Hubbry Logo
Paul LavallePaul LavalleMain
Open search
Paul Lavalle
Community hub
Paul Lavalle
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Paul Lavalle
Paul Lavalle
Paul Lavalle
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
Lavalle in 1953.

Paul Lavalle (born Joseph Usifer,[1] September 6, 1908 - June 24, 1997) was an American conductor, composer, arranger and performer on clarinet and saxophone.

Early years

[edit]

Lavalle was born in Beacon, New York,[2] the son of Ralph and Jennie Usifer, both Italian immigrants. Graduating from Beacon High School, he planned to study law at Columbia University. After winning a scholarship there,[citation needed] Lavalle studied music at the Juilliard School[2] and was a student of composition of Joseph Schillinger. He performed in many 1930s bands, including one in Havana, Cuba. In 1933 he became an arranger and clarinetist in the NBC house orchestra. His composition Symphonic Rhumba (1939), was broadcast by the NBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski, on December 6, 1942.

Radio

[edit]

Lavalle worked on radio programs, including The Dinah Shore Show (1939–40),[3]: 100  The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street (1940–44),[3] Plays for Americans (1942), Highways in Melody,[3]: 150  The Stradivari Orchestra (1943),[3]: 318  Strictly Business (1940),[3]: 320  The Ted Steele Show (1942),[3]: 327  and Dough Re Mi (1942-1943).[3]: 103  On his radio shows he collaborated with Victor Borge, Mario Lanza, Robert Merrill and Dinah Shore. In November 1944, his jazz composition "Always" made it to number 29 on the top 40 charts. In 1940, The New York Times described him as "NBC's ubiquitous music maker" and said he was "of small size, dynamic, dark haired..." Lavalle told the reporter, "Music is my life, and I am happy that it is so."[citation needed]

Lavalle was selected over several applicants to become the conductor of the Band of America in 1948. They performed on the weekly radio program Cities Service Concerts on NBC Radio[3]: 77  for eight years and almost 400 programs. Each program began with the introduction: "Forty-eight states... 48 stars... 48 men marching down the main street of everybody's hometown! Here comes the Cities Service Band of America, conducted by Paul Lavalle!"[citation needed]

Television

[edit]

In 1949, Lavalle and the band became one of the first musical groups to appear weekly on television.

On May 18, 1961, Paul Lavalle and the Greatest Band in America joined singer Kay Armen in a 30-minute episode of the ABC-TV series "Music For a Spring Night" entitled "Concert in the Park." The Band opened with a spirited medley ("76 Trombones," "Strike Up the Band,") and then Miss Armen took over with "I'll Be Seeing You" and other songs.[4] Beginning in 1964, the Band of America toured extensively and also became the official band of the 1964 New York World's Fair, an engagement that lasted into 1965.

Lavalle guest conducted many orchestras, including the ABC Symphony, CBS Symphony, NBC Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1966 he became the conductor for the Radio City Music Hall Symphony Orchestra, and he returned two years later to serve as director of music and as principal conductor until 1975. In 1981 he began conducting the Wilton, Connecticut, Chamber Orchestra. In 1967, he was instrumental in forming the 100-member All-American High School Band (by 1968 known as McDonald's All-American High School Band) which participated in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Tournament of Roses Parade.

Joseph Usifer and Paul Laval

[edit]

Paul Lavalle used his birth name, Joseph Usifer, for performances until at least 1938, and he then used the name Paul Laval in the 1940s. In 1938, a rare Brunswick Records 78rpm recording was issued under Joe Usifer's name, an extremely sophisticated and intricate swing arrangement, in the tradition of Raymond Scott, of "In The Hall of the Mountain King" b/w "The Jockey On The Carousel". Recorded by Irving Mills, it was one of the first records issued on Brunswick after the collapse of Mills' Master Records label (remaining top selling Master records were moved to Brunswick).

