This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features original classical wind-band music by the Czech composer Vaclav Pichl, a classical composer who was a contemporary of Joseph Haydn. After studying philosophy, theology, and law in Prague, he became a professional violinist and worked for a number of orchestras. He was born in 1741 and died on January 23, 1805, from a stroke he suffered while performing a violin concerto. He wrote over 400 compositions, including 89 symphonies and 20 operas.

We open today's edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion with a popular march from the Broadway musical "The Music Man," which was also made into a movie. "Seventy-Six Trombones" was composed by Meredith Wilson, who also served as the music director for Tallulah Bankhead's radio show. As part of a running joke in the show, Meredith addressed Tallulah as "sir," as in "Yes, sir, Miss Bankhead." As a child, Wilson began playing the bass drum in the Salvation Army Band, but eventually he played the flute and piccolo in both the Sousa Band and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He not only wrote two very popular Broadway musicals, but also symphonies and film scores.

Wind-band arrangements (transcriptions) of opera music are featured in this edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion. But this edition begins with music by the German composer Carl Teike. Teike wrote over 100 marches and at least 20 concert works. For today’s edition, you’ll hear one of each: a march and a waltz. Born in Pomerania, Teike began studying music at age 14 and learned to play a variety of instruments. He was a member of the Wurttemberg army band, in which he played French horn and percussion. Because his bandmaster didn’t like Teike’s march entitled “Old Comrades,” he quit the army band and became a police officer and postal worker. “Old Comrades” is now Teike’s most famous work—as well as one of the most popular marches in the world. This edition begins with a different march: “ The Prince Albert March.”

Music by 20th century wind-band composers is the focus of this edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion: music of Malcolm Arnold, Vitorio Giannini, and James Barnes. This edition begins with the march “Overseas,” composed in 1960 by Sir Malcolm Arnold, the British composer who lived from 1921 to 2006. After seeing Louis Armstrong perform, Arnold took up the trumpet at age 12. At age 17, he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music. During WW II, he registered as a conscientious objector and therefore did not fight. This also allowed him to continue work as the first trumpet of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. After his brother was killed in 1944, he volunteered for military service and was assigned to a military band. He shot himself in foot to get back to civilian life. He became a full-time composer in 1948.

This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion begins with three circus marches: “Rolling Thunder” by Henry Fillmore, “Melody Shop” by Karl L. King, “Belford’s Carnival” by Russell Alexander. The first two marches are considered two of the hardest marches to play. The third has a challenging woodwind part. “Rolling Thunder” was used for high sway poles, elephant acts, and liberty horses. Karl King wrote “ Melody Shop” when he was 19 years old and playing euphonium for Robinson’s Famous Shows. “Belford’s Carnival” was used for high-pole acts and liberty horses. Russell Alexander originally wrote the march for a sideshow band of which he was a member just before he joined the Barnum and Baily Circus Band for a 5-year tour of Europe.

In 1944, the “Chiquita Banana Song” premiered as a jingle, a commercial song for extolling the virtues of and selling bananas. By 1945, the jingle was being aired as many at 2,700 times a week. In addition, it became a popular tune with a number of big bands and singing groups issuing recordings. The original singer of the jingle was Elsa Miranda, who issued a commercial phonograph accompanied by the Viva American Orchestra. But there were also recordings by the DeMarco Sisters, Gene Krupa, Xavier Cugat, and Carmen Miranda. The song continued to be popular with the T-Bones issuing a recording in 1966. Recently, the song has appeared in the Simpsons television show and in the movie Despicable Me.

Frantisek Kmoch is a Czech composer and conductor who lived from 1848 to 1912. He was born in Kolin in Czechia, which has a yearly music festival held in his name. The city band is also named after him—and that’s the band we will be hearing as we open today’s edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion. Kmoch is considered the most important Czech wind-band composer after Julius Fucik with over 500 compositions to his credit. His marches and other compositions use Czech folk tunes, as part of his advocacy for Czech nationalism. (During his entire lifetime, Czechia was part of and ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.)

This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features circus music composed by Fred Jewell, who ran away from home to join the band of the Gentry Bros. Dog & Pony Show at age 16. He played the euphonium and the calliope. Eventually, he directed three circus bands: the band of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, the Sells-Floto Circus, and theBarnum & Bailey Circus. When he retired from circus work in 1918, he returned to his hometown of Worthington, Indiana, to be the high school band director. He composed over 100 marches and screamers, a screamer being a fast march that accompanied fast galloping animals in circus acts.

This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features circus music composed by Fred Jewell, who ran away from home to join the band of the Gentry Bros. Dog & Pony Show at age 16. He played the euphonium and the calliope. Eventually, he directed three circus bands: the band of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, the Sells-Floto Circus, and the Barnum & Bailey Circus. When he retired from circus work in 1918, he returned to his hometown of Worthington, Indiana, to be the high school band director. He composed over 100 marches and screamers, a screamer being a fast march that accompanied galloping animals in circus acts.

Leoš Janáček was a Czech composer, music theorist, folklorist, publicist, and teacher. He was born in Moravia in 1854, which was then part of the Austo-Hungarian Empire and is now the eastern part of Czechia. His music was inspired by folk music. Along with Anton Dvorak and Bedřich Smetana, he is considered one of the big three Czech composers. He is most famous for his operas, probably from his earliest musical training and experience as a singer. His primary musical instruments were piano and organ. He studied at the Leipzig and Vienna Conservatories. He composed choral works, operas, chamber music, and orchestra works. Today's edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features a wind-band transcription of his Sinfonietta for Orchestra.