Glens Falls City Band: Opening Night 2025
Yesterday, I brought a foldable chair, backpack, and an iced tea to Glens Falls City Park for the annual, summer concert series by the Glens Falls City Band. The conductor, Joe Lamb, introduced himself as well as the gentlemen and ladies behind him, all sitting or standing with instruments at the ready to perform some symphonic melodies on a pleasant evening. The Glens Falls City Band has been performing in the city since the 1950’s, a long tradition for those that visit the city in July. They are made up of twenty-seven professionals from around the New York Capital District, as far as Albany, Schenectady, and Saratoga.
The first song performed was American Fanfare by John Wasson, a classic that brought bold sounds of brass and energy, followed by Warren Barker’s arrangement of Strike Up the Band. For those unfamiliar, it is from a 1927 musical of the same name, composed by George and Ira Gershwin, later forming into a book by Morrie Ryskind. He had recalled about writing the book, as the conductor mentioned, “to rewrite War and Peace for the Three Stooges”.
Following next was Songs for America by Irvine Berlin, a mix of familiar, patriotic tunes; perfectly timed as the United States of America will be celebrating its 249th Independence Day this Friday. Joe Lamb flipped his baton in the air as the sound mellowed at its conclusion. Continuing on the patriotic theme, the band played Gene Scheer’s American Anthem and Henry Fillmore’s American’s We as the yellow glow of the setting sun faded behind the bandstand.
The band returned to Warren Barker’s arrangements with his Broadway Showstoppers Overture, a compendium of classic songs from musicals of the last century. The mood was then sobered, as the band played composer Frank Ticheli’s Amazing Grace. It was lovingly played, bringing John Newton’s original to life over 250 years later.
I had heard Amazing Grace countless times in my life, but as I listened, I researched the story of its creation back in 1772. It was crafted from his experience on the shores of Ireland a couple decades prior, as a violent storm nearly caused a shipwreck. Within a couple years of the tumultuous sea experience, John Newton relinquished his participation in the Atlantic slave trade, became ordained in the Church of England, and began to write hymns with poet William Cowper. Using inspiration from a sermon on New Year’s Day 1773, he wrote the piece, as historians infer, to illustrate his spiritual awakening.
Following Amazing Grace, the band played a selection of songs from Frank Sinatra, one of the great musicians of the 20th century. The conductor, Joe Lamb, described, humorously, the physical manifestations of a vinyl record, indicating that they were, “round things that click”. Sinatra’s “New York, New York”, “Lady is a Tramp”, and “My Way” permeated through the city, imbuing a sense of nostalgia for myself.
My mother loved to reminisce of my own early childhood memory where my grandfather taught me to say that Frank Sinatra was my favorite artist. Around kindergarten age, my voice squeakily shouted his name to the delight of my family, though I can barely recall the moment. The final song performed from Frank Sinatra, My Way, is my own father’s favorite. The lyrics embolden a sense of nostalgia, as it reminisces on a lifetime of memories. As my father nears his retirement, embarking on new adventures in his post-career life, he will be sure that there are little regrets, as he has taught my siblings and I in our lives.
Returning to patriotic tunes, the band plays George Cohen’s Star-Spangled Spectacular, a composition that includes many familiar old songs. It was followed by Richard “Richie” Castelli’s Our Great Society, noted by the conductor that he had been a Glens Falls band director and passed away relatively recently. The song embodies a grand entrance, as the following song opens with Alfred Reed’s Rushmore. As described on the music sheet publisher JW Pepper, the song has “a brooding, mystical opening, representing the four great faces carved in stone gazing over the plains of America, introduces a broad melodic line that is meant to symbolize the inner strength and calm majesty represented by these four great Americans as guardians of our tradition and faith in the freedom of man. As this theme is developed, rising ever higher in the band's registers, echoes of the opening fanfares enter, leading to a combination of this theme together with America, The Beautiful, and bringing the work to a close in all the majesty and color of which the modern concert band is capable.”
In truth, the music was awe-inspiring. Though I have never visited Mount Rushmore, the eloquent performance transported my senses to South Dakota overlooking the vista of the national memorial. It beautifully transitioned to the Armed Forces Salute, arranged by Bob Lowden. Prior to beginning the piece, the conductor instructed veterans of various branches to stand when their theme was played. Each moment was elicited with the audience clapping and saluting, thanking these brave women and men for their service over the years.
The evening culminated with John Philip Sousa’s Stars and Stripes Forever as the orange glow of the sunset overshadowed city park. It was a wonderful beginning to a summer of music, available to listen to everyone in Glens Falls City Park every Monday at 7pm this July. If there is inclement weather, the Queensbury Hotel will graciously setup an opening in their grand ballroom for the public to listen as summer rain pours outside. Be sure to head to Downtown Glens Falls next Monday, July 7th to gather with neighbors, listen to good music, and embrace the summer festivities.