Personal life and death

[edit]

Paul Lavalle was married twice. He met Sarah "Sally" Grant (22 July 1904 - 18 January 1992), a native of North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, while in Cuba, and they were married in New York. They had one son, Lawrence Usifer (5 October 1941 - 11 December 2002). The marriage ended in divorce in 1946. Muriel Angelus met Lavalle while she was performing on the radio, and they married in 1946. She retired from acting to raise a family. They maintained an apartment in Manhattan and a Colonial home in Connecticut. Their daughter, Suzanne Lavalle Bothamley, was an NBC reporter and became a realtor in Virginia. Paul Lavalle died June 24, 1997, in Harrisonburg, Virginia at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital.[citation needed]

Awards

[edit]
  • Alfred I. Dupont Award
  • Christopher Award
  • Grand Festivalmeister of the Tulip Time International Music Festival held at Katwijk aan Zee, Holland
  • Kappa Kappa Psi
  • Man and Boy Award
  • Rollie Statue (Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade)

Paul Lavalle's compositions (selected)

[edit]
  • Band of America March (1949)
  • Big Joe, The Tuba March (1950)
  • Boys' Clubs of America (Marching Song) (1948)
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower March (built on the notes D-D-E; the official theme of the 1952 campaign)
  • The United Press March (1952, composed for United Press International)
  • United States Overture (1951)

Paul Lavalle's LPs (selected)

[edit]

Lavalle made many recordings, mostly on RCA.

  • Paul Lavalle's Concert in the Park (1954)
  • Great Band Music (1955)
  • Lavalle at Work (1955)
  • America's Favorite Marches (1956)
  • Concert in the Park (1956)
  • Lavalle in Hi-Fi (1957)
  • The Mighty Sousa Marches (1966)
  • Salute to Our Fighting Men in Vietnam (1966)

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • The New York Times, June 30, 1942, page 16.
  • ASCAP Biographical Dictionary. New York: Bowker, 1980.
  • ”Chamber-Music Society”, Time, September 23, 1940 [1]
  • ”Conductor Paul Lavalle Dies at 88”, Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 24, 1997, page B2.
  • Dunning, John. The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
  • International Motion Picture Almanac 1975. New York: Quigley Publishing, 1975.
  • Kinkle, Roger D. The Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz 1900-1950. New Rochelle: Artlington House, 1974.
  • Lachman, Ron. The Encyclopedia of American Radio. New York: Checkmark Books, 2000.
  • Rasponi, Lanfranco. "Jazz Swings to Classics - Improvisation and Variations Gone from Popular Music, Paul Laval Says", The New York Times, November 24, 1940.
  • Rehrig, William H. The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music. Waterville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1991.
  • Smith, Norman E. March Music Notes. Lake Charles, Louisiana: Music Notes Press, 1986.
  • United States Census, 1920
  • Vallance, Tom "Muriel Angelus" Independent (of London) Online Edition, September 6, 2004. [2]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Paul Lavalle

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Paul Lavalle was an American conductor, composer, arranger, and instrumentalist on clarinet and saxophone known for his leadership of the Cities Service Band of America (later known as the Band of America), his long-running radio and television broadcasts, and his contributions to American concert band music. Born on September 6, 1908, in Beacon, New York, Lavalle studied music at the Juilliard School under composer Joseph Schillinger. He began his professional career as a clarinetist in the NBC Symphony Orchestra and went on to conduct radio programs, including the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street. His most prominent role came as conductor of the Cities Service Band of America, an ensemble that achieved widespread popularity through coast-to-coast radio and television appearances and was recognized as the first musical organization of its kind on national television. The band served as the official band of the New York World's Fair in 1964 and 1965, further cementing Lavalle's reputation in American popular music. Lavalle later served as Director of Music and Principal Conductor of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra for seven years starting in 1968, following guest appearances there. He was also deeply committed to music education and youth programs, regularly conducting massed high school bands at festivals and clinics and founding the All-American High School Band, which performed at major national events such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Tournament of Roses Parade. His compositions and arrangements included works such as Symphonic Rhumba, Manhattan Rhapsody, and patriotic marches like the All-American Bicentennial March and Dwight D. Eisenhower March. Lavalle guest conducted major ensembles including the New York Philharmonic, NBC Symphony, and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He died on June 24, 1997, in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Early life and education

