add another word to the employers of labour, whether it be shop, farms or factory, when in need of a man, give the band secretary a chance to supply you with a bandsman. If there is not a man in town suitable for the job, ask the band secretary to see what he can do. The band secretary, being a life man, would, no doubt insert an advert in the city papers, worded something like this: “Wanted – A mechanic (or whatever the position was that had to be filled), good man only; must be bandsman (cornet player preferred) – Apply Secty Leeton District Band.
(“Has Been”, 1932)

“Has Been” was probably working a bit ahead of himself but the initiative was warranted given the difficult times – and many other bands were trying the same initiative.

The Tully Brass Band from North Queensland was perhaps one of the luckier ensembles as six years prior to 1933, residents of the town subscribed to the band and £400 had been spent on instruments (“TO BE RE-FORMED,” 1933). When the band was reformed in 1933 those instruments were still available, so the band was able to restart almost immediately. We can see in the photo below what the band was like in the 1930s.

Tully Brass Band marching. ca. 1930s (Source: State Library of Queensland: 33123)

To be resilient a band had to be able to handle the circumstances as best they could and gathering public and council support was a chief aim. When these pieces fell into place, bands could survive reasonably comfortably despite the outside circumstances. For bands to restart during this time was an additional challenge which some of them managed with success.

Conclusion:

Coming out of the 1920s where the world seemed to be recovering only to plunge into another crisis must have been a major shock. For bands, this meant a greater focus on administration especially finances, engagements, and membership. Some aspects were simply out of their control such as the movement of members due to employment – as enjoyable as playing in a band might be, the outside need was to find a job. It was admirable that many bands sought to find work for their members and themselves become a social service.

No doubt the work the bands were doing was appreciated by their communities either through live performance or over the wireless. Music is uplifting. Music could help people forget about their predicaments, if only for a short time. The bands did their best.

References:

“Has Been”. (1932, 26 February). REFORMING THE BAND : (To the Editor). Murrumbidgee Irrigator (Leeton, NSW : 1915 – 1954), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155893074

Adkins, H. E. (1934, 10 January). Britain’s Big Brass Bands. Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 – 1954), 10. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1158876

ANTI-EVICTION PROCESSION. (1933, 14 August). Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 – 1954), 10. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16998155

Australia’s Rise From Depression : Story Told By Figures. (1936, 15 February). Northern Producer and Morawa and District Advertiser (WA : 1930 – 1947), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article257624349

BAND ASSOCIATION : The Annual Report. (1932, 12 May). Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), 13. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article180704011

BAND IS NOT TO PLAY : Demand Permanent Jobs. (1937, 11 November). Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW : 1924 – 1938), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237760894

The Bandsman’s year book and official programme of the Australian Championship Band Contest. (1938). (Band Association of New South Wales, Ed.). Band Association of New South Wales.

BIG BANDS DISPLAY : 600 Players. (1937, 25 September). Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 – 1954), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article180841683

Branson, I. N. (1931, 28 April). The Meldrum Benefit. Wheatbelt Wheatsheaf and Dampier Advocate (Merredin, WA : 1930 – 1939), 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article251755519

DEVONPORT. (1931, 31 March). Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article67710241

DISTRICT NEWS : Mirani : (From our Correspondent). (1930, 23 December). Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906 – 1954), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170235248

Eklund, E. (2008). 10 June 1931. In M. Crotty & D. A. Roberts (Eds.), Turning Points in Australian History (pp. 48-61). University of New South Wales Press Ltd.

Floyd, A. E. (1931, 03 January). MUSIC : Need the Depression Stifle Music? Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 – 1946), 15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article141416272

Franklin Harbour Brass Band. (n.d.). [Photograph]. [phot3437]. The Internet Bandsman Everything Within, Vintage Brass Band Pictures : Australia. http://www.ibew.org.uk/vbbp-oz.html

FRANKLIN HARBOUR BAND. (1936, 26 November). Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune (Cowell, SA : 1910 – 1950), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article219473615

Freeling Brass Band. (n.d.). [Photograph]. [phot15438]. The Internet Bandsman Everything Within, Vintage Brass Band Pictures : Australia. http://www.ibew.org.uk/vbbp-oz.html

FREELING MODEL BRASS BAND. (1931, 19 June). Bunyip (Gawler, SA : 1863 – 1954), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article96642544

Gawler Brass Band May Not Continue. (1936, 18 July). Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55830899

Gray, W. H. (1932, 09 January). BAND CONCERTS : Appeals for More Liberal Support : To the Editor of “The Mercury.”. Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 – 1954), 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29939058

Hewish, P. A., Carlson, A. C., & Mannion, F. J. (1930, 16 April). SPALDING’S BRASS BAND APPRECIATION : (To the Editor). Burra Record (SA : 1878 – 1954), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article37488195

HILLS CENTRAL BRASS BAND. (1930, 21 March). Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (SA : 1880 – 1954), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147845925

Hutchens, G. (2020, 29 March). The lessons of our past and our neighbours’ present could guide Australia’s economic response to coronavirus. ABC News. Retrieved 02 October 2020 from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-29/australias-history-of-economic-support-coronavirus-covid-19/12100194

Illustrations Ltd. (1932). Large group of people in shed near tables full of vegetables and fruit [picture] [1 negative : glass, b&w ; 17 x 22 cm.]. [101841PD]. State Library of Western Australia, Illustrations Ltd collection ; 8292B/A/6851-1. https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2649568

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YOUR LOCAL BAND NEEDS SUPPORT! : A Short History. (1938, 30 November). Citizen (Port Adelaide, SA : 1938-1940), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article236745262

Australian bands, gramophones and wireless: adapting to new technology

August 3, 2020September 17, 2021 Jeremy de Korte1 Comment

19290722_Argus_Wireless-Broadcast — *The Argus*, 22/07/1929, p. 18

Introduction:

The Old Town Band
(Written for “The Land”)
The band was the life of the old town
The zest of its great events
When the great Pooh-Bah himself came down,
Or the prize merinos brought renown
Or the circus raised its tents.
There was music in the trombone
A martial note in the drum
And the boom of the bass was on its own
In the days before the gramophone
Ere the wireless craze had come.
…
Those were the day when the township band
Filled a place in pioneer life:
Cheered the struggle with virgin land
And gave the old battlers a helping hand
When droughts or plagues were rife.
Today the baton is laid aside
And the bandsmen rest in their graves:
They played their way o’er the great divide,
And are bandsmen now on the other side
In paradisian naves
And o’er the earth in tones forlorn
The saxophone raises its call.
The engines start their shrieks at dawn
The gramophone laughs the band to scorn,
And the wireless mocks them all.
(Excerpts from “The Old Town Band”, James, 1929)

So wrote Mr. A. A. James in 1929 for The Land newspaper in response to an article published in the Riverine Grazier which lamented the fact that the town of Hay in Southern New South Wales had lost its town band. His prose was published in several other country newspapers at the time, as many town bands faced the same challenges. Mr James singles out the gramophones and wireless as contributing factors, but was he right in suggesting so? Was this new technology which proliferated during the early 1900s detrimental to our bands? It depends on the perception of the history at the time. And thankfully, there is much history to examine.

In this post, the effects of new broadcasting technology on Australian bands will be looked at. The early 1900s were a period of rapid technological change and our bands were nominally affected by these changes. Throughout this early time from 1900 – 1950, and Mr James’s poem sits roughly in the middle, a new life of music and entertainment was brought into the homes of Australians – enthusiastically so. With this adoption of gramophones and wireless sets came the start of commentary and opinions from citizens which were written up in the newspapers. Radio program notes published in newspapers became essential reading.

Through this all we find the relationships between audience and bands being rapidly changed. Perhaps this is the deeper meaning of Mr James’s poem – he identified that people were more enamoured with sounds coming out of a box of wires than live instruments and musicians. Both sides of this issue will be explored as some bands took advantage of the radio and found new audiences, while other bands could not compete.

Early transmissions:

Live performance was very much the norm of Australian brass bands in the early 1900s and engagement with audience was centred around this type of performing. As well as this, the popularity of brass bands was obvious through their music and the crowds that they attracted. Reports of 70,000 people cramming the streets of Melbourne to see the famous Besses o’ th’ Barn Band in a parade and 20,000-30,000 people watching the South Street marching sections were not uncommon (“Besses o’ th’ Barn Band,” 1907; Greaves, 1996). Later in the 1920s there are stories about 5,000 people attending community song nights in local gardens, as was the case at Central Park in Malvern where the Malvern Tramways performed every week (Young, 1923).

