On Sunday, July 4, the annual Old Fashion Fourth of July will see the return of The Excelsior Cornet Band as part of holiday events on the Morgan-Manning House lawn in Brockport. The Brockport High School Band also returns as a traditional feature. Last year about 1,000 people enjoyed The Excelsior Cornet Band, Central New York's only authentic Civil War Brass Band. Founded in 2001, the band consists of seven Syracuse-area professional musicians who are dedicated to the performance of original Civil War era music using actual instruments of the period. All of the music in the group's repertoire has been arranged for seven musicians from original Civil War era scores, including "When John Gets Home from the War," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," and "Listen to the Mocking Bird." The musicians wear authentic reproductions of Civil War militia uniforms. Leading the band is one of Central New York's premier brass players, Jeff Stockham, a Brockport native and a 1976 graduate of Brockport High School. He is also a graduate of the Eastman School of Music. The celebration, also marking the 175th anniversary of the village of Brockport, is sponsored by the Western Monroe Historic Society and is free and open to the public. The Morgan-Manning House is a Victorian Era home located at 151 Main Street, Brockport. Besides a display of live steam train replicas and peddle tractors, other scheduled attractions are: 11 a.m. - Brockport High School Band; 11 a.m. refreshments begin; Noon - John Izzo guitar and folk music; Noon to 2 p.m. - children's games; 1 p.m. - The Excelsior Cornet Band; 2 p.m. - presentation by N.Y. State Senator George D. Maziarz; 2:30 p.m. - Cake Walk. The Excelsior Cornet Band utilizes instruments from Jeff Stockham's collection of antique brass instruments. After consulting with several of the leading experts in the field of Civil War music and brass bands, he formed the Excelsior Cornet Band so that the music of that pivotal period in American history could once again be heard and enjoyed by audiences. The antique brass instruments used by the Excelsior Cornet Band date from 1860 to approximately 1872. They were carefully returned to excellent playing condition by Bob Pallansch, one of the nation's leading restorers of antique brass instruments. These instruments were invented in the 1840s by Adolphe Sax, and are known as saxhorns. Unlike their modern counterparts, they have rotary valves. Performing on antique saxhorns presents numerous difficulties not encountered with modern brass instruments, but the mellow sound they produce is much more appropriate for the music of the Civil War era. The drums have calfskin heads and rope tensioners, which make their playing qualities very different from their modern descendants as well. |
