Uncle Sam's Orchestra: Memories of the Seventh Army Symphony [Hardcover]

John Canarina (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 1998

The United States once maintained a symphony orchestra, the Seventh Army Symphony, based in Stuttgart, Germany. Formed in 1952 as a public relations measure, it was intended to demonstrate to the Europeans, and the Germans in particular, that American soldiers were young men of culture capable of appreciating and performing the music of Beethoven, Brahms, and other great composers with feeling and understanding. In this the orchestra was extremely successful, touring repeatedly throughout (West) Germany, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In spite of the great acclaim and enthusiasm with which it was received throughout Europe, the orchestra encountered difficulty and some outright hostility from the U.S. Army itself, which did not quite know what to do with a symphony orchestra in its midst. Therefore, in addition to paying tribute to the important work the orchestra did in the field of cultural relations, this book chronicles the many humorous incidents that arose out of the perennial friction between the rather unmilitary orchestra and the "regular Army" personnel with whom it came in direct contact.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The book is a marvelous collection...very humerous, extremely interesting and well written. --Allegro

Product Details

• Hardcover: 222 pages
• Publisher: University of Rochester Press (July 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580460194
• ISBN-13: 978-1580460194
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,696,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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