_Leader of the Marine Band_
Another 8th grade football game was on. Both teams were putting up a
hard fight. Clutching the ball tight against his body, Bill Santelmann
raced towards the goal. The next minute, it seemed to him, that both
teams had landed on top of him. When the heap of waving arms and legs
had been unscrambled, Bill couldn’t get up.
“That’s not too bad, fellow,” said the gym teacher cheerfully as he
looked over the victim. “Just a broken collar bone, I think. It will
heal in no time.”
But a horrible thought came into Bill’s mind. “Will I ever be able to
play my violin again?” Just the night before, he had heard the Boston
Symphony Orchestra Concert, with Fritz Kreisler playing his violin. He
had resolved then and there that nothing should keep him from being a
violinist.
“And now, this would happen!” he said to himself. “Well, this settles
it. No more athletics for me! Playing my violin means more to me than
playing football.”
William F. Santelmann was born on February 24, 1902, in Washington, D.
C. His father, Captain W. H. Santelmann, was the leader of the U. S.
Marine Band.
Of the six children in the Santelmann family, Bill was the only one
who had inherited the father’s musical talent. Any one of the three
daughters could play the piano well enough to accompany them and the
whole family enjoyed singing together on their evenings at home. But
Bill’s two brothers pooh-poohed the idea of having anything more than
that to do with music.
However, Bill had loved music since he first heard his father play
the violin, and he was always thrilled when he watched him lead the
gay Marine Band. Finally, when the boy was six years old, Captain
Santelmann gave in to his pleading and bought him a small violin. He at
once began to give Bill music lessons and was very proud of his son’s
love of practicing and his rapid progress.
When Bill entered the McKinley Training High School, he resisted the
temptation to try out for any of the athletic teams. Instead he signed
up for the orchestra where he was made a welcome member. He also
studied at the Washington College of Music from which he was graduated
in 1920. Then he left his home and native city to enroll at the New
England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
There young Santelmann studied under a staff of famous instructors.
Playing in the orchestra, he enjoyed the association with some of the
members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra who often played with the
Conservatory group in order to gain practice and experience. During the
time Bill was in this school he met Margaret Randall, an organ student
from Ohio. He knew this was the girl he would marry some day.
Although Mr. Santelmann was willing and financially able to pay his
son’s expenses at school, William wanted to help out. He did this by
teaching at Groton, a well-known school for boys.
After his graduation from the Conservatory, William Santelmann returned
home to Washington, D. C., where he has lived ever since. “In fact,” he
said recently, “we Santelmanns like Washington. My sisters and brothers
all live here too.”
In September, 1923, he entered the U. S. Marine Band, thereby achieving
a boyhood ambition. As all bandsmen were required to play both a band
and an orchestra instrument, William chose for his second instrument
the euphonium which his father had also played in the same band.
William Santelmann progressed from rank to rank until he was the
concert master of the symphony orchestra. In 1927 his father retired
and Captain Taylor Branson then assumed the leadership with William
as second leader. Thirteen years later Captain Branson retired and
presented William with the same baton that his father had used.
Exceptionally well-trained in the traditions and duties of the Marine
Band, Major Santelmann is a successful leader, well-liked by his men
and popular in Washington. His enjoyable programs for state affairs
and for other occasions have won high praise. After the concerts which
he arranged for the visit of the rulers of England, Major Santelmann
received personal thanks from King George and Queen Elizabeth.
Another unusual occasion which Major Santelmann will never forget
was the concert played on the White House lawn, May 20, 1943. Prime
Minister Churchill had requested a program of Stephen Foster ballads
and American war songs. The audience was made up of President
Roosevelt, Prime Minister Churchill, McKenzie-King of Canada and all
the other members of the war planning staffs of America and England.
Just as the band began to play the first number, the rain poured down
in torrents. Nevertheless the drenched listeners sat through it all
while Roosevelt and Churchill sang and whistled with the band.
The Santelmanns live on a half acre of ground in Virginia. Major
Santelmann said, “I did marry my college sweetheart! In fact, we are
still sweethearts although we celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary
in May, 1950.” They have two children, William Jr. and Betty Jane.
Major Santelmann’s hobbies center around his home too. “Yes, I have
a hobby,” said he, “several of them in fact. I like to work with my
hands, anything that is good hard work.” He has made cement blocks and
covered an attractive terrace with them. He gives his garden a great
deal of time in its season, and he likes to chop wood. By trimming and
cutting the trees on his own land, Major Santelmann supplies all the
wood needed for the fireplace.
These hobbies have kept him physically fit and mentally alert for his
exacting job. For Major Santelmann is successfully carrying on the
ideals and high standards of his famous band, “The President’s Own.”
_The U. S. Navy Band_
The _Brandywine_, an American man-of-war, entered on her payroll of
July 26, 1825, the name of James F. Draper, a musician at “ten dollars
per month.” This was the first name on the band list of our Navy, but
other names were added rapidly. James F. Draper, whether fifer or
drummer we do not know, may not have rated as much of a musical man in
his day, but his name is the first of a noted organization in the world
of music.
Soon other ships had three or four musicians whom they called out on
special occasions. When battles with pirates and other enemy ships
thinned the numbers of the crews, the bands were sent ashore to recruit
men to fill their quotas. The bands marched through the streets, loudly
rolling their drums and tooting their shrill fifes, to call landsmen to
join them in sailing the seas to find treasure and adventure.
Thirteen years later, 1838, a naval band was officially entered in the
Pay-Table of the Navy’s Register. It consisted of a bandmaster, four
first-class musicians, and one second-class musician. From that time
on, bands were found on many ships, but this increase in the number of
navy bands was due to the wishes of the individual commanders of ships,
fleets and stations.
