STRICTLY OBSERVING: Striking up the holiday band

By ZACH COOLEY

It was a pleasure to attend the 19th annual winter performance of the Wytheville Community College Concert Band on Dec. 9.  Their program, Home for the Wonderland, presented more holiday selections than in previous years and proved to be an excellent show.  Approaching a decade-long tenure as director of the band, Bill Svec personally arranged the title number for the program and adapted three others.
Among his personal adaptations was the opening tune “Neddermeyer Triumphal March” composed by Karl L. King.  A composer of circus music beginning at age 19, some of King’s work could be heard at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and Barnum and Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth.  Afterward, he became one of the first composers to write music for growing American high school marching bands.  “Neddermeyer Triumphal March” was written in 1911 in honor of Fred Neddermeyer, director of a Columbus concert band, of which King was a former member.  Also featured was the 1927 Reinhold Gilere composition, “Russian Sailors’ Dance,” from the first Soviet ballet with a modern revolutionary theme titled The Red Poppy.  With an adaptation by Erik Leidzen, this is the best-known number from the historical ballet serves as a variation of a Russian folk song, the title of which translates to “Little Apple.”  Next came “Themes like Old Times III,” the third in a series of enjoyable medleys arranged by imminent TV and film composer Warren Barker.  Primarily known for his musical work on more than 30 TV series, including Bewitched and Batman, Barker arranged “Themes Like Old Times III,” by blending such enjoyable Tin Pan Alley hits of the early twentieth century as “Ma, He’s Making Eyes at Me,” “My Melancholy Baby,” “Ain’t We Got Fun,” “Moonlight Bay,” and “After You’ve Gone.”
Svec adapted two other numbers in the program, the first being “The Official West Point March.”  With music composed by Philip Egner, the song serves as the official theme for the United States Military Academy.  Written in 1909, while Egner served as USMA band director, it includes excerpts from many staple army tunes such as “Taps” and “Revelie.”  Secondly, Svec adapted a version of Henry Fillmore’s “Miss Trombone (A Slippery Rag).”  Known as “the father of the trombone smear,” Fillmore wrote a series of fifteen novelty tunes emphasizing trombone with heavy ragtime influence, this song being his first in 1908.
As I said before, it seemed to me that the WCC Concert Band included more Christmas-themed tunes in their concert than in previous winter performances.  In my opinion, these proved to be the highlight of the presentation.  The first of three such numbers was a medley arranged by Kenny Bierschenk, which included “Greensleeves,” “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” “I Saw Three Ships,” and “Bring a Torch.”  The carols followed a rousing introductory march and the entire number was heavily emphasized by woodwinds and brass.  Secondly, “Home for the Wonderland,” the program’s title song, was presented.  An arrangement done especially for the WCC Concert Band by director Bill Svec, it featured the popular seasonal tunes “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Winter Wonderland.”  Thirdly, “Christmas Festival,” a number jam-packed with holiday favorites such as “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Good King Wenceslas,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Jingle Bells,” “Silent Night,” and “O Come All Ye Faithful.”  Lasting just under ten minutes, this number was arranged by Leroy Anderson during his tenure with the Boston Pops Orchestra, best known for his composition of the holiday favorite, “Sleigh Ride.” 
“Christmas Festival” served as the WCC Concert Band’s program finale and also their best number of the night.  It was an appropriately festive way to end the evening.  I thoroughly enjoyed this performance by the Wytheville Community College Concert Band and look forward to their spring concert in May as they enter second decade of operation.
A graduate of Wytheville Community College, Zach Cooley lives in Wytheville. Contact him at .