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Show OtHelnl Rcvlrwh.e Mimic The Marine band was one of the very few Uinds lhat passed the presidential stand at the review in Baltimore last Monday Chat did not play "Hail to the Chief." "It's a common impression among band masters," said Professor Sousa, its leader, last night, "that thin Hail to the Chief is the proper presidential presi-dential saluting air. That's a mistake. The tactics of the army and navy do not prescribe 'Mail to the Chief when passing pass-ing before the president. The tactics prescribe that when a bund passes its reviewing re-viewing officer the drums shall roll and trumpeters sound, but It iH utterly silent as to the bund. The band might pass by in silence so fur us the tactics say. 'Hail to the Chief is tlie traditional saluting air. It Is originally a Scotch boating song, and any one who studies it carefully care-fully can detect its Scotch characteristics. characteris-tics. The air is a pretty one, and years ago became one of the favorites of the Marine band. "Owing principally to its sonorous beauty beau-ty and to the baud's familiarity with the air and evidently, perhaps, to its title, the Marine band fell into the custom of playing it at the White House on state occasions as the presidential party entered enter-ed the reception room. In this way ihe notion became current among bandmns-te:s bandmns-te:s thit 'Hail to the Chief was the o "ricial reviewing air. It is not. As a matter of fact, ihe Marino band never plays it when marching past the president. presi-dent. It always plays "Semper Fidelia,' th.' review march of the Marine corps. The niuic was written by Professor Sousa, especially for the review of ihe Marine corps Hence its title, "Semper Fid lis,' the motto of tho corps. Itisio written that the roll of the drums and the Bounding of the trumpets, us drum corps and trumpet corps pass the reviewing review-ing officer, ;:11 form an integral part of the air, and every on o who heard it as the Marine band parsed the stand lust .Monday will admit Us perfect adaptability adaptabil-ity to the purpose. " Baltimore Ameri- |