In amongst the many accounts on live performances are a couple of unique stories. In an earlier post regarding bands on Australian islands, the remarkable story of a performance by the Kingscote Brass Band (Kangaroo Island) was highlighted. On the 20^th of November 1906, the band performed a lunchtime concert which was transmitted via telephone to lighthouses at either end of Kangaroo Island – one seventy miles to the West of Kingscote and the other thirty miles to the East (“MUSIC FOR WATCHERS BY THE SEA.,” 1906). According to the article in the Register, the concert was “very much appreciated” by both lighthouse keepers (“MUSIC FOR WATCHERS BY THE SEA.,” 1906).

However, this was not the first brass band concert broadcast via telephone in Australia. According to an article published in the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, this took place in the preceding century, although the exact date is unclear.

A band conducted by Mr Edward Brown was practising at the old fire brigade station […] when the late Messrs Harry Batchelor and W. Pummell, compositors of the “Morning Bulletin” suggested that the playing be put “over the phone”. Mr Rosenads, then in charge of the Rockhampton Telephone Exchange, agreed to the proposal. There was a function at the School of Arts that night and the band was heard there “by quite a few who took turns at the earphone”. Later the band was playing outside the Oddfellows Hall in Denham Street and by means of a “link-up” was heard at Mount Morgan. “And very well, too” said Mr Brown.
(“Band Music “Broadcast” Here Last Century,” 1945)

No doubt transmitting a performance via telephone would have seemed innovative and inventive, especially in these early times. However, these were extremely rare and were not substitutes for live performances, they were mainly done out of opportunity – a way to see whether it could be done. The major changes that were taking place were the recordings of bands on gramophone records, and the beginnings of radio broadcasts.

The band movement is cautious:

In Australia, the pace of change from predominantly live music to a mix of live music, recorded music and broadcast music took place within the space of a couple of decades. There were many commentators at the time who saw fit to try to warn of a decline of community bands and one or two had their voices repeated through many regional newspapers. One of them was a Mr Will Lewis formerly of the Toowoomba Municipal Band who expressed a pessimistic attitude:

He was of the opinion that the day of the amateur brass band was waning, and gave as a reason the fact that the gramophone, by which one could hear the world’s greatest bands and orchestras – jazz and otherwise, was creating serious inroads upon the brass band, and further, that the advent of the radio was also having much to do with the decline of brass band popularity. Even band contests were becoming less popular every year – at least with the general public – and the wireless and the gramophone were the two disturbing elements. Bandsmen, naturally, would be the last persons to recognize this serious fact.”
(““DAY OF AMATEUR BRASS BANDS WANING.”,” 1927)

Some might consider Mr Lewis to be alarmist, he could not predict the future, but he was commentating on the present. For the brass bands it was a time of upheaval and some of them were rightfully concerned. It could be said that many bands went defunct at this time due to the technological change however it is hard to document this at this time of writing.

The worry of band people was not helped by this small snippet of news in 1930 about the Royal Melbourne Show dropping the brass bands in favour of recorded music being played through loud speakers – and saving £140.00 (“MELBOURNE SHOW.,” 1930).

19300409_Brisbane-Courier_Melb-Show — *The Brisbane Courier*, 09/04/1930, p. 24

In 1938 a passionate call to old times was made by the Committee of the Sunshine Brass Band, based in western Melbourne. While the crux of the article published in the Sunshine Advocate was to solicit funds and support, they also lamented the fact that times had changed, and that local brass bands were victims of change. Below are some excerpts from the article:

Most old-established customs and usages have felt the influence of modern times, and not the least of these are district brass bands, which have had to fight against canned music retailed hourly over the wireless. Gramophone recordings of the world’s best bands are sandwiched in between talks and appeals to buy somebody’s pills to improve health.
[…]
The older generation was a music loving people. The possession of a piano was a hall-mark of respectability, and the education of the children was not considered complete unless music was included in the curriculum.
[…]
To hear a local band in the gardens on a Sunday afternoon and a warm evening were events that were looked forward to by the older generation. They were delightful times, and people held communion with one another to the strains of pleasant and beautiful music, which acted as a tonic to their nervous system.
The Sunshine band committee realises that a return to the customs of other days is due, and propose to play near the railway station on warm Sunday evenings.
(“Sunshine Band Needs More Public Support,” 1938)

This article was interesting in its sentiment and information. We have here a brass band from the Melbourne environs trying to bring back former times through playing quality live music in a local place. By this time however, music broadcasts were well and truly accepted so their words might have struck some memories amongst parts of the population. They were telling it as they saw it.

A similar sentiment to Mr. Lewis and Mr. James was also expressed in 1938 in an article published in the Sydney Mail by a contributor with the initials of W. P. T. This article was more of a reminiscence of times gone by and he mentions several brass bands. The opening of his article reads:

The brass band of the small country towns plays a very important part in the social life of the country, although such bands are not nearly as common as they were before the days of radio.
(W. P. T., 1938)

It is an interesting observation to make and clearly some connection had been made in the minds of people that radios were somewhat to blame for the demise of smaller bands.

The other side to these views is that several bands had begun exploring what the new technology could do for them from the very beginning.

The band movement adapts:

In 1996, noted band historian Jack Greaves assisted in the compilation of several old recordings into a two-CD set titled “The Great Bands of Australia” (Greaves, 1996). This CD set is remarkable not only for the breadth of recorded music from full band works, marches and solo items, performed by a large selection of famous Australian bands. From reading a catalogue entry of this work (linked), we can see that the recordings date back to 1912. Some of the music can still be heard thanks to the work of the National Library of Australia and the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA). Below is a link to one recording which is on the NFSA website:

The Newcastle Steelworks Band (1924) playing the “Honest Toil March” by William Rimmer

The gramophone meant that people could acquire recordings of music groups and play them in their own homes at a time of their choosing. They did not have to go out to concerts or community events, or the band competitions. It was one cause of alarm for the band movement, but some bands obviously saw fit to record their work and bring their playing to new audiences. Recordings by many of the top bands of the day still exist and enthusiasts have made digital copies of old recordings.

Aside from the gramophone, the utilisation of the radio probably brought about the greatest change to society and to the band movement. Referred to early as the wireless, Australia followed developments out of America and the United Kingdom and set up its own network of stations. It is in the early 1920s when this was happening.

19230800_Box-Hill-Band_Radio-Studio — Newspaper unknown at the time of writing (Source: Box Hill Historical Society)

The year is 1923 and in the Melbourne suburb of Box Hill the first transmission of a live brass band over the wireless took place on the 1^st of August (Elsum, 1924). The picture above is reputed to be the Box Hill Brass Band sitting in the home of Mr H. Beattie, a wireless enthusiast who resided in Box Hill. However, in some newspapers the band that participated in the first transmission was named as the Nunawading District Brass Band (“NUNAWADING BRASS BAND,” 1923). This conjecture can be easily explained as Nunawading and Box Hill are near neighbouring suburbs and the then Parish of Nunawading encompassed Box Hill. (The Box Hill Historical Society shares my confusion as the newspapers were not forthcoming as to the true identity of the band that was actually broadcast (Harris, 2020)). Despite the confusion in the newspapers, the fact remains that a brass band of the local area had their music transmitted via wireless.

This first transmission was actually a modulation test and the band was heard over all of Melbourne, parts of Victoria, and even interstate! Much of the article published in the local Reporter newspaper listed the locations where the transmission was heard and the praise that was given:

For the next few days letters arrived from all points of the compass congratulating Mr Beattie and the Band, and expressing appreciation also of a speech by Cr. W. Young. From Footscray to Armadale, from Sandringham to Camberwell, Essendon, Hawksburn, and wherever else in the metropolitan district, receiving stations listened in, the unanimous opinion expressed that it “was the best music ever heard by wireless”. Wonthaggi sent a tribute, and the amateurs of Ararat wrote “Encore, we want more”, while far away Terang announced that the enthusiastic listeners in there were delighted. The most interesting letter came from Strathfield, Sydney, 592 miles from the spot the Band played, stating that a number of visitors sat around a three-valve set with a loud speaker, and heard the performance from start to finish, announcing the strength and modulation to be perfect, and stating that after the Band had concluded with the National Anthem, local transmitters around Sydney could be heard enthusiastically discussing the test.
(“NUNAWADING BRASS BAND,” 1923)

An achievement indeed! Although this achievement had to be defended. In early 1924, the Vice-President of the Nunawading District Brass Band, a Mr. W. M. R. Elsum wrote a letter to the Argus newspaper disputing that the Newcastle Steelworks Band was the first full band to have broadcasted a concert via wireless (Elsum, 1924).

