EDUCATIONAL COMMENTS ABOUT COMPOSERS AND TUNES
| TUNE TITLE | COMPOSER | COMMENTS |
| ABDALLAH: Oriental Fox Trot | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1920 during Mr. King’s transition from Barnum & Bailey’s Circus to Fort Dodge, Iowa, Abdallah has proven to be an extremely useful work for any act needing an exotic atmosphere. The snake charmer’s theme winds snakelike through much of the mysterious piece which then turns into a joyful ragtime tune at the trio. |
| AEOLIAN WALTZES | W. P. English | Walter P. English played tuba in Carl Clair’s band for the European tour of Barnum & Bailey’s Greatest Show on Earth at the turn of the century (1897–1903). He took up the conducting baton from an ailing Carl Clair in 1907. In 1909 he played for Norris & Rowe (Smith). English spent three years with the Sells-Floto Circus. In 1913, he played tuba for The Girl of Eagle Ranch production, thereafter rejoining Sells Floto (under the baton of his friend Karl L. King). King and English subsequently coauthored a march, “Howdy Pap.” In contrast to the tall, thin King, Walter English was rather stout, and he wore a walrus mustache. King later recalled that the first time he met Walter English was when English invited him to his hotel room. Walter English loved cats, and the room was filled with music paper and cats. Aeolian Waltzes was published in 1897. |
| Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | Born in Nevada City, MO in 1877, Alexander played first with Belford Carnival. Then in 1897 he signed on with the Barnum & Bailey Circus as arranger and euphonium soloist for a five-year tour of Great Britain and Europe. He then joined his brothers (Newton and Woodruff, plus James Brady) in The Exposition Four, a vaudeville comedy team. Russell and Woodruff were each treated in sanitariums for tuberculosis, and Russell succumbed to the disease at age 38 in 1915. He was added to the WJU Hall of Fame in 1978 and honored with a Windjammers Unlimited plaque and concert in 2015 in the town of Liberty, NY where he is buried. – RLE | |
| ALGERIA | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Like Henry Fillmore and J.J. Richards, Karl King wrote a series of easier but still high-quality marches for school and community bands. Algeria is included in the Uncle Sam-A-Strut march folio. Mr. King did not supply the titles of these marches but submitted them to the Barnhouse Company simply as “March #1,” “March #2,” and so on. Patriotic titles relating to World War 2 were assigned to the marches by C.L. Barnhouse Jr., and longtime Barnhouse employee Arthur N. Taylor. |
| ALHAMBRA | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1926 and dedicated to the Alhambra Grotto Band of St. Louis, MO. |
| ARABIAN NIGHTS | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | The term King might have been referencing was a production of Árabian Nights in New York City. That show was described as a magical carpet ride to a distant Arabian Kingdom. This tune was published in 1915. |
| AROUND THE CIRCLE | George Rosenkrans (1881–1955) | American composer, conductor, and musician George Rosenkrans (1881–1955) wrote his first march at age 17 and would soon be writing as many as eight marches per year. His march “Triumphant Battalions” was played at the liberation of Paris in World War II, and his dirge titled “Immortal Heroes” was played during the funerals of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. The Navy Band played a tribute to Rosenkrans in 1948. His “Around the Circle” (1908) work is a galop—a fast-paced form of music played in circuses to accompany fast-paced trick or stunt acts. Carson & Barnes used in 1976 for a dog act. |
| AT BREAK OF DAWN | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | The parallels between this 1922 piece and Karl King’s A Night In June, are unmistakable. The euphonium was the instrument of choice for both men, and both selections offer that instrument a lovely, dreamy feature. However, Mr. King’s serenade came first in 1912. |
| AUTUMN FLOWERS OVERTURE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Mr. King used the pen name “Carl Lawrence” (altered from Karl Lawrence King) for some of his early publications, such as this one in 1915. |
| BABY BOO | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | (From HEBM and Charles Conrad) The title refers to an elephant born in Baraboo, Wisconsin, the winter quarters of Ringling Bros. at the time. When Fred Jewell wrote this march in 1904 commemorating the blessed event, he removed “March” from the title and just shortened the name to Baby Boo. Most of Jewell’s works were published by Barnhouse, but this is one of the few published by The John Church Company. Fred Jewell was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 1975. |
| BACHELOR’S BUTTON | William Conrad Powell | William Conrad Polla was an American composer, lyricist, arranger and publisher of popular music perhaps better known under his pseudonym, W.C. Powell. He was a prolific composer and wrote numerous popular songs, several ragtime works and some orchestral pieces. Most of his rags were written as W.C. Powell. Many of his works were graced with covers of beautiful women, several by the now famous “pinup” artist, Rolf Armstrong whose early 20th century portraits are among the best female portraits ever. His best-known works include The Gondolier (1903), Missouri Rag (as W. C. Powell 1907), Johnny Jump Up (as W. C. Powell 1910), Dope Rag (as W. C. Powell 1909), Funny Folks (1904 as W. C. Powell) and My Castles in the Air are Tumbling Down (1919). Bachelor’s Button (1909) follows a long-standing tradition of naming rags after flowers. For more information on Polla, there is an extensive, thorough biography and listing of his works at RagPiano.com. Go to https://www.ragpiano.com/comps/wcpolla.shtml |
| BARNUM & BAILEYS FAVORITE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Often referred to as “The Granddaddy of Circus Marches”, this piece was composed by Karl King in 1913 and published by C. L. Barnhouse Company. King’s earliest known compositions date from 1909 with this, his most famous work, being composed in only his fifth year of composing. King played baritone horn in many circus bands including Barnum & Bailey’s, for more than a decade. As is common in his compositions, Karl King made the baritone part a major voice in the march. King was asked by Ned Brill, the bandmaster of the Barnum & Bailey Circus, to write a march for the circus. This has become his most famous composition, being called “the finest work ever written to celebrate ‘The Greatest Show on Earth'” and is one of the most recognizable marches of all time. (from karlking.us) King wrote this march for the thirty-two-piece Barnum and Bailey Circus Band at the request of the director, Ned Brill. Brill liked a lot of brass, and boy did King deliver! King was twenty-two at the time, and was preparing to join the band as a euphonium player. The euphonium can be heard playing a rousing countermelody in the final strain. His use of the word ‘favorite’ in the title proved quite appropriate, as a 1980 international music survey ranked this march fourth in the top 140 marches. Karl King was the first composer to be placed in the Windjammers Hall of Fame. |
| BARNUM’S CIRCUS GALOP | Frederick G. Binns | (from HEBM and the Milner Library at Illinois State University) This 1885 galop is dedicated to James S. Robinson, who led the bands on Barnum & London, Barnum’s Circus, and Barnum & Bailey from 1881-1890. He was elected to the WJU Hall of Fame in 2020. Who was Frederick G. Binns? HEBM shows that he published several compositions of various genres, but there is no biographical information. The Barnum & London route book of 1881 shows a JOHN Binns playing solo cornet in “Professor James S. Robinson’s Celebrated Reed Band.” Was this a nickname or a relative? Apparently, there was some kind of connection between Binns and Robinson, but the exact nature of that connection will require further research. |
| BATTLE OF THE WINDS | Charles Edward Duble (1884–1960) | Charles Edward Duble (1884–1960) was an American composer and trombonist who performed with at least 20 circus and minstrel bands during his career. He spent 23 years on the road and would contribute many articles to Bandwagon, the Journal of the Circus Historical Society. Duble was the 10th inductee into the Windjammers Unlimited Hall of Fame. His composition, Battle of the Winds is in the style known as screamers—fast-paced marches written to match the excitement and spectacle of circuses. Merle Evans and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Band used “Battle of the Winds” for years during their pre-show center ring concerts. Duble’s march “Old Glory Triumphant” has a patriotic feel that echoes the post-WWI mood in America and was also performed by the Ringling Bros. concert circus band. Clyde Beatty – Cole Bros. Circus used this in 1977 for the elephants. |
| BATTLE ROYAL | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | (From Norman Smith) Most marches reserve the “fireworks” for the trio interlude, also known as the “breakup” or “dog fight” strain. In Battle Royal — composed in 1909 when Jewell’s euphonium playing skill was near its peak — the upper and lower brasses begin their melody-countermelody battle at the introduction and never let up. This march is obviously the work of a master and is considered one of the classics of the genre. |
| BELFORD’s CARNIVAL MARCH | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | At age 18, Alexander played euphonium with the 8-person G. W. Belford Carnival of Novelties show band. Belford’s Carnival March , published by C.L. Barnhouse, was especially popular with sideshow bands playing the Bally Line outside the sideshow tent, enticing the crowds to gather and then pay an extra admission charge to see the “marvels” hidden inside. Under the Big Top, Merle Evans often used this march for the high pole acts and the liberty horse routines with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Also published in 1897 was Alexander’s Burr’s Triumphal March, dedicated to D.V. Burr, Belford’s musical director. – RLE |
| BIG CAGE GALOP, The | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Composed by Karl Lawrence King (1891-1971) in 1934 and dedicated to the famous wild animal trainer, Clyde Beatty, this tune became quite popular at circuses in connection with animal acts and as exit, or “blow off” music for acts. Once the tune was available, Clyde Beatty almost always included this tune as part of his performance music. – RLE |
| BILLBOARD MARCH, The | John H. Klohr (1869-1956) | Composed by John H. Klohr (1869-1956) and published in 1901, this tune has certainly become one of the more recognized tunes of the circus. It was dedicated to The Billboard, a publication that still exists (as Billboard Magazine) in reporting on the entertainment industry. This piece has often been used for clown walkarounds but was also popular with elephant acts. The Gainesville Community Circus (1932-1962) used it extensively in its performances for various types of acts, largely because it was “playable” by the student musicians and appealing to the audiences. – RLE |
| BOHEMIAN GIRL | Michael William Balfe’s (1808–1870) | Irish composer Michael William Balfe’s (1808–1870) compositions include at least 29 operas, nearly 250 songs, and several cantatas, though he is best remembered for his operas, particularly his 1900 “The Bohemian Girl” (libretto by Alfred Bunn). He held various conducting posts, including directing Italian opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End for seven years. Balfe also had a short career as a violinist and pursued operatic singing, including the role of Figaro in The Barber of Seville in the Italian opera in Paris in 1827. In the early 1900s, circus bands would often insert popular operatic themes, appropriately arranged for the circus setting, into their performances. |
| BOLIVAR MARCH | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | The Fort Dodge Municipal Band, conducted by Karl King, generally played at the Iowa State Fair and regional fairs each summer. In 1927, when it was raining during a fair in southwest Iowa, the band was sitting around with nothing to do. But having seen the show so many times, all knew the lines and one of the acts was a comedy routine with two men in a bull outfit. Karl and another band member pulled a blanket over themselves and baritone player Ed Wosky played toreador. The band thought the “Bolivar the Bull” routine was hilarious. Afterwards, King went to his tent and wrote this march and dedicated it to Ed Wosky “Toreador.” The band performed the march the next day. – RLE |
| BOMBASTO MARCH | O.R. Farrar | “Bombasto March” (1895) by O.R. Farrar is a high-energy, traditional American march that has become a staple in circus band repertoire. Composed in the early 20th century, it is characterized by bold brass lines, rapid tempos, and dramatic dynamic shifts, all hallmarks of circus “screamer” marches designed to excite audiences and accompany thrilling acts under the big top. Its lively spirit and driving rhythms made it a favorite among circus bands, where it often underscored daring performances and fast paced routines. Hubert Castle Circus used this for the elephants. |
| BON VOYAGE MARCH | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Karl Lawrence King was born February 21, 1891, in Paintersville, OH, and passed away in Fort Dodge, IA on March 31, 1971. His early circus career involved playing the baritone horn, having joined Robinson’s Famous Circus as a 19-year-old in 1910. In 1914, King transitioned to the role of bandmaster for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, which had been acquired by the Sells-Floto Circus. For that job, he needed to play cornet instead of his favorite baritone. While with Sells-Floto he composed “Bon Voyage March,” suitable for the closing parade of the show, with the trio borrowing the melody “How Can I Leave Thee.” Beginning in 1910, King had a decade long career as a circus musician playing cornet and baritone horn. In 1913 he wrote what would become his masterpiece, “Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite.” In 1920 he relocated to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he was leader of the municipal band and operated his own publishing company, the K.L. King Music House. He composed 291 works in many styles. He passed away in Fort Dodge on March 31, 1971. |
| BRAVURA MARCH | Charles Edward Duble (1884-1960) | This march is Charlie Duble’s best known march, although the authorship has often been attributed to other composers. It was first published by Church in 1918 while Duble was playing trombone in the Sells-Floto Circus band. At least a half dozen arrangements have been published in the years since. Technically, it is a minor-key march of the type that was often used for wild animal acts or foreign displays because of its “exotic” flavor. However, it switches to a major key after the first strain. Bravura has also been considered as one of the great military marches and all the service bands have recorded it. – RLE |
| BROADWAY ONE-STEP | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | This a popular novelty number was originally written to be played for clown acts. King self-published this tune the year following his departure from being bandmaster of the Barnum and Bailey Circus. It was the first publication of his new music company, K. L. King Music House. After a year in Canton, Ohio, where he directed the Grand Army Band in 1919, King relocated to Fort Dodge, Iowa in 1920 to conduct the Fort Dodge Municipal Band, compose, and operate his new publishing business. In his career, King composed more than 300 works, including galops, waltzes, overtures, serenades, and rags in addition to his marches. – RLE |
