ETUDE
March 1938
volume LVI
number 3
page 192, 198

The Banjo

By George C. Krick

THE RISE OF THE BANJO and the other members of the banjo family to their present prominent position is one of the most interesting developments in American musical history. Although frequently called a distinctly American instrument, we must not overlook the fact that for hundreds of years in many countries of the old world, gourd shaped instruments covered with snake or sheep skin were in use. The invention of the American banjo is credited to one, Joe Sweeney, who was supposed to be the first white man to construct one and play upon it. According to the story which is generally accepted, Joe Sweeney produced so much music from his instrument that he was called a whole band in himself and was nicknamed “Band-Joe,” and from this we derive the present name of the instrument. With the advent of the blackface minstrels the banjo came into its own, as no minstrel troupe was complete without a clever banjo player. Amongst the players of this period the names of Gus Mead, Tom Briggs, John Savarie and Frank Converse stand out preeminently. During the latter part of the nineteenth century a veritable wave of banjo popularity swept across the country, and everywhere banjo clubs were quite the rage. The five string banjo, plucked with the fingers, was reigning supreme; and in the course of time a number of outstanding performers appeared on the concert stage. The names of Vess Ossman, Van Eps, Fred Bacon, Frank Bradbury and Alfred Farland are familiar to all lovers of the banjo.

Farland in his prime was considered the greatest artist of them all. For many years his concert tours took him from one end of the country to the other; and his recitals were invariably sold out long in advance. His programs included many transcriptions of classical compositions, which were executed with the greatest of skill and artistic taste.

The Jazz Influence

WHILE THE FIVE STRING banjo still retains its popularity, some vaudeville players have experimented with wire strings and plectrum, in order to get a greater volume of tone, and we now have the plectrum banjo with four strings. Eventually this instrument was introduced into the dance orchestra; and most of the young banjo students now prefer this style of playing. The change from the old A notation to C, tuning the strings to C, G, B, D, also makes matters simpler for the beginner, as he is now able to read directly from the piano score. But the final blow to the five string banjo, came with the advent of the tenor banjo.

The jazz age arrived, and old and young began to dance. Small and large dance bands sprang up over night, and every one of these needed one or more tenor banjoists to supply rhythm. Teachers were swamped with pupils, manufacturers were working overtime, turning out tenor banjos selling from fifty to five hundred dollars. Publishers were printing numerous instruction books, collections of studies, solos, duets and orchestra parts for tenor banjo. Harry Reser and his Eskimos and many other banjoists were heard over the radio, and the popularity of the tenor banjo was ever up and up.

But now enters the guitar, sonorous, somewhat subdued, not as boisterous as her younger brother the banjo, but preferred for its mellow voice, and gradually the tenor banjo apparently loses its “place in the sun.”

When banjoists come together the question frequently is asked, “Will the banjo stage a comeback?” In the writer’s opinion it is still here and here to stay. It is a far cry from the crude instrument of sixty years ago to the artistic creation of to-day and American youth will always succumb to the exhilarating, scintillating tone of the banjo.

Throughout the middle west, many dance bands still prefer the plectrum banjo to the guitar. In England and its colonies the banjo has never been more popular than during the past year.

It is to be regretted that the five string banjo has been neglected by aspiring concert players. Its full chords, rippling, sparkling arpeggios, snappy staccatos, its beautiful right hand tremolo with thumb accompaniment, all will bring an audience “to its feet.” A clever banjoist, whether he plays the five string, plectrum or tenor banjo, is always received with open arms, be it on the concert stage, on the radio, or in private gatherings.

After all, the banjo is the instrument “par excellence” for entertainment and relaxation; and for this reason it will always attract a large following.

The prospective student should first of all place himself in the hands of a reputable teacher, one who not only is a good performer but also knows how to teach. In buying an instrument, select the best that you can afford. A cheaply and poorly constructed banjo is worse than useless and is a hindrance to the progress of the student.

The literature for banjos of every type is most extensive; and all the leading publishers are in a position to supply instruction books, scale and chord exercises, music of every variety, modern and classical transcriptions, also arrangements for small and large banjo ensembles.

An effective ensemble of banjos should include first and second banjo-mandolins, first and second tenor banjos, cello banjo and bass or guitar-banjo, with drums and
traps.

In Earlier Days

IT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST to some readers to mention the instrumentation of banjo clubs during the early days. A representative group of which a photograph was recently seen, included a piccolo banjo, banjeaurine, five string banjo, and bass banjo. This combination was used extensively by professional and college clubs.

While it is true that some otherwise well informed musicians still frown upon the banjo, there are others who seem to feel that its characteristic voice should be exploited in scoring for theater or concert orchestras. The tone color of the banjo is so different from that of all other instruments, that creative musicians might find possibilities that so far have been neglected.

Percy Grainger, the Australian composer-pianist, in a published interview some years ago, expressed his opinion that “the plectrum instrument will play an important role in the orchestra of the future. There are superb possibilities in these instruments, when used in sufficient numbers. You know the happy effect produced when the entire string section of an orchestra occasionally strums the strings; and one can imagine how a large body of instruments intended to be plucked or strummed would sound. Some new and ravishing color combinations inhere in this class of instruments.”

Then, here is a paragraph from a review of the first performance of the opera, “Life of Orestes,” by Krenek, whose “Jonny Spielt Auf” proved an international success: “Unquestionably the most beautiful and inspired portion of the score is Orestes’ monologue: Es ist Abend, with the shepherds’ song. This exquisite lyrical passage is accompanied throughout by the humming of the invisible chorus of the orchestra, with a passage between flute and banjo which is ravishing in effect and is as novel in invention as it is inspired in treatment.”

And so the banjo’s lure lives on.