Birth and family background

Paul Lavalle was born Joseph Usifer on September 6, 1908, in Beacon, New York, to Italian immigrant parents Ralph Usifer and Jennie Usifer. He grew up in Beacon, where he was known by his birth name in non-professional contexts. Lavalle graduated from Beacon High School, during which time he participated in the school band playing clarinet, an experience that marked his early interest in the instrument.

Musical education and early influences

Lavalle studied at the Juilliard School on a scholarship, where he was a student of composition under Joseph Schillinger. This formal training emphasized music theory, composition techniques, and performance skills on the clarinet and saxophone, forming the foundation of his musical style and preparing him for professional opportunities in bands and orchestras. In his early years as a performer during the 1930s, he appeared under his birth name of Joseph Usifer, or Joe Usifer, including a stint with a band in Havana, Cuba. He continued using this name for at least one recording in January 1938, a swing arrangement of "In the Hall of the Mountain King" issued on Brunswick. By the late 1930s, he adopted the stage name Paul Laval before ultimately settling on Paul Lavalle. Schillinger's mentorship and the practical experience gained from these early engagements represented key influences on his development as a musician prior to his entry into major broadcasting roles.

Early career

NBC Symphony and initial radio work

Paul Lavalle joined the NBC house orchestra in 1933 as a clarinetist and saxophonist/arranger, marking his entry into professional network radio work. He performed as a clarinetist in the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini. Lavalle contributed to several early radio programs during the late 1930s and early 1940s, including The Dinah Shore Show from 1939 to 1940, Dough Re Mi from 1942 to 1943, and Plays for Americans in 1942. In 1939, he composed Symphonic Rhumba, which received its broadcast premiere with the NBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leopold Stokowski on December 6, 1942. By 1940, The New York Times described Lavalle as “NBC’s ubiquitous music maker,” reflecting his extensive involvement across the network's musical programming. His early work occasionally included collaborations with performers such as Dinah Shore.

Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street

Paul Lavalle served as conductor and arranger for the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street, an NBC radio program broadcast on the Blue Network from 1940 to 1944. This satirical series presented Dixieland, swing, and jazz music in a mock-serious classical style, building on Lavalle's prior NBC radio experience. Lavalle led the swing-oriented house band, providing arrangements and directing performances alongside the Dixieland group. The program featured notable vocalists and guests, highlighting Lavalle's versatility in blending humor with musical direction. In 1944, Lavalle organized the Stradivari Orchestra, expanding his conducting activities beyond the radio series. This ensemble marked a transition in his career toward additional orchestral leadership.

Cities Service Band of America

Appointment and broadcast programs

In 1948, Paul Lavalle was appointed conductor of the Cities Service Band of America, having been selected over several other applicants for the position. He left his role with the NBC Symphony Orchestra to organize and lead the ensemble, also known as the Band of America, under the sponsorship of Cities Service (later Citgo). Lavalle directed the band's weekly NBC Radio broadcasts, known as the Cities Service Concerts, from 1948 to 1956, spanning eight years and nearly 400 programs of concert band music. These Monday evening programs featured lively performances that established the band as a prominent fixture in American broadcasting during that era. In 1949, the Cities Service Band of America began weekly television appearances on NBC as a simulcast of the radio series, making it one of the pioneering musical organizations to broadcast regularly on coast-to-coast television during the medium's early expansion. This transition highlighted the band's adaptability and broadened its reach as Lavalle's signature achievement in broadcasting.

