Close your eyes and picture this scene from the 1860s: Men and women dressed in gala clothes dance to spirited tunes and languid waltzes. Suddenly, the music changes to “Dixie” as President Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary, stride into the room as his reportedly favorite tune–actually written by a Northerner–plays in the background.
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Above Todd Cranson conducts the 10th Cavalry Band using a baton from the Civil War.
Below: The band (Cranson is in white cap) will perform at Lincoln’s bicentennial ball in February. 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Band photos |
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A formal ball from the mid-19th century was a grand affair, and it will be re-created as part of Illinois’ Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration on Feb. 12, the 200th anniversary of his birth. Music will be provided by a band of musical re-enactors – themselves accomplished musicians – the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Band from Springfield, Ill., under the direction of Capt. Todd Cranson.
It is comprised of 25 members from central Illinois who play music written during the Civil War on antique instruments or reproductions. Cranson conducts with a baton used by the leader of the Second Iowa Cavalry Band that performed for President Lincoln.
While there’s no documentation that the president heard the original 12-member 10th Cavalry band perform, there are newspaper articles that put the band in Springfield at the time Lincoln lived there, so it’s possible he heard them play.
Formed in 2005, the 10th Cavalry Band performs at re-enactments, balls and concerts throughout the area. They appear in period uniforms and are introduced by band manager Theodore Henry whose Civil War persona is that of Col. Dudley Wickersham, commanding officer for the original 10th Cavalry Regiment.
The original regiment was formed in September 1861 at Camp Butler and entered service in November of that year. It was mustered out of the army in November 1865. The regiment re-enacts the life of a soldier from Illinois while family members interpret civilian life from 1861-65. And although the regiment and band are separate entities today, they work together to make an authentic historical experience.
At the beginning of the Civil War, Cranson said it was common for a regiment to have its own band. The musicians were used to help men keep pace in marching, boost morale, play for special events–such as balls–and even helped out in hospitals and transporting wounded soldiers.
But as it became apparent to the government the war would not end quickly, funding for the bands was cut and those left–including the 10th Cavalry–served several regiments. What was unusual about the 10th Cavalry was it stayed with its original regiment.
“The officers really valued the 10th Cavalry band and paid for the musicians’ salaries themselves. And staying with your original regiment through the Civil War was very uncommon,” Cranson said.
The band’s antique instruments are largely on loan from Charles “Stonie” Stoneking of Springfield, founder of the Heartland Music Foundation, under which the 10th Cavalry band is incorporated. Stoneking also plays E-flat tuba in the band, and for many years has purchased and restored antique instruments. Cranson said the baton he uses also came to the band through Stoneking. He’d wanted a Civil War cavalry band and asked Cranson to be its director. About the time the band was forming, Stoneking met Henry from the 10th Cavalry Regiment, which is how the band became associated with that particular regiment.
While it’s good to look authentic, it is perhaps more important to sound like a brass band from the 1860s, and Cranson has taken great pains to accomplish this. He explained that instruments used during the Civil War were smaller and lighter than modern counterparts. While concertgoers may not notice the nuances in pitch differences, they will hear the antique instruments have a thinner sound.
“They will definitely hear the difference between antique and modern instruments,” Cranson said. “The instruments used in the 1860s were centered around the key of E flat. The band is lead by the E flat coronet and E flat tuba.
“Today, modern trumpets are in the key of B flat. That’s a fourth lower and provides a fuller, larger sound.”
For most performances, Cranson said he tells a story about the music the band is playing to put it in proper historical context. “Then Ted (Henry) talks at the beginning of our performance and presents the historical perspective of the 10th Cavalry and what role music played. But every event we do is a little different. When we’re playing balls, for example, there’s less talking.”
And more dancing, which is where dance mistress Deborah Hyland of St. Louis comes in. Cranson said Hyland is a scholar in period dance and her role at the ball will be do get participants up, teach them the steps and get them dancing quickly to the band’s music.
The bicentennial ball will be at 6 p.m. at the Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield. Punch, coffee and a birthday cake honoring President Lincoln will be served. The event is free, but reservations are required. Call (217) 558-9025.
The ball is part of a week of activities in Springfield that will include a re-enacted performance of Lincoln’s 1861 farewell address from Springfield at 10: 30 a.m. at the Prairie Capital Convention Center. The band also will play at this event. For information on these and other bicentennial events in Illinois, visit www.lincoln200.net.
Another chance to hear the 10th Cavalry will be at 8 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Cranson is director of the university band and orchestra. The concert will feature the band with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, creators of “Ashoken Farewell,” which was part of the soundtrack from the acclaimed documentary by Ken Burns on the Civil War.
“To share the stage with them is going to be a great project,” Cranson said. For ticket information, call (217) 206-6160 or (800) 207-6960. For more information about the band, visit their Web site www.10thillinoisvolcavalry.com/band.
This celebration of Lincoln may be just what Illinois needs, what with the news of its embattled governor and the state’s budget woes.
“It seems with all the budget cuts, the grand scale of Lincoln’s bicentennial has been affected. I’m just happy we’re at the big events,” Cranson said.
