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There is one group, whose vacation focus is Founders Day. Of the
100 cadets who make up the Glee Club, between 35-50 will spend
their Spring Break traveling through California and Nevada to
share their singing talents and represent West Point. They are
public advertising for the Academy. As LTC David Dietrick, USMA
Band Director and Musical Director of the Glee Club said, "What
the general public sees about West Point are its football team
and the Glee Club."
Over the years, the USMA Band has been directly involved with the
Glee Club. They first united in 1929 when Philip Egner, Teacher
of Music and Bandmaster, began directing the club. (Incidentally,
Egner was the composer of the "Official West Point March" and "On
Brave Old Army Team"). Various bandmasters or their assistants
led the club until the early 70's, when a civilian was hired to
do the job. In 1991 the responsibility went back to the band,
with LTC Dietrick the current leader since 1993. The Band and
the club occasionally perform together, but usually the club has
its own accompanist. A portion of the program is always devoted
to traditional military and patriotic tunes. For instance, songs
in the standard repertoire include, "The Corps," "Benny Havens,"
"The Alma Mater," "Army Blue," "On Brave Old Army Team" and a
medley of service hymns.
Through its performances, which vary from 30-50 a year, the Glee
Club contacts many communities and schools. Since cadets often
stay in the homes of host families, the two get a chance to know
each other, which often results in friendships. SFC Kevin
Vienneau, the OIC of the Club said, "When we visit the high
schools the next generation of cadets get to see and talk to our
club members; hence we are a valuable recruiting tool." CDT Lisa
Peplinski ('00), who has been a member of the club for three
years, recalls that one of the most memorable trips for her, was
also one of the shortest: "On this particular trip during my
plebe year, we sang in NYC at the Hilton (I think). It was a
benefit dinner for schools in Televiv. What sticks out in my
mind about this trip was how we were treated. We were invited to
a pre-dinner social and everyone seemed to want our attention.
It was quite an eye-opener for a young plebe (it was first
semester before Thanksgiving) because suddenly I realized that I
was going somewhere and doing something which others hold in high
regard." As the club travels through 5 cities and gives 13
concerts next week, they will, through their songs, share much of
West Point's tradition.
***
The Alma Mater
by P. S. Reinecke, USMA 1911
"Hail, Alma Mater dear,
To us be ever near,
Help us thy motto bear
Through all the years.
Let duty be well performed,
Honor be e'er untarned,
Country be ever armed,
West Point, by thee."
"Guide us, thy sons, aright,
Teach us by day, by night,
To keep thine honor bright,
For thee to fight.
When we depart from thee,
Serving on land or sea,
May we still loyal be,
West Point, to thee."
"Hail, Alma Mater dear,
To us be ever near,
Help us thy motto bear
Through all the years.
Let duty be well performed,
Honor be e'er untarned,
Country be ever armed,
West Point, by thee."
"Guide us, thy sons, aright,
Teach us by day, by night,
To keep thine honor bright,
For thee to fight.
When we depart from thee,
Serving on land or sea,
May we still loyal be,
West Point, to thee."
"And when our work is done,
Our course on earth is run,
May it be said, 'Well Done;
Be Thou At Peace.'
E'er may that line of gray
Increase from day to day,
Live, serve, and die, we pray,
West Point, for thee."
"Alma Mater," most beloved of all West Point songs, had its beginning in a
very inauspicious manner. In the fall of 1908 Colonel, then Cadet, Reinecke
was walking the area as a result of a bit of frivolity in Yearling Camp the
preceding summer. Attempting to pass some time he tried to compose a
furlough song. (It was the custom at that time for Yearlings to congregate
at Battle Monument to "bay at the moon" and to sing furlough songs.)
Finally he began to tramp to the tune of "Treilbeliebe," an old favorite
composed by Kuecken in 1827. Gradually he developed the words to what we
know today as the "Alma Mater." The song, however, died the death of all
furlough songs and was not even sung at the graduation of Reinecke's class
in 1911. On June 9, 1912, one year after Reinecke's graduation, "Alma
Mater" was sung at the Baccalaureate Service and took its place as a musical
expression of the feelings of every West Pointer toward his Alma Mater."
***
"On, Brave Old Army Team"
The Army team's the pride and dream
Of every heart in gray.