Once people in Australia realised that music of this nature could be transmitted successfully, there was no stopping the progress – it is to say, in colloquial terms, the horse had well and truly bolted! Radio stations and transmitters were set up all over the country and within years, much of the population could listen to a variety of programs (““Listening In”,” 1923). The Queensland Government for example, started setting up a State based broadcasting service in 1925 (“STATE RADIO.,” 1925). In New South Wales, innovation in programming was highlighted with the organising of a Radio Eisteddfod by the New South Wales Broadcasting Company which involved a section for brass bands (“RADIO EISTEDDFOD.,” 1928). Although, the articles of the day were not clear as to who competed and if brass bands made it to the finals.

For the brass bands, radio stations seized upon them as a ready-made musical item and for some of the bands it led to new popularity – some, because radio stations were tending to use the same top-quality brass bands over and over again. Additionally, as explored in a previous post, in 1930 the A.B.C. Military Band was established (“MILITARY BAND AT 3LO.,” 1930). Initially conducted by Harry Shugg, it was further strengthened in 1933 and quickly became a stalwart of A.B.C. radio programming alongside the brass bands (“A BRASS BAND RECITAL.,” 1940; “Radio Programmes,” 1939).

S6.2_20180609_19310000_ABC-Military-Band_Postcard — 1930 Postcard of the A.B.C. Military Band in a studio, conducted by Mr Harry Shugg. (Source: Victorian Collections: Victorian Bands’ League)

The Advertiser newspaper in Adelaide noted that “Brass band concerts have been remarkably popular” and one of the brass bands that station 5CL presented was “Holden’s Silver Band” (“5CL FEATURES,” 1930). A highlight in Victoria of station 3LO’s programming was the “State Schools’ Brass Band contest, which was won by Wonthaggi.” (Armadale came second and Princess Hill was third with Northcote awarded an honourable mention) – a contest which was adjudicated by the famous Percy Code (“RADIO SHOW.,” 1930).

Of course, like the concerts mentioned earlier in the post that were broadcast via telephone, there were other broadcasts that could be classed as novelty events. In November 1932, thirty members of the Young Australia League band were taken up in the “Southern Cross” aircraft flown by Charles Kingsford-Smith where they were to “broadcast music at a height of 5000ft” (“MUSIC IN THE AIR,” 1932).

Now that radio broadcasting was fully entrenched and brass bands were a seemingly popular item, there were times when radio through it would be in the best interest of the band movement to have their events transmitted to the world. The Victorian Centenary celebrations of 1934 were a case in point. The Herald newspaper took aim at the Victorian Bands’ League for not being ambitious enough with their proposed event:

From the point of view of broadcasting, it is regrettable that the Victorian Bands’ League does not see its way to conduct at the Centenary celebration its proposed international brass band championship. This would have been an event of exceptional interest, extending to distant peoples who know little of Australia and its progress. More than that, good band music will be an influence joyous and vital. If an international contest cannot be arranged it should be possible to provide an Imperial one.
(“Broadcasting And Brass Bands,” 1933)

Through better technology and transmission, Australia was also exposed to performances from around the world. Perhaps one of the more unusual concerts that was received was in 1935 when the Imperial Ethiopian Brass Band was heard via short-wave radio in Brisbane (“IMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN BRASS BAND,” 1935). The transmission was reported to have been heard with “remarkable clarity” (“IMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN BRASS BAND,” 1935). Over in Western Australia, the Kalgoorlie Brass Band conducted by Mr. Ted McMahon made history in 1937 when it was broadcast and relayed nationally through stations 6GF, 6WF and 6WA as part of a program to highlight local artists (“Kalgoorlie Band For National Broadcast,” 1937).

These formative years of radio shaped the way Australians heard and digested music. Clearly the brass bands were a useful addition to radio programs, and they presented some quality music. Obviously, some bands, namely country bands, had been left out of this success. What were the feelings of the listeners?

Too many bands or not enough bands?:

As mentioned, the first wireless transmission of a brass band took place in 1923 so another part of this story is the opinions of listeners, and there were many opinions. Most accounts were diplomatic about the popularity of brass bands, but some listeners and commentators asked whether there were too many bands, or could the broadcasters play more bands. Opinions were divided; Australians clearly had their choices.

As early as 1925 letters were seen in newspapers criticising the musical choices of radio stations. Some of the language was blunt as this letter signed by “Condensor” and published in the Herald shows:

Sir, – We quite agree with your correspondent “Radio” who complains of the number of brass bands broadcast from 3LG. Night after night we have to put our phones down, sick and tired of brass. Surely one night a week is enough to satisfy anyone.
(Condensor, 1925)

Interestingly we also see opinions from commentators. A Mr Robert McCall, writing for the Australian Women’s Weekly column, “Music Radio” asks a question at the head of one his columns, “Band Music On the Air Will it be Overdone?” (McCall, 1933). He asked the question because of a decision by the A.B.C.:

Is the Australian Broadcasting Commission overdoing band programmes? Next week there will be bands on the air on six nights – one night the popular brass ensemble from the Malvern Tramways and on five the newly-formed A.B.C. Military Band.
(McCall, 1933)

He went on to write:

Bands, both brass and military, always have been popular in Australia and the commission will find a vast and most receptive audience for its several months season by the band conducted by Captain Adkins from Kneller Hall.
[…]
The bands’ programmes are sure to stimulate the already widespread interest in band work, but I feel that their greatest service should lie in lifting the usual band repertoire out of the ruck of the commonplace. It is about time that such hardy perennials as “Zampa,” “Poet and Peasant,” “Light Cavalry,” and those ill-sounding selections from grand and light operas were given a rest.
[…]
At the same time it should not be forgotten that in recent years some of the most important composers of the day have been seized with the possibilities of bands. Men such as Holst and Elgar have written compositions specially for them. Nor are these works complex and unlistenable.
Band music gives pleasure to thousands. It can still do so, and yet be artistic and original.
(McCall, 1933)

McCall provides an interesting opinion. It seems he was not against the idea of bands being programmed six nights in a row. Rather, he was taking the view of a music critic and expressing concern that the usual repertoire played by bands per se was not palatable to the ordinary listener.

To counter some of the detractors, there were always people who liked the regularity of brass and military bands on the radio. The target of their letter writing was the radio stations themselves and certain listeners scolded the A.B.C. in particular for altering the programming of regular band programs (Breynard, 1934; Mounsey, 1939). One of the stronger responses came from Mr J. L. C. White, then Secretary of the Victorian Bands’ League of which his words were quoted in an article published in The Argus newspaper in March 1951:

Victoria’s 3,500 registered brass bandsmen and their fans were receiving no encouragement from the A.B.C. or commercial broadcasting stations, Mr. J. L. C. white said yesterday.
[…]
He was commenting on a letter to The Argus pointing out that packed houses for the Black Watch band had proved that good bands were still popular.
The letter asked why radio listeners were not given more band music.
Mr. White said: “A poll would show that 90% of radio listeners enjoy band music.”
“More bands than ever are being formed now, and their music is as popular as ever.”
(“He wants more band music broadcast,” 1951)

It is of course some months after this article was published that the A.B.C. Military Band was made redundant in October 1951 (“A.B.C. Band’s Farewell,” 1951).

After these formative times, the status quo of brass bands had changed. Live performances continued, but radio and recording also occupied the bands. Some bands found a new market by producing small recordings of marches for use in schools and marching groups of with three such recordings are cited with details of the recordings linked here (Malvern Municipal Band, 1958, 1970; Preston Municipal Brass Band, 1956).

Conclusion:

In the course of these years it is possible to follow divergent streams of opinion. Firstly, there were the bands who were concerned by the impact of new technology and were worried about the erosion of their traditional ways of doing things. Then there were the bands that embraced recording and broadcasting. And of course, the second divergent opinion was evident regarding the content of radio programs and programming. It was not exactly win-win situations for everyone. Strength of feeling in the band movement was strong.

It is doubtful to see whether the same debate would take place nowadays regarding new technology. There was a time past in the early days of the internet when community bands could not see the use of a website or email. It would seem that history keeps repeating itself whenever there is a new technological development.

To finish this post, it would be remiss not to end with another old recording. Here is a YouTube with the Newcastle Steelworks Band of 1924 playing the piece “Zelda” by Percy Code with famous Cornetist Arthur Stender as the soloist (Vintage Sounds & Code, 2019).