| BUFFALO BILL’S EQUESTRIAN MARCH | William Paris Chambers (1854-1913) | Chambers published this march in 1903 in tribute to the horse acts utilized in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. Chambers was the composer of over 160 works, some of which were popular in circuses and Wild West shows. Sweeney’s Calvacade (1903) was another piece specifically composed by Chambers for use by the Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Band. – RLE |
| BUFFALO BILL’S FAREWELL | William Sweeney | (From Richard Birkemeier) Sweeney likely did much arranging and composing during his almost thirty years as Cowboy Band director, but only two published marches of his remain in the Wild West archives. The Two Bills’ March and Two-Step was dedicated to Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill who toured together for a few years at the time of the 1910 copyright, and Buffalo Bill’s Farewell March and Two Step was published in 1911 during Buffalo Bill’s final tour. According to former circus band director William G. Pruyn both of these contrapuntal, ragtime-influenced pieces often accompanied the Grand Entry. William Sweeney was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 2006. |
| BUFFALO BILL POLKA | May Ostlere (née Mary Jane Coutts, 1850-1916) | Composed by Ostlere, a British pianist and composer, to commemorate the Buff alo Bill Wild West show’s appearance in England as part of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. It was published in London with a superb four-color lithograph portrait of Buffalo Bill on the front cover. Ostlere composed several popular waltzes and was also an author. – RLE |
| Stephen Edward “Ed” Chenette (1885-1963) | Chenette was born in London, KY. In 1906 he became director of bands for the Iowa Industrial School and later, Iowa State University in Ames, IA. In 1915, he led the Jarvis & Seamon Carnival Band and then was with the Chautauquas. From his two-year stint in show business, he wrote A Circus Clem and Jess Willard’s Triumphal (1916.) During WWI he was bandmaster of a Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. He returned to show business in 1919 with the Lincoln Chautauqua. As Editor for Town Clef Topics in Metronome Magazine, he composed the Town Clef March. His Trombone Triumphs (1936) has also been played at Windjammers events. – RLE | |
| CARROLLTON MARCH | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | In 1909, King’s Carrollton March was his first composition to be published by the C.L. Barnhouse Music Company in Oskaloosa, IA. It was dedicated to Ira S. Moody, who was the tuba soloist in Carrollton, Ohio. Other King marches published in the 1909-1910 era were: (Strassner): March T.M.B., Military Life March; (Seitz): Emblem of Freedom March, Loyal Americans March; (King): Sons of Veterans March; (Barnhouse): Avenger March, Excelsior Galop, The Gateway City March, The Melody Shop, Ponderoso March, The Rifl e Rangers March, Roll of Honor March, The Victor March. – RLE |
| CASTLES IN SPAIN | Charles William Ancliffe (1880-1952) | (From HEBM) Charles William Ancliffe was born in Kildare, Ireland, in 1880. His father was a bandmaster, and he taught Charles to play piano, organ, violin, and euphonium. In 1896, Charles enlisted in his father’s band, the 2nd Somerset Light Infantry Band. Later, he attended the Royal School of Music at Kneller Hall, winning prizes in composition. He graduated from Kneller Hall in 1900 at the age of 20. From 1911-1918, he was bandmaster of the 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers Band. He also served for many years as bandmaster of the military band in the English seaport of Scarborough. Ancliffe was noted as a composer of Edwardian style ballroom waltzes and characteristic marches, the most famous of which are Nights of Gladness and Castles in Spain. In addition to his band works, he composed light orchestral works. He died on December 20, 1952, in Richmond, Surrey, England. |
| CAVALCADE MARCH | William Paris Chambers | (From Richard Birkemeier) Chambers, a famous turn-of-the-century cornet virtuoso and composer, wrote this 1903 piece (along with Buffalo Bill’s Equestrian March) specifically for Cowboy Band director William Sweeney to use in the Wild West show—likely for riding acts, given the descriptive titles. |
| CHIEFTAIN, The | George Barnard | One of the earliest published composers of syncopated music, George Barnard contributed much to American band music and band programs for youth. He was born in late 1857, nearly four decades before ragtime was first heard by the general public. As a youth he received some musical training but spent much of his own time and initiative learning various band instruments. In his early twenties he was knowledgeable enough about both instruments and band orchestrations that he was able to get a job working for music dealer, instrument maker and sometime publisher Lyon and Healy of Chicago. Barnard would continue his composition career within the three genres he was more comfortable with waltzes, marches and Latin serenades. There were a few piano pieces published, but most would end up as band or orchestral arrangements. The Chieftain was published in 1921. |
| CIRCUS BEE, The | Henry Fillmore (1881-1956) | In the spirit of Sousa’s The Washington Post March and Klohr’s The Billboard March, Henry Fillmore’s The Circus Bee refers to an imaginary circus newspaper. Published in 1908, it was the first secular piece to be published by his father’s Fillmore Bros. publishing company in Cincinnati, OH. Overall, Henry (James Henry Fillmore, Jr.) wrote over 250 original compositions, often published using pseudonyms, including Harold Bennett, Ray Hall, Harry Hartley, Al Hayes, Gus Beans, and Will Huff . The use of the latter caused a bit of a stir because there was a real Will Huff , also in the Cincinnati area who had composed tunes for the circus. Henry is also well-known for his “family” of 15 trombone smears that includes Lassus Trombone (1915). – RLE “The Circus Bee” by Fillmore is one of the most iconic circus marches ever written, often classified as a “screamer” for its fast tempo and exhilarating energy. The march, titled for an imaginary circus newspaper, was a tribute to Fillmore’s love for the circus, inspired by his own experience touring with the Lemon Bros. Circus for 5 months in 1905. His works captured the spirit of the big top fast-paced, bold, and entertaining and became essential repertoire for circus and concert bands alike. Fillmore’s innovative style helped expand the expressive range of circus music, elevating it from background fare to a celebrated form of American musical art. In 1977, Carson & Barnes used this piece for bareback horses. |
| CIRCUS DAYS galop | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | The circus galop is synonymous with excitement. It was used to accompany excitement or to create excitement! Karl King wrote only 13 of these galops, but they have an important place in the musical history of the circus. This exciting galop published in 1944 was dedicated to Jerry Huffman, King’s friend and Sousa Band trumpeter from 1925-1930. – JPJ |
| CIRCUSDOM | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | Most of Jewell’s works were published by Barnhouse, but this is one of the few published by The John Church Company. This 1909 piece was often used for tumblers. |
| CIRCUS RING GALOP | A. F. Wendland | Published in 1928 by Dalby Music Co., Omaha, NB. |
| CLOTH OF GOLD OVERTURE | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | (From Don Covington) The Ringling Bros Circus’ spectacle in 1905 was titled “Field of the Cloth of Gold”. The lavish production included all of the show’s performers, animals and staff, some1500 people and 300 animals all in lavish costumes. The historical spectacle recreated a 1520 summit between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. That event was made famous by the fact that the two monarchs attempted to outdo one another by each creating tents, carriages and clothing embroidered with gold thread. Fred Jewell played in the Ringling Bros Circus band in 1905 when this spectacle was the highlight of the show. Coincidentally, sitting next to him in the euphonium section of that Ringling band was Charles Sanglear. The two virtuosos comprised what is reported to be the finest euphonium section in circus history. Jewell wrote this overture in 1922, after he had left the sawdust trail, but it references both his memories of the Ringling spec and the historic event that inspired it. |
| COLOSSUS OF COLUMBIA MARCH | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | “Colossus of Columbia March” (1901) is a vibrant and technically demanding piece that became a staple in circus and wind band repertoire. Known for its bold brass fanfares, energetic tempo, and intricate woodwind passages, the march captures the excitement and grandeur of the American circus at its peak. Alexander’s work not only showcased his own virtuosity as a former circus musician but also influenced generations of composers and performers, cementing “Colossus of Columbia” as a high standard in circus and show band literature. The Barnum & Bailey Circus embarked on a multi-year (1897-1902) European tour after P.T. Barnum’s death. The title carries a symbolic meaning derived from the word “colossus”, meaning something of extremely large scale, and the personification of the United States as “Columbia.” The title “Colossus of Columbia” for the march suggests Alexander’s admiration for the size, achievements, and spirit of the United States (Columbia), particularly in the context of his time touring Europe and observing other forms of government. He likely saw America as a “colossal” nation. Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. used this in 1961 for the elephants. |
| CON CELERITA | John Joseph “J. J.” Richards | John Joseph “J. J.” Richards was a composer, arranger, circus bandmaster and cornet soloist who, like so many other circus musicians, had a significant career in music education following his retirement from the Big Top. “Celerita” is a Latin word that translates to speed or swiftness in English. It is the root of the English word “celerity,” which also means quickness or rapidity of motion, says Merriam-Webster. In scientific contexts, “c” is often used to represent the speed of light. So “Con Celerita”, published in 1911, translates to “With Speed.” Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. used this in 1976 for liberty horses. |
| CREOLE BELLES | Jens (James) Bodewalt Lampe | “Creole Belles” (1900) is one of the most recognized ragtime melodies of the genre, possibly due to the popularity of a recording performed by the Sousa Band under the direction of another famous ragtime composer, Arthur Pryor. An exhaustive, detailed biography of “J.B.” Lampe can be found at https://www.ragpiano.com/ragtime4.shtml. |
| CRIMSON PETAL, The | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | Composed by bandmaster Jewell while he was with Gentry Brothers Dog & Pony Show, this waltz was later used by Merle Evans as the primary music for Lillian Leitzel’s aerial act with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Following Leitzel’s death at age 39 due to an equipment failure during a performance in Denmark in 1931, the tune was retired from use by Evans, who put Leitzel at the top of his list of outstanding performers for whom he had the privilege of providing music. As an aerialist, Lillian was beautiful and could do a series of one-arm springovers. But what set her apart was her glamour and her charisma. – RLE |
| CRIMSON PLUME MARCH | Charles Edward Duble (1884-1960) | American composer and trombonist, Charles Edward Duble, joined the Sun Bros. Circus in 1909. His best-known march is “Bravura.” He was on the road with the circus for 23 years. He is the 10th inductee into the Windjammers Unlimited Circus Hall of Fame. |
| CUBANOLA GLIDE | Harry Von Tilzer (born Aaron Gumbinsky.) | CUBANOLA GLIDE is a novelty rag composed in 1909 by American composer, songwriter, publisher, and vaudeville performer Harry Von Tilzer (born Aaron Gumbinsky.) At age 14, Von Tilzer ran away from home and joined a traveling circus, adopting his mother’s maiden name as his own and tacking on a “Von” to make it seem classier. He found success playing piano and calliope, as well as composing incidental music for burlesque and vaudeville shows. He became one of the best-known composers of Tin Pan Alley tunes. In 1902 he formed his own publishing company. Other tunes of his you might recall are “Wait ‘Til the Sun Shines Nellie,” “I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad,” and “A Bird in a Gilded Cage.” His brother Albert is best known for “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” A thorough biography of the Von Tilzer brothers Harry, Albert, and Will can be found here — http://ragpiano.com/comps/hvntlzr.shtml |
| CYRUS THE GREAT | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | (From Thomas Hatton) Written during Mr. King’s first year (1921) as director of the Fort Dodge Municipal Band (then the Fort Dodge Military Band), it is an example of how he would sometimes play word games with his titles. This is a stirring march with its powerful low brass and exotic themes. Most people think it was inspired by the great Persian conqueror, but it is actually dedicated to Cy Tremaine, a friend of King’s in Fort Dodge. It was the 2024 winner of the Sousa March Mania contest sponsored by the United States Marine Band, and as a result of the honor, it was performed at the 2024 Windjammers summer meet in the Iowa-Illinois Quad Cities. |
| DELINA WALTZ | John Joseph “J. J.” Richards | This 1917 waltz is a graceful and lyrical piece that highlights the softer, more romantic side of circus music. The waltz offered a contrast to the high energy marches and galops typically associated with the circus, providing a moment of elegance and emotional depth during performances. |
| DILL PICKLES | Charles Leslie Johnson | Johnson was an American composer of ragtime and popular music. He published over 300 songs in his life and nearly 40 of them were ragtime compositions, one of which was “Dill Pickles.” By far, the biggest hit of 1906 was that tune, and it was the second rag to sell a million copies. In 1974, RBBB used it with the elephants. |
| DIXIE BLOSSOMS | Percy Wenrich (1887-1952) | (From HEBM) Percy Wenrich was born on January 23, 1887, in Joplin, Missouri. He studied at the Chicago Musical College and then joined the staff of a music publisher there. He later moved to New York and toured on vaudeville circuits for 15 years. He and his wife, the former Dolly Connolly, were popular vaudeville performers. Wenrich wrote many popular songs and scores for Broadway shows. His best- known songs are Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet, Moonlight Bay, and When You Wore a Tulip. He was known throughout his lifetime as “The Joplin Kid”. He died in New York City on March 17, 1952. |