The Army line you'll ever find
A terror in the fray;
And when the team is fighting
for the Black and Gray and Gold,
We're always near with song and cheer
And this is the tale we're told:
The Army team
(Band and whistle)
Rah Rah Rah
(cannon shot)
On, brave old Army team,
On to the fray:
Fight on to victory,
For that's the fearless Army way.
***
"The Corps"
The Corps, The Corps, The Corps,
The Corps bearheaded, salute it
With eyes up thanking our God
That we of the corps are treading
Where they of the corps have trod
They are here in ghostly assemblage
The men of the corps long dead
And our hearts are standing attention
While we wait for their passing tread
We sons of today, we salute you
You sons of an earlier day
We follow close order behind you
Where you have pointed the way
The long grey line of us stretches
Through the years of a century told
And the last man feels to his marrow
The grip of your far off hold
Grip hands with us now, though we see not
Grip hands with us strengthen our hearts
As the long line stiffens and straightens
With the thrill that your presence imparts
Grip hands, though it be from the shadows
While we swear as you did of yore
Or living or dying to honor
The Corps, and The Corps, and The Corps
From the 1947 Bugle notes
"Companion piece to the "Alma Mater" and equally beloved in the hearts of
all graduates is the inspirational and poetically great hymn "The Corps."
The words were written by the late Bishop H. S. Shipman, then chaplain,
sometime around the U.S.M.A. Centennial in 1902. The music, not composed
until 1910, was written by W. Franke Harling, Chapel Organist and
Choirmaster. This music was especially composed for the services of the
Closing of the old Cadet Chapel, held on June 12, 1910. Due to a series of
reasons the hymn sung for the first time on the steps of the old Cadet
Chapel failed to make an impression. In a similar manner to which the "Alma
Mate" was to be accepted the following year. "The Corps" became a part of
the West Point tradition at the Baccalaureate Service of the Class of 1911."
***
First Stanza of Benny Havens, Oh!
Come, fill your glasses, fellows, and stand up in a row
To singing sentimentally, we're going for to go;
In the Army there's sobrienty, promotions's very slow,
So We'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, Oh!
Oh, Benny Havens, Oh! Oh! Benny Haven's, Oh!
So we'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, Oh!>p>
***
ARMY BLUE
We've not much longer here to stay,
For in a month or two,
We'll bid farewell to "Kaydet Grey",
And don the "Army Blue".
Chorus:
Army Blue, Army Blue,
Hurrah for the Army Blue,
We'll bid farewell to "Kaydet Grey",
And don the "Army Blue".
With pipe and song we'll jog along.
Till this short time is through,
And all among our jovial throng,
Have donned the Army Blue.
Chorus.
To the ladies who come up in June,
We'll bid a fond adieu,
Here's hoping they be married soon,
And join the Army too.
Chorus.
'Twas the song we sang in old plebe camp,
When first our grey was new,
The song we sang on summer nights,
That song of Army Blue.
Chorus.
Now, fellows, we must say goodbye,
We've stuck our four years thru,
Our future is a cloudless sky,
We'll don the Army Blue.
Chorus.
The following original verses of Aura Lea were provided by
SGM JohnSartoris, USMA Band Sergeant Major.
1. When the blackbird in the spring,
On the willow tree,
Sat and rocked, I heard him sing,
Singing Aura Lea
Aura Lea, Aura Lea,
Maid of golden hair;
Sunshine came along with thee,
And swallows in the air.
Chorus:
Aura Lea, Aura Lea,
Maid of golden hair;
Sunshine came along with thee,
And swallows in the air.
2. In thy blush the rose was born,
Music when you spake,'
Through thine azure eye the morn,
Sparkling seemed to break.
Aura Lea, Aura Lea,
Bird of crimson wing,
Never song have sung to me,
In that sweet spring.
Chorus
3. Aura Lea! The bird may flee,
The willows golden hair
Swing through winter fitfully,
On the stormy air.
Yet if thy blue eyes I see,
Gloom will soon depart;
For to me, sweet Aura Lea
Is sunshine through the heart.
Chorus
4. When the mistletoe was green,
Midst the winter's snows,
Sunshine in thy face was seen,
Kissing lips of rose.
Aura Lea, Aura Lea,
Take my golden ring;
Love and light return with thee,
And swallows with the spring.
Chorus
***
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