References:

5CL FEATURES : Brass Band Concert. (1930, 23 August). Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 – 1931), 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article30503444

A.B.C. Band’s Farewell. (1951, 15 October). Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205334832

A.B.C. Military Band – Conductor: Harry Shugg. (1930). [Postcard : L13.8cm – W8.8cm]. [0016]. Victorian Collections, Victorian Bands’ League. https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5b39988221ea6d0008c461a6

Band Music “Broadcast” Here Last Century. (1945, 16 October). Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1878 – 1954), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56391096

Besses o’ th’ Barn Band. (1907, 09 August). Quiz (Adelaide, SA : 1900 – 1909), 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166338966

A BRASS BAND RECITAL. (1940, 28 May). Macleay Argus (Kempsey, NSW : 1885 – 1907; 1909 – 1910; 1912 – 1913; 1915 – 1916; 1918 – 1954), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article234489582

Breynard, S. (1934, 10 August). RADIO SERVICES : Brass Band Music : To the Editor. Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 – 1954), 24. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74106904

Broadcasting And Brass Bands. (1933, 21 February). Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243056460

Condensor. (1925, 27 August). TOO MUCH BRASS. Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243624609

“DAY OF AMATEUR BRASS BANDS WANING.”. (1927, 14 September). Casino and Kyogle Courier and North Coast Advertiser (NSW : 1904 – 1932), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article233826047

Elsum, W. M. H. (1924, 23 February). BROADCASTING BY WIRELESS : To the Editor of the Argus. Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 20. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1934742

Greaves, J. (1996). The great bands of Australia [sound recording] [2 sound discs (CD)]. Australia, Sound Heritage Association.

Harris, H. (2020). Re: Brass band 1st radio broadcast. In J. D. de Korte (Ed.).

He wants more band music broadcast. (1951, 13 March). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23036508

IMPERIAL ETHIOPIAN BRASS BAND : Heard by Short Wave Wireless. (1935, 29 November). Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 – 1954), 14. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article35923328

James, A. A. (1929, 25 January). The Old Town Band : (Written for “The Land”). Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article117237132

Kalgoorlie Band For National Broadcast. (1937, 16 July). Kalgoorlie Miner (WA : 1895 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article87578534

“Listening In” : The Wonders of Wireless. (1923, 04 September). Horsham Times (Vic. : 1882 – 1954), 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article72734927

Malvern Municipal Band. (1958). On One Fine Day [Vinyl, LP, 10”]. W & G Distributing Co. Pty. Ltd. https://www.discogs.com/Malvern-Municipal-Band-Under-The-Direction-Of-Bandmaster-WJ-Philpott-One-Fine-Day/release/8933573

Malvern Municipal Band. (1970). On Marching with Malvern [Vinyl, LP, Album]. W & G Distributing Co. Pty. Ltd. https://www.discogs.com/Malvern-Municipal-Band-Marching-With-Malvern/release/11048679

McCall, R. (1933, 23 December). MUSIC RADIO : Band Music on the Air : Will it be Overdone? Australian Women’s Weekly (1933 – 1982), 16. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51189093

MELBOURNE SHOW : Brass Bands to be Superseded. (1930, 09 April). Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), 24. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21518117

MILITARY BAND AT 3LO. (1930, 29 October). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4214065

Mounsey, T. B. (1939, 20 December). Brass Band Broadcasting. Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954), 10. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205593992

MUSIC FOR WATCHERS BY THE SEA. (1906, 21 November). Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 – 1929), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56693536

MUSIC IN THE AIR : Y.A.L. Band at 5000ft. Will Broadcast. (1932, 19 November). Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 – 1954), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article230575146

Newcastle Steelworks Band. (1924). Honest Toil March [This 1924 gramophone recording of W Rimmer’s ‘Honest Toil March’ is performed by the Australian Newcastle Steelworks Band.]. Aeolian Company. https://aso.gov.au/titles/music/honest-toil-march/clip1/

NUNAWADING BRASS BAND : Unique Wireless Demonstration. (1923, 10 August). Reporter (Box Hill, Vic. : 1889 – 1925), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article257201010

Preston Municipal Brass Band. (1956). On Under the Baton [Vinyl, LP, 10”, Album]. Cyril Stevens Recording Studios Pty. Ltd. https://www.discogs.com/Preston-Municipal-Brass-Band-Conducted-By-Charles-Smith-Under-The-Baton/release/4595545

RADIO EISTEDDFOD. (1928, 05 October). Macleay Argus (Kempsey, NSW : 1885 – 1907; 1909 – 1910; 1912 – 1913; 1915 – 1916; 1918 – 1954), 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article234464548

Radio Programmes : A.B.C. Highlights for Next Week : Brass Band Recitals. (1939, 03 February). Nambucca and Bellinger News (NSW : 1911 – 1945), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article214648292

RADIO SHOW : Schools’ Band Competition. (1930, 25 July). Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954), 11. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202468625

STATE RADIO : World Range : Erecting the Station. (1925, 21 January). Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 – 1954), 12. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article61570872

Sunshine Band Needs More Public Support : Committee’s Plan to Stimulate Interest. (1938, 21 January). Sunshine Advocate (Vic. : 1924 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75199111

Vintage Sounds. (2019, 25 October). Australian Newcastle Steelworks Band – Zelda (Percy Code) (1924) [Video (Recording)]. YouTube. Retrieved 27 April 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Fn8VgZK9Yc

W. P. T. (1938, 28 December). Brass Bands of the Bush. Sydney Mail (NSW : 1912 – 1938), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166525297

WIRELESS BROADCASTING : New Service Begins. (1929, 22 July). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 18. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4023301

Young, G. (1923). The Malvern Tramways Band : An Appreciation. In Community singing : St. Kilda Esplanade every Wednesday evening : words of songs & program (pp. 24). Malvern Tramways Band.

Legitimate quirks of instrumentation: The inclusion of woodwinds in brass bands

July 4, 2020May 22, 2023 Jeremy de Korte2 Comments

19000000_Malvern-Tradesmen-Military-Band_phot11448 — Malvern Town Military Band, approx. 1900. (Source: IBEW)

Introduction:

Cornets, Flugel Horns, Tenor Horns, Baritones, Euphoniums, Trombones, Tubas and Percussion. This standard of instrumentation for a brass band has been in place for a good number of years. Yet before this standard was settled upon, there was an amount of time where the range of instruments was less distinguishable, or available. The brass band as we know it today is the result of years of evolution with the result being a largely homogenous sound across the ranges. Composers and arrangers also moved with the time, and we can see this in the sheet music.

This post will touch on one of the quirks of instrumentation in earlier brass bands, the use of woodwinds such as Clarinets and Saxophones, and even the odd Piccolo. For the best part of forty years, some Australian brass bands included woodwind musicians amongst their personnel and allowances were made at some competitions, including the famous South Street. This did not mean that there was widespread usage or acceptance of woodwinds in the brass bands. However, there is evidence that some bands used them right up into the 1920s.

Tied into this is the naming of bands. With the inclusion of woodwinds, some bands were still nominally called brass bands, but others were more inventive with names. Some bands were sitting on the border of being brass or military in their instrumentation, as we can see with the photo of the Malvern Town Military Band above.

Nowadays the distinction between brass, military, and symphonic bands (concert bands) is much clearer cut. The earlier times was when the boundaries were pushed.

Names and Instrumentation:

A brass band usually means that it is wholly comprised of brass instruments, and then when it included Clarinets, Saxophones, and Piccolos it was still called a brass band. Such was the discrepancy in the names of early bands, a discrepancy that would cause confusion in the minds of modern musicians – today, names of bands generally indicate what kind of instrumentation they include.

The inclusion of Clarinets in a brass band was one of those holdovers from English brass bands. Arnold Myers (2000), writing in a chapter titled Instruments and Instrumentation of British Brass Bands, explains that,

Often clarinets were used in what were otherwise all-brass groups, a usage which continued throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth, though not in major contests from the 1870s. The presence of clarinets did not alter the essential nature of the brass band: they replaced one or more Bb cornets, or were used to provide brightness in the upper register in the role usually played by the soprano cornet.
(p. 156)

In Australia, trends of instrumentation in brass bands tended to start and end much later than in the UK. We know that brass bands held a prominent part in many towns, communities and industries across Australia. We also know that various military bands, bands comprised of a more substantial variety of woodwind instruments, brass and percussion, had been a part of musical life since the early days of the colony. Although, at times, they needed special explanation, as shown in an article published in the Geelong Advertiser in 1911 (Blakiston, 1911). Mason (2013) in his thesis, tells us that “military bands provided music military and state functions, as well as performing for the general public and servicing as a source of musicians for cities’ orchestras and other ensembles.” (p. 81). In their own way, the military bands have their own important history. The early military bands served as a precursor to the many Defence Force Bands, school concert bands, community concert bands and symphonic bands that fill the musical landscape today (Mason, 2013).

