Glens Falls in 1920 — Sousa returns

There must have been a lot of absences at Glens Falls workplaces on the afternoon of Sept. 24, 1920 when John Philip Sousa and his band performed a matinee concert to a near capacity crowd at Rialto Theatre on Warren Street.

“And for two hours or more the big audience thoroughly enjoyed the stirring marches such as only Sousa composes, played in a way such as only bands directed by Sousa can play,” The Post-Star reported the next day. “And the big house not only enjoyed the band music and the delightful vocal numbers by Miss Mary Baker, but they also were thrilled by the wonderful control which the great conductor has over his musicians.”

The concert celebrated the recent renovation of the two-year-old Rialto to host vaudeville and touring music shows, in addition to the building’s traditional use as a movie theater.

The theater was demolished in the 1970s.

The 70-piece band included clarinetist Michael Vinciguerra, a former Glens Falls resident who had worked at Aurilio tailor shop.

Ticket prices were 75 cents, $1 and $1.50 — the equivalent of $10.81, $14.41 and $21.62 in 2019 dollars.

The concert included Sousa’s new march “Comrades of the Legion,” composed at the request of the American Legion.

A half million copies of a recording of the march were sold in advance of its release, and five American Legion posts made Sousa an honorary member, according to the U.S. Marine Corps Band website.

The full program is as follows:

Rhapsody “The American Indian” by Orem

“El Capitan” march

“Carnival of Venice” — cornet solo by John Dolan “new genius of the cornet.”

Sousa arrangement of “The Flashing Eyes of Andalysia,” “Drifting to Lovelamp” and “Children’s Ball.”

“Sabre and Spurs” march

“Waiting” — vocal solo by Baker, accompanied by band

“Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” and “By The Waters of Babylon” — vocal solos by Baker

“Andante Constable” from String Quartet Op. 11 by Tchaikovsky.

Intermission

“A Study in Rhythms” arranged by Sousa

“Swanee” medley

“Annie Laurie” and “Dardanella” featuring xylophone soloist George J. Carey

“Comrades of the Legion” march

“Stars and Stripes Forever” march

Violin soloist Florence Hardemon

“The Dance of the Comedians” from “The Bartered Bride”

“Star Spangled Banner” — final encore

Click here to read a previous post about Sousa’s 1918 concert at Glens Falls.

Click here to read a previous post about the opening of the Rialto Theatre in 1918.