| DREAM OF THE VALLEY | George Rosenkrans (1881-1955) | (From HEBM and Robert Hoe) George Hendricks Rosenkrans was born on January 17, 1881, in Penfield, a small community in rural Pennsylvania. He was a quiet and unassuming man. He was said to have shunned all vices, was never married, and was a devoted Christian. In his later years, he lived quietly in a tiny bungalow, composing music on an old reed pump organ. He graduated from Penfield High School in 1898, the only member of his family to do so. He worked at odd jobs in nearby factories. His social life centered around the Methodist Church, where he played the organ and taught Sunday School for many years. He played baritone horn in the Penfield Band and was its conductor for a short period. He was also a member of a mixed quartet. Rosenkrans often brought his compositions to nearby Grampian for the Grampian band to play. Members of the band remember Rosenkrans as a portly figure who carried his music in a black satchel. He would pass the music out to each musician personally, with a few remarks on how he would like certain passages to be played and then sit down with his back to the band and listen. His visits must have been frequent, because he composed well over 100 marches and numerous other band pieces. He also composed several dozen other works such as hymns and popular songs. Rosenkrans died on August 18, 1955, a poor and lonely man, with only 14 friends attending his funeral. |
| DRUMMER’S DELIGHT, THE | Steve Edwards | “A Snappy, Flashy, Drum Novelty” This 1925 feature appears at the end of the Rubank Elementary Method for Drums, by Paul Yoder. Beneath the music, there is the following note to the student: “Drummers this is a flashy Jazzy number, and your chance to shine. Pep it up. If you haven’t the traps called for, put in something else snappy and step on it.” There are MANY contemporary musicians online named Steve Edwards, but we couldn’t find a Steve Edwards from the 1920s. Your input is welcomed. |
| ELEPHANT MARCH, The | James Ord Hume (1851–1932) | James Ord Hume (1851–1932) was a Scottish-born composer, arranger, and conductor who became one of the most influential figures in brass band music during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After serving in the British Army mostly as a solo cornetist, he entered private life to work extensively as a bandmaster, adjudicator, and prolific composer, writing hundreds of marches, overtures, and arrangements that enriched the brass band repertoire. He was a frequent visitor to Australia and has been credited as the greatest single influence on the standard of Australian brass band performance. His works are admired for their craftsmanship, tunefulness, and suitability for both contest and concert performance. Unfortunately, there is no dedication on any of the published editions of “The Elephant” (1910) that can tell us more about the whimsical title. |
| Charles Edward Duble (1884-1960) | Duble was born in Jeffersonville, IN. His specialty was the lower brass instruments … trombone, euphonium, baritone and tuba … and he was known to have played with at least 20 different circuses, including Barnum & Bailey, Hagenbeck-Wallace, Sells-Floto, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, Miller Brothers 101 Ranch Wild West, and the Russell Brothers Circus. Duble was quiet and reserved, but also had what was called “a clever sense of humor.” After a 23-year career on the road as a circus windjammer and composer, Charlie Duble returned to Jeffersonville. WJU Hall of Fame 1980. – RLE | |
| EMBOSSING THE EMBLEM | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | Alexander was an entertainer and composer active primarily with Vaudeville shows and musical comedy organizations. He became a euphonium virtuoso who joined the circus band at age 18. At 20, he became arranger and euphonium soloist with the Barnum and Bailey Circus Band. This piece was composed in 1902. |
| ENTRY OF THE GLADIATORS (Thunder & Blazes) | Julius Ernest Wilhelm Fučik (1872-1916). | “Einzug der Gladiatoren” (Vjezd gladiátorů) was originally titled Grande Marche Chromatique. It was composed by Czech conductor of military bands, Julius Fučik. It was soon arranged in a different key and faster tempo by Canadian composer and bandmaster Louis-Philippe Laurendeau (1861-1916), and re-titled Thunder and Blazes. American circus bandmasters quickly adopted it. As such, it has definitely become one of the most recognized and beloved circus tunes, and thus, a musical icon for circus entertainment. It’s style matches the antics of the clowns, but it was also often used to introduce the elephants. – RLE |
| EVANS FASHION PLATE MARCH | Charles Edward Duble (1884-1960) | Composed by Duble in 1921, this tune was dedicated to Ringling-Barnum bandmaster Merle Evans, who joined that circus when the combined show was formed in 1919. Evans continued to be associated with Ringling for 50 years until his retirement following the 1969 Season. Duble’s career started as a trombonist with Sun Bros. Circus in 1909. He then played in a dozen or more circuses, including Barnum & Bailey Circus, eventually landing at Ringling under Merle’s baton. Some of Duble’s more famous marches include: Bravura, Prince Imperial March, Zip Boom Galop, Trooper’s Greeting March, and the Crimson Plume. – RLE |
| EVENTIDE SERENADE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1914. No additional information is available for this selection. |
| FLOTO’S TRIUMPH | Fred A. Jewell (1875-1936) | (From Andy Glover) This was written in 1906 while Jewell was a member of the band for the Great Floto Show. It was dedicated to Robert Zierke, the bandmaster of the show. Jewell would succeed Zierke as bandmaster the following year. |
| FIGARO’S WEDDING | Mozart/Mayr | Mozart’s famous opera The Marriage of Figaro, composed in 1786, was the first of his greatest series of operas. The combination of DaPonte’s witty text and Mozart’s sparkling music was irresistible, and the opera was an immediate success. The adventures of the resourceful barber (who appears again in Rossini’s Barber of Seville) are illustrated by some of the most delightful music Mozart ever wrote. The overture, which is in one tempo throughout, is a pure gem of spontaneous melody and skillful design. This arrangement was published in 1909. |
| FLOWERS OF PARIS WALTZ | Charles Edward Duble (1884-1960) | Published in 1909. See the entry on Galop Zip Boom for information on the life of Charles Duble. |
| FROM TROPIC TO TROPIC | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | Composed by Alexander while he was touring Europe with Barnum & Bailey Circus. The tune was dedicated to Hale A. VanderCook, also a composer of circus tunes and later founder of the VanderCook School of Music in Chicago. As a euphonium soloist, Alexander often created challenging low brass counter-melodies and break-strains in his compositions. Break-strains, typically a divider strain within the Trio, are also known as “dog fights” where there is harmonic conflict between the high and low instruments. Alexander composed numerous, highly regarded circus tunes. Unfortunately, he died young of tuberculosis in Liberty, NY, and is buried there in a pauper’s grave. WJU honored him with a plaque and memorial concert in 2015. – RLE |
| GALLANT ZOUAVES | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | King published this march in 1916. Originally “Zouave” was a reference to a French Army light infantry regiment largely composed of tough Algerians who wore colorful and unique Oriental-style uniforms. During the U.S. Civil War, it also became a term applied to certain volunteer regiments. A group calling themselves the “Gallant Zouaves” began performing precision marching and drills with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Shows and the Sells-Floto Circus, and King composed this march in their honor. The standard zouave uniform consisted of baggy pantaloons, leather closures at the angles, long-sleeve open front jackets, colorful sashes, and sometimes turban-like headpieces. – RLE (From Richard Birkemeier and Wikipedia) Composed for the military precision zouave drill teams prevalent at the turn of the century, this march includes an excerpt from the famous military song, “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” in the woodwind parts at the trio. A Zouave was a type of light infantry soldier, originally from French North Africa, famous for the distinctive, colorful uniforms featuring baggy trousers, short jackets, and fez hats. WANT TO ENJOY THE ACTUAL ZOUAVE DRILL TEAM in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show accompanied by this march? Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3meHAqxuDI and jump ahead to the 4:49 mark. Pretty cool! |
| GALLITO MARCH | S. Lope | Lope was a Spanish conductor and composer of Paso Dobles. As a small boy he was given instruction in piano and the basics of music. At the age of six he was playing piccolo in his village band. When he was older he was sent to Madrid where he attended the Royal Conservatory of Music. He went to Valencia in 1902 and organized the Banda Municipale de Valencia. In 1905 he composed a special pasodoble for an important bullfight, “Gallito March.” Pasodoble is a lively style of dance written in duple meter and played in march style. The style originated in southern France and is modeled after the sounds of the bullfight. |
| GALOP ZIP BOOM | Charles Edward Duble (1884-1960) | (From HEBM) Charles (Charlie) Edward Duble was born on September 13, 1884, in Jeffersonville, IN. He became a trombone player, and in this respect, he joined a long list of composers of circus music who played the lower brass instruments. At an early age, he exhibited a strong talent for music and a great love of circuses. The impressive number of circus or minstrel bands with which he performed attests to his proficiency on the trombone. Duble was a man of unique character. He had a clever sense of humor but was quiet and reserved. His best-known march is Bravura, the authorship of which has often been incorrectly attributed to other composers. His two marches, Wizard of the West, and Battle of the Winds, are among the most difficult of all marches to play at the fast circus tempo. Duble returned to his home in the town of Jeffersonville after a career of 23 years on the road, and he died there in August 1960. Duble was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 1980. Note by Jay Kahn: Knowing that Duble played in the Ringling Band under Merle Evans, I took advantage of an opportunity to ask Merle about the rumor that claimed Duble couldn’t read music. Merle scoffed and said, “Of COURSE he could read music! Couldn’t play the Ringling show if he couldn’t read music!” I then asked Merle if he might know how the rumor started. Merle could only guess. He said he often saw Charlie Duble outside his tent between shows, picking out tunes on his trombone. He believed that Duble didn’t always flesh out the full arrangements of his marches but instead sent his sketches to a professional arranger like Frank Losey to finish the job. Again, Merle didn’t know this for certain, but he said that may be how the rumor started. |
| GENEVA GALOP | John Joseph “J. J.” Richards | (From the LP “The Sound Spectrum of J.J. Richards”) This 1909 galop along with Visalia Galop represents the earliest compositions by Richards. Both were apparently written while he was a member of the Forepaugh-Sells Circus Band and were published when he was with the Barnum and Bailey Band. Both galops illustrate very distinctly Mr. Richards’ excellent use of modulations to create more interest in his compositions. Geneva Galop begins in the rather bright key of F major, modulating at the trio to the relatively dark (and not particularly easy) key of D-flat major, a major 3rd lower. J.J. Richards was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 1981. |
| GEORGIA GIRL | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | King composed this two-step in 1914 while he was the bandmaster of the Sells-Floto and Buffalo Bill Combined shows. The publisher was C.L. Barnhouse. It was written for the ménage act. In the circus, that refers to a “high school” style equestrian performance by one or more persons and their horses. Displays with thirty or more horses and riders was not uncommon in those days. – RLE “Georgia Girl” is a ragtime-influenced march composed by King for concert band. It was written during the height of the ragtime craze for the Barnum & Bailey Circus band, where King played baritone. It is a vibrant and distinctive piece showcasing King’s ability to adapt to various musical styles. It was written for the ménage act. In the circus, that refers to a “high school” style equestrian performance by one or more persons and their horses. Displays with thirty or more horses and riders was not uncommon in those days. It was often used for high school horse acts. |
| GEORGIA JADE, A | Robert Brown Hall (1858-1907) | Robert Brown “R.B.” Hall composed 62 marches and was well known as a promoter of bands. Hall (1858-1907) was born at Abagadasset Point in Bowdoinham, ME. His father was his first cornet instructor. Later, he worked in a shoe factory to pay for lessons. By age 16 he was playing solo performances. At age 19 he was appointed leader, arranger, and soloist of the Richmond Cornet band, and later joined Thomas Baldwin’s band in Boston. He rebuilt the Bangor Band and wrote his first marches there. His greatest marches include “Fort Popham,” “New Colonial” and “Independentia.” His best-known march is “Officer of the Day.” The last Saturday in June is known as “R.B. Hall Day”, honoring “a great Maine composer.” A Georgia Jade was published in 1909. It was used by Carson & Barnes Circus for their 1976 rola bola. |
| GET OUT AND GET UNDER THE MOON | Larry Shay, Charles Tobias and William Jerome | Published in 1928 by Irving Berlin, Inc., New York, it was written by Larry Shay, Charles Tobias and William Jerome. Popular recordings of the song in 1928 were by Helen Kane, by Van and Schenck, and by Paul Whiteman (with a vocal group including Bing Crosby). The song is now a standard and has been recorded by many artists over the years, including Doris Day [for her album Cuttin’ Capers (1959)], Nat King Cole [for his album Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer (1963)] and Michael Feinstein. “Get Out and Get Under the Moon” was used in commercials for the American Apollo Program in 1968. |
| GILMORE’s TRIUMPHAL | Thomas Preston Brooke (1856-1921) | Brooke composed this march in 1886 and it was played by the Cowboy Band of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. As a young man, Brooke left his birthplace of Dubuque, IA to go to Boston, MA to study music theory and harmony. While a student there, he was invited to conduct two of his marches with Patrick Gilmore’s band. Soon after, he won an audition as a trombonist and performed with Gilmore’s band for two years. In 1880 he returned to Dubuque to marry and compose. – RLE “To P.S. Gilmore and the Band of the 22nd New York Regiment.” (From Richard Birkemeier and HEBM) Thomas Preston Brooke was a trombone virtuoso, bandmaster, and composer born in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1856. He died in Chicago, Illinois, in 1921. Brooke wrote this march and dedicated it to the composer-conductor in whose band he had learned so much. Brooke was a member of the Gilmore Band from 1878-1880. He was with the band when it toured Europe in 1878, and he stated that he learned a great deal from Gilmore and the other bandsmen. Patrick Gilmore (born Dec. 25, 1829, County Galway, Ire.—died Sept. 24, 1892, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.) was a leading American bandmaster and a virtuoso cornetist, noted for his flamboyant showmanship and the excellence of his bands. Because of his innovations in instrumentation, he has been called “the father of the American concert band.” Programs show that on November 20th, 1887, Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Band performed Gilmore’s Triumphal March along with an opera medley. The playing on programs in Europe of standards from the “classic” repertoire along with new American band music demonstrates the Cowboy Band’s versatility, virtuosity, and ability to provide familiar music to their old-world audiences and also educate them about new world sounds. |
