News

On this page you will find some supplementary information that has been discovered after the publication of "THE LEGACY", including photos, as my research goes on.

8 January 2024

Researching the Gartnergade/Valby Corps Band history has given an exciting insight into the impact by former members of the Staff Band on this band.

29 June 2023

Research has lately been limited, as the Valby Corps Band (formerly Gartnergade) is celebrating its Centenary in May 2024, and focus has been on research about this band. It has also revealed how big an influence Staff Band members would later have in this Copenhagen Corps (the home corps of Emil Söderström and the Silfverberg family). 

To dig deeper into the history of Ernst Söderström because of the myths regarding his youth, a lot of time has been used in finding public documents could confirm or reject these stories. Nothing has been found that verifies these myths in any way, but neither has documentation been found that can completely deny that parts of them can hold some degree of truth.

18 December 2022

During the last few months, some new details has been found in the belongings to Arnold Hansen-Jacobsen. This is primarily old letters referring to the time in the DSB.

It has also been amazing meet with and to talk to Jørgen Worsaae Rasmussen - relative to Poul Worsaae Rasmussen, and be shown passport, diary and photos from Poul's time in the DSB. So much to talk about and discuss, especially as as Jørgen also knew my father in-law as well as Arnold and Daniel Hansen-Jacobsen, both former DSB members. 

3 October 2022

Continued research on the web in genealogy-sites like "Ancestry" , "Familysearch" etc., has brought forward some new entries that have relevant data regarding the Danish Staff Band history. 

15 August 2022

The ongoing digitalization of primarily local archives keep bringing forward knowledge on the band's history.

This summer, the book and website has also resulted in inquiries (from UK and USA) to two individuals, as well as inquiries (also from UK and USA) about Salvation Army band music used by the band and or written by Emil Söderström.  

25 October 2021

I am so grateful to my friend Lara in Berlin, for taking time to do in person research in various archieves in Berlin - like the Preussischer Kulturbesitz. I owe you big time! 

Also discovered documents in England about the campaign in 1932. 

More info on the the band's activities before WWI has come to light.

15 September 2021

Lately focus has been on research in Finland. This has brought forward hitherto unknown material in form of correspondance and articles that primarily has shed more light on the band's work for children and young people during the campaigns.

I have also been lucky in discovering more personal information primarily regarding Carstens Clausen. It tell of very close relationships, and about a very good music teacher in a local B/M and how that impacted on him over time. Even though it confirms what I myself find important, it affects you, when this happened more than 100 years ago. It was right then and still is. 

19 July 2021

Most grateful that my Corps Officer Hanne Wahl who has been digging into the family history, and been able to supply me with info and photos of Martin Aarøe Christensen (her mother's uncle), who played snaredrum in the band i the seasons 1926-1928.

12 July 2021

Further info on the band's Danish campaigns in the periode up to WWI discovered through the Royal Library.

Digital research in Staatsbibliotek zu Berlin, Preussicher Kulturbesitz, Latvijas Nacionālā bibliotēka etc, has provided some further info, although not as much as hoped for.

23 March 2021

During the last many months, I have been doing further at The Royal Library amongst other archives. 

Finally - yesterday - I found an interview with the Danish Chief Secretary Lieut.-Col, William T. Estill from 12 July 1932, in which he states, that the reason for disbanding the Danish Staff Band is that The Salvation Army in Denmark do not have bthe money a continuation of the band. This is based on the fact that the big depression also influenced the Army's finances, which meant the disbanding of the band as an alternative to closing down activities in the social work. 

14 January 2021

Lot of hours used at The Royal Library. Some new light shed on minor topics, and a few ancedotes hves been confirmed.

28 August 2020

During summer I have been presented to several postcards or photos, which people have expected to be of the staff band (because of according text in books, writing on the back etc), but in all cases it has been concluded that non of them in fact picture the Staff Band. Despite this, thank you for your help, and please continue to forward any material you imagine could be relevant.

29 March 2020

Digitalisation of Finnish newspapers have brought forward more info regarding the 1928 campaign in Finland. Continued research in Danish newspaper archives has given more documentation on campaigns, and research into Salvation Army contextual material, has given a broader knowledge of the periode. Reasearch into church archives has also given new info about more band members.  

4 August 2019

Research on "unknown" music has resulted in defining some of these pieces like “Defilér-marsch”  which is also known as "Norwegian Parade March” and is written by Norwegian military musician Alfred Svendsen for the Chief of the Christiania (now Oslo) Battalion in 1898. 

This confirms that a number of secular pieces were used. Much of this probably caused by some bandmembers had a background as military musicisians.

4 July 2019

It was common pratice during the band's full existence, that every band member had a music book with hand written parts for some music. This included manuscripts, arrangements specially made for the band and some pieces were written off from score (most likely to limit costs in buying printed music).

Only one book has been recovered. This belonged to Arnold Hansen-Jacobsen, who was in the band 1924-1927. It is a personal book, as it includes parts for cornet and trombone, as he moved part during the periode,

The book includes not only music for full band, but also arrangements for quartets.

Here are a few examples:

"Under two flags" by Bramwell Coles published as General Series 816 in 1919. The march was a regular for many seasons.

"Schwartzwald klängen". Composer unknown, but may be arranged for the band's visit to Germany in 1927.  

A Fantasia in form of theme and variation named "Gennem sorger og nød". Composer unknown.

The march "Till Vapen!" by George Marschall, published 1906 as No. 2 in Swedish Festival series. It was published again, in a slightly rearranged version, as "Stand to Arms!" - No. 799 in General Series.

