It Was a Great Success - In My Humble Opinion

1st Brigade Band Concert Program
and Neighborhood Ice Cream Social
Church Picnic / Neighborhood Event was a great success

(Pictures)

Worship Service of Holy Communion at 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Music provided by the 1st Brigade Band
and featuring Pastor Chuck & Ruth in their costumed portrayal of

A Soldier's Prayer
10:00 a.m
.

The band MAKES HISTORY LIVE by presenting period brass band music, performed on antique instruments. Attired in uniforms and gowns, the Band’s musicians, color guard, and vivandiers take you back to the 1860’s; to that turbulent era known as the Civil War. A nostalgic portrayal of the atmosphere of days gone by is generated by a unique form of showmanship that blends the sights and sounds of the period with historica anecdotes. The mellow sounds of the brass bands of the 1860’s were lost until the 1st Brigade Band, starting in 1964, began to locate and restore the dented and broken instruments and to retrieve and reconstruct the yellowed and torn music. Through their work you can now hear what Presidents Lincoln and Davis, Generals Lee and Grant, and their contemporaries heard.

The world-renowned 1st Brigade Band will lead a worship service and offer a free concert as part of Immanuel Church's Annual Church Picnic on July 20th.

The oldest and largest Civil War band in the world is headquartered in Watertown and will give a concert in a large tent in the church parking lot beginning at 2:00 p.m. Directed by Jon Condon, the band performs in Civil War clothing on vintage instruments. Sponsor for this third concert of the Concerts on the Lake series is the Immanuel Lutheran Endowment Foundation.



The Heritage Military Music Foundation (parent organization for the 1st Brigade Band) owns the largest collection of Civil War era instruments in the world. Recently the United State Marine Band borrowed over 100 instruments from this priceless collection for a concert series in Washington, D.C. Four of the Band's instrument curators traveled with the collection.

        

Band members breathe life into history by presenting authentic music performed on antique instruments. Audiences can see more 19th Century brass band instruments during one performance than they could in any museum in the world.

Attired in period uniforms and gowns, musicians, color guard and costumed ladies and gentlemen take their audiences back to the 1860s. A nostalgic portrayal of the atmosphere of days gone by is generated by showmanship that blends sights and sounds of the period with historical accounts, anecdotes, tales and legends. During its 44-year history, the band has performed throughout the Midwest, as far west as Laramie, Wyoming, and in points east including Gettysburg, Washington D.C. and South Carolina.

More than eighty volunteers, men and women, make up the 1st Brigade Band. Widely varied in age and occupation, they come from many communities in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana, bringing with them a common interest in their musical heritage. During a typical year, they will meet their audience more than forty times, in concerts, parades, military balls, and worship services, presenting their educational and entertaining programs.

        

The 1st Brigade Band has recorded, in the MAKING HISTORY LIVE series, the most complete anthology of Civil War Music ever attempted. High fidelity stereo LP records, cassettes and compact discs of Union and Confederate band and vocal music are available at performances of the 1st Brigade Band, historical site gift shops, and mail order.

In addition the music of the 1st Brigade Band and other artists is now available on THE CIVIL WAR MUSIC COLLECTOR'S EDITION published by TIME-LIFE Music. Nationally recognized documentary film-maker Daniel Senn produced a documentary THE EXQUISITE RISK OF CIVIL WAR BRASS in 2000 about the Band and the nature of these restored and temperamental instruments. The Band has been featured on all three national TV networks, as well as on PBS, THE HISTORY CHANNEL, and CSPAN.