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History of the Band Movement in Nebraska

Richard Franko Goldman writes in his 1957 publication, The Wind Band “that the wind band today is not only a musical phenomenon of greater interest than it was at any previous time in its history , but it also represents an activity of considerable sociological interest in the musical scene, especially in the the United States.” It would appear to hold true today but we have constantly seen change since the very earliest bands and continue to see change. Let’s take a brief look at this history and how it has influenced the present.

There was a considerable number of early bands and band directors who had a strong influence on the early growth of the band. H. W. Schwartz states that a series of concerts was put on in New York and Boston between 1853-1854 by Antoine Julian was like an overture to an Opera which might well be called “The Golden Age of Bands of Music. Born in France in 1812, Julian was a showman, “a prolific creator of novelty in interpreting, conducting and promoting music”. He had the early influence of the French Military bands which had reached a high state of development than bands in other parts of the world and were held in greater esteem.