Influential Musicians
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D. Darcy Thomas F JR b195 d 1968. He was the son of a military bandmaster and enlisted as a private in the US Army in 1912.He eventually rising to the position of assistant bandmaster of the 18th Infantry in 1917. He became the assistant director and solo cornet of the US Army band in Washington from 1924 to 1935 and was appointed the director in 1935. He retired in 1945. He wrote several notable marches including Flashing Sabres and Vanguard of Victory.
De Arriba, Manuel Gomez b 1904 d 1974. He studied music at an early age with his father who was the respected leader of the Banda Municipal de Madrid. At age 21 he received his first appointment as a bandmaster. In 1939 he was selected as the leader of a Spanish Airforce band. He rose to the rank of Commander in 1950 and was selected as the leader of the renown Spanish Air Force band of Madrid. His career with this band was illustrious as he played concerts world wide and made numerous recordings. His transcriptions of orchestral worked are of the highest quality.His marches Paso Doble Flores de Mayo and Marcha de Los Granaderos are classic Spanish marches.
Deisenroth Friederich b 1903. Born in Philippstel, Hesse Germany, he studied organ and theory and was nominated for the Prussian Academy of Music in Berlin for which attendance was mandatory for bandmaster candidates. After graduation in 1936 he was posted to the 57th Regiment in Siegan which became one of the finest in the Germany army. Following the war when the Bundeswehr of the Federal Republic of Germany was established he was one of the first bandmasters to enlist.He became the bandmaster of the Artillery School in Idar-Oberstein. In 1961 he was transferred to the post of deputy Inspector of the Ministry defense music corps. He retired in 1965 after 41 years of service. He has written several military band titles much of which has been captured in recordings.
Dohlin Åke b1921 He was accepted in the Navy band in Stockholm Sweden when he was fourteen and later studied at the Royal College of Music from which he graduated in 1948. He was appointed as a conductor in the Swedish military Forces in 1952 first with the Coast Artillery band and later with the Army band at Visby.He was a navy band leader for thirteen years as director of the Navy Band in Karlskrona. His final posting was as chief of the Eastern Region of Music whence he retired in1982. He composed several titles for band including twenty-nine marches his most popular being the March of the Coastal Fleet
Dostal Hermann b 1874 d 1930 He was a member of a musical family which lived Moravian section of Austria (now Slovakia). His followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather who were both military musicians. He enlisted as an apprentice musician and after study in Vienna was encouraged by bandmaster and well known musician Franz Lehar to join his band as a harpist. He followed Lehar to Hungary joining the 26th Regimental band in Gyor where he remained until1911 . He was selected as bandmaster to the Hungarian 26th Regiment band. He transferred to the 99th Regiment band in Vienna where he was involved with the historic final guard changing ceremony at the Imperial Palace . He retired in 1918 and was a popular; conductor/composer /arranger in Vienna for several years following the war.
Duijck Guy (Guillaume)b 1927 He began study on oboe and eventually became one the finest players ever developed in Belgium. He was considered to be a virtuoso. In 1947 he joined the Belgian Navy band as well as being selected for the Ghent Opera orchestra. In 1951 he auditioned for bandmaster of the Belgian first brigade remaining in that post for ten years. From 1960 to 1976 he was the conductor of the Belgian navy leading this well know ensemble in numerous concerts,parades and broadcasts.. His music compositions include symphonies, chamber works . many of his compositions have been recorded and he has become well known throughout Europe because of his adjudication at music festivals.
Dunn Francis Vivian b 1908 d 1996 A third generation to follow in the profession of military music His name has become synonymous with the highest level of musical integrity and standards in the art of military music. He studied violin at an early age eventually becoming a student of Henry Wood. He became a member of the Queen's hall Orchestra in 1927 and a founding member of the BBC orchestra in 1930. At the age of twenty-two in 1931 he was appointed Director of Music of the Royal Marines Portsmouth Division and he remained with the RM until his retirement in 1968. In 1953 he was Principal Director of the Royal Marines School of Music. He became a very popular conductor and adjudicator. In 1969 he he had the distinction of being knighted by Queen Elizabeth. He wrote several marches all of which are superb including the most well known Mountbatten March.
