An Affair of Dons
One definition of the word don is labeled archaic by Webster's: "A person of consequence." That definition was, however, rejuvenated for a special celebration the weekend of the Harvard game in midOctober.
The occasion was a tribute to the retiring director of the Dartmouth Marching Band, Don aid Wendlandt. The tribute was masterminded by three other Dons surnamed Goss '53, Landzettel '60, and Drakeman '75. The three are officers of the Dartmouth Alumni Band, which was formed two years ago because, according to Drakeman, a group of former band junkies was looking for "an antidote to the serious withdrawal pains" suffered upon graduating out of the Wendlandt band. They spearheaded the raising of a substantial endowment for the marching band in honor of Wendlandt's 30-year career at its helm. They also organized a weekend of band-related activities that brought back to Hanover scores of alumni who had marched with the band in their undergraduate years.
The Wendlandt tribute began Friday afternoon with a brief rehearsal of some 40 former band members, who marched that evening with the undergraduate band in the Dartmouth Night parade. Then, after the traditional pep rally and bonfire, the band crowd moved to Alumni Hall for a "Don Wendlandt Thank-you Party." The high point of the evening was the presentation to President McLaughlin of a check for $10,051, collected from former band members. The fund was used to establish the Donald Wendlandt Band Endowment, since enriched by an additional $5,000 anonymous gift. Income from the endowment will be used to provide new music, better arrangements, and more recordings for the band and to fund more trips to away football games. The underlying purpose is - in the words of alumni band president Drakeman - "to underscore to potential students the vitality of Dartmouth and our incredible school spirit."
A "This Is Your Life, Don Wendlandt" address by alumni band treasurer Landzettel decribed a Wisconsin boyhood, a military band directorship in the Philippines during World War II, and the many contributions of Wendlandt's wife Elsie. There were also paeans by current and former associates, one of whom was Peter Smith, former director of the Hopkins Center. "Don's style is modest and lowkey," said Smith. "When we were colleagues, I used to think of him in terms of that novel called Quietly Flows the Don. He could be demanding, but always for the band, never for himself. But for a significant number of people, his contributions have been invaluable. In addition to directing the band and befriending so many of its members, he has been a long-time stalwart of the music faculty and one of the mainstays of chamber music at Dartmouth. He's a splendid clarinetist with whom other musicians love to perform, and it's good that he will be able to continue that interest in his new home in Arizona." The evening also included an alumni ensemble rendition of a stirring "Fanfare for Don," specially composed and conducted by Professor of Music Jon Appleton.
Then on Saturday, alumni joined undergraduates for a Dartmouth band 140-strong at the game. (Goss said, unabashedly, that it was "the largest band ever representing the College.") For the halftime show, Wendlandt shared the conductor's podium with his former student Erich Kunzel '57, now conductor of the San Francisco Pops. The sound was, according to all reports, "don" good.
Retiring Donald Wendlandt, left, shared the baton with his former student, Erich Kunzel '57, at the Harvard game half-time show.