Aside from the number of woodwinds, some commentators attempted to call out the brass bands which included clarinets for trying to be something they were not. One interesting article was published in the Bairnsdale (Vic.) based Every Week newspaper in May 1918. Titled “Clarinets in the Brass Band”, the writer used the premise that just because some brass bands included Clarinets (or other woodwinds) in their instrumentation, did not automatically make them a military band – and that they should not attempt to play military band music or arrangements.

Bands which have few clarionets or even bands which have a goodly number of clarionets, but no other reed instruments, make a big mistake when they consider themselves “military bands” and aim to play military band arrangements. They are really brass bands plus clarionets – a thing very far removed from a military band.
(“CLARINETS IN THE BRASS BAND.,” 1918)

Excusing the seemingly blunt language, the writer was correct. Brass bands that included Clarinets and Saxophones in their line-up were still nominally brass bands, they were not military bands. Still, the naming of bands is interesting. Below is a picture of the North Hobart Concert Band taken in 1917. We can see in the picture that four of the members have Clarinets and one member a Soprano Saxophone. They also include all of the instruments that comprise a brass band. If we were to apply the modern name and meaning of a concert band, we would assume it to have a full section of woodwinds. However, in these early days, this was not the case. On a side note, we can see that the Bandmaster is one of the members holding a Clarinet. The Bandmaster in this photo, a Mr. A. W. Caddie, was appointed Bandmaster of the North Hobart Concert Band in 1916 after leading the Zeehan Military Band for a number of years (“NORTH HOBART BAND.,” 1916). Mr. Caddie was a Clarionetist of some renown and won the Clarionet section at the Royal South Street brass solo competitions in 1912 (Trombone, 1912).

19170000_North-Hobart-Concert-Band_phot3458 — North Hobart Concert Band, 1917 (Source: IBEW)

Through this short discussion on instrumentation and naming, it is established that Clarinets and Saxophones existed in brass bands for several years and were accepted as such. It was up to the music publishers to cater for them as well.

Sheet music:

The other side of including limited woodwinds in brass bands is of course the sheet music. Brass bands that included limited woodwinds may not have had the instrumentation to play arrangements of military music, but they were able to play brass band music with added Clarinet parts – of which the writer of the article in Every Week pointed out (“CLARINETS IN THE BRASS BAND.,” 1918). Given that the instruments in brass bands are predominantly keyed in Bb or Eb, it was easy enough to create parts for Clarinets and Saxophones as well. Piccolos used in bands in those days were mostly keyed in Db or Eb which was different. Parts were included with some editions of music, but this was not always the case. It is easier to make a comparison between Clarinet and Cornet parts.

Below are two parts of the 1904 march “South Street” by Hall King (edited by T. E. Bulch). Here we can see clearly that the Clarinet part neatly doubles the Solo Cornet, in parts up the octave (King, 1904a, 1904b). The range of the Clarinet obviously makes this easy to do, and musically this would make sense. These Clarinet parts would be taken up by an Eb Soprano Cornet in todays brass bands.

19040000_Suttons_South-Street-CL1 — (Source: Victorian Bands’ League Library & Archive)

19040000_Suttons_South-Street-SoloC — (Source: Victorian Bands’ League Library & Archive)

Most of the brass band music that was printed in these times originated from large publishing houses in the form of journals, the parts above being published by Suttons Proprietary Limited. Here we see that this journal of brass band music included parts for Reeds, so obviously Clarinets, and possibly Saxophones, were catered for. Suttons was not the only Australian music publishing company that included parts for Clarinets in their journals of music. The two march cards below of the marches “Artillery” by Alex Lithgow and “Newtown” by T. E. Bulch were published by Allans & Co. (Bulch, 1901; Lithgow, n.d.).

00000000_Allans_Artillery_2CL — (Source: Victorian Bands’ League Library & Archive)

19010000_Allans_Newtown_2CL — (Source: Victorian Bands’ League Library & Archive)

Obviously, the publishing companies found there was a market for Clarinet, Saxophone and Piccolo parts and composers would have been encouraged to include these parts in their compositions – although, given the similarities in keys, maybe this was up to arrangers. After having some discussion with Dr. Richard Mason on this topic, extra money for publishers and composers to produce Clarinet parts was assumed (Mason, 2020). Possibly the real reasons cannot be found, however, the production of specific music to cater for extra instruments added some legitimacy to woodwinds being included in brass bands.

Brass bands with woodwinds:

19060000_Wunghnu-Brass-Band_phot14255 — Wunghu Brass Band, 1906 (Source: IBEW)

As mentioned in the opening of this post, Clarinets and other woodwinds were part of brass bands in Australia for around forty years. We can find some evidence of this from early newspaper articles. It is claimed that Saxophones were added to brass bands in Australia as early as 1890, although, as mentioned in the linked article, this was a matter of conjecture (“The Saxophone,” 1934). Other bands were more forthcoming over what they had in their band. In August 1893, an article regarding the early history of the Dandenong Brass Band was published in the South Bourke and Mornington Journal. It seems that when the Dandenong Brass Band was formed in 1885, it comprised of ten members; three Cornets, two Piccolos, two Tenors, one Baritone and one Clarionet (using this unique spelling) (“DANDENONG BRASS BAND.,” 1893). Likewise, in 1899, a public meeting was held in Tallangatta with the aim of (re)forming a brass band. Several participants in the meeting spoke in support, one of them was a Mr A. J. Fortescue,

…speaking as a member, observed that the old band had died through want of proper management and lack of public interest. If formed on proper lines, with a good committee, he thought a band would prosper there. There were sufficient of the old brass instruments on hand for a start, but there would be some repairs needed. There would be wanted a piccolo and two drums. In reply to a question from the chairman, he stated that with a sum of £20 they could make a fairly good start.
(“BRASS BAND FOR TALLANGATTA.,” 1899)

In January 1904 the Linton Brass Band held their annual general meeting, and they were another brass band that boasted a piccolo in their instrumentation.

The band has a stock consisting of one big drum, one side drum, three B flat cornets, two B flat Euphoniums, one E flat bass, one E flat piccolo.
(“LINTON BRASS BAND,” 1904)

These were brass bands in their early years. Yet twenty years later, as can be seen in the list of musicians in the Wagga Wagga Concert Band (below), a Clarinet was part of the ensemble (“WAGGA CONCERT BAND.,” 1921). And in 1926 the Gnowangerup District Brass Band from Western Australia was proud to announce that they had added a new Clarionet to the band (“Gnowangerup District Brass Band.,” 1926).

19210303_Young-Witness_Wagga-CB_Clarionet — *Young Witness*, 03/03/1921, p. 2

There are of course numerous other examples of woodwind instruments appearing in early brass bands of which the above mentioned are a small number of instances.

Competitions:

When in competition, the woodwinds of brass bands were mostly treated the same as any other brass instrument, and they also received the same criticism as well. There are some examples of woodwinds being mentioned in competition, although this was mainly related to Clarinets and Saxophones. Even the famous Royal South Street competitions had sections for Clarinets and at times Saxophones over the course of a decade.

The year is 1899 and in September, Northcott’s Bendigo City Brass Band, conducted by Mr. O. Flight, had travelled to Echuca to take part in a small regional competition adjudicated by the famous Mr. E. Code. The article here details the adjudication of their program and at one point both the Clarinet and Piccolo were mentioned:

Largo – Clarionet and cornets not in tune ; cornet has good taste ; accompaniments too loud ; cornet not clean at bar 17 ; piccolo a little out of tune at bars 18 and 19 ; bass too loud at bar 20.
(“NORTHCOTT’S BENDIGO CITY BRASS BAND.,” 1899)

Regarding South Street, they added another layer of legitimacy by having sections specifically for woodwinds included in the brass solo competitions. As can be seen in the lists of entries (which can be acccessed from the links), the Clarinet & Saxophone sections attracted musicians from all over Australia. Below is a list of competitions held over ten years (with some gaps), with the woodwind instruments that were included each year:

30/10/1906 – Alfred Hall – Brass Solo Contests (including Clarinet & Saxophone)
22/10/1907 – Alfred Hall – Brass Section (including Clarinet & Saxophone)
20/10/1908 – Coliseum – Brass Solo Contests (including Clarinet & Saxophone)
18/10/1910 – Coliseum – Brass Solo Contests (including Clarinet & Saxophone)
24/10/1911 – Coliseum – Brass Band Solos (including Clarinet)
20/10/1914 – Coliseum – Brass Solo Contests (including Clarinet)
21/10/1915 – Coliseum – Brass Solo Contests (including Clarinet)
30/10/1916 – Coliseum – Brass Solo Contests (including Clarinet)

(Royal South Street Society, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, 1916)

Unfortunately, there are some gaps in the list due to lack of data however, it is known that a brass solo competition was held in 1912 which included a Clarionet section (Trombone, 1912).