F. Fahrbach Phillip 1815 d 1885 He was a contemporary of Jahann Strauss the Father and Joseph Lanner.His musical talent was evident at an early age and he studied violin and flute. He beacme a flautust at age 10 in the Strauss Orchestra and becamea intimate friend of teh Strauss family. His arranging talents became well known as he added many inner parts to Strauss orchestrations. In 1841 he took up the post of bandmaster of the Infantry Regiment No.4(Hoch-und-Deutschmeister) a post he retianed until 1846. He returned to civilian life but aftera family tragedy he returned to the military in 1855 becoming the bandmaster of the Infantry regiment No.14 and was present at the Austro-Prussian campaign in Schleswig-Holstein in1864. The opus list of his works numbers 330 most of which is not performed today.
Ferland Joseph Pierre Armand Ferland b 1926. One of Canada's most respected musicians he began violin and clarinet at an early age and earned his BA degree at the university of Manitoba in 1947 and won first prize on clarinet at the university of Montreal in 1951.After a short stint in the Ordnance corps band as solo clarinet e was selected in competition for study at the Royal Military School of Music in England. He graduated in 1954 and became the director of the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery band and later in 1961 the world renown Royal 22nd Regiment band. He went on to form the Quebec woodwind ensemble.His best known composition is the march Genevieve.
Field Philip Howard dob unknown.A native of Norwalk, Conn he studied clarinet and joined the US Navy as a clarinet instrumentalist in 1956. After graduartion from teh Navy school of Music he performed with navy bands in Japan, Yorktown Va., and Boston.He directed unit bands on the USS Oriskany and the USS Kearsarge and returned to teh school to become an instructor. Upon promotion to warrant Officer he was appointed director of the Pacific Fleet band in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii. He was appointed leader of the US navy band in washington in1989. He wrote several arrangements for both concert and marching bands.
Friedmann Carl Berthold b 1862 d 1952 He was born in Müchlein near Leipzig and became one of the most influential bandmasters and conductors of his era.. His Slavonic Rhapsody is still performed world wide His talent was recognized while he was attending a local high school and he studied theory, piano and violin . As a result of the widely performed KAISER-FREDERICH march he was admitted to the Royal Academy of music in Berlin. He graduated with honors in 1890 he completed his bandmaster examination and was selected as assistant bandmaster of the Badonian Infantry Regiment 113 in Freiburg. In 1891 he became bandmaster a position he held for the next twenty-one years. His reputation as a composer and conductor became known throughout Germany and also in nearby Switzerland. He retired from the Army in 1912.He continued his musical career for several years and became one of the most distinguished personalities of his time.In 1935 he was honored by the Berlin Academy with the title of Professor. His compositions number over 350 and he much of his music remains in both the orchestral and band repertoires.
Fucik Julius Ernest William b 1872 d 1916. Born into a musical family in Prague Bohemiahe began study on bassoon and later played violin and piano. At age nineteen he entered military service playing bassoon and drums with the 49th Infantry Regimental band. Following a career as bassoonist with the New German Theatre orchestra he and National Theatre orchestra he began work as a military bandmaster with the 86th Regimental band at Sarajeveo and at this time he wrote the famous march ENTRY OF THE GLADIATORS. Fucik proved to be very much ahead of time as he challenged composers to write meaningful music for military band. He led several bands over his long service in the army including the 92nd Regiment band which played regular concerts in Prague and Berlin. From 1910-1913 he conducted the Terezin military band and retired from the military service in 1913. He grew to be a extremely prolific composer of both orchestral and band music with nearly 400 works to his credit. His marches Florentiner and Children of the Regiment remain popular remain his two most popular marches as well as the afore mentioned Entry of the Gladiators.
Furst Geog b 1870 d 1936 His father was the local bandmaster In a small town southwest of Nuremberg. He received his initial training from his father and at eighteen entered The Nuremberg Municipal School of Music. In 1889 he joined the Royal Bavarian Life Regiment band in Munich as the Eb Trumpeter. he was selected in 1895 for bandmaster training at the Royal Academy of Music in Munich. In 1902 he was appointed to assistant director of the 5th Bavarian Infantry Regiment in Bamberg.In 1911hw was transferred to Munich as Senior bandmaster of the Royal Regiment.Under his leadership the reputation of the band grew his name became well known throughout Germany,Rumania,Serbia and Macedonia. In 1920 he was placed in command of the 19th Bavarian Regiment band and held this post until his retirement in1935.He wrote several marches,overtures and songs. His most well known march is the Badonviller-Bandenweiller march but his Drei Märche fur Blamusik is still performed and recorded.
