18 News - Historic Brass Society

Necrologies
Frederick Fennell July 2, 1914- December 7, 2004
Listen! To generations of band students this word were engrained
admonition printed on the inside of music folders along with a picture
of the maestro, arms raised imploring the best from all musicians. The
news of the passing of Dr. Fennell came in December 2005 and not
only was felt by the band world but also by those of us who perform
in Civil War Brass Bands. As the Principal Musician of the Federal
City Brass Band and the re-created 26th North Carolina Regimental
Band, I had the honor of meeting him, performing for him and giving
a lecture with him in the audience. My association with the Fennells
went back to the 1990s when I worked as a music engraver for Ludwig
Music and had two of my works published by the company.
the one man who was instrumental in bringing back to life a musical
form that had been dormant for almost one hundred years. His mark
was forever made in the world of concert band, symphonic and of
course, wind ensemble music. His championing of music education
teachers and conductors worldwide. Maybe not so familiar to many
was his love of Civil War music, an art form that is continued today
musters and re-enactments throughout the United States. My introduction
to the world of Civil War Brass bands was through the legendary
recordings made by the Eastman Wind Ensemble.
Fennell was born on July 2, 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio. His mother was
a Putnam, descended from General Israel Putnam of Revolutionary
Drum Corps. Camp Zeke (named for an eagle found by an uncle) was
an encampment on the family property where a re-created Civil war
camp was set up. This was the forerunner of what is commonly called
living history camps organized by Revolutionary War, Civil War and
now World War II re-enactors. It was only natural for young Frederick
to pick up the drum the age of seven and join the family musical
group. As told to Robert Simon in his book “Fennell”, “…it all began
drum corps and it was a great sound. That really is what got me into
“Into it” he was for the rest of his life although he would not make
the mark until the 1950s
Fennell played drums in high school and during the summer attended
the National Music Camp at Interlochen, Michigan. He studied at the
Eastman School of Music on the University of Rochester campus,
earning a Bachelor of Music degree in 1937 and a Master of Music
degree two years later. He became a member of the Eastman conducting
faculty in 1939, founded the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 1952,
and received an Honorary Doctorate from Eastman in 1988. Along the
way he recorded over one hundred albums. It was during his tenure at
Eastman that he revolutionized the art of wind ensemble music and
the ensemble itself.
In 1956 Fennell found himself with his family on vacation in Get-
Gettysburg” (the then accepted best book on the battle) he came
across the following quote from the diary of Lt. Col Arthur Fremantle,
was at its height a Confederate band of music between the cemetery
and ourselves, began to play polkas and waltzes, which sounded very
curious, accompanied by the hissing and bursting of shells.” It was
Who were they? Whatever happened to their music and instruments?
the genesis of a university project that would result in a two volume,
four record set of Civil War brass band music. As he was to relate
later, “My relationship to these recordings is intensely personal. The
project which produced them began and was sustained by a life-long
fascination for the actions of men who could bring themselves to the
terrible events of 1861-65.”
A trip to Winston-Salem. North Carolina to the Moravian Music foundation
uncovered the original band books of the 26th North Carolina
New Hampshire Band obtained from the Library of Congress provided
the basis for the bulk of the music recorded on the album.
An extensive study of the parts (no full scores exist) ensued followed
session that took place in December 1960. Filling out the recording was
and recordings of Civil War weapons ranging from muskets to cannons.
The records received Grammy Awards for their special effects, including
the authentic artillery sounds Fennell recorded at the Gettysburg
and introduced many to a style of music that had passed into history
performed on instruments whose use had faded into oblivion.
Today we still hear the same stories Dr. Fennell heard back then about
HISTORIC BRASS SOCIETY NEWSLETTER - WINTER 2005 | 49