| GOLDEN GLOW WALTZ | Albert J. Weidt (1866-1945) | Published 1926. See the entry on Pink Lemonade for information on the life of Albert J. Weidt. |
| GRAND CIRCUS SPECTACLE MARCH | Gerald Frederick Bangs (1903-1978) | Our July 2025 recording of this previously lost circus march was featured October 2025 in Las Vegas, NV at the annual meeting of the Circus Historical Society. Noted circus historian and WJU member Bian Hollifield utilized the recording as part of his presentation on the fascinating life of Jerry Bangs, a producing clown of props and gags. Brian published a lengthy article on Bangs in the 4th Quarter 2025 Bandwagon by the Circus Historical Society. Jerry Bangs (July 12, 1903-May 9, 1978) was an accomplished pianist. Thanks to Jay Kahn (WJU #583) for translating the 26 Ringling parts of this unpublished piece into computer engraving for us to perform, as well as a variation dubbed “The Clown’s Mystery March.” |
| GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH, The | Victor Young (1899-1956) | This Victor Young tune was published in 1952 and used in Cecil B. DeMille’s Oscar-winning (Best Picture 1953) movie by the same title. Merle Evans was on the bandstand for that movie and even had a speaking part of a couple words. Most of the acts portrayed in the movie were those of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in their 1951 Season. This tune became popular as parade and finale music. What many do not know is there are words to the tune. Here is a sample: “Come to the circus. Come on along and see the Bengal tigers and the lions. The trapeze artist does a leap that’s death defying. A land of mirth, your money’s worth. Come on along to the circus, The Greatest Show on Earth.” |
| GUY MARCH, The | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | The 1906 dedication is to the Guy Stock Co. The unusual title of this march generally draws comment from the ensembles that play it. It was written while Jewell was the Music Director for the Guy Stock Company in 1906. This march is one of Jewell’s most difficult, featuring a trio in the key of Gb and an extremely challenging baritone part. One of Jewell’s Worthington (Indiana) hometown friends was actor and theatrical producer Guy Mercer, who used “Carleton Guy” as his stage name, hence the Guy Stock Company. Worthington was a center for touring theatrical companies, which generally consisted of 12 to 20 people. Often the companies carried a band, a pianist, and sometimes an orchestra, with the musicians often joining on-stage in supporting roles. Their music was used as incidental music to the play and as advertisement. There is only one known photograph of the Guy Stock Company band. It was taken in Oil City, PA. In the instrumentation appears to be a clarinet, two cornets (including Jewell), two alto horns, a trombone, two baritones, a tuba, a snare drum, and a bass drum. |
| HESITATING BLUES | William Christopher Handy (1873 – 1958) | (From Wikipedia and Richard Birkemeier) See the entry on Ja-Da! for background information on James Reese Europe and his Harlem Hellfighters Bandof World War 1. William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the “Father of the Blues.” He was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musicians who played the distinctively American blues music, Handy did not create the blues genre but was one of the first to publish music in the blues form, thereby taking the blues from a regional music style with a limited audience to a new level of popularity. Handy used elements of folk music in his compositions. He was scrupulous in documenting the sources of his works, which frequently combined stylistic influences from various performers. During the summer of 1916, William Grant Still was working for Pace and Handy Music Publishers in Memphis when he arranged this blues instrumental for Handy. It turned out to be Still’s first published composition in a very long and successful career as the “Dean of African American Composers,” as he is so often called today. James Reese Europe followed the arrangement’s “roadmap” with the exception of an added repeat back to the trio. The trio features the E-flat clarinet in a very prominent rendition of Handy’s melody, but in a more embellished, mostly improvised version. Also, of note is the Hellfighters’ driving interpretation of the 18th note figures, especially in the trio. The trombones are particularly noteworthy as they push the band vigorously forward to the exciting conclusion of this 1916 piece. |
| HUSTON MARCH | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | Fred Jewell can rightfully take his place in the pantheon of great circus march composers. His marches are not only tuneful and exciting, but they are also beautifully harmonized. He was a native of Worthington, Indiana, and even though he spent many years on the sawdust trail, he kept returning to his humble hometown. He even started the high school band there. He played with many different shows over the course of his career, directing the bands for the Sells-Floto, Barnum & Bailey, and Hagenbeck-Wallace circuses. “The Huston” march (1902) carries the dedication “To My Friend, J. Hamilton Huston.” |
| IN A MOONLIT GARDEN | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | When Karl King arrived in Fort Dodge in the fall of 1920, he found a core of fine musicians in the Band. Already a well-known composer and conductor himself, Mr. King quickly established his own style of programming with the Band. Several local citizens and band members had marches or other selections dedicated to them during the 1920s decade. This selection, published in 1924, was dedicated to Willis Peterson, a popular vocalist with the local Municipal Band. – JPJ |
| IN OLD PORTUGAL | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Karl King received a call from John Ringling two weeks before the circus season was to open in 1917, offering him the job as bandmaster of the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, the very top job in the circus world. At age 26, he would become the youngest ever to hold that position. The bandmaster was responsible not only for directing the band, but for hiring the musicians to accompany the finest circus acts in the world, an especial challenge at the time because so many musicians had been drafted as a result of World War I. One of the most famous of these acts was the death-defying aerial performance of Miss Lillian Leitzel, still considered the greatest female aerialist of all time. For her act in 1917, Karl King wrote this beautiful, lyrical waltz which Leitzel used for her accompaniment the rest of her career, including her last performance in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1931, when a brass swivel broke and she fell, sustaining injuries that resulted in her death two days later. – JPJ |
| IN FRETTA GALOP | John Joseph “J. J.” Richards | Published in 1925, the title is Italian for “In Haste.” |
| INTERNATIONAL VAUDELVILLE | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | “To Franz C.A. Goerss.” (From HEBM, Andy Glover, and Charles Conrad) In a life cut tragically short by tuberculosis (1877-1915), Russell Alexander composed some of the finest and most popular circus marches of all time. Franz C. A. Goerss, to whom this march is dedicated, operated a touring Medicine Show. Goerss died on April 30, 1935, at the age of 88 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Bedford, Virginia. In 1897, when this march was published in 1897, Alexander played euphonium on G. W. Belford’s Carnival of Novelties. It was also the year when he joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus Band to go on the European tour with Bandmaster Carl Clair. He obviously had extensive musical training, because he was also entrusted with the task of arranging music used by the band while on tour. After leaving the circus, Russell joined James Brady and brothers Newton and Woodruff in a musical comedy vaudeville act called “The Exposition Four.” His importance to the Barnhouse Publishing Company is considerable, as he is credited with being the first composer, other than C.L. Barnhouse himself, to generate a series of “hits,” bringing international attention to the company. Alexander was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 1978. |
| JA-DA | Bob Carleton | (From HEBM and Richard Birkemeier) You are STRONGLY encouraged to read about James Reese Europe and his Harlem Hellfighters Band. There are also many documentaries about this extraordinary group on YouTube. In short, the all-black regiment was one of the most decorated in World War I. After literally fighting their way through the hell of war, they picked up their instruments and were sent on a morale boosting tour of Europe. They are credited with introducing early jazz to the Continent. This ever-popular jazz fox trot by Bob Carleton was published in 1919, with the proceeds intended to support the war effort. James Europe allowed his musicians to “rag” the published rhythms, making them more syncopated, and he adds extra choruses for embellishment and improvisation. The addition of loud, flutter-tongued high notes in the cornet part creates even more excitement. |
| Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | Jewell was born in Worthington, IN in 1875. He started on tenor horn but soon switched to baritone. He also was skilled on clarinet, cornet, trombone, calliope and violin. He left high school to join Gentry Bros. Dog & Pony Show. That was followed by Wallace Circus on baritone and trombone, then band director of Gentry. He played baritone with Ringling 1902-1904, baritone and calliope with Great Floto Circus/Sells-Floto Circus, and then joined Barnum & Bailey on baritone in 1907. He was bandleader 1908-1910. He took a break from the circus but was band director for Hagenbeck-Wallace 1916-1917. WJU Hall of Fame 1975. – RLE | |
| JESS WILLARD’S TRIUMPHAL MARCH | S. Edward Chenette | S. Edward Chenetteho spent most of his career directing high school bands and municipal bands in Iowa and Minnesota. His reputation persists to this day as he is remembered for his well-written elementary band books, numerous band arrangements, and a great number of compositions for band and solo instruments. Jess Willard was a heavyweight boxing champion who was known more for his size rather than his skill. Standing at 6’ 6 1/2”, and weighing 260 pounds, he was billed as the Pottawatomie Giant. He won the 7th world heavyweight title in 1915 by knocking out Jack Johnson. He was one of the first athletes to capitalize financially on his fame. This was before the days when celebrity athletes could have their pictures on Wheaties cereal boxes. He spent the rest of the year touring with the 101 Ranch Wild West Show. When this march was written in 1916, Jess Willard was touring with the Sells-Floto Circus. People would look at this giant and think, “I can see how this guy won the heavyweight championship!” In 1919, when he was 37 years old, he lost the title in an extremely one-sided loss by declining to come out for the fourth round against Jack Dempsey, who went on to become a more celebrated champion. And that was the end of Jess Willard’s marketability. This tune was published in 1902. |
| JOYCE’S 71ST NEW YORK REGIMENT MARCH | Thornton Barnes Boyer | An American composer, Boyer began his education by studying music with Carl Heineman at a military school in Chester Springs, PA. In 1880 he worked for the J. W. Pepper Co. in Philadelphia, PA. He moved to Keokuk, IA where he joined the National Guard and played in several bands. Later he moved to Santa Monica, CA where he continued to compose until his death in 1936 in Los Angeles, CA. Boyer wrote 55 marches, 12 overtures, 7 waltzes, 5 gallops, 5 funeral dirges, and at least 16 others. This piece was published in 1881. The Toby Tyler Circus used it as the opener in Los Angeles, CA |
| JUNGLE QUEEN | G.D. Barnard (1858-1933) | George Daniel Barnard (1858-1933) was a bandmaster of various non-circus bands, including the Calumet and Hecla Band at the time he published this piece in 1909. A prolific composer with 244 known works, Barnard’s Jungle Queen was a standard in circus repertoire and his most famous work. It is described as an Oriental quickstep and became quite popular with animal acts, especially those involving lions and tigers. Asian-themed music was particularly appropriate for exotic “cat” acts. – RLE |
| KENTUCKY SUNRISE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | When one hears the title of this 1919 selection, one might think of lush, green fields of bluegrass and rows of white fences gleaming in the morning sun. However, nothing could be further from the truth! Karl King wrote and published this piece during the ragtime era. It was named after a performing horse, Kentucky Sunrise, in the Barnum and Bailey Circus that could actually prance in time to this catchy ragtime beat. It was dedicated to Rhoda Royal, a horse trainer in the Sells-Floto Circus and Buffalo Bill Wild West Shows with King. – JPJ |
| Karl L. King (1891-1971) | King played in circus bands for 11 years, generally on baritone. He conducted the Sells-Floto & Buffalo Bill Circus band for three seasons and then the Barnum and Bailey Circus band for two prior to leaving the sawdust world to compose and conduct full-time. King began composing at age 13 but his earliest surviving work was March T.M.B (1909) and dedicated to the Thayer Military Band, of which he was part. His earliest registered copyright is for the Moonlight on the Nile Waltz. His first professional performances were with the Fred Neddermeyer band in Columbus, OH at age 18. WJU Hall of Fame 1974. – RLE | |
| Carl Lawrence (a.k.a. Karl L. King) | While with the Yankee Robinson Circus in 1911, Karl King apparently received his first conducting experience when he had to substitute for their director, Woodring Van Anda (“Woody Van”), who became ill. It was during this period King used the pseudonym of “Carl Lawrence”, possibly the result of difficulties with his primary publisher, C.L. Barnhouse. The Carl Lawrence tunes were: (marches) The Chancellor (1911), Premier March (1912), Salute to the Sultan (1912), Chevalier (1917), and Flying Squadron March (1921), and (waltzes) Amorita Waltz (1911) and In the Twilight Waltz (1912). – RLE | |
| LA REINE | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | La Reine was published in 1907. Alexander was an American composer. It is not known how he first became interested in music or whether his parents were musicians, but at 20 years of age he signed a contract with Barnum & Bailey’s Circus to play euphonium for a fi ve-year tour of Europe and Great Britain. He obviously had extensive musical training because he was entrusted with the task of arranging the band’s music while on tour. Alexander has come to be regarded as one of the greatest composers of circus music and was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 1978. It is a sad footnote to the history of band music that his widow, Eleanor, was penniless and sold all rights to his compositions to Barnhouse for a mere $125. For more on the life of Russell Alexander, contact the C.L. Barnhouse Company for a copy of Andy Glover’s exhaustively researched booklet. A few copies may also be available from Windjammers. |