G. Gasia Louis b 1898 d 1950. Born in Belgium he studied at the Royal Brussels Conservatory. In 1938 he was appointed bandmaster of the 3rd Regiment of the Line. In 1947 he was appointed the first bandmaster of the newly created Belgian Navy band. He retired in in1949. He wrote several marches overtures and other works for band including the March of the Belgian navy
Gayfer James McDonald b 1916 d 1997. A native of Toronto he graduated with B.Mus. degree from the University of Toronto in1941. He joined the Canadian Army Militia when war broke out in 1939 and played clarinet in the Canadian Corps of Signals band overseas. He was selected to attend the bandmasters course at Kneller Hall in 1945. On completion he returned to Canada in 1947 . He served in a variety of postings and became director of Music of the Canadian Infantry Battalion band(later the Canadian Guards) 1951-1961. He was Musical Training Officer at the Canadian Forces School of Music from 1961-1966. He had a distinguished career in the military rounded out by his highly successful compositions for band and orchestra. He wrote several marches including Canada Overseas and Silver and Green.His concert march for the visit of Queen Elizabeth in 1953 titles Royal Visit remains one of the most extraordinary concert pieces ever written for military band.
Gebauer Francois Rene b 1773 d 1845 brother of Michael Joseph he was born in Versailles of German parents. He studied bassoon and beginning in 1788 he was a member of the band of the Swiss Guard in Versailles and in 1790 he joined the band of the National Guard with his brother.. He later played in Imperial Chapel orchestra and the theater orchestra.He wrote several compositions most of which is held by the Paris Museum of fine Arts. Some of the material includes six marches and Pas Redoubles.
Gebauer Michael Joseph b 1763 d 1812 A French musician of German parentage he joined the service of Franceand his birthplace is unknown.. He studied both violin and oboe and joined the National Guard band in 1790. In 1794 to 1802 he was professor of music at the Paris Conservatoire . He also became the bandmaster of the Consular Guard an early post revolutionary military band. He was also oboist in the Imperial Chapel. He died as a consequence of the Russian campaign which he had taken part. He wrote a number of marches and fanfares which were performed at Fetes celebrating the French revolution. later family members became well known in France as performers and composers.
Godfrey Charles b 1790 d 1863 The first in a long line of English military bandmasters and conductors he was a drummer in the First Royal Surrey Militia. In 1813 he joined the Coldstream Guards and transferred to the bassoon.. In 1825 he was appointed bandmaster of the band a position he held for several years. He edited the Jullien's Journal which began in 1847 and he helped to incorporate several magnificent transcriptions and arrangements into this numbered series of military band music. Of his five sons three became outstanding military musicians in the British Army.
Godfrey Daniel(Known as Dan) b1831 d 1903 son of the preceding. He entered the Royal Academy of Music as a student and eventually became professor of flute in 1847. In 1856 he was appointed bandmaster of the Grenadier Guards and held this position until 1896. He was the first bandmaster since the American Revolution to take his band to the USA for the World Peace Jubilee 1872 which was organized by Patrick Gilmore in Boston. Godfrey retired in 1896 and organized his own band. In 1887 he was the first commissioned officer in British military bands and which bore with it the designation Director of Music.His contribution to the military band parade repertoire was extensive and included Guards,Hilda and Mabel inspection music.
Godfrey Adolphuis Frederick b 1837 d 1882. brother of the preceding. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music and entered the Coldstream Guards in 1856 and in 1863 he succeeded his father as bandmaster of theta regimental band.. His arrangements and transcriptions were superb and in many cases very much ahead of his time.His various arrangements which were entitled Reminiscences became standard military band fare. His contribution in the area of classical potpourri contributed to the emersion of military band outdoor and concert performance popularity.
Godfrey Charles b 1839 d 1919 brother of the preceding. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music and began his musical career as a clarinetist in Jullien's orchestra in 1853.He changed career direction in 1859 when he was selected as bandmaster of the Scots Fusilier Guards. he left that regiment in 1868 for the Royal Horse Guards band where he became a commissioned Director in 1899. He was professor of military music at the Royal College of Music . He was a major contributor to the Orpeus Army Military Band Journal which reveals a outstanding ability in band arranging and transcriptions.
Godfrey Dan Stuart b 1893 d 1935 cousin of Charles. He was educated at the Royal College of Music and enlisted in the Coldstream Guards in order to qualify for military bandmastership. He served in World War 1 and later became associated with the British Broadcasting System where he was a pioneer in military band broadcasts.
