SMETHPORT — The Bent Brass Classical Ensemble that played a musical tribute to the songs of the World War I era Thursday night at the McKean County Courthouse featured selections of the major combatants in “The War to End All Wars.”
Bob Fairbanks, director and an original member of this 13-member group that is now 40 years old, introduced the 12 selections by explaining the backgrounds of the music, which included marches, ragtime and blues.
The concert opened with the 19th century version of the Star-Spangled Banner, which didn’t become our national anthem until 1931.
“Middle Europe was in turmoil prior to the war when nations formed various alliances. After Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, Germany attacked Serbia, and when France was attacked, England came to her defense,” Fairbanks said, as he introduced the French national anthem, “Marseillaise Hymn.”
This was followed by the British national anthem, “God Save the Queen.”
The ensemble then played a melody from the Axis Powers, the German melody of “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” by Franz Josef Haydn, which is familiar to many Protestant congregations.
Before the ensemble played “Military Escort” by Henry Fillmore, Fairbanks noted that this composer was the most prolific of all the march composers, but never gained the notoriety of John Phillip Sousa, “The March King.”
All instrumentalists played the first eight notes of this march on the small bugles that are known as “pocket bugles,” and “trench horns.” According to Fairbanks, “Bugles were used as a form of communication during the war, which made the buglers prime targets of the Germans.”
The WWI Medley included familiar melodies, such as “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary,” the British music hall anthem, and “Smile, Smile, Smile,” by such famous composers as Judge, Powell, Novella and Cohan.
Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” was a ragtime tune that was composed in the early twentieth century, but was first popular on rolls used in player pianos.
Fairbanks introduced “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” saying, “Irving Berlin, a Russian-American who served in the war, also wrote ‘God Bless America,’ made famous by Kate Smith.”
“St. Louis Blues,” was composed by W. C. Handy, who, like Joplin, was a trumpet player.
In his introductory remarks about Al Jolson’s “Oh, You Beautiful Doll,” Fairbanks said, “Jolson was the Elvis of that time. He involved the audience and ran down the aisles. He was a real showman.”
The British march, “Colonel Bogey,” is the catchy melody that was made famous in the movie, “Bridge on the River Kwai” and “opens with the first six notes that the composer’s golfing partner was constantly whistling,” said Fairbanks.
The Marine Corps version of “Taps” concluded the 45-minute concert. Civil War soldier Oliver Wilcox Norton, from Angelica, N.Y., was the first bugler to play this short, but patriotic composition.
The McKean County Historical Society sponsored this event.
