Sold Date: September 11, 2017
Start Date: August 31, 2017
Final Price: $18.00 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 743
Buyer Feedback: 42

This is a fairly obscure album, not often seen for sale, yet can be found in college libraries in this format. Falcone's  playing is impeccable and astounding in all regards.  The selections on this album feature the piano stylings of Joseph Evans, another wonderful musician. Please read the condition description for particulars, but you will enjoy the clarity of this vintage recording, if this is the kind of musicianship you appreciate.  Michigan State is where he spent most of his instructional years as music director and much more. Here's a bit about the man and his music, as excerpted from the Leonard Falcone Papers found in the MSU archives online:                                                --------------------------------------------------------------------  Leonard Vincent Falcone (1899-1985) was born April 5th in Roseto Valfortore, in the province of Foggia in Italy. Leonard Falcone began his musical career in 1908 at the age of nine by playing the alto horn in the prestigious town band (known as the Roseto Valfortore Band or the "Banda Municipale") directed by the famous Donato Donatelli, Neapolitan Bandmaster. Leonard Falcone (1899 - 1985) emigrated in June of 1915 at the age of 16. On his arrival in Ann Arbor, Leonard became a tailor's assistant, but at this stage his brother, Nicholas, was conducting and managing the band for a silent movie theater in Ypsilanti. By the fall Leonard joined the band as trombonist. In 1917, Leonard enrolled part-time at the School of Music at the University of Michigan. He continued playing in theaters and in 1920 became the manager, conductor, and violinist of Ann Arbor's Arcade Theater, and graduated in 1926 with a diploma in violin.  By the fall of 1928, the Michigan State Institute of Music and Arts was established, and Falcone was listed as director of the band and instructor in wind instruments and Italian. Although the MSC football team performed poorly during the 1916-1932 seasons, the band, under the tutelage of its new director, steadily built a strong reputation. During WWII Falcone opted to enlist into the Army to avoid being drafted mid-term. In 1942 he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and spent eight months as a member of its Air Force Band at Maxwell Field, Alabama. He was later transferred to Stuttgart, Arkansas in order to organize and lead the 388th Air Force Band. Frustrated by his position, Falcone requested a release from his duties, arguing that his role as educator at MSC should certainly be deemed as more valuable to the country than his work in the Army. But although he returned to MSC in the summer of 1943, by September he was called back into service; this time working for a short time at a munitions factory in Ann Arbor. By October 1943, Falcone had fully returned to the college and resumed his duties as director and professor. It was during this period that the Concert Band, due to the depleted numbers of male members, recruited female players, a circumstance which remained unchanged after the war as women became active members in the music department. As women could not be members of the Marching Band, the Concert Band and the Marching Band became separate units in 1946. On Sunday, December 19, 1948, Leonard married Miss Betty Beryl Cromer. They had two daughters: Mary Beryl and Cecilia. In 1953, Falcone celebrated his 25th anniversary as Director of Bands. The college Band earned a bid to the 1954 Rose Bowl. After the Rose Bowl performance in Pasadena, the band also performed in Salt Lake City and Pasadena. The band, this time as the Michigan State University Marching Band, went to the Rose Bowl again in 1956; and the game was televised across the nation and also appeared on CBS's Bob Crosby Show. In 1955, the centennial year for the university, the Concert Band was honored by Dr. Edwin Franko Goldman as guest conductor of the Centennial Concert on March 6, 1955. Goldman, considered the premier bandmaster in the country, described the Michigan State Band as one of the best in the country. After this event, Falcone invited other prestigious musicians to be guest conductors of his bands. 1964 the Marching Band represented the State of Michigan during Michigan Week Activities at the New York World's Fair. In 1965 the band once more represented the state during Lyndon B. Johnson's Inaugural Parade. This year also saw the band's third trip to the Rose Bowl, and although Oldsmobile was now prohibited by Big Ten guidelines from sponsoring the trip, the company did pay for a trip to San Francisco where the band performed a concert in one of the city's parks. April 1966 Leonard Falcone decided to request for retirement.exactly forty years after his arrival at the institution on July 1, 1927. Falcone saw the campus grow from an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students to 40,000 in 1967. His single 65 piece Military Band developed into four units: the 75 piece Marching Band, the 115 piece Concert Band, the 100 piece Activity Band, and Spartan Brass. Although Falcone retired as Band Director in 1967, he certainly did not retire from his profession..work as a professor for the MSU Music Department until the early 1970s. Falcone conducted and toured internationally with the Blue Lake Fine Arts International Exchange Program in 1971. And, the Music Camp dedicated its new Band Pavilion to him in 1976. Notably, Falcone was a prominent baritone artist, one of the few in the country, and was lauded for bringing the previously obscure instrument into the public eye. The artist made numerous solo appearances across the country from 1929 until his later years. During his career, Falcone made three recordings of Baritone Solos with Joseph Evans, MSU pianist: Leonard Falcone and His Baritone,  Leonard Falcone - Baritone Volume II and  Leonard Falcone - Baritone Horn. Falcone also collaborated with the First Division Band Course Co. with the publication of  The Leonard V. Falcone Baritone Solo Series and  The Leonard V. Falcone Trombone Solo Series. In June 1985, still professionally active at 86, Falcone arranged to tour his native province in Italy with the "Falcone Alumni Band", a group which had been recently formed by some of his former students. However, on May 2, just before embarking on the trip, Leonard Falcone died of natural causes. The tour was continued in his honor. It is Leonard Falcone's arrangement of the MSU Fight Song that is still being used today.                     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From the research I've done, the only release dates found indicate this came out in the 1960s. This disc has been well-treated during that time, although the sleeve and liner have succumbed to handling and storage, I'm afraid. I sincerely believe that if someone were interested in this recording, the "package" would be the least of their concerns. The record itself plays extremely clear and bright on my turntable and surely will on yours as well.  Shipping will be Priority Mail and, aside from damage during shipping, no return requests will be considered, for reasons that must be obvious. Descriptions and photos are true and of the actual item. If you have questions, concerns or desire more photos, please message me before purchasing this item.