Marshall Municipal Band to host ice cream social followed by concert

The Marshall Municipal Band will host its annual ice cream social in conjunction with their regular concert Thursday evening, July 23, on the east lawn of the First United Methodist Church, 225 E. Arrow St. in Marshall.

This free ice cream social will begin at 6 p.m. and the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.

"The band does this every year as a way of saying thank you to the community who supports the band. It's always a pleasure to play every Thursday evening for such a large and appreciative audience," said Director Kevin Lines.

The concert will open with a new selection to the band's repertoire. Composer John Williams is arguably the best-known composer living today and his works can be heard in numerous venues from concert halls to the movie screen.

The band will perform his march from the movie "1941."

"This has always been one of my favorite Williams' works and I am excited about the band performing it," Lines said.

Additional marches on the concert are "Clowns" and "The Gallant Seventh."

"Clowns" is in the style of a circus gallop that depicts the frantic pace of clowns scurrying around performing their zany antics, Lines said.

"The Gallant Seventh" by John Philip Sousa was written for the band of the Seventh Regiment, 107th Infantry of the New York National Guard and its conductor, who had previously been a member of the Sousa Band's cornet section.

Its first performance was presented by the combined Sousa Band the Seventh Regiment Band at New York's famous Hippodrome, Lines said.

Clare Grundman's "American Folk Rhapsody No. 1" will be the band's first overture.

"Grundman was well-known for being a talented composer who well understood the modern concert band," Lines said. "His works have stood the test of time and continue to be performed today."

This rhapsody of American folk songs include: "My Little Mohee," "Shantyman's Life," "Sourwood Mountain" and "Sweet Betsy from Pike."

The band will turn to the music of composer Cesar Franck and his masterpiece "Panis Angelicus."

"This work was originally set for tenor voice, organ, harp and double bass in 1872. Composer Alfred Reed has skillfully set the work for band," Lines said.

Another skillful composer is Leroy Anderson who was a long-time arranger for the famous Boston Pops Orchestra. Anderson arranged six Irish melodies in his "Irish Suite" and the band will perform one of those selections "The Rakes of Mallow."

"This selection is a showcase for each section of the band as they are all given an opportunity to perform this challenging melody," Lines said.

"Dies Irae" from Giuseppe Verdi's "Requiem" is the band's next selection. It was first performed on May 22, 1874, to mark the first anniversary of the death of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist who Verdi greatly admired.

The band turns to the music of Broadway with selections from "Carousel" by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. This work includes "Carousel Waltz," "Mister Snow," "Blow High, Blow Low," "If I Loved You," "June Is Bustin' Out All Over," "What's The Use of Wond'rin'," "A Real Nice Clambake" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."

The band's closing trilogy will begin with David Holsinger's "On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss."

"This work is a radical departure of style for Hollsinger, who grew up in Hardin, Missouri," Lines said. "This restful and gentle composition is based on the 1876 hymn "It is Well with my Soul."

This work was written to honor the retiring principal of Shady Grove Christian Academy, Rev. Steve Edel. Hollsinger served there as chief musician and composer-in-residence for more than 16 years.

The band's patriotic work is the Carmen Dragon arrangement of "America, The Beautiful."

The band will conclude the concert with their signature selection, "Uncle Sammy."