Army Europe Band Does Sousa, Stravinsky, Ellington in Moscow
Posted: Mon May 09, 2005 10:21 am
The May 9, 2005, LA Times carries a great story titled, “U.S. Military Band Marches On Moscow." A portion of that copyrighted article, excerpted for educational purposes, follows.
MOSCOW — When someone called to strike up a stirring military march for a parade through central Moscow, hardly anyone ever imagined it would be "The Stars and Stripes Forever."
Or that the Stars and Stripes itself, hoisted aloft by an Army sergeant, would lead the U.S. Army Europe Band up the Russian capital's main thoroughfare, past cheering crowds, to greet a train full of Russian war veterans.
"I've met every president. I've met hundreds of kings and queens. But marching through Moscow behind three of my soldiers carrying the American flag is pretty much the highlight of my career," said Lt. Col. Thomas H. Palmatier, commander of the Army band, which came here along with President Bush and other U.S. officials to help mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
"We played inside the Kremlin walls! We played 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' on the streets of Moscow! It was a pretty emotional experience," Palmatier said.
Military bands from France, Britain and Russia also marched in Sunday's opening parade, part of an international celebration that, in Russia, couldn't help but be dominated by the stirring martial music that Russians have always linked with their nation's stature as a global power.
With the arrival of more than 50 world leaders, there are military bands outfitted in dress greens and marching caps on major street corners and in public parks. Tonight marks the keynote performance of the Moscow International Festival of Brass Music, featuring orchestras from the Russian, U.S., British and French armies, navies and air forces.
* * *
On Sunday, though, it was the U.S. Army that was the big crowd pleaser in central Moscow. Though it wasn't the first performance by an American military band in Russia, it marked the first time such an ensemble has played inside the Kremlin, or marched down the streets of Moscow behind the American flag. Enthusiastic onlookers applauded, hung over balconies and stopped members of the band to take photos.
"The crowd seemed overjoyed to see us," said Sgt. Daniel Halsey, a 32-year-old New York native who carried the American flag, flanked by a two-member color guard. "People in the street were coming up to us. I personally had over 100 pictures taken of me with the flag, by everybody from vets to young children."
Spc. Yevgeny Levin is a Moscow-area native who emigrated to the U.S. in 1994, became an American citizen, joined the Army and came back playing American marching tunes on the streets of his hometown. He said he still felt stirred by the sounds of the old Russian martial music, such as Vasily Agapkin's lush and melodic "Farewell to Slavianka," which will be played jointly by all the bands as a finale tonight.
* * *
The U.S. Army band plans to perform an excerpt from Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" and a medley of American big band tunes, including "Take the A Train" and "In the Mood."
* * *
MOSCOW — When someone called to strike up a stirring military march for a parade through central Moscow, hardly anyone ever imagined it would be "The Stars and Stripes Forever."
Or that the Stars and Stripes itself, hoisted aloft by an Army sergeant, would lead the U.S. Army Europe Band up the Russian capital's main thoroughfare, past cheering crowds, to greet a train full of Russian war veterans.
"I've met every president. I've met hundreds of kings and queens. But marching through Moscow behind three of my soldiers carrying the American flag is pretty much the highlight of my career," said Lt. Col. Thomas H. Palmatier, commander of the Army band, which came here along with President Bush and other U.S. officials to help mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
"We played inside the Kremlin walls! We played 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' on the streets of Moscow! It was a pretty emotional experience," Palmatier said.
Military bands from France, Britain and Russia also marched in Sunday's opening parade, part of an international celebration that, in Russia, couldn't help but be dominated by the stirring martial music that Russians have always linked with their nation's stature as a global power.
With the arrival of more than 50 world leaders, there are military bands outfitted in dress greens and marching caps on major street corners and in public parks. Tonight marks the keynote performance of the Moscow International Festival of Brass Music, featuring orchestras from the Russian, U.S., British and French armies, navies and air forces.
* * *
On Sunday, though, it was the U.S. Army that was the big crowd pleaser in central Moscow. Though it wasn't the first performance by an American military band in Russia, it marked the first time such an ensemble has played inside the Kremlin, or marched down the streets of Moscow behind the American flag. Enthusiastic onlookers applauded, hung over balconies and stopped members of the band to take photos.
"The crowd seemed overjoyed to see us," said Sgt. Daniel Halsey, a 32-year-old New York native who carried the American flag, flanked by a two-member color guard. "People in the street were coming up to us. I personally had over 100 pictures taken of me with the flag, by everybody from vets to young children."
Spc. Yevgeny Levin is a Moscow-area native who emigrated to the U.S. in 1994, became an American citizen, joined the Army and came back playing American marching tunes on the streets of his hometown. He said he still felt stirred by the sounds of the old Russian martial music, such as Vasily Agapkin's lush and melodic "Farewell to Slavianka," which will be played jointly by all the bands as a finale tonight.
* * *
The U.S. Army band plans to perform an excerpt from Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" and a medley of American big band tunes, including "Take the A Train" and "In the Mood."
* * *