The Federal City Brass Band presented a lecture recital to the participants in our Banner Moments K-12 teacher institute on July 9, 2014, presenting a program built around the music of the U.S. Civil War and the presidency of Abraham Lincoln.
Of course, early in the program director Jari Villanueva led a performance of a Civil War arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by one of the era’s most famous bandsmen—Claudio Garafulla. This arrangement confirmed two aspects of our research: 1) that in the key of E-flat, no one would have sung along and 2) that the chorus repeat was honored even in non-vocal instrumental arrangements.
http://youtu.be/14fRYgepNZk
The program included historical information on the development of the band and its instruments such as the baritone saxhorn and the keyed bugle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuVdFgkukj8
The band demonstrated that Civil War ensembles did more than play patriotic tunes. They performed sentimental songs (usually set at a quickstep tempo), hymns, and arrangements of operas such as Verdi’s Il Trovatore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plec0kBFaLs
It was a great program by some fine musicians who make period instruments sound (basically) in tune and musically expressive. All of us learned a lot.
