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NOTRE DAME BAND PLANS FOR EASTER CONCERT TOUR

By C.S. Coco

For the second time in over 50 years of its history the University of Notre Dame Band, now under the direction of Professor Joseph J. Casasanta, will take an extended concert tour, The first such venture was made in 1940 when a 40- piece concert band toured the east during the Easter holidays.

"The fellows in the band have worked hard this year under trying circumstances," commented Mr. Casasanta in announcing the intended tour. "I think that they deserve credit for their achievements and that they have earned a reward of some kind. This trip is a means of showing them gratitude for their fine work and splendid cooperation," he continued. "In the 23 years that I've been at the head of the band, I've always wanted to take the fellows on such a trip. Our first venture was a success, and return engagements have been requested from various cities."

Present plans are under way to take a concert band of 50 men to be chosen from the regular 100-piece organization. These men will be picked according to their musical ability, instrumentation, number of years as band members, dependability and regularity in attending practice sessions.

A varied, well rounded program is rapidly taking form for the occasion. Numerous symphonic arrangements are to make up the body of the program with marches by John Phillip Sousa and other well known composers to be used as fill-ins. Among the most famous composers to be represented on the program is Ferde Grofe. His "Song of The Bayou" and "Mardi Gras," both from "Mississippi Suite," will be on the list. The immortal Victor Herbert will occupy a place of distinction with "Victor Herbert's Favorites," a medley of some of this great composer's most popular numbers. including "March of The Toys" and "I Can't Do The Sum" from "Babes in Toy- land," "Absinthe Frappe" from "It Happened in Nordland," "Because You're You" from "The Red Mill," "When You're Away" from "The Only Girl," "I'm Falling in Love with Some One" and "Italian Street Song" from "Naughty Marietta," "Gypsy Love Song" from "Fortune Teller," "Kiss Me Again" from "Mile. Modiste" and "The Irish Have a Great Day Tonight" from "Eileen." Arrangement is by Maybeu L. Lake who admirably does full justice to the spirit and charm of Herbert's best known melodies.

The climax of the Program will be "Universal Judgment," a symphonic poem by Camillo De Nardis, long time director of the Conservatory in Naples. This composition won first prize in a national band contest at Naples in 1878, and in a competition at Turin, Italy, in 1880. Arrangement was specially prepared from the original score for the Goldman Band by Antonio Cafarella. The work itself "is extended in form and made up of a number of well-contrasted' melodious movements. The first of these is an Allegro con fuoco, in a well-developed fugal form; this is followed by a Moderato assai, descriptive of the heavnly hosts; and in turn by a recurrence of the first movement in altered form eading into an inspired Maestoso and Choral. A spirited Allegro brings the composition to a close."

The itinerary of the trip, to date is as follows: Saturday, April 4, leave South Bend Central Station on the 'Pacemaker"; Easter Sunday, concert in Milford, Mass., home town of Professor Casasanta; Monday, concert in McAlpin Hotel Ball Room, New York City; Tuesday, concert in Brooklyn; Wednesday, Scranton, Pa.; Thursday, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Friday, Johnstown, Pa.; Saturday, Altoona, Pa. Definite word has not as yet been received from Pittsburgh, Pa., here a concert is being considered. The entire trip is to be made by train.

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