BARNUM AND BAILEY'S FAVORITE

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KARL L. KING WROTE THIS POPULAR MARCH IN 1913 WHEN HE WAS 22 YEARS OLD. HE WROTE THIS MARCH FOR THE 32 PIECE BARNUM AND BAILEY'S CIRCUS BAND WHERE HE PLAYED THE EUPHONIUM. PERFORMED BY THE 1971 ILLINOIS UNIV. CONCERT BAND.

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Symphonic Band Performances

Contemporary band compositions, classical music arrangements, marches, jazz, symphonies, overtures. A collection from bands that I have played in throughout hi

Hello and welcome! "Symphonic Band Performances" is a compilation of recordings from several high school and college bands that I played in including the TMEA (Texas) All State Band, the TMEA Region X All Region Band, the Interlochen Arts Academy National Music Camp, the Cal Poly Tech Band, San Luis Obispo, the USAF Golden West Band, and recordings from my h.s. band, Beaumont H.S. and a few band recordings that were passed down to me. Also included are various All State groups and college and university bands. I participated and played in the large majority of these recordings. There are no professional recordings here and every recording is Public Domain. Most are available for free download. Each song has been converted from the original analog or digital source and edited with Audacity or Dak software. In the majority of these recordings, I play the tenor sax or alto sax, b flat or e flat clarinet, or directing. I was drum major for 2 years in high school, I have a BA from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where I studied music ed, composition and theory. I had about 500 more recordings I was planning to digitize and upload, but this past Nov. 20th, my home was completely destroyed by fire, and all the contents, including all my music and instruments. So, this is it. Please feel free to post a comment here or on my member page. If you like, please become a fan by clicking "I'm a fan" below.

Song Info

Genre

Classical • Ensembles

Charts

Peak #41

Peak in subgenre #5

Rights

public domain

Uploaded

October 02, 2009

Track Files

MP3

MP3 3.5 MB • 186 kbps • 2:38

Story behind the song

King wrote this march for the thirty-two piece Barnum and Bailey Circus Band in 1913 at the request of its director, the noted minstrel show cornetist, Ned Brill. King was twenty-two at the time and was preparing to join the band as a euphonium player. The euphonium part in this march ( and in most of King's other marches) shows his love for the instrument -- he liked to hear the euphonium "romping around". His use of the word "favorite" in the title was a good choice. It is still one of the most popular marches played-- in or out of the circus, and his most famous piece. In a 1980 international music survey this march ranked fourth in the top 140 marches. 
King was one of the first persons elected to the American Bandmasters Association when it was founded in 1929, was president in 1938, served on the board of directors in 1936 and 1941, and was elected honorary life president in 1967. He was much in demand as a guest conductor and was very supportive of school music programs. King died at the age of 80 in Fort Dodge, Iowa on March 31, 1971, and is buried in the Northlawn Cemetery there. 
Karl Lawrence King, who for a time wrote under the pseudonym of Carl Lawrence, was a master of March composing, second only to John Philip Sousa. The marches he wrote for better bands have stood the test of time, most having been written before 1940, such as Pride of the Illini for Illinois and the Purple Pageant for Northwestern. After 1940, most of his music was written for school bands and is classified as grade 2 or grade 3. These school marches sound as complete and exciting as those composed for circus bands and are a fantastic teaching tool for young musicians.

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