As well as the records from Royal South Street, we also have articles in newspapers that provide the adjudication of Clarinettists. This article published in the Ballarat Star (below) in October 1915 is a prime example of an adjudication. The adjudicator of this section was the famous Albert Wade (“SOUTH STREET COMPETITIONS.,” 1915).

19151022_Ballarat-Star_Wade-Clarionet — *Ballarat Star*, 22/10/1915, p. 6

What of the Saxophonists? It is seen in the Royal South Street lists that Saxophones were only able to compete in sections for four years. However, other opportunities for them to integrate with bands were limited to military bands. That does not mean they were completely forgotten. In a forward thinking move, Saxophones were provided their own section in a “novelty” event at the Interstate Band Contest in Perth, February 1931 (“SAXOPHONE COMPETITION,” 1931). The reasoning was understandable at the time.

Hitherto the saxophone has not been considered to be a true brass band instrument, and therefore ineligible for registration under the W.A. Band Association contest rules. The contest committee, however, obtained permission from the association to include the competition in its program, and fourteen entries have been received. There are a number of capable executants among the entrants, and as the choice of the solo is left to the competitor, a varied range of saxophone music may be reasonably anticipated.
(“SAXOPHONE COMPETITION,” 1931)

The recognition by competition societies that woodwinds had a place in their own sections was well-meaning and forward thinking. While they were brass band centric, all instruments of the brass band were included, even if they were not strictly brass.

Conclusion:

19100000_Brisbane-Concert-Band_phot8024 — Brisbane Concert Band, 1910 (Source: IBEW)

The thought of woodwinds in brass bands would probably raise the eyebrows of many brass band purists. Yet, like many other stories of the brass band world, it is one that is worth exploring, if only for the novelty. One wonders how these early brass bands would have sounded with limited woodwinds playing similar parts. The history and sheet music tell us that woodwinds existed in brass bands. As do some of the pictures, like the Brisbane Concert Band above.

References:

Blakiston, C. (1911, 22 April). A MILITARY BAND : How it is made up. Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 – 1929), 7. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article149205289

BRASS BAND FOR TALLANGATTA. (1899, 18 February). Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic. : 1855 – 1918), 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199465362

Bulch, T. E. (1901). “Newtown” (2nd Clarionet Bb) : (Dedicated to Thos. Mellor Esq. Bandmaster). [March Card]. Allans & Co.

CLARINETS IN THE BRASS BAND. (1918, 09 May). Every Week (Bairnsdale, Vic. : 1914 – 1918), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article153439388

Colouhoun, J. (1900). Malvern Town Military Band [Photograph]. [phot11448]. The Internet Bandsman Everything Within, Vintage Brass Band Pictures : Australia. http://www.ibew.org.uk/vbbp-oz.html

DANDENONG BRASS BAND. (1893, 02 August). South Bourke and Mornington Journal (Richmond, Vic. : 1877 – 1920; 1926 – 1927), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70015776

Gnowangerup District Brass Band. (1926, 10 July). Gnowangerup Star and Tambellup-Ongerup Gazette (WA : 1915 – 1944), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article158909246

King, H. (1904a). “South Street” (1st Clarionet). [March Card]. Suttons Proprietary Limited.

King, H. (1904b). “South Street” (Solo Cornet). [March Card]. Suttons Proprietary Limited.

LINTON BRASS BAND. (1904, 13 January). Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 – 1924), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210140838

Lithgow, A. F. (n.d.). “Artillery” (2nd Clarionet). [March Card]. Allans & Co.

Mason, R. W. (2013). The clarinet and its protagonists in the Australian New Music milieu from 1972 to 2007 (Publication Number 38294) [PhD, The University of Melbourne, Faculty of VCA & MCM, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music]. Minerva Access. Melbourne, Victoria. http://hdl.handle.net/11343/38294

Mason, R. W. (2020, 14 June). Phone call with Dr Richard Mason regarding the use of Clarinets in brass bands [Interview].

Myers, A. (2000). Instruments and Instrumentation of British Brass Bands. In T. Herbert (Ed.), The British brass band : a musical and social history (pp. 155-186). Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press.

NORTH HOBART BAND : New Bandmaster Welcomed. (1916, 05 September). Daily Post (Hobart, Tas. : 1908 – 1918), p. 3. Retrieved from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191143234

NORTH HOBART BAND : New Bandmaster Welcomed. (1916, 05 September). Daily Post (Hobart, Tas. : 1908 – 1918), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191143234

NORTHCOTT’S BENDIGO CITY BRASS BAND : Conductor – Mr O. Flight. (1899, 22 September). Riverine Herald (Echuca, Vic. : Moama, NSW : 1869 – 1954; 1998 – 2002),2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article115017023

Royal South Street Society. (1906, 30 October). 1906-10-30 Brass Solo Contests. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 26 August 2019 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1906-10-30-brass-solo-contests

Royal South Street Society. (1907, 22 October). 1907-10-22 Brass Section. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 11 June 2020 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1907-10-22-brass-section

Royal South Street Society. (1908, 20 October). 1908-10-20 Brass Solo Contests. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 11 June 2020 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1908-10-20-brass-solo-contests

Royal South Street Society. (1910, 18 October). 1910-10-18 Brass Solo Contests. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 20 July 2019 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1910-10-18-brass-band-contests

Royal South Street Society. (1911, 24 October). 1911-10-24 Brass Band Solos. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 11 June 2020 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1911-10-24-brass-band-solos

Royal South Street Society. (1914, 20 October). 1914-10-20 Brass Solo Contests. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 11 June 2020 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1914-10-20-brass-solo-contests

Royal South Street Society. (1915, 21 October). 1915-10-21 Brass Solo Contests. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 11 June 2020 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1915-10-21-brass-solo-contests

Royal South Street Society. (1916, 30 October). 1916-10-30 Brass Solo Contests. Royal South Street Society. Retrieved 11 June 2020 from https://results.royalsouthstreet.com.au/results/1916-10-30-brass-solo-contests

The Saxophone : Who Brought it to Australia. (1934, 06 January). Voice (Hobart, Tas. : 1931 – 1953), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article218832762

SAXOPHONE COMPETITION : Interstate Band Contest. (1931, 02 January). Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 – 1950), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article83492508

SOUTH STREET COMPETITIONS : Brass Section Continued : Mr A. Wade, Adjudicator : Clarionet Solo. (1915, 22 October). Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 – 1924), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154562484

Trombone. (1912, 29 October). BANDS AND BANDSMEN. Daily Post (Hobart, Tas. : 1908 – 1918), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189103747

WAGGA CONCERT BAND. (1921, 03 March). Young Witness (NSW : 1915 – 1923), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article113606153

Wunghnu Brass Band. (1906). [Photograph]. [phot14255]. The Internet Bandsman Everything Within, Vintage Brass Band Pictures : Australia. http://www.ibew.org.uk/vbbp-oz.html

Choosing music and grading bands: The unenviable tasks of band associations and their music advisory boards

May 21, 2020September 14, 2021 Jeremy de Korte2 Comments

Introduction:

Administering band associations was, and is even now, never an easy task. Granted, the first focus of early band associations was managing the affiliations of member bands, forming rules and running competitions. These tasks aside, there was little else they did. In this arcane and insular world of administration, decisions that the early band associations made were at times difficult to understand and criticism was rife. It can be seen in previous posts on the history of the National Band Council of Australia and the experiences of bands in South Street just how peculiar some administrative decisions could be. In their defence however, we can also see that the associations were acting on the information that they had available at the time, and that some questionable decisions can simply be attributed to a lack of communication.

This post is focusing on aspects of band administration where the difficult decisions of band grading and choices of music were made by sub-committees known as Music Advisory Boards. These noted groups of bands people, often adjudicators and conductors, made recommendations to band associations. While some records are not as informative as they could be, the Trove archive gives us some clues as to how they operated.