| LITTLE MARIE WALTZ | Harold Bennett (Henry Fillmore) | Among American march composers, the name Henry Fillmore (1881 – 1956) stands alongside that of Karl L. King, and John Philip Sousa. The prolific Fillmore composed and arranged under eight different names. Two generations of American musicians received their first band instruction via the four elementary Bennett Band Books (which sold well over a million copies), not knowing that the popular Harold Bennett was actually Henry Fillmore. When composing as Harold Bennett, Henry discovered how challenging it is to write for young musicians. It’s wonderfully liberating to compose for a band that can handle anything you throw at it. But composing music that’s fun to play and entertaining to hear for first or second year bands? That’s not easy! Henry’s wife said that he would get in his car and drive around for hours as he thought about how to simplify his musical ideas. Little Marie Waltz (1926) can be found in Bennett Band Book #2. For more on the life of Henry Fillmore, seek out the book Hallelujah Trombone! by Paul E. Bierley (Windjammers Hall of Fame 2017), and published by Carl Fischer. |
| LOBSTER’S PROMENADE, THE | Porter Steele (1880-1966) | “A Submarine Escapade, Humoresque” (From Wikipedia) This fun novelty piece was famously recorded in 1903 and again in 1914 by banjo legend Fred Van Eps. Porter Steele (December 12, 1880–December 20, 1966) was an American lawyer and musician, known as the composer of the march and later jazz standard “High Society”. He was born in Natchez, Mississippi, the son of Hiram Roswell Steele who served as the Attorney General of Louisiana. Porter Steele studied law at Yale University, graduating in 1902. While there, he composed the march “High Society”, which he copyrighted in 1901, and which was first recorded in 1905. Over time, the composition became a standard, recorded by both military bands and jazz bands. Steele’s other compositions include “The Lobster’s Promenade”. Porter Steele graduated from Columbia Law School, and practiced law in New York City until he retired in the 1930s. Upon his death in South Plainfield, New Jersey, in 1966 at the age of 86, his newspaper obituary stated that “he had done a considerable amount of composing both before and after his college days”, and that after his retirement he devoted his time to “his avocations of music, farming and other activities”. Arranger Otto Langey was born in Germany in 1851 and immigrated to the United States in 1889. He toured throughout the country as a cello soloist with the Boston Symphony Club. He then settled in New York City, teaching and becoming active as a composer and arranger. He is the author of Langey’s Tutors, a series of 28 method books for band and orchestra instruments. In addition to his original works, he also arranged much popular music of the day. |
| LOOSE LUCAS | Frank Hoyt Losey | Losey was an American musician, composer, and arranger of band and orchestra music. He is credited with 2500 arrangements and 400 compositions, one of which is the “Loose Lucas” (1910) characteristic march. In 1991 Circus Kingdom used this for the trampoline act. |
| LOYAL AMERICANS | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Karl King wrote this march in 1910 when he was 19 years old. |
| MAGNET GALOP | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | Jewell was a musical composer who wrote over 100 marches and screamers including “Magnet Galop.” He eventually landed himself as the leader of the Barnum & Bailey Circus Band. Jewell retired from the circus at the end of the 1916 season. He published this piece in 1912. |
| MAID OF THE MIST | Edna Nichols Cary | The HEBM has nothing on Edna Nichols Cary except that she was probably the wife of Edwin C. Cary who achieved significant fame as a cornet soloist, bandmaster, composer, and publisher. So, what are we to make of this charming piece? Since “Maid of the Mist” is the name of the boat that takes rain slicker clad tourists up to the misty base of Niagara Falls, we can imagine the Carys had a lovely, romantic vacation at Niagara Falls, prompting Mrs. Cary to write this schottische. Mr. Cary arranged it for band and published it for her. Isn’t that nice? That’s the story, and until someone discovers otherwise, we’re sticking to it! |
| MARCHE RUSSE | Gustave Louis Ganne (1862-1923) | (From Richard Birkemeier and HEBM) Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Band often tried to capture the ethnic spirit of the Wild West performers with their music. This march let the audiences know in sound that the Russian Rough Rider performers were entering the arena. Gustave Louis Ganne (1862-1923) was one of the leading composers of light music in France during his lifetime. He is best remembered for his theatrical works, first his ballets and later the operettas. Ganne was also a highly competent conductor in the theaters of Paris and later in Monte Carlo. In 1901, he was elected president of the Societé des Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique. The French government later presented him with the Legion of Honor with extra orders. Ganne was loved and admired by those who knew him, because of his character and prodigious talent. His most famous marches for band are Marche Lorraine, and Le Père de la Victorie (The Father of Victory), the latter march serving well for liberty horses because of its galloping rhythms. |
| MARCH SLURRIOSO – Trombone Intermezzo | George Rosenkrans | Published 1918. For information on George Rosenkrans, see the entry on Dream of the Valley |
| MARCH T.M.B. | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Karl King composed over 200 marches, the most famous of which was “Barnum & Bailey´s Favorite”. King’s first published composition (1906) was “March T.M.B,” dedicated to H. Clark Thayer, founder and former director of the Thayer Military Band (T.M.B.) in Canton, OH. |
| MELODY SHOP, The | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Among Karl King’s 188 marches, The Melody Shop is certainly one of his finest. It was published by C.L. Barnhouse in 1910, King’s first year as a circus musician. The march is dedicated to E.E. Powell and Al Shortridge, owners of the Powell Music Co. “Melody Shop” in King’s hometown of Canton, Ohio. The march is popular to many, especially for its counter melody featuring woodwinds and euphoniums. That trio is often used in advanced auditions for euphonium and baritone players because of its degree of difficulty. – RLE |
| MEMPHIS BLUES, THE | William Christopher Handy (1873 – 1958) | (From Richard Birkemeier) See the entries above on Ja-Da! and The Hesitating Blues for information about W.C. Handy, and also James Reese Europe and his Harlem Hellfighters Band. As most jazz aficionados know, The Memphis Blues is one of the earliest published blues songs, composed by W.C. Handy around 1909 and published in 1912. Bob Haring arranged the piece for band in 1914, and Europe’s Hellfighters Band recorded Haring’s edition after making substantive changes to the “roadmap.” The Hellfighters repeat the chorus six times, each featuring a short two-bar improvisation on the hemiola “break.” This optional repeat is marked in your part, but since we’re always short on time during the Windjammers recording sessions, your conductor may decide not to take it. Either way, it’s a lot of fun to play, and it comes off as a rousing party song. |
| ME-OW ONE STEP | Mel B. Kaufman (1879-1932) | The melody heard in the trio of this novelty is well known to anyone who has ever watched a cartoon featuring a cat. For information on Mel Kaufman, see the entry on Stop It! |
| MICHIGAN ON PARADE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | This 1938 march was dedicated to William D. Revelli and his fine University of Michigan Band at Ann Arbor. King composed and dedicated marches to all but two of the schools in the Big Ten athletic conference at that time, along with several other colleges and universities. On October 8, 1960, Karl King was asked to conduct the 13,252 musicians from 188 high school bands assembled for the record breaking massed band performance at the University of Michigan Band Day. This performance was also televised nationally. – JPJ |
| MILE-A-MINUTE GALOP | Walter “Woody” P. English | Published in 1903 and dedicated to “my friend O.K. White.” Woody English was a colorful character. A big tuba player with a walrus mustache and a fondness for whiskey, he could easily serve as a model for the popular concept of a tuba player. It has been alleged that he had no compunctions about “lifting” music from a circus pageant and incorporating it into one of his marches. However, if true, then he probably preserved some circus music history than might otherwise have been lost. Walter P. English was elected to the Windjammers Hall of Fame in 1984. |
| MISS TROMBONISM | Nathaniel Cleophas “Shorty” Davis (1888–1972) | N. C. Davis was an American composer, conductor, and trombonist. He started the N.C. Davis Music Publishing company with his brothers and had his own music teaching business. Davis also taught music at Fisk University and the Tennessee School for the Blind. Among the bands he conducted and performed with was P. G. Lowery’s Band, the first all-African American band playing in sideshows for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. “Miss Trombonism” (1918) is a trombone solo included in the Trombone Family set of pieces he composed 1915-1921. These pieces feature the glissando, or smear — the singular sound of the trombone. In 1978, CBCC used it for the clowns. |
| MR. TROMBONOLOGY | Nathaniel Cleophas “Shorty” Davis (1888-1972) | (From Wikipedia and Cherry Classics Publishing) Nathaniel Cleophas “Shorty” Davis (1888-1972) was an African American musician, composer, educator, bandleader, and owner/publisher of N.C. Davis Music Company of Nashville, Tennessee. During the 1910’s he taught at Nashville’s Fisk university having instructed the notable trumpeter Doc Cheatham. In 1912, he was leader of an18-piece Olympic Elks Band . In 1914, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and led the band at the Tennessee School for the Blind. He and his brothers, Otis B. and Clarence M., operated a music enterprise that eventually included a music school and a small music publishing business. The music school, known as the Traveling Conservatory of Music and later as the Davis Band and Orchestra School, offered instruction on practically all instruments. Besides leading and performing with his own N.C. Davis band, he was also known as music director and general manager of the Lebanon Band and later served as music director with the Gantry Brothers Circus Band. Davis’ Trombone Family of compositions consists of 5 known pieces written for concert band between 1916 and 1921, including Mr. Trombonology. |
| NEDDERMEYER TRIUMPAL MARCH | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | This march is a 1911 tribute to King´s friend Fred Neddermeyer and The Neddermeyer Concert Band of Columbus, Ohio. Neddermeyer was known primarily as a theater conductor and violinist in Columbus, Ohio. In 1908, he organized what eventually became a highly regarded 50-piece concert band. Its concerts were intended to turn the musical tastes of the city away from the evils of ragtime towards the blessings of classical music. Today he is best remembered among musicians not for his contribution to theater music, but for being mentor to one of America’s foremost band composers, Karl L. King. King played euphonium in Neddermeyer’s band in 1909. The following year, he was playing with Robinson Brothers Circus, but he was thinking of his old bandmaster when he wrote one of his first circus marches, “Neddermeyer’s Triumphal.” |
| NEW CORN PALACE, The | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | The New Corn Palace is a famous attraction in Mitchell, SD, originally built to house the community harvest festival. The new ornate building opened in 1921 and became a premier venue for symphonies and concert bands. The Fort Dodge Band of Iowa rang in the inaugural celebration under the direction of King, who composed this work for that event. Published 1923. Used by Miller Bros 1981 – spec, and Carson & Barnes 1980 – elephants. |
| NIGHT IN JUNE, A | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | This beautiful serenade published by Barnhouse in 1912 exemplifies the baritone horn, which of course, was Karl King’s instrument. Dedicated to his friend Vic Graham, baritone soloist, King often performed this selection at one of the Sunday night concerts in Fort Dodge during the month of June. It was his wife Ruth’s favorite composition, and her birthday was in June as well. He used to take many liberties with the tempos, especially in the Trio, and never directed it the same way twice! – JPJ |
| NIPPONO | Harry J. Lincoln (1878-1937) | A small park, located about 10 miles west of Williamsport, PA and across the great Susquehanna River from Jersey Shore, PA (another long story), the Nippono Park was both a trolley and steamboat park – meaning passengers rode either method to arrive at the park, frequently with special rates by the two companies. Harry Lincoln visited often and composed this delightful little dance-like tune in 1905 for the park. |
| NOISY NEIGHBORS | Harry J. Lincoln (1878-1937) | Lincoln (born April 13, 1878, Shamokin, PA) was an American composer and conductor. Like many other communities in Pennsylvania, Lincoln’s hometown had its own band, sponsored by the Shamokin Dye and Print Works and organized in 1875. Lincoln presumably became interested in instrumental music as a boy and probably performed with that group – appropriately named “Our Band.” Lincoln became an arranger for the Vandersloot Music Publishing Co. in Williamsport, PA — the home of the famous Repasz Band. He founded the Harry J. Lincoln Music Co. in Philadelphia. Following the death of F. W. Vandersloot in 1929, the two fi rms were combined in Philadelphia and later became part of Mills Music Co. Lincoln died of a heart attack at his home in Philadelphia on April 19, 1937. |
| OLD CIRCUS BAND, THE | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | (From HEBM and Charles Conrad) If you like low brass runs that sound like machine gun fire, then this is the march for you! Jewell hadn’t been on a circus bandstand for several years when he wrote this march, but it is one of his best for conjuring up the excitement of the big top. Jewell’s last circus gig was when he served as bandmaster of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Band from 1916-1917. In 1919, he moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where his friend and publisher Charles Barnhouse hired him to direct the Iowa Brigade Band. He directed this band until 1923 and then returned to his hometown of Worthington, Indiana. The Fred Jewell Publishing Company was established there in 1920 there. Jewell became president of the Worthington Town Council, was the first band director at the local high school and also assumed leadership of the Murat Temple and Sahara Grotto Bands in Indianapolis. He took his Shrine band to national conferences, befriending such famous bandmasters as Henry Fillmore. In 1928, he led the Tampa [Florida] Municipal Band. Jewell was elected to the American Bandmasters Association in 1932. He died on February 11, 1936, in Worthington. |
| OLD GLORY TRIUMPHANT | Charles Edward Duble (1884–1960) | Charles Edward Duble (1884–1960) was an American composer and trombonist who performed with at least 20 circus and minstrel bands during his career. He spent 23 years on the road and would contribute many articles to Bandwagon, the Journal of the Circus Historical Society. Duble was the 10th inductee into the Windjammers Unlimited Hall of Fame. His composition “Old Glory Triumphant” (1919) was popular as a show piece among circus bands as well as military bands. It is likely that circus bands would have included “Old Glory” in center ring performances played before the actual circus began. RBBB used it in 1982 as their opening. |
