When Sousaphone solos were a big deal

[Dave Detwiler]

Hi all,

In 1904, shortly after Arthur Pryor left Sousa to form his own band, and taking quite a few of Sousa's men with him, we start hearing about Sousaphone solos by the great Herman Conrad.

Here's the earliest reference I've come across so far, which is from the July 11, 1904 edition of the Asbury Park Morning Press:

1904-07-11 The Asbury Park Morning Press.JPG

Conrad was sometimes referred to as one of Sousa's "soloists," although I have yet to come across any mention of him actually being featured as a soloist in a Sousa Band concert (there is a recording from 1902 where he is sort of featured as the soloist - check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi0MK2AErH8).

Sousa did eventually start featuring his Sousaphone stars about 15-20 years later, when John Kuhn, and then Bill Bell, joined his band.

But Pryor definitely featured Conrad numerous times in 1904-05, before (at appears) the bass player had to focus exclusively on his work with the Victor Talking Machine Company. You can read more about that in my latest blog post on Sousaphone history: http://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2020/04/ ... pryor.html

Enjoy!
Dave

[tofu]

.

[Ann Reid]

Wonderful stories! Thank you for posting.

[Dave Detwiler]

Have you come across what Sousa's reaction was to Pryor leaving and setting up his own band? I wonder when he gave his notice and revealed his plans to Sousa. To be a mouse in the cabin when that conversation happened! Had to have been on the trip back on the ship from Europe - I can't imagine doing it before the tour. Early on the way back on the boat and that would have been a long voyage to endure. Fascinating info Dave - keep it coming!

Reports that I've come across suggest that Pryor and Sousa parted on good terms, and that Pryor told Sousa of his plan to leave toward the end of the European tour that year (1903), while in Blackpool, England.

However, Pryor is also quoted, upon returning from that tour, as saying, "For five years I have been securing musicians to form my band and have succeeded in getting fifty of the best that the country affords" (St. Joseph News, Sept. 9, 1903). So Sousa may have been aware of Pryor's plan earlier than that year. It depends on how secretive he had been in talking about his plan with the men he was seeking to secure for his new band.

I talked about the reason for Pryor's departure with Steve Dillon the other day, as he knows more about Pryor than anyone else, and he wonders if the work he had to do with Sousa - playing in the band full-time, while also playing a solo in most concerts, and then also stepping in to conduct when Sousa couldn't - in comparison to the pay he was receiving (significantly less than, say, the violinist or soprano, who each performed once or twice at each concert, and made two or three times as much as Pryor) had something to do with it.

In other words, Pryor was a superstar, but Sousa kept him really busy, yet he apparently wasn't paying him like a superstar. That same newspaper article quoted just a moment ago also said that, in forming his new band, "Mr. Pryor will pay the highest salaries of any bandmaster of the present time." So maybe compensation was indeed an issue that led to him leaving.