It is an interesting portion of band history where some bands people desired more of a focus on the music but recognized the value of association. Balancing these two ideals was a challenge!

Music Advisory Boards and Choosing music:

19330706-(19330714)_VBL-AGM-P1 — A section of the Victorian Bands’ League Annual Report 1933, p. 1 ( Source: Victorian Collections: Victorian Bands’ League)

19200814_Herald_J-Booth-Gore — *Herald*, 14/08/1920, p. 16

Above is part of the first page of an annual report presented by the Victorian Bands’ League at their second Annual General Meeting on 14^th July 1933. Prominently displayed on this first page are all the officers of the League; Delegates, Administrators, Conductors and Adjudicators, representing country, regional and metropolitan areas. A good mix of people at the time to run the fledging League! There is one group of musicians listed on this page that warrants special mention and is nominally the focus of this post – the Music Advisory Board.

It was not always possible to discern why the Music Advisory Boards existed in the first place. Through research in the Trove archives, it was mentioned that they did exist, but their exact purpose in assisting the Associations was harder to find – however their contemporary counterparts operate in much the same way so we can apply this knowledge back over the years.

This post is not trying to dismiss the operations of other State band associations and their MAB’s. However, the Victorian Bands’ Association and Victorian Bands’ League provided the most information through newspaper articles as to who was included in their MAB’s over the years. Which means it presents a perfect case study of how the personnel changed (or did not change) over the years. Below is a table detailing the members of the Victorian MAB over a time period of thirteen years. Knowing Victorian band history, we can see that these musicians were all eminent conductors/adjudicators who displayed an extensive knowledge of brass band repertoire. And they were all conductors of Victorian A Grade bands.

1920 – VBL	1922 – VBA	1927 – VBA	1933 – VBL
P. Code	J. Booth-Gore	P. Code	J. Bowden
P. Jones	L. Hoffman	F. C. Johnston	J. Booth-Gore
H. R. Shugg	F. C. Johnston	P. Jones	F. C. Johnston
	P. Jones	R. McCaskill	A. H. Paxton
	H. Niven	H. R. Shugg	H. R. Shugg
	H. R. Shugg

(Source of table data: “BAND ADJUDICATOR,” 1920; “BRASS BANDS REGRADED.,” 1927; Drummer Boy, 1922; “VICTORIAN BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1920; Victorian Bands’ League, 1933)

19200807_Herald_J-Bowden — *Herald*, 7/08/1920, p. 17

What is obvious here is the consistency of some of the appointments namely Percy Code, Percy Jones, Frank “Massa” Johnston, and Harry Shugg. Some pictures of these bandsmen are on the side of this post. We could assume that with the passage of time, if the same people were well-regarded in that role then they would continue to serve. The interesting fact about the Victorian MAB members is that they carried through the changeover from the VBA to the VBL. On a side note, given that many of these conductors were working with metropolitan bands at the time they would have been the instigators of the VBL in the early 1930s.

There were some occasions regarding band competitions where MAB’s were not involved in choosing music. We can see articles published in the Advocate newspaper in 1921 and 1927 that Percy Jones was the adjudicator of the popular New Year’s Day Burnie carnival band competition (“BURNIE.,” 1927; “BURNIE CARNIVAL.,” 1921). However, it is in the 1927 article where we can see that Percy Jones himself made recommendations to the Burnie Athletics Club on the choice of music for the next carnival band competition:

Last year’s band adjudicator, Mr. Percy Jones, wrote recommending that “Gournod (Rimmer)” and “A Garland of Classics (Rimmer)” be chosen as test pieces for the B and C grade contests respectively, at the next carnival. The recommendation was adopted, on the motion of Messers Southwell and Trethewey. It was also decided to continue negotiations with a view to obtaining an adjudicator from New South Wales for the next carnival. Last year’s rule that the own choice selection be made from National Airs was again adopted.”
(“BURNIE.,” 1927)

One notable criticism of the music choices made by MAB’s came from Cecil Clarence Mullen in his booklet, Mullen’s Bandsmen of South Street (1900-1951). We know from a previous post that Mullen was very opinionated, and it is not clear how much influence he wielded through his writings, especially his booklet. He wrote:

Some years ago the Advisory Board of selectors introduced a new type of Test Selection for South Street band contests. These are mostly technical works and appreciated by bandmasters and players, the musicianship point of view has only been taken into consideration. Our contests promoters and managers have been overlooked the fact that one party – the public who pay to attend contests – have been left out. Statistics show clearly that all the largest crowds at the South Street competitions were in the years from 1900 to 1924, when the operatic brass band arrangements were chosen for Test Selections. […] Technical works are all very well for those of us who understand them, but they are cold and colourless to the general listener as he cannot follow them and does not know what they are all about.
(Mullen, 1951, p. 6)

19200911_Herald_P-Code — *Herald*, 11/09/1920, p. 14

Now while Mullen might be right about the years when the largest crowds attended the brass band competitions at South Street, it must be recognized that he was merely expressing his opinion and it might be a short stretch to link crowd numbers with choices of music. He went on further in this section of the booklet to explain his reasons for wanting more operatic arrangements in the band competitions with the implied belief that they were far more musical than what current brass band composers were providing, and that they were more pleasing to the ears of the audience (Mullen, 1951). He was especially taken with the operatic arrangements of Alexander Owen and he also wanted a sight-reading section to be introduced (Mullen, 1951). This was not the first time Mullen wrote with favour on operatic works being played by bands. In a later article he attributed the fine playing of bands in the early years to their playing of operatic works (Mullen, 1965).

Aside from Mullen, there appears to be a distinct lack of criticism in early newspapers regarding the choices of music made by the MAB’s. Which contrasts with the criticisms levelled at State Band Associations and MAB’s regarding grading of bands. Grading was a vexed issue, and this will be explored in the next section.

Music Advisory Boards, State band Associations and Grading:

To understand why grading does or does not work, it’s important to know a little history on how Associations applied grading to bands. The first competition that included grading of some sort was in New South Wales at the 1896 Intercolonial Band Contest held in Sydney in November where bands were grouped into “first division” or “second division” (Greaves, 1996, p. 23). In Victoria, the first five years of South Street from 1900-1905 were ungraded and, Mullen (1951) has provided some history as to how grading developed from 1905.

In 1905 the first “B” grade contest was arranged owing to some bands having progressed so much from the experience and tuition of former English bandmasters that it was thought younger combinations and country bands would have a better chance in a second class contest. So fast did the better class bands progress, however, that it was thought that with many new bands starting that a “C” grade was held in 1909.
(p. 7)

Having only three grades was the status quo in Victoria until, according to available resources, a D grade was introduced in 1922 (“Victorian Bands’ Association,” 1922).

19210108_Herald_L-Hoffman — *Herald*, 8/01/1921, p. 11

Let us take a look at how bands moved up or down grades over some years. Below are links to files that show the grades in certain years from Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. The Victorian dataset is more condensed as they show the grades in the years 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926 & 1927. For Queensland, the dataset is more spread due to limited information and the files are based on information from the years 1913, 1919 & 1937. Included is an example of grading presented by the Western Australian Band Association in 1932, which is very limited, however there’s an interesting discussion from the WABA meeting that took place that year. All band lists were obtained from newspaper articles held in the Trove archive and can be accessed from the links in the citations. The grade files will appear as PDF’s and can be downloaded.

Victorian Grades – 1920-1927:

(Source of Victorian grade data: “BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1923; “BRASS BANDS REGRADED.,” 1927; “CLASSIFICATION OF BANDS.,” 1926; “VICTORIAN BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1924; “VICTORIAN BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1920; “Victorian Bands’ Association,” 1922)

Queensland Grades – 1913, 1919 & 1937:

(Source of Queensland grade data: “Band Association.,” 1919; “GRADING THE BANDS.,” 1913; “NEW GRADING LIST,” 1937)

Western Australian Grades – 1932:

Western Australian Band Association – All Grades 1932

(Source of Western Australian grade data: Delegate, 1932)

19200828_Herald_P-Jones — Herald, 28/08/1920, pg. 19

The Victorian context is possibly a better example of grade history given the range of years. Here we see a bulge– a smaller number of bands in A Grade and D Grade while B Grade is larger and C Grade having the most numerous amount of bands Taking a look at the C Grade in particular, while the D Grade was introduced in 1922, in 1924 there is large expansion of bands in C Grade. Whether this is down to the number of bands that affiliated that year, or general musical standard is open to interpretation. 1924 was certainly a golden year of bands, except for perhaps the A Grade where there were only three bands. Regarding the A Grade, once the top bands were placed in that grade, they tended not to leave. In 1926 and 1927 we see a jump in that number due to bands moving up from B Grade.

