Joe J.
The research I have now done on this piece has markedly elevated the meaning that I had originally derived from the song. Beforehand, I didn’t really think about the relevance of the piece to the Civil War because I didn’t think it would aid in my playing of the piece; however, that original opinion was actually wrong. By understanding the conditions surrounding this piece, as well as those surrounding Battle Hymn of the Republic, the piece I researched to look at the song’s inspirations, I understand the vigor that I now must play with in order to truly exhibit the spirit and patriotism that this song so lucidly embodies. Aside from the research I have done, I think this piece is a little unique, in that it seems lighter and more airy than other Civil War pieces, which display a more serious tone, but I think it still achieves the same effect of motivating the troops to continue on and help them win the war. The melody especially exemplifies this observation where it combines a motivational but light sound to essentially tie the whole piece together and give the piece its Civil War characteristics. Also, although the song is supposed to be about a mother losing her two sons, the song doesn’t seem to have too much of a somber tone but rather a still motivational tone. This might be due to the idea of having the troops still spirited in the event of some of them dying, which is clearly accomplished. Ultimately, this piece accurately describes the Civil War attitudes at the time with appropriate rhythms and is therefore a respectable piece to pay homage to the soldiers who fought for what was right during that time period.
Arihant J.
After all the research I did The piece, I The Blue and The Gray, is a very inspirational, motivational, and uplifting piece. It provides an insight into the life of the soldiers during that time period. The piece has many movements. These movements are excerpts from various pieces, and provide many variations in rhythm and speed, and tone. Overall, this piece is very interesting in its composition and style. I really enjoy playing this piece in band. From what I learnt, I now know the feeling and emotions portrayed in this piece. Because this piece is based off of a war, the feelings of war, hardship, and sadness are portrayed. Fr
Andrew J.
For this research project I was responsible for the Historical Perspective page and because of this, I realized that this piece is based off of a huge event in American history. This huge event was the American Civil War. Also as I was researching; more and more information about how the Blue and the Gray is related to the American Civil War started to make sense to me. Throughout the music piece of The Blue and the Gray, there are many different-styled movements, different tempos, different dynamics, and multiple crescendos as well as decrescendos. From my research I found out how there were many different moods and feelings throughout the war and of course at the end of the war. There were the soldiers who were brave, the family members of the soldiers who were scared and proud, and the loved ones of the soldiers who were sad. Finding this in my research, I concluded that the The Blue and the Gray's many "personalities and qualities" represent the many different emotions that were felt during the American Civil War. Another interesting fact that I also found was that, The Blue and the Gray is a marching song, therefore; it has an upbeat, strong tone and sound. This sound gives us the illusion that we're marching into a battle or it gives us a feeling of a war-like atmosphere as we are playing the piece during band class. I thoroughly enjoy playing The Blue and the Gray, but now that I know that is it much more than a song, the way I will continue playing it affects me and it should affect others too. Now that I know this piece is based off of a war, it gives me the many different feelings people have during a war. So when I play the many different parts and sounds that The Blue and the Gray has, I could play with a lot more emotion due to the many different feelings that will be in my head.
Arturo A.
To me, the piece, The Blue and The Gray, is a very dramatic and intense piece. There are sounds of fierceness, victory, accomplishments, and inspiration. The piece represents a very huge moment in American history. I enjoy playing this piece in band and now that I have done research on this piece, I now know how this piece needs to really sound. This is a very inspirational piece and I enjoy it a lot. Knowing that this piece's setting takes place on the battle field, to make this piece sound better in band class, we need to picture ourselves as soldiers at war with their bravery and dedication towards their freedom.
To me, the piece, The Blue and The Gray, is a very dramatic and intense piece. There are sounds of fierceness, victory, accomplishments, and inspiration. The piece represents a very huge moment in American history. I enjoy playing this piece in band and now that I have done research on this piece, I now know how this piece needs to really sound. This is a very inspirational piece and I enjoy it a lot. Knowing that this piece's setting takes place on the battle field, to make this piece sound better in band class, we need to picture ourselves as soldiers at war with their bravery and dedication towards their freedom.
Sam F.
This is a grand piece to play in our class. I enjoy it very much and when I play it on my tenor sax, I have a blast. After doing research on this piece, I can now play this piece the way it should sound. This is a very inspirational piece, and it marked a huge turning point in American history and we should play this to our best ability. We should attack each note with precision and blend in order to make this piece to sound the way it should. This project has been a wonderful experience and I learned a lot about, The Blue and The Gray. In order to truly make this piece sound as good as it can be, is to imagine ourselves on the battlefield with explosions and heart pumping action to get all the right dynamics.
Lauren P.