| OPERATIC RAG | Julius Lenzberg | (From RagPiano.com) Julius Lenzberg was born in Baltimore, Maryland to German (Prussian) immigrants Henry Lenzberg and Julia Stern. He was the youngest child of a large family. Jules, as he called himself, married his German-born wife Ella Thomas in Manhattan, and the couple settled permanently in New York City so he could pursue musical leadership. By 1910 Julius and Ella made their home in Queens, New York, with Julius listed as a traveling musician in the census. This was also the beginning of his most productive period as a composer, submitting many clever rags that reflected his classical background and taste for whimsy and stage presentation. Lenzberg’s hits during the ragtime era were few but noteworthy. One of his great talents was adapting well-known classical tunes to piano ragtime format. Among these are his Hungarian Rag and Operatic Rag (1914). They helped fuel a trend in which rag composers such as George L. Cobb and Felix Arndt, as well as various performers, ragged famous tunes, often to the detriment of both the original and arranging composers. Mr. Lenzberg’s arrangements are actually fresh and innovative in their use of these themes, unlike many similar yet lesser attempts. For an exhaustive, detailed biography of Julius Lenzberg which also includes a complete listing of his works, visit https://www.ragpiano.com/ragtime4.shtml. |
| OUR FAVORITE RAG | Will Huff (1875-1942) | This Will Huff (1875-1942) is not to be confused with the name Will Huff that composer Henry Fillmore sometimes used as a pseudonym. They are separate composers. He was a professional photographer and also an interior decorator. He was not a professional musician. However, he played alto horn and cornet and for a brief time trouped with a circus band. He played in the Ohio National Guard Band but never served on active duty. He settled in Chillicothe, Ohio and directed the Odd Fellows Band there. In 1908 he was associated with the Fillmore Brothers Company. Later in life he was not affiliated with any music publishing company and was content to perform occasionally in Southern Ohio until he passed away. He composed 62 marches and 28 others. This tune was composed in 1913. |
| QUALITY-PLUS March | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | Jewell was a noted composer of circus music and director for the Barnum & Bailey Circus (1908-1910) and the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus (1916-1917). Apparently the piece had remained unnamed and unpublished until Jewell saw the phrase “Quality Plus” on a billboard while traveling by train. It was then published by C.L. Barnhouse in 1913, and has been one of Jewell’s most popular circus pieces ever since. In 1919, Charles Barnhouse hired Jewell to direct the Iowa Brigade Band in Oskaloosa, IA. In 1923 he returned to his hometown of Worthington, IN. – RLE |
| PAGEANTRY | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | “Pageantry March” was published in November 1929. The early success of this march can be attributed in part to a bit of savvy marketing by King. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Band was led in those days by King´s good friend Merle Evans. King apparently urged his friend Evans to include one of his marches in an upcoming recording session and Pageantry was one of the six marches chosen. |
| PASSING OF THE RED MAN, The | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | This brief programmatic concert piece of 1916 musically considers the fate of American Indians during the nineteenth century and was dedicated “To my esteemed friend, Col. Wm. F. Cody, ‘Buffalo Bill’.” Cody enjoyed this mini overture in particular. Merle Evans reported that Buffalo Bill “used to come to the bandstand during the (pre-show) concert with the Wild West show and ask me to play it for him.” “The Passing of the Red Man” musically depicts the interplay between the Red Man and White Man on the frontier during the 19th century. After a provocative introduction evoking fateful possibilities of things to come, the stereotypical Indian characteristic music familiar to the times begins but is taken over by White Man music in the second section. A musical battle between the two themes ensues, but as in the reality of the times, the White Man music wins. The music ends like it began, however … quietly, encouraging thoughtfully. |
| PASS THE PICKLES | Grace Leboy Kahn (1890-1983) | (From Wikipedia) Grace Leboy Kahn (September 22, 1890 – May 24, 1983) was an American composer. A prolific songwriter, among her best- known works are “I Wish I Had a Girl” (1908) and selections from the Jumping Jupiter musical. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Leboy was a precocious musician, gaining employment as a pianist by age 15, and fame by age 18 with her song I Wish I Had a Girl. By age 21 she had songs on the Broadway stage in Jumping Jupiter. Notable performers of her day recorded her songs and compositions. Lyrics for many of her songs were written by Gus Kahn whom she married in 1916. They were the parents of Donald Gustave Kahn (July 17, 1918 – April 11, 2008) and Irene Kahn (1922–1985). Grace was played by Doris Day in I’ll See You in My Dreams, a film that portrays the lives and times of Leboy and Kahn. Pass the Pickles was published in 1913. |
| PINK LEMONADE | Albert J. Weidt (1866-1945) | (From HEBM) Albert J. Weidt was born in Buffalo, New York, on February 15, 1866. His greatest ambition was to become a drummer in a great band, and he spent many of his boyhood days following parades or sitting near drum sections at band concerts. He received his education in the public schools of Buffalo, New York, and studied violin privately there. He moved to Newark, New Jersey, conducting orchestras and teaching stringed instruments. He became renowned as one of America’s leading players and teachers of fretted instruments, and for many years he wrote a monthly article in Jacobs’ Band Monthly. Weidt was the composer of over 300 works, most of which were of a light, popular nature. He developed a “chord system” of composing, which he taught through correspondence courses. He also wrote an extensive theory course for the tenor banjo which instructed players to analyze chords. This “chord system” of instruction was expanded until it was available for all fretted instruments as well as for saxophone, cornet, clarinet, violin, trombone, piano, and other orchestral instruments. Weidt died in Middletown, New Jersey, on December 9, 1945. |
| POMPOSITY | Hale A. VanderCook (1864 -1949) | (From Vandercook historian and Windjammer Mark Grauer) In addition to his many compositions for band, Hale A. VanderCook (1864 -1949) is best known for the impact he had on the school band movement through the development and training of school band directors. He was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and grew up in Allegan, Michigan. Mr. VanderCook’s first cornet lessons were under the tutelage of Frank Holton, who went on to play in John Philip Sousa’s Band and to start a musical instrument company that carried his name. As a young man, Vandercook began playing in circus bands, eventually being hired by the La Pearl Circus as a cornetist in 1894. Mr. VanderCook soon was conducting the group and composing marches for the performances. In 1905 he moved to Chicago and opened a cornet studio, which went on to become VanderCook College of Music in 1909. Generations of music educators have received their musical training at VanderCook, and a century later, it remains the only school of its kind devoted solely to the preparation of music educators both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Mr. VanderCook retired from the college in 1941 and returned to Allegan where he passed away in 1949. Hale Vandercook was elected to the WJU Hall of Fame in 1995. Pomposity was published in 1908. |
| PORT ARTHUR MARCH | Roland F. Seitz | Originally apprenticed as a printer at the Glen Rock, PA newspaper, Roland Seitz spent much of his childhood studying music, playing in the family orchestra, and eventually playing in the Glen Rock Band. After receiving a degree from the Dana Musical Institute of Warren, OH, he returned to Glen Rock where he became a full-time teacher of most instruments. He played in several bands, conducted the Glen Rock Band, founded his own publishing company, and wrote many marches, the most famous of which is “Grandioso.” “Port Arthur” (1904) is a whirlwind of a march, but the parts show no dedication. |
| PRESTISSIMO | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Karl King has been called the “Dean of Circus March Composers,” and although his marches are world class, many believe he stands alone when it comes to the quality and excitement of his circus galops. First-of-Mays should not be intimidated by the breath-taking tempo. Veteran windjammers will tell you a secret. These galops are actually EASIER when taken in 1! The pulse makes more sense, and they are more fun! Prestissimo was published in 1931. |
| PRINCESS OF INDIA OVERTURE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | In 1912, King moved to one of the largest and most successful shows on the road, the Sells-Floto Circus, owned by the publisher of the Denver Post newspaper. King by this time had dozens of compositions in print. While playing Euphonium with the Sells-Floto Band, King wrote an overture that became one of his best-selling compositions. It was not only popular in the circus world, but it became a particular favorite in the fledgling school band market as well, both as a concert feature and as a contest piece. – JPJ |
| RAGGED IKE | Benjamin George McFall (1876-1937) | (From HEBM) Benjamin George McFall was born on October 5, 1876, in Richbourg, New York. When he was two years old, the family moved to Eldred, Pennsylvania, a small town about six miles from the New York-Pennsylvania border. Beginning as a boy, he worked in the office of the Eldred Eagle, a county newspaper. He became associate editor, and upon the editor’s death in 1908, McFall bought the paper. He sold it in 1923, repurchased it, and sold it again in 1924. While working at the Eagle, he founded the Star Music Company which published not only his own compositions but also those of such noted composers as Russell Alexander, Frank Losey, Fred Huffer, Will Huff, Frederick Clement and Frank Seltzer. He later acquired the stock of Alvin Willis’ publishing business. In addition to his music endeavors, McFall was an ardent stamp collector, civic leader, assessor of the borough of Eldred, an honorary member of the Eldred Fire Department, a member of the Men’s Club, Odd Fellows, and Woodmen of America. He first became associated with the Eldred Cornet Band as a boy, rising through the ranks until becoming its leader (1902-1912). McFall became ill with cancer and died in Olean, New York, at General Hospital on February 27, 1937, after a long illness. His publishing business continued long after his death but was destroyed by the floods of hurricane Agnes in 1972. The remainder of the Star Music Company was donated to the American Bandmasters Association Research Center at College Park, Maryland, and the Circus World Museum at Baraboo, Wisconsin. |
| RAYMOND OVERTURE | Ambrose Thomas, arr. Vincent Frank Safranek | Safranek became the chief band arranger for the Carl Fischer publishing house. As a result of his work he arranged many notable works such as the “Overture to Raymond”, published in 1912. |
| RICHMOND BEE | Robert Browne Hall (1858-1907) | Composer and musician R.B. Hall was born into a musical family on June 30, 1858, in Bowdoinham, ME. He was known as a cornet virtuoso, bandmaster, and composer of marches. His father played E-fl at cornet in a local band and was his son’s first cornet instructor. Hall continued playing cornet and eventually took lessons and received much encouragement from Melvin H. Andrews, a music store owner in Bangor. The first march that Hall composed was entitled “M.H.A.” and dedicated to Andrews. At age 19, he was director of the Richmond Cornet Band. He wrote three marches for that band, entitled “RCB1,” “RCB2,” and “RCB3.” Often dedicating his compositions to people and places, they included local characters (Uncle Dooley’s Delight), newspapers (Richmond Bee), and Fraternal Orders (Demolay Commandery for the Knight Templars, The Redman’s March for the Improved Order of Redmen, Exalted Ruler for the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Independentia for the Independent Order of Oddfellows). Hall died on June 8, 1907, in Portland, ME. During his lifetime he published 62 marches. Richmond Bee was published in 1895. |
| RINGLING BROTHERS GRAND ENTREE | Albert C. Sweet (1876-1945) | Al Sweet this piece and published it in 1911 by Rossiter. It is his best known composition. Prior to this, in 1906 Charlie Duble also wrote a march with this title. Sweet’s other “circus” tunes were few, but included Bandalero March (Helf & Hager, 1908), The Battle of San Juan Hill (Fischer, 1909),Broncho Buster March (Fischer, 1908), Colossus March (York, 1907) and Coeur d’Alene (Fischer, 1910). Al Sweet’s time with Ringling and his famous Ringling Brother’s Grand Entree earned him a spot in the WJU Hall of Fame as the 1982 laureate. – RLE |
| RIVAL ROVERS | Russell Alexander (1877-1915) | Published 1899. See the program note for “International Vaudeville.” |
| ROBBINS BROS. TRIUMPHAL | O. A. Gilson | The composer of this march (published 1926) has been called into question. Musician, composer, and arranger Arthur Wellesley Hughes (1870–1950) was one of Canada’s most prolific composers. He spent many years in the U.S. as a circus musician. Hughes wrote under different names, including O. A. Gilson. However, O. A. Gilson was a real person, and bandmaster of the Robbins Bros. Circus from 1924 to 1931. Windjammers research found him in the federal census of 1940. He was also found in a newspaper photograph posing with his band. A.W. Hughes played with the Robbins Bros. Circus in 1928 and 1929. Windjammer Andy Glover reports that there has been some speculation (unsubstantiated) that Hughes not only ghost- composed Merle Evans’ marches, but it’s possible he also ghost- composed “Robbins Bros. Triumphal.” More research is needed to confirm or refute this. “Robbins Bros. Triumphal” is dedicated to Harry James. The father of trumpeter Harry James (yes, that Harry James) was a bandleader in the Mighty Haag Circus, and his mother was an organ acrobat and horseback rider. Harry Haag James began performing in the circus as a contortionist at age four, and started playing the snare drum in the band around age six. |
| ROBINSON’S GRAND ENTREE MARCH | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Cleverly, King avoided a specific dedication comment on this 1911 tune so effectively there were three circuses who claimed it as “theirs”: Robinson’s Famous Shows, Yankee Robinson Circus, and John Robinson Circus. At that time, however, Woody Van was bandmaster of Yankee Robinson and Karl was playing baritone in that band. As King had also written Woody Van’s March in 1911 and was a good friend of Apollos Woodring Van Anda (“Woody Van”, 1854-1914), one can easily guess which circus King actually had in mind. Woody left Yankee Robinson and was with Arlington & Beckman’s Wild West in 1913, and LaTena in 1914. – RLE |
