Local music history: Strike up the bands

A new band deserves a new bandstand.

“The furniture factory band is practicing quite often, and they will be ready to appear in public next spring,” the Fort Edward correspondent to The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on Dec. 14, 1887.

“Now let the citizens build a bandstand and we can enjoy concerts during the warm evenings of next summer, which would enliven the town.”

There also was a new band at Schroon Lake, The Morning Star reported on Dec. 24, 1887.

“A band of sixteen members has been organized in town, and we may look for some first-class music in the near future, as the members are all persevering and musical young men,” the Schroon Lake correspondent reported.

In other music news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• The Aria Woodwind Quintet of Harper College in Bennington, Vt., would spend their midwinter break in the Glens Falls area, performing 13 concerts over four days at schools, senior centers and at a local music store, The Post-Star reported on Jan.24, 1972.

School concerts included question and answer sessions, to provide an educational focus.

Members of the ensemble were: Janice DeWolfe of Gansevoort, French horn; Valerie Vartola of New York City, flute; Carol Shapiro of Long Island, bassoon; Sheldon Berkowitz of Brooklyn, clarinet; and Daniel Cross of Binghamton, oboe.

• Faculty and students at the Glens Falls Business College performed music in their spare time.

“Prof. Sylvester and Miss I. Maye Sylvester, guitarist and banjoist, and several of their pupils, have rendered great service to several churches in adjoining towns to give entertainments,” The Morning Star reported Dec. 22, 1887. “They are booked for Kingsbury next Wednesday; Luzerne, Thursday; Corinth, Friday.”

Quotable:

• “As the best evidence of the success of instruction in vocal music in the public schools, come and hear your children sing.” — The Granville Sentinel, Sept. 4, 1891
• There is always a moral influence associated with a piano. If it isn’t upright, it is square.” — The Granville Sentinel, Sept. 11, 1891

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