"Grandfather of the March King", Patrick Gilmore (1829 - 1892) |
The Georgia Museum of Art opened a new exhibition to the
public last week, “Before the March King: 19th-Century American Bands.” The
exhibition focuses on American bands in the era before the “March King,” John
Philip Sousa, and is open until the beginning of the year (Jan. 3, 2016).
The exhibition features many portraits of famous band
directors, woodwind and brass instruments, non-military local bands and
artifacts such as broadsides advertising performances by local bands and
national events. Famous band directors featured in this exhibition range from cornet
player Alonzo Ford to the “Grandfather of the March King,” Patrick S. Gilmore,
who was an inspiration to Sousa.
Stereoscopic view of a concert hall conducted by Patrick Gilmore in Brooklyn, NY. |
Instruments displayed in the exhibition include bugles,
cornets, euphoniums and over-the-shoulder horns. The exhibition has a variety of
photographic portraits that show the many types of bands that played in the
early to late 19th century, such as military, newsboy and all-female bands. Artifacts
include souvenirs from the National Peace Jubilee in 1869 and the World Peace
Jubilee of 1872 (conducted by Gilmore) and sheet music covers.
An All-Female Band in the 19th-Century |
All the objects in the exhibition come from the collection
of UGA Performing Arts Center director George C. Foreman, who will give a
gallery tour of it this Thursday (October 22). The public is invited to attend this
free event, with champagne, coffee and cake at 5 p.m. and the tour at 6 p.m.
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