31 October 2018

Research in recent digitalized public archives confirms, that Staff Bandmaster Oscar Martinius Bandsberg (1874-1953) was born in Drammen, Norway, as Oscar Martinius Michelsen. He was married to Ane Johanne Rasmine née Henriksen. They changed last name in 1916.

This also confirms, that he was a staff band member 1907-1911 - maybe even for a longer periode, playing Bass.

Early references to Oscar Michelsen is therefore the same person as Oscar Bandsberg. 

31 October 2018

Reference at page 83 to Oscar Michelsen is wrong. Should rightly be Christian Thorvald Michelsen, mentioned on pages 32, 39 and more.

19 October 2018

Got hold of a postcard of the band from the 1925-26 season, not seen before. First time finding an official photo of the band for that season.

2 August 2018

Since last update:

A single part (Bass Eb) of the Junior Music Journal arranged by Emil Söderström (1917) has been recovered. The cover is printed (same print as the Danish Music Journal, but all music is hand written).

Further interviews for second hand knowledge on band members and other people mentioned in the book, carried through.

Still new archieves (newspapers, local history etc.) are being digitalized and more relevant information has been found - all confirming the books information, or lightly supplementing.

12 January 2018

Discovered a report by the (during WWII) illegal news agency Information* from 5 December 1944, documenting (with some adjustments) the anecdote about the arrest of Julius Nielsen by the Gestapo.

“The other night Gestapo showed up at the mission hotel in Esbjerg to arrest a person. The hotel had no guests with the name in question, but going through the hotel registry, the Gestapo officers noticed the name Colonel Sandel [Julius Nielsen – it was him according to other sources. The reason for mistake in name is unknown]. They wondered, whispered to each other and shook their heads. They did not know a German Colonel by that name. They called the Gestapo Headquarters and the Kommandatur, with the same result – them they went to action. The fake Colonel should be caught unaware. Three men with machineguns were posted outside the Colonels room, they knocked on the door, after a long time waiting, the door was slightly opened, and a small, scared, old man looked out. Brutally the door was kicked open, and the room searched with flashlights, before they finally turned on the light. The poor old man stood shaking in his short nightshirt, and did not understand a word of what was going on, not even the language. The Gestapo men did not understand anything neither, until their Danish aid burst into laughter, pointing at a chair, with a pile of neatly folded cloth, on top of which lay a Sally Ann cap. The mysterious Colonel was a peaceful in The Salvation Army.”

* Information was an illegal news agency connected to the resistance movement in Denmark during WWII, and began its work in August 1943. In May 1945 it became a newspaper. 

13 December 2017

A music book has been found belonging to Arnold Hansen-Jacobsen. It is handwritten parts for a number of pieces used in his tenure with the band, including a number that has not been known to have been played. It documents that some music was rearranged for the band, and some was probably written off from a score. This is a 1st Cornet part of Till Vapen! (George Marshall) published in Svens Festmusikk as No. 102 in 1906, and later published in the General Series as No. 799 in 1918.

1 August 2017

Poster (copy of) discovered in files in Valby Corps.

28 June 2017

Søren Bay Hansen - aka "Little Bay".

”Little Bay” was born Søren Bay Hansen  in June 1879. He was one of 7 children, in a very Grundtvigian family.  His father owned a dairy Ørbækskilde. His family had met the Army in Copenhagen in 1890, when Peter Emilius Andersen was the CO at Valhalla Corps. They were taken by it’s social work. Bay had musical talent after his mother, and when the Staff Band was established, Blind Andersen took Bay along, as his mother had her challenges with him.

Blind Andersen influenced his youth as his spiritual father, since they met when Bay was 11 years old. They stayed in touch the rest of their lives. Bay left the Staff Band after a few years, and moved home to family. He taught his siblings to play, and established the childrens band: Det Riisengårdske Børneorkester. He later established a brass band and a string band in the town Assens.

He studied painting and photography and became a photographer and produced postcards. He died in June 1970.

From the Riisengård family wandering book covering the years 1 august 1943- april 1945 and www.photohistorie.com.

28 July 2017

Niels Peter Nielsen - page 129.

Back in the early 1890's, a mother in Randers was so angry with her boy (the latter Major Niels Peter Nielsen), over his interest in the newly arrived Salvation Army, that she penalized him strongly and locked him out during night. When the Staff Band visited the town, she learned, that there were a couple of young boys playing in the band, and she accepted to come with her son to the first meeting. At this meeting, Little Bay gave his childish testimony telling how he had promised his mother to become a good boy. This spoke so deeply to her, that it led to her salvation, and her son was allowed to join the army. This story was told by N.P. Madsen at the Army’s 50th anniversary celebrations at KB-hallen. Niels Peter Nielsen became an officer in late 1890’s, and was a member of the Staff Band in the early 1920’s.

From the Riisenberg family wandering book covering the years 1 august 1943- april 1945.

5 July 2017

On one of the discovered posters (for a concert it St. Michael's Church in Tallinn, Estonia on 14 May 1931), a repertoire is printed. Most of the music is not mentioned in reports as being played at any time on the tour. This might indicate that the list was send early on in the season, but that the repertoire developed over time. This appears to be the case in previous seasons.

Repertoire according to poster for Concert 14 May 1931 at St. Michael’s Church in Tallinn, Estonia.

The repertoire also included unnamed solos, trios and quartets, three vocal pieces and three pieces for string orchestra by Richard Slater.

8 April 2017

Copies of 3 posters from the band's visit to Riga in 1931 has been discovered in the corps archives at Valby Corps (Copenhagen). They will soon be posted here!

3 April 2017

A review of THE LEGACY - written by Stan Ewing from Canada, has been published in the April 2017 issue of the SA Bandsman. (Posted under Book reviews).