I enjoyed playing The Blue and The Gray in band, but now I will enjoy playing it more because I know more about the piece and its composer. After learning about Clare Grundman and his inspiration behind composing the piece, I now appreciate the piece more. I learned that Clare Grundman was actually the chief musician of the US Coast Guard during World War II. This affected his pride in his country and encouraged him to write the piece. I also think that the piece was composed very effectively. It effectively shows the mindsets of Northerners and of Confederates during the Civil War, but it also brings out a sense of American pride in its musicians and listeners. I like this piece more than I did before because I am now aware of Grundman's pride in America, which has encouraged me to feel this strong sense of pride.
I enjoyed playing The Blue and The Gray in band, but now I will enjoy playing it more because I know more about the piece and its composer. After learning about Clare Grundman and his inspiration behind composing the piece, I now appreciate the piece more. I learned that Clare Grundman was actually the chief musician of the US Coast Guard during World War II. This affected his pride in his country and encouraged him to write the piece. I also think that the piece was composed very effectively. It effectively shows the mindsets of Northerners and of Confederates during the Civil War, but it also brings out a sense of American pride in its musicians and listeners. I like this piece more than I did before because I am now aware of Grundman's pride in America, which has encouraged me to feel this strong sense of pride.
Jonathan Z.
I thoroughly enjoyed researching and playing The Blue and The Gray and my inspirational piece, Tenting Tonight. By focusing my research more towards Tenting Tonight I was able to delve deeper then other people who only researched The Blue and The Gray and not a inspirational piece. This is because learning about other songs from that specific era allows performers to get a better grasp on how they should play and what mood they should convey the music. For example, in my research for Tenting Tonight, I found that because the mood of the song was somber, the UCLA Orchestra played there instruments and projected there voices in a more legato tone. By playing legato, they were able to depict the hardships of the Confederate and Union soldiers. Longer notes require more breath and energy just like that of the soldiers who risked their lives to fight for our country. The Civil War was not only a turning point in the United States of America, but also a major turning point that greatly affected the rest of the world. Also an interesting piece of information that caught my eye while researching was that Mr. Neumeyer compared the hardships of the Civil war soldiers to that of modern day soldiers. And because we have not had war on American soil since the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the majority of the American public sometimes forgets that we are at war and soldiers are still risking their lives on the battlefield.
I thoroughly enjoyed researching and playing The Blue and The Gray and my inspirational piece, Tenting Tonight. By focusing my research more towards Tenting Tonight I was able to delve deeper then other people who only researched The Blue and The Gray and not a inspirational piece. This is because learning about other songs from that specific era allows performers to get a better grasp on how they should play and what mood they should convey the music. For example, in my research for Tenting Tonight, I found that because the mood of the song was somber, the UCLA Orchestra played there instruments and projected there voices in a more legato tone. By playing legato, they were able to depict the hardships of the Confederate and Union soldiers. Longer notes require more breath and energy just like that of the soldiers who risked their lives to fight for our country. The Civil War was not only a turning point in the United States of America, but also a major turning point that greatly affected the rest of the world. Also an interesting piece of information that caught my eye while researching was that Mr. Neumeyer compared the hardships of the Civil war soldiers to that of modern day soldiers. And because we have not had war on American soil since the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the majority of the American public sometimes forgets that we are at war and soldiers are still risking their lives on the battlefield.
John W.
For this research paper I had to research Bonnie Blue Flag this song was the unofficial song of the Confederacy. The original song had vocals and the lyrics also expressed many ideals that the South had at that time. The song was first played in Mississippi a few days after it seceded from the Union. The song was instantly popular. The song had almost a marching theme and it was a very happy tune. Because I play the trumpet trumpets usually have the melody during a marching piece. This means I have to play the notes short and clear. I like this piece except for the part about taking over the North and all.
Justin B.
For my project, I researched The Battle Cry of Freedom. I thought this song was unique from the other songs in the Blue and the Gray, as it was a popular song in the Union and Confederacy during the war. The music and lyrics that this song possesses are so powerful and inspiring that it despite its creation in the North, it spread to the South nonetheless. This fact speaks to how much this song meant to people during the war, as it was The Battle Cry of Freedom that they listened to to remind themselves what they were fighting for. I completely understand the song's popularity during the Civil War Era, as I too enjoy the rhythms and notes within the song. I believe that as a band, we should keep in mind the soldiers on the battlefield, leaving their families behind in order to fight for freedom, and the families that were left behind, wondering whether certain members of their family would ever return. Therefore, we should play this song with the abundance of energy that these soldiers possessed in the pursuit of freedom.
Suril B.