Gossip Brian Albert b 1934 He served with the Imperial Black Watch band as a National Serviceman and was trained on oboe and saxophone. In 1956 he emigrated to Canada and furthered his musical studies eventually joining the Canadian Reserve Navy as a bandsman saxophone. In 1958 he was accepted for the principal saxophonist with the Royal Canadian Regiment band and was a featured soloist with this band . In 1971 he was selected in competition for bandmaster training at the Canadian Forces School of music. In 1974 he was posted to the Central Band of the Canadian Forces in Ottawa. He became one of the staff arrangers and began writing numerous marches for the Canadian Forces. In 1983 he was appointed assistant direcor of he Prinecss Patricias Light I nfantry band and wrote several outstanding arrangements for this band.He retired in 1988 after serving as the Chief Warrant Officer of the Canadian Forces School of Music. He continued his association with the military as a Cadet officer and became a very popular clinician and arranger for this organization. He has written numerous marches for band and several have been recorded. His most outstanding marches include March St Laurent and March Thunderbird.
Graham Arthur b 1875 d 1947 He became a bandboy in the 15th Hussars at age fourteen and received his musical training as a pupil at the Royal School of Music, Kneller Hall, on clarinet. He advanced to the rank of Sergeant with the Hussars and in 1901 was selected for bandmaster training also at Kneller hall. He graduated in 1903 and was appointed bandmaster of the 1st Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment with the rank of Warrant Officer. He served for many years in India and was the bandmaster for the presentation of colors by the Prince of Wales. he retired in 1921. He carried on his fine record of musicianship by conducting several concert bands and orchestras including the Queen's Variety theatre in Castleford. He wrote several highly acclaimed marches for band. His march The Champion and Hampton Court are his most well known compositions.
Grundstrom Per Gustaf Adolph b 1886 d 1975 He enlisted as an apprentice musician at age 13 in the world Renown Life Guards band in Stockholm Sweden.. He continued his studies on violin and various band instruments and graduated in 1906 from the Royal College of Music with a diploma of music director.He began his career as a bandmaster with the Royal Halland Regiment band and in 1912 he was promoted to the position of Director of Music. He gained experience conducting both orchestras and choirs. He eventually became the director of the Life Guards band and retired in 1944. He received many honors and several outstanding marches including the well known Swedish march General Cederschiöld.
Gungl Joseph b 1810 d 1889 He was a Austrian born musician who began his career in the Army in the Fourth Regiment of Artillery as an oboist. He was selected in competition as bandmaster of the same regimental band 1842. He made several European tours with his regimental band playing mostly his own compositions. He left the military to establish his own band for a tour of North America,. On his return he was appointed the Music Director to the King of Austria and later in 1859 was appointed bandmaster of the Emperor's service in Prussia.. Gungle wrote numerous waltzes and marches and his Hungarian March Opus 1 was one in a long line of military marches he added to the band repertoire
H. Haachti Rauno Erik dob unknown He began his military career at the Military Music School in Helsinki where he studied clarinet and saxophone.. He was assigned to the band of the of Armour Battalion in 1947. He gained steady promotion and in 1967 he graduated from the the Sibelius Academy and was granteda commission in the Finnish Army and appointed to Director of Music. From 1971 to 1990 he conducted and commanded the Military band of Lapland rising to teh rank of Major. In 1990 he was selected as the Chief Conductor of Music and pomoted to teh rank of Lt Colonel and was transferred to the headquarters of the Finnish Defence Forces in Helsinki. At the time of his retirement in 1994 he was in charge of all bands in Finland.
Hanssen Johannes b 1874 d 1967 He became one of Norway's most active and influential bandmasters and started music at age ten eventually learning trumpet and entering the Second Brigade band in Oslo on baritone. He was selected as bandmaster of the Oslo Military staff band and remained in this post from 1926 to 1934. he was also bandmaster of this band from 1945 to 1946. He had a varied career both as a military and civilian musician and wrote several marches for concert band including the evergreen and popular march Valdres which was written between 1901-1904.
Haase Ferdinand b 1788 d 1851.Born in Silesia he enlisted in the French Army in 1810. He marched with Napolean and provided music during Napolean's march on Moscow. His talent was noted by teh Grand Duke Constantine and he helped the youndg musician to obtaina solid musical education. When the Grand Duke was placed in charge of the Polish Army he selected Haase to be in charge of military music. earlier he had written the Preobrazhensky march and it now became an instant sensation and was adopted by the regiment with the same name. later it was assimilated into the Prussian Army collection(a.m.1.30) Following teh Grand Dukes arrival in Warsaw two more Guards Regiments were raised prompting Haase to write another march for the Volhynia Guards Jager Regiment.Later he was posted to Russia to help organize the and he was appointed to be commandant of the military school of music. In 1845 he composed an album of military music and he arranged numerous workd for band. He organized joint concerst of Prussian and Russian bands. His arrangements and compositions for band was extensive and he arranged several national anthems including God save the Tsar.