| ROMAN RACES | Harry Lincoln | You are encouraged to check out exhaustive, detailed entries on Harry Lincoln at RagPiano.com (https://www.ragpiano.com/ragtime4.shtml), and at the Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music (https://hebm.info/ ). Lincoln’s relationship with Charles Sweeley, E.T. Paull, and the Vandersloot family is complex, confusing, and may never be settled to anyone’s satisfaction. Many of the titles issued by the Vandersloot Publishing Company refer to exciting spectacles such as fires or chariot races. The covers of the piano editions of these pieces are colorful and are prized by collectors. As of this writing (1/2026), Jeffrey Dent and the Repasz Band have applied for a grant to issue an album of Lincoln’s music, and we wish them luck. Recordings of Lincoln’s music are practically non-existent, and such an album is long overdue. |
| ROSES of MEMORY WALTZ | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | This lovely waltz was published in 1918 by C.L. Barnhouse Co., Oskaloosa, IA. It was composed by Jewell and was a favorite waltz for a variety of aerial acts. Much of Jewell’s career was spent playing in or conducting traveling circus bands and his music was especially well-fitted to circus acts. At the time of composing this waltz, however, Jewell was a resident of Oskaloosa and directing the Iowa Brigade Band (now the Oskaloosa Municipal Band). In 1919, he organized the first high school band in Oskaloosa and also led it for five years. -RLE |
| ROUND THE RING | Thomas Allen | (From HEBM) Thomas S. (Tom) Allen was born in Natick, NY, on December 16, 1876. He was a member of various dance, theater, and opera company orchestras in the Boston area, including the Grand Opera House, for many years. He entered the business aspects of music about 1905 as manager of the Edwin Bates Musicians. After returning to playing at the Howard Theatre in Boston, he moved to Rochester, New York, in 1911. He acted in the capacities of booking agent, manager of musical shows, and later as musical director of the Hastings Burlesque Shows. The famous publication of the Jacobs Music Company in Boston, Jacobs’ Band Monthly, included a new Allen work in almost every issue. Today, his compositions are performed mostly in rodeos, and to some extent, circuses. Since much of his music was written as orchestral background for silent movies, it generally carried the flavor of excitement. His galops are especially noteworthy. He composed in numerous forms, but most of his works are marches and galops. Allen died in Boston on October 23, 1919. This piece was published in 1917. |
| SCREAMER, The | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | One of the truly great circus marches, the title refers to the term used by circus bandsmen for a fast tempo circus march. This one certainly lives up to its title! It is a showcase for the band with the technique to handle it. Jewell joined the Gentry Bros. circus at the age of 16, playing baritone and trombone. He was with Ringling Brothers from 1902 – 1904, and joined the Barnum & Bailey Circus band in 1907. He served as director from 1908 – 1910. By 1923, Jewell owned a publishing company in his hometown of Worthington, IN. He wrote nearly 200 works for bands, mostly marches. His most famous ones include “E Pluribus Unum,” “Quality-plus,” “The Old Circus Band,” “Supreme Triumph,” and “Radio Waves.” All of his pieces are still popular with advanced community and military bands. He is memorialized by a State of Indiana Historical Marker erected in Fountain Park, Green County, IN. The Screamer was published in 1911. Carson & Barnes used it in 1982 for the elephants. |
| SELLS-FLOTO TRIUMPHAL | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Following playing baritone with Ned Brill’s Barnum & Bailey Circus Band in 1913, Karl King accepted the position of bandmaster for the Sells-Floto Circus. Prior to B&B, King had played in the Sells-Floto band under Walter P. English. English was subsequently demoted but continued playing tuba under King. It was also in 1914 that the circus acquired Buff alo Bill’s Wild West Show (known as “The Two Bills” show at the time.) As a tribute to his new employer and, perhaps, as a way of establishing himself as the new bandmaster, King composed Sells-Floto Triumphal. It was published by C.L. Barnhouse, King’s publisher, who used Otto Zimmerman & Sons of Cincinnati for the engraving. – RLE |
| SLIDING SID | Abe Losch (Harry Lincoln) | Sliding Sid was published in 1918. Abe Losch was a frequent pseudonym used by Harry Lincoln (derived from his mother’s maiden name). For more information on Harry Lincoln, see the entry on Roman Races. |
| LA SORELLA | Charles Borel-Clerc (1879–1959) | French composer and oboist Charles Borel-Clerc (1879–1959) enrolled at the Paris Conservatory of Music in 1896, and upon graduation, played oboe with several orchestras. As a composer, he wrote operettas, marches, songs, and light salon pieces for orchestra or piano. He was known by the public for his popular songs and marches in the early 1900s. His Spanish-style military march, “La Sorella,” was popular in France as well as Spain and Latin America. It has often been used in circus acts and parades because of the lively and playful nature of the piece. |
| SLAVONIC DANCE #1 | Antonín Dvořák | No program notes were supplied for this selection. The life and career of Antonín Dvořák has been well documented, so no attempt to duplicate those efforts will be attempted here. |
| SOUTHERN BEAUTY MARCH, A | Charles Sanglear | Published in 1911 by J. W. York & Sons, Grand Rapids, Michigan. After his musical studies, Sanglear worked as euphonium player to various circus and other wind orchestras. Twenty-six of his compositions were published between 1900 and 1915. He wrote mainly works for wind orchestra (marches, dances and character pieces.) |
| SPIRIT OF MINSTRELSY | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1923 and dedicated to Neil O’Brien Minstrels. Like many of King’s compositions, “The Spirit of Minstrelsy” is tuneful and high spirited. However, with the minstrel show falling out of favor, and this march’s inclusion of the tune “Old Black Joe,” it is rarely played now except for historic purposes. It is also one of the few King compositions that were not published by either the C.L. Barnhouse Company or the K.L. King Music House. Rather, it was published by the Fillmore Music House of Cincinnati, OH (acquired by Carl Fischer Music). |
| SPIRIT OF SPRINGTIME WALTZ | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | King was one of the most prolific and popular composers in the history of band music. He composed at least 291 works, including 185 marches, 22 overtures, 12 galops, 29 waltzes, and works in many other styles. Not only did he compose some of the most brilliant and famous marches for experienced bands at professional and university levels, he also displayed a remarkable ability to compose first-rate music for younger, less experienced musicians and bands. His music continues to be performed worldwide by bands at all experience levels. “The Spirit of Springtime” (1925) is dedicated to Bert Dakin of Warren, OH. King often dedicated his compositions to friends and fellow musicians, including “Woody Van’s March” for Woody Van Anda (Robinson’s), “Salute to the Sultan” for Theodore Stout (Yankee Robinson), “The Garland Entrée March” for Walter P. English (Sells-Floto), and “Barnum & Bailey’s Favorite” for Ned Brill (Barnum & Bailey). |
| STEP ON IT! | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1925 and dedicated to Walter Engelbart, “Speed King.” Walt Engelbart was the longtime manager of the Fort Dodge Municipal Band. The band elected him to the position in 1922, and he went on to serve until his retirement in 1960. As Thomas Hatton noted in his book, Karl King, An American Bandmaster, “For [almost] forty years Karl King and Walt Engelbart worked together like the captain and first sergeant of a good infantry company.” |
| STOP IT! | Mel B. Kaufman (1879-1932) | Composed by Kaufman in 1920 and arranged by J.S. Zamecnik, Stop It! was a novelty tune used in the circus primarily for the clowns, although it was sometimes also used for floor acts such as unicycles, jugglers, and teeterboard acts. At the age of 21, Kaufman was still living with his family in Newark, NJ and an apprentice in the retail clothing industry. He self-published his first works, but by 1917 Sam Fox Publishing Company of Cleveland, Ohio had signed him to an exclusive agreement to publish his music. He composed a number of popular songs and instrumental music. Kaufman died at age 53 in New York City. – RLE (From HEBM) This tune became a circus and vaudeville standard almost from the day it was composed. Its syncopated rhythms work perfectly for a wide variety of circus acts plus the tune provides circus bandmasters with a clever way to add contrast to their playlists. Mel B. Kaufman was born in Newark, New Jersey, on April 23, 1879. At age 21, he was still living with his family and was working as an apprentice in the retail clothing industry. As a composer, he self-published his first works, and by 1917, publisher Sam Fox had signed him to an exclusive agreement to publish his music. He joined ASCAP in 1924, and from then on there was an increase in the number of works he produced. He died at the age of 53. He was a prolific composer of popularsongs and instrumental music. Among his best-known works are Step With Pep and Happy Go Lucky. He died on February 21, 1932, in New York City. |
| Albert C. Sweet (1876-1945) | Sweet was born in Dansville, NY. He was the bandleader for the Ringling Brothers Circus from 1906-1911. In 1911, he published his most noteworthy work, Ringling Brothers Grand Entree. The grand entry piece was also often used for animal acts. Like most circus band directors, Sweet played cornet, playing his first circus at age 14 with Stowe Brothers Circus. He was the music director at Edison Phonograph Company 1901-1905. Following his time with Ringling, he directed several other bands not associated with circuses, including his own Dunbar’s White Hussars “vaudeville” band. WJU Hall of Fame 1982. – RLE | |
| SUNNYLAND WALTZES | Edmund Maurice Rosner (1853-1916) | In 1887, orchestra conductor Rosner (April 23, 1853 – October 28,1916) led Rosner’s Hungarian Orchestra in San Francisco, a group later billed as Rosner’s Electric Orchestra. He held the post of musical director of the San Francisco Orpheum Theatre from 1897 until his death in 1916. In 1915, Rosner composed “Sunnyland Waltzes,” subtitled “Dear California,” (published 1915) for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco. This piece is well-established in the American circus music tradition. |
| TANGLEFOOT | Frank Hoyt Losey (1870-1931) | Frank Hoyt Losey (March 18, 1870, Rochester, NY – May 3, 1931, Erie, PA) was an American musician, composer, and arranger. Losey was raised in Lawrenceville, PA. He studied music at an early age, learning to play cornet, violin, and piano. Losey was a cornetist for local and regional bands until he stricken with lip paralysis. This forced him to switch to trombone and euphonium and limited him to smaller theater performances. Starting in 1902, Mr. Losey composed and arranged music for Carl Fischer and became editor-in-chief of the Vandersloot Music Publishing Company. In 1919, Thomas Edison selected Losey to be the music advisor for Edison’s phonograph company. He was also approached by Henry Ford to arrange music for the Ford Orchestra in Detroit. Losey is credited with over 2,500 arrangements and 400 compositions, including his most recognized composition, “Gloria March.” Tanglefoot was published in 1911. |
| TEAREMLOOSE (A Trombone Symfunny) | Jim Fisk (a.k.a. C. L. Barnhouse) | C.L. Barnhouse quit school at age 14 and went to work as a laborer in local factories in West Virginia. He learned the machinist’s trade, and taught himself to master the cornet. He traveled extensively as a bandleader and cornet soloist. In 1882 he started his own music publishing company, the C.L. Barnhouse Co., and in 1888 moved to Oskaloosa, IA, where it remains to this day as the world’s oldest and largest music publishing company devoted exclusively to band music. Barnhouse was the leader of the Knights of Pythias Band that later became the Iowa Brigade Band. C. L. Barnhouse is known to have written under the pseudonyms “A.M. Laurens” and “Jim Fisk.” Apparently, he decided to have a little fun by composing and publishing three trombone smears using the pen name, Jim Fisk. The titles are “Ridin’ De Goat,” “Somewhere A Cow Is Bawling,” and “Tearemloose: A Trombone Symfunny (1922).” |
| TEMPEST, The | Charles Sanglear (1881 –1915) | Charles Sanglear was an American euphoniumist and composer. Around the turn of the last century, Sanglear toured with the bands of B. E. Wallace, John Robinson, Carl Hagenbeck, and others. During the 1904 season, he and Fred Jewell were the euphonium players in the Ringling Bros. Circus Band. Other musicians were amazed by their precision and technical ability. Along with Karl King, Noble Howard, John Kulti, Fred Jewell, John Horalc, and Russell Alexander, Merle Evans rated Charles Sanglear as one of the best of all the circus euphonium players. From 1908 to 1910 he was euphonium soloist for a world tour with the Kilties Band of Canada, described as “the greatest Scottish band in the world, and the pride of all Canada.” After leaving the sawdust trail, Sanglear directed the band at Wanamaker’s Department Store in Philadelphia, PA. He died August 5, 1915, of tuberculosis. The Tempest was published in 1908. |
| TEXARKANA FOXTROT | Guy Earl Holmes (1873-1945) | (From HEBM) Guy Earl Holmes was a professional performer on several instruments, a teacher, an arranger, and a composer. Most of his works were for band. He was born in a town intimately connected with circus history, Baraboo, Wisconsin, on February 14, 1873, and was involved with circus music for most of his life. In his early years, he worked at the Island Woolen Mills in Baraboo as a weaver and later explained that the rhythm of the shuttles there inspired him in many of his compositions. He studied theory and harmony with G. Mitchell (presumably the composer of Caesar’s Triumphal March), cornet with Captain W.F. Heath and Hale VanderCook, saxophone with Fred Lattimer, and flute with A.F. Weldon. After touring with various circus bands and working with other touring shows and groups, Holmes spent 20 years on the faculty of the VanderCook School of Music. The Circus World Museum in Baraboo has an impressive display of Holmes’ music, particularly that associated with circuses. He is given this special consideration partly because he was a native of the town and partly due to his considerable contribution to the circus band repertoire. A few months after his death on February 10, 1945, the Wisconsin Bandmasters Association presented a memorial concert of his music. It was conducted by various bandmasters in Ochners Park at Baraboo. |