Tours and New York World's Fair

Following the band's successful radio and television era, the Cities Service Band of America embarked on extensive touring in 1964 under Paul Lavalle's leadership. That same year, the ensemble was designated the official band of the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair, an engagement that extended through both seasons of the event and into 1965. For the duration of the fair, the group was renamed the Cities Service World's Fair Band of America. The 50-piece band performed seven days a week at the fairgrounds, with daily appearances lasting 7 to 9 hours. A distinctive feature of their performances was a 72-foot-long mobile band wagon that carried the musicians across the grounds while they played, enabling short concerts at various locations before stopping to rearrange into a V-shape for more stationary presentations. In addition to these mobile shows, the band presented full concerts each day at fixed venues, including in front of the Unisphere and near the Pool of Industry. On the fair's opening day, April 22, 1964, Paul Lavalle led the world premiere of Ferde Grofé's World's Fair Suite with an augmented ensemble.

Later career

Radio City Music Hall

Paul Lavalle began his association with Radio City Music Hall following the conclusion of his work with the Cities Service Band of America. In 1966, he served as a guest conductor with the Radio City Music Hall Symphony Orchestra. In 1968, after making two guest appearances at the venue, Lavalle was appointed Director of Music and Principal Conductor of the Radio City Music Hall Orchestra. He held this position for seven years, until 1975.

Guest conducting and youth band initiatives

Paul Lavalle maintained an active schedule of guest conducting engagements throughout much of his career, appearing with prominent professional orchestras including the New York Philharmonic Symphony, NBC Symphony, CBS Symphony, ABC Symphony, and Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He also guest-conducted numerous school and professional bands and orchestras across various regions of the United States. In 1954 and 1955, he served as guest conductor for the University of Miami's Band of the Hour, leading coast-to-coast NBC radio broadcasts. Lavalle exhibited a sustained commitment to youth music education through his participation in regional music festivals and clinics. He frequently conducted massed bands composed of high school students during concerts and parades while delivering lectures to both students and band directors. His dedication to young musicians culminated in significant initiatives during the mid-to-late 1960s. In 1967, Lavalle was instrumental in forming the All-American High School Band, which later became known as the McDonald's All-American High School Band. This ensemble brought together outstanding high school musicians from across the nation for performances at major national events, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Tournament of Roses Parade. Lavalle conducted the All-American High School Band at the Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade in 1970. The All-American High School Band has continued to perform at prominent events nationwide. For his contributions to youth music education, Lavalle received the Christopher Award, the Man and Boy Award, and the Rollie Statue in recognition of his participation in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Musical works

Compositions

Paul Lavalle composed numerous original works for band and orchestra, with a particular emphasis on marches that aligned with his leadership of the Cities Service Band of America and other professional ensembles. His output included patriotic and ceremonial pieces, as well as lighter instrumental compositions. Many of these works were created or debuted in conjunction with his radio broadcasts and live performances during the 1940s and 1950s. One of Lavalle's earliest notable compositions was Symphonic Rhumba (1939), an orchestral piece that received its premiere performance with the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski. His marches from the postwar period include Boys’ Clubs of America (Marching Song) (1948), Band of America March (1949), Big Joe, The Tuba March (1950), United States March / United States Overture (1951), Dwight D. Eisenhower March (1952), and The United Press March (1952). These pieces often featured bold, ceremonial styles suited to marching bands and reflected themes of American institutions or figures. The Dwight D. Eisenhower March, for instance, served as promotional material suitable for marching band use during Eisenhower's political campaigns. Lavalle also wrote other instrumental works, including Deep Melody, The Merrymakers, Memoirs of a Dilemma, Dance of the Woodwinds, and Good Fellowship.