I researched the arts and their effect on The Blue and the Gray. I believe that the understanding the influence of other works of art on this piece make me appreciate this song much more. While I had always enjoyed the intensity and rhythm of the song, I had not expected to see the same themes of this song throughout all other types of art. I was wrong as the Blue and the Gray in the song title representing the clashing armies during the civil war and almost all art during this time period depicted this clash also. There are moments where the song emanates waves of intensity and other moments where we feel solemness. This reminds me of the stages of a battle with the introduction representing the march into battle and then the period of intensity representing the battle itself. Then there is a relatively gloomy part showing the aftermath of the fight and ends with a moderately upbeat tempo. This song was a flagship piece during the Civil War and is representative of one of the most horrific eras in our history. This historical value provides me with an insight into the song that I would not have otherwise had. I understand that when I play the piece, I must make the drum sound resonate at some points and dampen it when the song reaches the more "melancholic" stages.
Lauren R.
I researched the arts during the time period of the Blue and the Gray. The piece is filled with my different movements that drastically different. There are many different rhythms and tunes in the piece. Battle Hymn of the Republic, is one of the movements and is a popular, well known tune. The tension and strength of this time period is reflected in the piece and therefore reflected through the arts as well. The piece does a terrific job of emulating the effects of war. It has moments where war is glorified, a symbol of courage, and other moments when the horrors and fright of war are emphasized. As we are playing this piece we must remember that although it may be an honor to fight in a war it comes with many repercussions. Many of the pieces we found on the arts page did an excellent job of capturing the immense isolation soldiers might feel on the battlefield and after the war. The color pallet consists of mainly blue, red, gray, and black which are also the colors seen mostly in the fighting of the civil war.
Courtney S.
The Blue and the Gray, comprised of various songs from the Civil War Era, highlights the significance of music during wartime periods. Music is always a major component of pop culture; however, I didn’t realize how significant a role it played during wartime. Music was used to increase patriotism, express feelings, and encourage soldiers, among other purposes. Music that was popular also represented the emotions of diverse populations within the region, such as Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, slaves, and planters. Listening to the music from the 1860s helps me to visualize the war and gain a greater perspective on the action that took place. Even during such a dark time in our nation’s history, music served as a unifying force between groups who despised each other. “Aura Lee,” the song that I researched, was an extremely popular song in both the Union and Confederacy. In addition, the information that I learned, regarding the purpose of “Aura Lee,” will help me to identify which feelings I would like my playing to encapsulate. My study of The Blue and Gray asserted that regardless of differing personal beliefs and ideas, people can always be brought together by music. With the passion that each of us shares for music, we should focus our attention on trying to be the best that we can, through listening to each other, balancing out our sounds, and playing with style and purpose.
Larry C.
For this project, I research The Blue and The Gray. This song was the reason that many other songs were made in the same ERA as in which it originated. This time period was during the war. The specific song I researched is title, "Dixie". This song expresses a dynamic way of using all elements of music. This is good to use to express the way the war was. Without "The Blue and The Gray", many other songs during the war, including "Dixie" would not have been made. Dixie is most definitely a marking point in musical history. These songs were certainly used to lighten the way people thought during this terrible time in history, in which the war was going on.
Arjun K.
This amazing piece, The Blue and the Grey, is truly one of a kind. Grundman composed a masterpiece of emotion in that not only does the piece make the audience feel very pro-American and patriotic, but the style is so unique that when just listening from a harsh musical point of view, the piece is so diverse that it can receive nothing but praise. Grundman has shown me the true powerful correlation between music and emotion. He is, undoubtedly, a master. I have learned a lot from my research as I have understood, in more depth, the exact attributes of a piece that contribute to the emotion conveyed. I now know how one can add to a sense of happiness when playing a given piece and vice versa, I now know how to add to a sense of sadness. This project absolutely helped me as a musician to come to a realization of how I can tweak my playing to completely alter the perception of any piece. Grundman deserves a lot of credit, for not only was he able to create such a musically brilliant composition, but he also created an emotional masterpiece.
Chris V.
After having researched the Yellow Rose of Texas, which contributes o a small part of the Blue ad the Gray, I can conclude that I have learned new things that I hadn't known prior to having done this project. This song not only captures its audience, but it provides a jolt of nationalist feeling. Out of all of the sections of this song, this i by far my favorite. It has a known folk-song feel to it, while still being entertaining to a modern audience. Although the writer of this piece is unknown, he did a fantastic job in the creation of this beautiful work of Art. The tempo of this section is high-paced and it makes you want to play your best according to the standards of how it should be performed.
After having researched the Yellow Rose of Texas, which contributes o a small part of the Blue ad the Gray, I can conclude that I have learned new things that I hadn't known prior to having done this project. This song not only captures its audience, but it provides a jolt of nationalist feeling. Out of all of the sections of this song, this i by far my favorite. It has a known folk-song feel to it, while still being entertaining to a modern audience. Although the writer of this piece is unknown, he did a fantastic job in the creation of this beautiful work of Art. The tempo of this section is high-paced and it makes you want to play your best according to the standards of how it should be performed.