Their instruments were drums, fifes and trumpets. The music aboard
ships was available for balls, entertainment programs, and funeral
services. Some ships carried fine bands of as many as twenty players
each. These bands became very popular and were soon considered a part
of a ship’s life.
There was no distinction made between the musicians and the ordinary
seamen. The bandsmen had to perform regular sailors’ duties such as
shoveling coal, scrubbing the decks or doing whatever they were called
on to do. In the beginning they were rated as seamen. After the year
1830, musicians were entered as first-class though they were still paid
ten dollars per month.
In battle, bandsmen, like other sailors, had their own posts assigned
to them. In the early days when they served as ammunition passers so
many received injuries to their hands that the bands were depleted. It
was then decided to detail them as stretcher bearers.
Bandsmen always keep on at their regular schedule of musical business,
even in wartime unless engaged in battle. Rehearsals are held in the
morning, concerts on deck at noon for the crew, and concerts for the
officers in the evening. The band plays at all ceremonies. It plays
colors when the ship is lying in port, plays at Sunday morning church
services on the ship and also for a Sunday evening concert.
During World War I band music was very popular. Everyone--soldiers,
sailors and civilians--wanted music, and the government gave them
good music. Outstanding Navy bandleaders directed the finest talent
obtainable in playing the music that everyone loved to hear. There were
Sousa’s thrilling marches and there were songs that inspired courage
and gave cheer--_Over There_, _Smiles_, _Keep The Home Fires Burning_
and dozens of others. In this period, America’s noted “March King,”
John Philip Sousa, took over the leadership of the Great Lakes Navy
Band and made it a world-famous organization.
With the Armistice came the breaking up of the marvelous service
bands. But the Navy Department, now fully aware of the great necessity
for band music, appointed a musical unit to officially represent the
United States Navy. They chose their foremost musical group, The
Navy Yard Band of Washington, D. C. The selection of a leader was
most important, but after careful consideration, Bandmaster Charles
Benter was appointed to the post. Lieutenant Benter left a successful
term of service on the _U.S.S. Connecticut_ to reorganize and direct
the Navy’s band of eighteen members. That the new leader was well
qualified was soon plain to all. By 1923 Lieutenant Benter had
sixty-three enthusiastic, capable performers playing twenty varieties
of instruments. Under this able director, the Washington Navy Yard Band
soon made a place in the hearts of all in the Capital city.
A special act of Congress, signed by President Coolidge on his
inauguration day, made this organization the permanent, official band
of the United States Navy. Congress also gave the U. S. Navy Band the
official right to play for three organizations: the American Legion,
the DAR and the American Red Cross. The band’s name was changed
from the Washington Navy Yard Band to the United States Navy Band.
Another noticeable change was made then,--the band gave up wearing the
traditional bell-bottomed trousers, adopting instead the regulation
Chief Petty Officers’ uniform, dark blue in winter and white in summer.
The United States Navy Band spends its working time in Washington, D.
C. within the walls of the Naval gun factory. Their great library is
housed here and also their valuable band instruments. In the huge,
historic, sail loft the band practices, gives concerts and plays its
radio broadcasts.
The regular duties of the U. S. Navy Band include playing at the
Presidential Inauguration ceremonies, at many White House affairs, and
in numerous parades held in the Capital. The U. S. Navy Band plays at
the funeral services of all Navy men buried in Arlington Cemetery,
as well as at funerals of statesmen, congressmen and other prominent
officials.
The Navy Band has toured the United States playing in most of the large
cities in every state. Canada, where it is a great favorite, Alaska,
Panama, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Haiti and the Virgin Islands, have
all been visited by this popular organization.
Many young men are eager to enlist in the Navy Band. They are attracted
by its glamour and by the opportunity to get a good education and to
see the world. But it isn’t easy to get into the music department of
the United States Navy.
Every candidate must have a high school education or its equivalent and
must pass the tough mental and physical examinations when he enlists.
If he passes these--and not everyone does--he goes up against stiff
examinations of his aptitude in music and his training and experience
in it. Then follows a period of basic training in a “boot” camp. After
this comes the _real_ test, an eighteen months’ course of hard work in
the United States Navy School of music in the Washington Navy Yard. He
studies ear training, harmony, theory, music history, two instruments
and band music--all of these added to the regular military discipline
and drill. After this course is all completed these well-trained Navy
musicians are sent in regular band units aboard battleships, cruisers
and carriers. Eventually some fortunate bandsmen return to Washington
to fill vacancies in the U. S. Navy Band.
The whole idea of the Navy School of Music was planned and carried out
by Lieutenant Benter during his leadership of the Navy Band. After
almost twenty-five years in this service, Lieutenant Benter retired
from his post January 1, 1942. He passed on his baton to Charles
Brendler, the Assistant Band Leader, a member of the Navy Band since
1917. At this time the Navy School of Music was removed from the
supervision of the U. S. Navy Band, and Lieutenant James M. Thurmand,
Jr. was made director of it.
When Commander Brendler took over the leadership of the U. S. Navy
Band he began to work on his theory that the band should play all types
of music for all kinds of people. He increased the organization to
one hundred members, and he also formed a number of different units
within it. Most of these players are accomplished symphony orchestra
performers and a dozen or more are recognized soloists. The Navy Band
contains a complete symphony orchestra; a modern “swingphonette” which
plays equally well light opera or the latest “bebop”; and small groups
for dances or concert programs.
This versatile band has broadcast thousands of radio programs, of
which the “Navy Hour” is the best known. Their summer evening concerts
on Capitol Hill are attended by huge throngs of devoted listeners.
Commander Brendler loves music and music-lovers, and wants his band,
which he pronounces _the world’s finest_, to play for all America.
Truly this _is_ a band for all the people.