Recordings

Paul Lavalle made numerous recordings with the Cities Service Band of America and its successor, the Band of America, primarily for RCA Victor during the 1950s and early 1960s, preserving the ensemble's signature concert band sound in album form. These LPs featured marches, patriotic selections, and other band repertoire, often drawing from the group's popular radio broadcasts. Notable releases from the mid-1950s include Paul Lavalle’s Concert in the Park (1954), Great Band Music (1955), Lavalle at Work (1955), America’s Favorite Marches (1956), Concert in the Park (1956), and Lavalle in Hi-Fi (1957). Many of these albums incorporated Lavalle's own compositions alongside standard band literature. In the 1960s, Lavalle continued recording with the Band of America, issuing The Mighty Sousa Marches (1966) and Salute to Our Fighting Men in Vietnam (1966), the latter highlighting patriotic and military-themed works relevant to the era. These recordings documented Lavalle's enduring commitment to American band music traditions through the commercial LP format.

Personal life

Marriages and family

Paul Lavalle was married twice. His first marriage was to Sarah "Sally" Grant from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. They had one son, Lawrence Henry "Larry" Usifer (born October 5, 1941 – died December 11, 2002). The marriage ended in divorce in 1946. In 1946, Lavalle married English actress Muriel Angelus, who retired from her performing career after their wedding. They had one daughter, Suzanne Lavalle Bothamley, who later became a reporter for NBC. The couple lived in an apartment in Manhattan and owned a Colonial house in Connecticut. In 1989, they moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to be near their daughter and her family. Lavalle remained married to Angelus until his death in 1997.

Death and legacy

References

  1. https://www.lib.jmu.edu/music/lavalle_collection/about/
  2. https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv226397
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1441939/
  4. https://militarymusic.com/blogs/military-music/13515761-paul-lavalle-and-the-cities-service-band-of-america
  5. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41433187/paul_lavalle/
  6. http://knowotr.blogspot.com/2008/05/paul-lavalle-1908-97.html
  7. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1441939/bio/
  8. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1122606-Paul-Lavalle
  9. https://www.swingcityradio.com/2022/02/chamber-music-society-of-lower-basin.html
  10. http://nywf64.com/citserv06.html
  11. https://www.nytimes.com/1955/12/31/archives/sponsor-will-end-29-network-years-cities-service-to-drop-band-of.html
  12. http://www.jimramsburg.com/the-1949-50-season.html
  13. https://www.worldsfairphotos.com/nywf64/cities-service.htm
  14. https://www.nytimes.com/1964/04/23/archives/music-a-listeners-fill-fair-has-an-official-band-many-other.html
  15. https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/lavalle/about-paul-lavalle/
  16. https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/lavalle/2024/02/27/symphonic-rhumba/
  17. https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/lavalle/2024/02/15/dwight-d-eisenhower-march/
  18. https://digital.library.cornell.edu/catalog/ss:10638580
  19. https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/lavalle/2024/02/29/big-joe-the-tuba-march/
  20. https://www.discogs.com/artist/1147814-Cities-Service-Band-Of-America
  21. https://www.discogs.com/master/1185355-Cities-Service-Band-Of-America-Paul-Lavalle-Sunday-Band-Concert
  22. https://www.discogs.com/master/994665-Paul-Lavalle-Concert-In-The-Park
  23. https://archive.org/details/lp_lavalle-at-work_paul-lavalle-cities-service-band-of-americ
  24. https://www.discogs.com/release/6547997-Cities-Service-Band-Of-America-Paul-Lavalle-Americas-Favorite-Marches
  25. https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/paul-lavalle/americas-favorite-marches.p/
  26. https://www.discogs.com/release/10362789-Paul-Lavalle-The-Band-Of-America-The-Mighty-Sousa-Marches
  27. https://open.spotify.com/album/103kB9RWRObLuBiBufTM9t
  28. https://www.amazon.com/Paul-LaValle-Band-America-Fighting/dp/B001AV6T3K
  29. http://charlesgrantcb.blogspot.com/2009/12/part-9.html
  30. https://www.the-independent.com/news/obituaries/muriel-angelus-39167.html
  31. https://sites.lib.jmu.edu/lavalle/paul-lavalle-collection/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.