Even though some readers may not be familiar with the name Ernest Williams, his contribution to the trumpet/cornet world should be recognized. The following material was taken from Wikipedia in order to illustrate Mr. Williams contributions to our instrumental world.
“A native of Wayne County, Indiana, Ernest Williams’ musical career began in 1898 as a volunteer in the 158th Regiment of the Indiana Volunteer Infantry when he served as cornet soloist during the Spanish–American War. His talents as a performer were highly regarded and, after successfully substituting as bandmaster in his regiment, Williams was chosen to lead the 161st Indiana Regiment, beginning his rise through the ranks of the Army bands.
Between 1907 and 1912, Williams conducted the Cadet Band (the representative band of the city of Boston) as well as his own band at Lakeside Park, Colorado. In the ten years following this period, Williams traveled the world as a cornet soloist, performing with such well-known bandleaders as Nahan Franko, Victor Herbert, Patrick Conway, John Philip Sousa and Edwin Franko Goldman. Williams was Goldman’s first cornet soloist, beginning with the New York Military Band in 1917 and later the Goldman Band from 1918-1922. He joined the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1917, performing as solo trumpeter under Leopold Stokowski, Richard Strauss, Georges Enesco, Vincent d’Indy and Ossip Gabrilowitsch.
Ernest Williams School of Music
In 1922, Williams’ interest in music education led him to form the Ernest Williams School of Music in Brooklyn, New York. The premise of the institution was to offer students comprehensive training in the field of music on a variety of instruments, provide experience with the theoretical and practical aspects of music, and work in ensemble settings that emphasized equally band and orchestra repertoire. In 1930, the school extended its activities, adding an eight-week summer session, held annually in the Catskill Mountains in Saugerties, New York. The school gained a reputation for producing skilled musicians who became successful professional musicians. A number of noteworthy composers lectured, taught, conducted, and/or had their works premiered at the Ernest Williams School, including Percy Grainger, Ferde Grofé, Henry Cowell, and Morton Gould. From 1929 to 1931, Williams divided his time between the Brooklyn school and as the new Dean of the Ithaca Conservatory Conway Band School, being the chosen successor of Patrick Conway”.
Mr. Williams students gained from his performing ability as well as his compositional skills. One such performer was my good friend and teacher, Don “Jake” Jacoby.
I have recently begun recording the more popular Cornet sols from this period and have enjoyed looking back to the amazing ability of these Cornet performers and composers of this period. I have included two such solos in this post in order to illustrate the evolution of this style of playing. The first solo is the well known Cornet solo “The American Boy” composed by Herman Bellstedt in 1932.
Now notice the similarities as well as the contrasting features of the Solo “Miramar” composed by Earnest Williams. The basic form is similar with the opening cadenza, theme, variations, return to the theme followed by more technical playing (triple tonging) and the ever present high C at the end. As you compare these two numbers, notice the more advanced harmonic structure in the Williams piece as well as the more chromatic styled melodies. It is obvious that Earnest Williams had more compositional ability than Herman Bellstedt.