Hautvast Willy (Wilhelmus) b 1932 He began his study of music with his father learning clarinet and saxophone. He studied at the Maastricht Conservatory and in 1951 he enlisted in the Royal Netherlands Air Force and from 1952 to 1975 was solo clarinet with that band. He left military serve in 1975 to accept the position of teacher and bandmaster at the Nijmagen Music School.He has written several concert band numbers and many of his arrangements and transcriptions have been published. His march Fly Past is dedicated to the pilots of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
Henrion Richard b 1854 d 1940 . He decided on career as a military musician very early in his life and after serious study on the organ at the Joanniskirche in Madeburg he completed the requirements to become an army bandmaster at Brandenburg. He served with the 64th Regiment in Prenzlau and in 1881 he joined the 2nd Grenadier Regiment at Stettin where he remained for the rest of his army career. He composed over 260 works for band orchestra, and he was a specialist in fanfare marches. His music was often included in compilations of German and Austrian marches and the Fehrbelliner Reitermarsch-or Fahrbellin Cavalry march appears in no less than 20 different books of military marches.
Hicks Lawrence b 1913 d 1997 He joined the 1st Battalion of the Cameroinians as a bandboy aged fourteen in 1926. He was selected to attend Kneller Hall and graduated in 1938 and was appointed bandmaster of the 2nd battalion the Black Watch. During the war years he was attached to the Canadian Army asa bandmaster of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps band serving in Belgium and the Netherlands. His dairy of the band's work still resides in the Canadian Directorate of History in Ottawa. In addition he arranged several numbers for Canadian bands during the war. In 1951 he resigned from the British Army and joined the Austrian Air Force band. Under his direction the RAAF band playeda leading roleat the 1956 Olympic games at Melbourne. He was responsible for scoring and arranging 70 national anthems for this occasion. He retired in 1968 and organized a ladies concert band
Howard George Sallade b 1903 d 1995. He had a very extensive career as a musician, teacher and director prior to joining the US Army in 1942.He began his military career teaching music to American troops in Greenland,Iceland Newfoundland and Labrador . In 1944 he transferred to the Army Air Corps (later the US Air Force) where he was ordered to to "form the best damn band in the world" by General HH hap Arnold.He held auditions and selected 100 musicians out of 1500 that appeared.In addition to the comprehensive performance schedule by the band he established the USAF bandsmen school of music and introduced the commissioned officer status for all Air Force band directors. He retired in 1963 and became the director of the Metropolitan Police band of Washington DC. He received numerous awards for his contribution to both military and civilian band music in America. He wrote some published marches including The Afalfa Club and High Honor.
Howe James H b 1917 Born in Durham England he began playing cornet and piano at age nine and in 1933 he joined the Regimental band of the Royal Scots as a bandboy. He became a prisoner of war in 1940 and organized a prisoner of war dance orchestra. Following the war he attended the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall. In 1949 he was appointed bandmaster of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was selected to the Highland Brigade Junior Musicians Unit at Aberdeen in 1958. In 1959 he became the Director of Music of the Scots Guards band and Senior Director of Music of the Household Division from 1970 to 1974. He was made a member of the order British Empire and also received the Award for Service to Military Music.Most of his works are for brass band but his march Pentland Hills is also for military band and is one of the finest in the concert band repertoire.
Husadel Hans Felix b 1897 d 1964 He was involved in military music and bands during both wars. He studied French horn and piano and attended the Berlin Academy of Music. He graduated asa bandmaster and bacme leader of the Fourteenth Regimental band in 1928. in 1935 he was given the responsibilty of organizing bands for the newly formed Air Force. as well asa newly formed branch of the Wehrmacht. From 1935 to 1945 he also taught at the Berlin Music Academy. He was part of the group of band leaders who provided music for the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He introduced several innovation to the performance of both civilian and military bands by adding alto,bass and contrabass clarinets, ,and baritone saxophones as well asa whole range of brass instruments. He remained in charge of Air Force bands during the World War 2 and later became the director of the famous Berlin Philharmonic band. He wrote a number of highly regarded compositions for band including the march Berlin Post and his march named for the memory of the Red Baron Richthofen Fighter Wing-Favoriten.