| THAT DREAMY WALTZ | Frank A. Panella (1878-1953) | That Dreamy Waltz was published in 1921. Frank A. Panella was known as the “March King of Pittsburgh,” the city in southwest Pennsylvania where he was born in 1878. He began the study of clarinet at the age of seven with his brother-in-law, Mario Rocereto, and, at 15, was the assistant director of Rocereto’s Pittsburgh Band. Panella continued playing in several bands for many years: the Arthur Pryor Band, the Pittsburgh Festival Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He was personnel manager of the latter organization for many years. In addition, Panella served as conductor of a number of bands in the area, including the Grand Army Band, the Boys Brigade Band, Panella’s Orchestral Band, and the Westinghouse Air Brake Company Band. He was an instructor at the United States Army School of Music during World War I and later taught at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Institute of Technology. He was a member of Local 60 of the musician’s union for over 50 years, and he operated his own publishing company in his home in nearby Crafton for much of his adult life. When Frank Panella died in Crafton in 1953, he was survived by his only son, Martin, and two grandchildren. Although Bertha Panella Schiek remembers her grandfather as “a tough old Italian,” from whom she took clarinet lessons as a child, he was known during much of his lifetime as a man “with a perpetual smile” —a person who used much of his income to help young, struggling musicians. A number of Frank Panella’s marches are currently available with On the Square remaining the most popular. First published in 1916, that march has been a favorite in both England and the United States since World War I. In 1924, for example, the U.S. Army Band played On the Square while marching around the baseball diamond at the very first World Series Game. In 1946, 1970, and 1976 it was listed among the titles in The Instrumentalist’s periodic survey of “The 100 Most Popular Marches.” |
| THAT MOANING TROMBONE | Carl D. Bethel | After working with Sousa’s, Pryor’s and Conway’s Bands, Carl D. Bethel directed his own summer band at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City and later in Venice, California. He also directed the 80-piece New Jersey Philharmonic Band based in Newark. Bethel composed That Moaning Trombone in 1918. By 1919 it was already programed by Will Marion Cook and his Syncopated Orchestra on a concert held in Pasadena, CA. While trombone smears are regularly heard in the circus, That Moaning Trombone is notable mostly as a popular mainstay in the repertoire of James Reese Europe’s “Harlem Hell Fighters” Band. For more on James Reese Europe and his Harlem Hellfighters Band, see the entries on Ja-Da!, The Hesitating Blues, and The Memphis Blues. |
| THEY’RE OFF galop | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | Jewell published this galop in 1918 after retiring from circus life and taking on director of the Fairfield, Iowa Municipal Band. “They’re Off ” is a phrase often associated with horse racing, and so this galop is one often accompanying horses galloping in western-type acts. Such a galop would also have been popular at rodeos where fast, short pieces were an excellent fit. Fred Jewell also composed Tecumseh March (1905), named for the famous Indian chieftain. – RLE |
| T.M.B. march | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | In 1909, Karl King was a young 18-year old Euphonium player with the Thayer Military Band (TMB) of Canton, Ohio. Although his first compositions at the age of 14 were rejected by publishers, he persevered and had his first compositions published in 1909. This was King’s very first published march, and was dedicated to H. Clark Thayer, the founder and former conductor of that Military Band. It was published by King’s Euphonium teacher, William Strassner of Canton. It was the Thayer Band where King sat in and played Euphonium after first playing in the Canton Marine Band. – JPJ |
| THUNDER & BLAZES | Julius Ernest Wilhelm Fučík | Czech-born composer Fučík wrote the march on October 17, 1897, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, where he had been stationed as military bandmaster of the Austro-Hungarian Army. Originally, he called the piece “Grande Marche Chromatique”. Because of his interest in the Roman Empire, he then published it as “Entrance of the Gladiators” op. 68 (Czech: Vjezd gladiátorů; German: Einzug der Gladiatoren). This military march demonstrates the state of the art in brass instrument construction which allowed fast, even chromatic passages. In 1901, American publisher Carl Fischer published a version of this march, under the title “Thunder and Blazes”, arranged for American wind bands by Canadian composer Louis-Philippe Laurendeau. During this period the piece gained lasting popularity as a screamer march for circuses, often used to match the antics of the clowns, or to introduce the elephants. Today it is mainly known by this association. Laurendeau’s version was also transcribed for fairground and amusement park band organs. |
| TRIBUTE TO MERLE EVANS FANFARE, A | J.P. Hicks | The Hicks fanfare was used to open the 1965 edition of RBBB. Merle Evans then included it in his repertoire for concerts. In that context, it appears on the 1967 Midwest Band Clinic recording of circus music as well as the recording of the concert at the New England Conservatory when Merle led the wind ensemble. (From Don Covington) Written for the 1965 edition of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey. Merle Evans then included it in his repertoire for concerts. In that context, it appeared again on the 1967 Midwest Clinic recording where Evans conducted an all-star band playing circus favorites. It was also used on the Golden Crest 3-LP album, “A Tribute To Merle Evans,” featuring the New England Conservatory Band plus some special guests. This album was reissued as a double CD album in 1997 by Windjammers Unlimited. |
| TROMBONE BLUES | Frederick Alton Jewell (1875-1936) | (From Andy Glover) Probably Jewell’s most famous non-march composition, Trombone Blues continues to be frequently performed. Published on June 20, 1918, this selection was used frequently by Merle Evans for clown acts and was recorded by the RBB&B Circus Band. For a biography on Fred Jewell, visit the Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music at https://hebm.info. |
| TROOPERS TRIBUNAL | Henry Fillmore (1881–1956) | American composer, publisher, musician, and bandleader Henry Fillmore (1881–1956) was best known for his marches, smears, and screamers. After one semester at the College of Music of Cincinnati, he felt he had “learned all he wanted to know about serious music.” He then became significantly involved in his father’s publishing business. He directed American Legion bands, and bands associated with the Masons, but was never the bandmaster of a traveling circus band. Although he was not the first to compose a trombone “smear,” he became known as the “Father of the Trombone Smear” due to the popularity of his “Trombone Family”—fifteen novelty pieces that featured trombone smears, often used in the circus for clown walkarounds. As a youth, Fillmore had to hide his study of the trombone from his conservative father, a composer of gospel music and music publisher, because his father believed the instrument to be uncouth and sinful. Fillmore named his 1905 “Troopers Tribunal” march using the military spelling “trooper” instead of the circus-related “trouper” so that he could publish the tune through the family publishing company without objections from his father. |
| TROOPING DAYS | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | The title of this 1912 composition refers to the years that Karl King traveled or “trouped” with various circus bands throughout the United States. This march was dedicated to Fred Zalesky, who was playing solo clarinet in the Fort Dodge Military Band before King arrived in Fort Dodge in 1920. Zalesky was playing in 1910, and continued playing into the 1950s. Former King Band conductor and WJU member, the late Reginald R. Schive, took private lessons on clarinet from Zalesky. – JPJ |
| TUSCARAWAS | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Tuscarawas is a small village in Ohio, located in Tuscarawas County (Amish country.) However, the title of this 1920 march refers to Tuscarawas Street in Canton, OH, where Ruth Irene Lovett lived when she was courted by King. They were married on November 17, 1916. King promised his father-in-law he would leave the circus, but when Barnum & Bailey asked him to be their new bandmaster as WWI was ongoing, he received permission from Ruth’s parents to assume that role on an interim basis. When Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey combined for the 1919 season, King kept his promise and left the circus to focus on composing and publishing. |
| TWO BILLS MARCH, The | William E. Sweeney (1857-1917) | In 1909, William Cody joined forces with Gordon Lillie and the result was Buffalo Bill’s Wild West & Pawnee Bill’s Far East Company. It was for this combined show that Sweeney wrote his march, The Two Bills (1910). Sweeney’s only other published composition was another march, Buffalo Bill’s Farewell (1911) composed for Cody’s final tour of the combined shows. In 1914-1915, Cody was with the Sells-Floto Circus and in 1916 with Miller Bros. 101 Ranch with Wild West specialty acts. – RLE Cornet player Sweeney (1856 – 1917) organized and directed Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Band from the beginning when Cody opened his first wild west show at “The Old Glory Blowout” in North Platte, NE on July 4, 1882. He left after Buffalo Bill’s 1913 “Farewell Tour” with Pawnee Bill in the “Two Bills Show.” Sweeney likely did much arranging and composing during his almost thirty years as Cowboy Band director, but only two published marches of his remain in Wild West archives. The “Two Bills’ March and Two-Step” was dedicated to Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill who toured together for a few years at the time of the 1910 copyright. “Buffalo Bill’s Farewell March and Two Step” was published in 1911 during Cody’s final tour. According to former circus band director William G. Pruyn, both of these contrapuntal, ragtime-influenced pieces often accompanied the Grand Entry. |
| UNDER THE CIRCUS TENT | Ralph Chandler Jarrett (1879 – 1950) | (From the Milner Library at Illinois State University and ancestry.com) The Jarrett family was originally from West Virginia, but moved to Riverside, California in 1906 seeking a better environment for the father’s health. The father, M.C. Jarrett, had been a respected businessman and politician back in West Virginia, but more significantly for his son Ralph’s future, he was also a talented musician and directed the local band. In January of 1925, Ralph C. Jarrett (1879 – 1950) placed an ad in the Riverside Daily Press for Jarrett Music Co’s School of Music. The first faculty member listed is “Ralph C. Jarrett: Teacher of saxophone, cornet, and practical harmony. Educated at Dana’s Musical Institute, Warren, Ohio; composer and arranger of band music for the publishing house of H.C. Miller, Parkesburg, Penn., for the past fifteen years; holding a California teacher’s credential.” Three other faculty members are listed below. In researching Mr. Jarrett, there does not appear to be any circus connection other than the fact that he chose to endow this charming overture with a circus title, published in 1926. |
| UNG-KUNG-FOY-YA intermezzo | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Karl King was a master at writing music for a variety of acts during the nine years he spent trouping with different circuses. During the 1917 and 1918 seasons, he was the bandmaster of the Barnum and Bailey Circus, the most famous circus of that era. On that show was a group of Asian acrobats and jugglers. Published in 1919, King wrote this intermezzo, using pentatonic scales and harmonies, to accompany their act. During the act’s finale, the performers would suspend themselves by their braided ponytails, or queues, and would hang and rapidly spin their bodies above the center ring. – JPJ |
| WALKING FROG, THE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1919 and dedicated “To My Friends, Baker & Dalzell.” (From Don Covington) Baker and Dalzell were clowns in the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Their featured number involved them dressing as frogs and hopping around the hippodrome track, performing acrobatic tricks along the way. Karl King wrote this tune specifically for their act. It has endured ever since as a perfect accompaniment for comic circus routines. |
| WATER LILIES WALTZ | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Published in 1910, “Water Lillies” is a very early work, marking the beginning of King’s career as a circus musician. In that year (1910) he joined the band of Robinson’s Famous Circus as a baritone player. The parts don’t show a dedication, but it is highly likely that “Water Lillies” was written for the Robinson show while he was in that band. |
| WESTERN SUITE | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | As a result of Karl King’s time as bandmaster of the Sells-Floto & Buffalo Bill Combined Shows (1914-1916), he composed three pieces using the style and themes of the Old West. While they could certainly have been performed separately, King would often perform them as a “Western Suite”, played in the following order. Wyoming Days (1914) was an intermezzo to accompany cowboy themed acts. It was also often used for an after-show at an additional fee that featured demonstrations of riding skills and other cowboy attributes. The Passing of the Red Man (1916) is an Indian characteristic that is dedicated to King’s friend, Colo. W. F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, who employed Native Americans in his shows to add to the authenticity. On the Warpath (1915) was the first of King’s western style compositions and musically depicts a characteristic Indian dance. – RLE |
| WHIP and SPUR Galop | Thomas S. Allen (1876-1919) | Allen (1876-1919) was an accomplished violinist who published this galop in 1902. Much of his music was composed as orchestral background for silent movies. His galops were especially noteworthy, carrying the needed flavor of excitement. Consequently, many of his tunes had use in the Wild West shows of the era and are still often used with rodeos, and sometimes circuses. – RLE |
| WHIPPET RACE, The | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | This 1927 galop was written specifically for a dog race. It was dedicated to “Doc” Griffen, Superintendent of Speed at the Iowa State Fair. The Fort Dodge Municipal Band under King’s direction was an important part of the Iowa State Fair, playing the Grandstand shows and accompanying a variety of acts each season starting in the early 1920s and continuing until their final performance at the close of the 1959 season. – JPJ |
| William Paris Chambers (1854-1913) | Chambers was best known as an active solo cornetist and bandmaster. Herbert Clarke said of him “Mr. Chambers was one of the top men in his profession as a cornet soloist in the nineties, standing unique in his own particular style of playing.” At age 18, Chambers was leader of the Keystone Cornet Band in Newville, PA, and then the Capital City Band of Harrisburg, PA. Some of Chambers compositions are: Rose Ballet Dance Galop (1903), Northwind March (1895), King of Terror (1892), The Regent (1909), and Montezuma (1904). – RLE | |
| WOODY VAN’S MARCH | Karl L. King (1891-1971) | Apollos Woodring Van Anda, professionally known as Woody Van lived in Allentown, PA. He was born in Williamsport, PA on February 6, 1854. While with Andrew Downie’s The LaTena Circus, Woody fell from a buggy and on August 16, 1914 died from the injuries. Woody had been in show business for over 25 years, five of which was with Hi Henry’s Minstrels and two seasons with Al Martin’s Uncle Tom Cabin. Woody was an all-around musician but his specialty was on cornet. In 1911 he was musical director for the Yankee Robinson Shows. In 1913 he was musical director with the Arlington and Beckman Oklahoma Ranch Wild West. King published this march in 1911. – RLE |
– RLE = Rodney L. Everhart, WJU #1351, Circus Fanfare editor
– JPJ = Jerrold P. Jimmerson, WJU #3118, Conductor, Karl King Municipal Band, Ft. Dodge, IA