In Queensland it is a little more difficult to interpret the grading history given the lack of information, so a reliance on the available years is necessary. However, there are some similarities with Victoria, especially in the middle grades. In 1919 there is a large expansion in the number of bands in C Grade. We also see some innovation on the part of the Queensland Band Association in 1937 where there is a D Grade, but there are also grades to cater bands that are from specific locations or age groups. Here we see a “Sub D Grade (Country)” and a “Boy’s Band (Under 15 years)” (“NEW GRADING LIST,” 1937) which no doubt helped more bands participate in events.

The example from Western Australia is obviously small, but the list originates from an article published in the Sunday Times regarding a wide-ranging meeting held by WABA. The regrading of bands was included in the discussion as an agenda item:

The matter of regrading the bands affiliated with the association was then proceeded with. There are 17 in all, and prior to the 1931 contest these were graded as B or C. This grading has since remained unaltered officially, but for the purpose of giving the 1931 contest a high “tone”, the grades were officially announced as A and B. The question raised on Wednesday evening was whether to create a D grade from the smaller C grade bands or raise the status generally and make them A, B or C. The latter course was eventually decided upon and each band was, after submission to the meeting, graded by a majority vote. A suggestion that they should be graded according to the points awarded them by the adjudicator at the last contest was not accepted, though the idea found a good deal of support.
(Delegate, 1932)

Victoria offers more information on the roles of the MAB in the regrading process as the Queensland Band Association seems to have undertook this role themselves (there is no mention of a Queensland MAB). The role of the MAB’s in advising on regrading is evident although it seems, at least in the early stages, that the V.B.A. undertook the regrading process with their MAB offering limited advice. We see in 1920 that,

A report was submitted from the executive of the association dealing with the regrading of bands. It contained replies from Messrs H. Shugg and P. Code, two of the advisory committee who both concurred in the proposed regarding as submitted by the executive…
(“VICTORIAN BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1920)

However, in 1922, the Victorian MAB was responsible for the regrading process:

The advisory board of the Victorian Bands’ Association, the headquarters of which are at Ballarat, has regraded bands for the ensuring year as follows…
(“Victorian Bands’ Association,” 1922)

And mention of the role of the MAB in regrading bands is again mentioned in articles from 1926 and 1927 (“BRASS BANDS REGRADED.,” 1927; “CLASSIFICATION OF BANDS.,” 1926).

This is not to say grading was always a smooth process and there were always levels of criticism from various parties, as well as disagreements between States – the rules were never fully unified. As early as 1914 we can see letters in the papers regarding the grading of bands. One letter from Mr S. E. Hambleton, then Secretary of the Collingwood Citizens’ Band stood out for its candidness. Part of his letter was criticism while contributing his own ideas:

The band of which I am secretary has not won a cash prize for five years, and although I have made applications to be re-classified (claimed on two years’ rules), I am told that the Victorian Band Association would not listen to it as we are an A Grade band. The other bands know this, and, of course, will not enter for the higher grade, with the promise, perhaps of a life sentence hanging over them.
Our band of 24 could be divided into three parts and absorbed by B Grade bands and allowed to play in B Grade. Why not classify the individual players and thus stop good players in A Grade bands from becoming members of a lower grade through better inducements. Collingwood and Prahran are the only two bands classed as A Grade, although there are four or five others advanced enough to compete in this grade.
Bands that have won C or B Grade contests should be placed in the class higher up and stay there for the stated time. If they fail to secure a cash prize, allow them to go to the next grade down again. Bands will not enter for a higher grade than they are classed in, for fear of winning a cash prize in it, being thereby debarred from competing in the grade that they had been classed in.
(Hambleton, 1914)

Again in 1914, a letter was published in Brisbane’s Daily Standard newspaper lamenting the grading process carried out by the Queensland Band Association after the Maryborough contests. The writer, Mr W. Jackson, a Delegate of the Childers band, was obviously annoyed at the whole process and made this quite clear in his letter. He wrote (in part),

…We were promised that the matter of grading the bands would be thoroughly gone into at an early date by the Q.B. Association. What is the result? Here we are three months before the August contest, and still in the same sorry plight. Is it encouragement for the small country bands to go to Brisbane to contest against bands from the large cities as at Maryborough when the “C” grade championships was won by a band that probably should have been graded “B” at least? I am afraid the same thing will occur again. What I contend is that the “C” grade should be open for bands from the small country towns only, thus giving them some encouragement for them to fight on to better class music.
(Jackson, 1914)

It would be fair to say that both Mr Hambleton and Mr Jackson made some fair points re grading problems in their respective states. They both knew their bands and how the administration worked. We could assume that the State associations were trying their best in trying to please everyone but in some respects, it was never a perfect process. Perhaps this was the reason MAB’s were formed to advise on grading.

As mentioned above, at times the rules and administration of different State associations came into conflict with each other regarding registration and grading. One notable example was highlighted in Tasmania after another one of the contests in Burnie. At a meeting of the Tasmanian Band Association in 1930, this was raised as an agenda item:

Very grave concern was expressed by the committee relating to the methods of grading and the registering of members of mainland bands which compete at the Burnie contests. It was discovered by the delegates at the recent Burnie contests that one of the competing bands from the mainland had been able, only a few days before the closing date of registrations, to register no less than nine prominent players of other bands, and perhaps of a higher grade. The regrading of bands on the registration for every contest might overcome the somewhat unfair aspect of this matter, but what is more desirable is uniform contests rules for all the States. The T.B.A. is approaching the State association concerned on this occasion, with a view to a general tightening up of grading and registrations.
(“BAND ASSOCIATION,” 1930)

19210219_Herald_H-Niven — *Herald*, 19/02/1921, p. 16

…which is fine in theory but as discovered in the history of the National Band Council of Australia, unification of rules was an ideal that never really reached fruition despite the best intentions of State associations.

What we have seen in this small history are situations where the grading process was fraught with difficulty, did not please everyone and criticism was rife. And it was a thankless task as the reputations of the early bands hinged on success in competition and the decisions of the State associations. Most of the time it was done correctly. On occasion there were problems. With the influx of bands starting up and wanting to participate in events, grading them was a necessity that called upon the State associations to try to find solutions. When this went wrong, the administration was generally found to be lacking.

Conclusion:

For the MAB’s involved in the processes of choosing music and advising on band regrading, generally they did the right thing and all they could really do was offer advice. Thankfully, the reputations of the MAB members carried them through some of the decisions made by State associations. Evidently the fact that many of the Victorian members held their positions for many years is a testament to their authority as prominent bandsmen.

We should thank these early members of the MAB’s for the foundations that they laid as the members of the modern MAB’s carry out their tasks in much the same way as they did back then.

19200724_Herald_H-Shugg — *Herald*, 24/07/1920, p. 11

References:

BAND ADJUDICATOR : For Newcastle Contest : Mr. Percy Jone’s Career. (1920, 04 December). Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 – 1954), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article162621130

BAND ASSOCIATION : Deciding Championship. (1923, 21 August). Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 – 1924), 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article213824101

Band Association : Grading for the Contest. (1919, 20 November). Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 – 1947), 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article176840373

BAND ASSOCIATION : Registering and Grading. (1930, 24 January). Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860 – 1954), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29151289

BRASS BANDS REGRADED. (1927, 18 October). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 13. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3885887

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BURNIE CARNIVAL : New Years Day : Bright Prospects. (1921, 16 November). Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article69316043

CLASSIFICATION OF BANDS. (1926, 18 May). Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 – 1957), 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3782670

Delegate. (1932, 21 August). BRASS BANDS : W.A. Association News : And General Notes. Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 – 1954), 6. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article58669392

Drummer Boy. (1922, 21 October). BANDS AND BANDSMEN. Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 – 1954), 11. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93411340

GRADING THE BANDS. (1913, 27 October). Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 – 1954), 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118654062

Greaves, J. (1996). The great bands of Australia [sound recording] [2 sound discs (CD)]. Australia, Sound Heritage Association.

Hambleton, S. E. (1914, 13 January). EFFECT OF GRADING. Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article241657411

Jackson, W. (1914, 08 May). BAND GRADING : (To The Editor). Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 – 1936), 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article178879778

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Quickstep. (1920a, 28 August). Bandsmen’s Gossip : A Knight of the Baton. Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), 19. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242311544

Quickstep. (1920b, 14 August). Bandsmen’s Gossip : A Meritorious Career. Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), 16. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article242305795

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