Goldman Band
| Company type | Concert band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1918 |
| Founder | Edwin Franko Goldman |
| Defunct | 2005 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Concert performances, recordings |
The Goldman Band was an American concert band established in 1918 by Edwin Franko Goldman, evolving from his earlier ensemble, the New York Military Band, both originating in New York City.
Goldman observed that summer ensembles, typically formed by New York symphony and orchestra musicians, often lacked sufficient rehearsal time and dedication. This motivated him to assemble a wind band of superior quality.
The ensemble's inaugural concert under the Goldman Band name occurred in 1920 at Columbia University. The program included transcriptions and original compositions by figures such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Victor Herbert, Edward MacDowell, Johan Svendsen, Ambroise Thomas, Richard Wagner, and Karl Michael Ziehrer.
For nearly ninety-three years, the group presented complimentary concerts throughout New York City at venues including Columbia's campus, Central Park, Prospect Park, and the Guggenheim Bandshell located at Lincoln Center. The band collaborated with distinguished instrumentalists, vocalists, and guest conductors like Percy Grainger and Vivian Dunn. Its repertoire blended traditional pieces, classical works, and contemporary band compositions. Goldman also commissioned new works from European composers such as Ottorino Respighi, Albert Roussel, and Jaromir Weinberger. Backed by professional musicianship and funding from a Guggenheim Foundation endowment, the band toured across the United States and Canada, in addition to making radio and television appearances.
Often considered the heir to the legacy of the John Philip Sousa band, numerous former Sousa members joined the Goldman Band. These included Henry Heidelberg (piccolo); Johnny Carr, Raymond Scott, Emil Preiss, and Joseph Chaney (clarinet); Del Staigers, Oscar B. Short, and George Fee (cornet); Wayne Lewis (euphonium); and William Bell (tuba player).
In 1983, following the Guggenheim Foundation’s decision to discontinue its financial support to prioritize social justice initiatives, the band turned to alternative fundraising strategies and scaled back its season to 35 concerts spread over seven weeks.
Conductors after Edwin Franko Goldman
Following Edwin Franko Goldman's passing in 1956, leadership passed to his son, Richard Franko Goldman, who directed the band until 1979. From 1968 onward, Ainslee Cox served as co-conductor alongside Goldman before assuming sole conducting duties from 1979 until his death in 1988. Gene Young then took over until 1997, succeeded by David Eaton from 1997 to 2000. The final conductor was Christian Wilhjelm.
Premieres
The Goldman Band gained recognition for debuting important compositions. In 1937, it presented the first complete performance of Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy. The band premiered Darius Milhaud’s Suite française in 1945. Under Richard Franko Goldman's direction, it introduced Arnold Schoenberg's Theme and Variations for Full Band in 1946. The following year, the ensemble joined a chorus to perform the American premiere of Hector Berlioz’s Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale. Additionally, it premiered Robert Russell Bennett's Rose Variations, featuring cornet soloist James F. Burke, as well as Bennett's final significant band composition, Autobiography, in 1977.
The Goldman Band produced numerous recordings for labels such as Capitol Records, American Decca, RCA Victrola, and New World Records.
Instrumentation
From 1930 through 1956, the ensemble consisted of 64 musicians, featuring four flute players, two oboe players, one each of E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet, and nineteen clarinet players divided into eight firsts, six seconds, and five thirds. The woodwind section also included two alto saxophone players, one tenor saxophone, one baritone saxophone, and two bassoon players. The brass section comprised four cornets, four trumpets, five French horns, six trombones, and two euphoniums. Additionally, there were four tuba players, two string bassists, a single harp, and three percussionists.
Cornet and trumpet soloists
Cornet solos were a defining element in the majority of Goldman Band performances. Notable early cornet soloists included Ernest Williams, Vincent Buono, Waino Kauppi, Del Staigers, Leonard B. Smith, David Rosebrook, and James F. Burke.
By the year 1960, Richard Franko Goldman expanded the spotlight to include trumpet soloists alongside the cornet performers. Performances frequently featured cornet trios and occasionally quartets or brass quintets. The trio comprising Leonard B. Smith, Frank Elsass, and John "Ned" Mahoney earned acclaim as "The Three Aces."
Cessation of operations
In April 2005, talks between the band's committee and the board of directors broke down after the committee was unable to obtain a contract extension for their Memorial Day concert. The board suggested downsizing the band from 53 to 48 members; according to then-secretary Mark Heter, this adjustment would preserve all 45 tenured positions. The proposal also entailed removing musicians from board membership and eliminating the guaranteed concert season. On May 22, the committee rejected these terms. Subsequently, on May 27, the Goldman Band discontinued its activities, concluding an uninterrupted run of 87 years.
Further reading
External links
- Goldman biography
- Music Associates of America article
- Edwin Franko Goldman collection at the University of Maryland. Retrieved 31 Jul 2013.
- Goldman Band Discography