President’s Day, Washington, and Billings
President’s Day (as it became known in after the 1971 Uniform Monday Holiday Act) was first established in 1885 to recognize the birthday of the first President of the United States, George Washington (History.com editors, 2010). While the bill was being considered by Congress, it was proposed that Washington’s Birthday be renamed President’s Day as a way to pay tribute to both Washington (February 22) and Abraham Lincoln (whose birthday is on February 12) (President’s Day, 2021). Over time it is now seen as an opportunity to celebrate all U.S. Presidents, both past and present.
Although many people have admired and liked different Presidents for different reasons, few have been universally revered and respected. Washington perhaps is one of the few that, in my humble opinion, might ever hold that distinction. He had the advantage of being “first out the door” – a principle that is often successful for the launch of a new product commercially – and everything he did – like Haydn in some of his choices in writing symphonies – set a precedent. Still, prior to his unanimous selection by the Constitutional Convention in 1786 to the be the first President of the United States he received his fair share of criticism as Commander of the Continental Army.
Washington almost perished in the French and Indian War, was under considerable personal siege during the Revolutionary War, and even had moments of self-doubt. The winter of 1777 proved to be the most challenging of times for Washington and the Continental Army as they retreated to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. History accounts for the deaths of thousands of soldiers from disease. Out of these darkest hours in the life of this yet to be formed independent nation, emerged a reformed Continental Army ready to meet the challenging of liberating the colonies from the British (Biography.com Editors, 2014). This story, well-documented in both non-fiction and historical fiction (e.g. Turn from AMC), served as the inspiration and starting point for The Forge of Freedom (Wingert-Jones Publications). The piece was commissioned by the Chester County Youth Wind Ensemble, then under the leadership of Directors Steve Selfridge and Theresa Ducassoux (both are outstanding instrumental music educators).
It was initially a challenge to capture the mindset and mood of a soldier in the Continental Army. What does defeat sound like? I chose to utilize the the Revolutionary-era hymn Chester in a minor setting to convey feelings of desolation, defeat, and loss of hope. As the Continental Army underwent a transformation to emerge as confident and formidable fighting force, so too does the hymn tune and original material. The conclusion of the work includes Chester, triumphantly presented the major key with shades of Yankee Doodle emerging over top in the upper woodwinds. At the time Billings wrote Chester, the lyrics and tune captured the defiant spirit of the American colonies, emblematic of their resistance and eventual victory over the British.
One of the items that is important for band directors to consider within the piece is the inclusion of a fugue at measure 57. While they are usually associated with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and the baroque era, Williams Billings (credited with writing Chester) was known for using this compositional device. Billings is perhaps the first widely recognized American composer, and he gained attention in part due to his fugue tunes. It is also worth noting that Billings suffered from a number of physical limitations that impacted his health but did not impede his productivity. The music Billings wrote retained a novel vitality, and his fugues were more lively than older of the tunes of the day (Jenks, 1895). By modern standards, perhaps the fugue sounds outdated to the ears of some directors. The music of both Claude T. Smith and Jack Stamp should be a reminder that this is not the case, and the opportunity to study a work with a fugue in it allows music educators to draw attention to Billings, the first well-known American composer. This section which serves in the development of the work is homage to Billings. I hope that The Forge of Freedom provides a positive learning experience musically and historically to your band, and that it might fit well into a mid-Winter concert with your students. At a grade 3 it is appropriate for a mature middle school or junior high band and works well for developing high school groups as well.
As the nation celebrates President’s Day on Monday, February 15th and many take the day off or take advantage of a sale, it could be easy to forget the pressure and responsibility that the office of The President faces on a daily basis for every citizen of our country. It is important to remember our Presidents, especially those burdened to provide true leadership at crucial times in our nation’s history like Washington, Lincoln, Wilson, Roosevelt, and Truman. While other Presidents have experienced sharp criticism, history does show the good work that Presidents like Kennedy, Bush, and Obama did in the face of tumultuous events or conflict. I wish President Joe Biden well, and thank him in advance for his service, and for the fair, firm and patient demeanor to which he holds himself accountable. Happy President’s Day everyone!
References
Biography.com Editors. (2014, April 2). George Washington Biography. Retrieved February 12, 2021 from https://www.biography.com/us-president/george-washington
George Washington. (2020, September 11). Retrieved February 13, 2021, from https://www.biography.com/us-president/george-washington
History.com Editors. (2010, October 26). President’s Day 2021. https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day
Jenks, F. H. (1895). William Billings. The New England Magazine, 17 (5).
President’s Day. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth
