Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 147, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 July 1917 — MUSIC NEED OF FIGHTING MEN [ARTICLE]

MUSIC NEED OF FIGHTING MEN

Blare of Band Instruments Bring* Cheer to Troop* and I* Just a* Necessary as Ammunition. “The blare of the trombone, the shrill note of the piccolo and the drums blending with other band Instruments in a military organization give cheer to the men with the guns and is just as necessary as ammunition,” says Charles H. Parsons of New York. “During the Spanish-American war the tunes happily accepted were those of the vaudeville stage, when ‘There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town T6night’ was said to have led troops to the capture of San Juan hill. The old Civil war melodies having the swing of march cadence were first of all, ‘Dixie,’ probably used, at least hummlngly, by the soldiers of the North, as x those who followed the ‘Stars and Bars.’ And it is worth while to recall that ‘Dixie’ was the most popular of all the melodies strummed in camp and sung in action of all the old-time songs during the war of 1898. “Canned music will give to the boy* at the ffont much of their entertainment evenings to come,” added Mr, Parsons. “The phonographic tecords will cheer many groups. And they will have programs provided by the stars of the operatic world and other entertainers who may not give to them fheir cheer-first hand.”