Henry Fillmore
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (February 2008) |
Henry Fillmore | |
---|---|
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. | |
Died | December 7, 1956 | (aged 75)
Alma mater | Cincinnati Conservatory of Music |
Occupation(s) | Composer, musician, bandleader |
Spouse | Mabel May Jones |
Henry Fillmore (December 3, 1881 – December 7, 1956) was an American musician, composer, publisher, and bandleader, best known for his many marches and screamers, a few of which he wrote for the Band of the Hour at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.
Early life and education
Fillmore was born in
Fillmore entered the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1901.
Personal life
After graduating from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Fillmore traveled the United States as a
Career
During the 1920s, Fillmore was back in Cincinnati conducting the Shriners Temple Band, which he turned into one of the best marching bands in the country. After the death of John Phillip Souza in 1932, he was often called "The March King".[3]
Fillmore Music House
The Fillmore Music House was co-founded in 1874 by his father, James Fillmore, and his uncle, Frederick Fillmore, under the "Fillmore Brothers" name, which began as a Cincinnati-based hymnal publisher.[4] When Henry Fillmore became president after his father's death in 1937, he transformed the firm to focus on orchestral and band music, along with musical instrument sales.[4] In 1951, he announced the Fillmore Music Shop would become an affiliate of Carl Fischer Music of New York, with the condition that it would still operate under the Fillmore name and that all thirteen employees would continue in their employment at the store's 528 Elm Street location.[4]
Florida band work
In 1938, Fillmore, after being advised by a physician that he had just a few months to live, retired to Miami, Florida. He went on, however, to prove the physician wrong, keeping an active schedule rehearsing high school bands in Florida and composing marches. The Henry Fillmore Band Hall, the rehearsal hall for many of the University of Miami's performing groups, acquired its name as a tribute to Fillmore's work in the band genre.[3] The hall houses the Fillmore Museum.[3] His march "Orange Bowl" was written for Miami's Band of the Hour. Uncle Henry, as Fillmore was affectionately known to the members of the Band of the Hour, also wrote the University of Miami's current official fight song – "Miami U How-De-Doo".[5] His arrangement of "The Star-Spangled Banner" is performed by the Florida State University Marching Chiefs. His march "Men of Florida" was composed for the bands at the University of Florida. He was given an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Miami in 1956 in recognition of his career. Fillmore lived out the rest of his days in South Florida.
Music
Fillmore wrote over 250 pieces and
A musical trade journal explained matters similarly in 1928: “The Harold Bennett Group includes selections for various instruments covering a specific range and not too difficult. The Al Hayes group is written for the same instruments, but with a more difficult arrangement; the Harry Hartley group is mostly teachers’ solos; and the Ray Hall group interesting miscellaneous compositions. Under his own name Mr. Fillmore has written many trombone solos and marches.”[7]
While best known for
- "The President's March" (1956)
- "The Footlifter" (1935)
- "Americans We" (1929)
- "Men of Ohio" (1921)
- "The Man of the Hour" (1924)[8]
- "His Honor" (1934)
- "The Klaxon" (1930)
- "Lassus Trombone" (1915)
- "(We're) Men of Florida"
- "Military Escort March" (1923)
- "Mt. Healthy" (1916)
- "The Crosley March"
- "Noble Men" (1922)
- "Orange Bowl March" (1939)
- "Rolling Thunder March" (1916)
- "The Circus Bee" (1908)
- "King Karl King" (1957)
Fillmore gained fame as the "Father of the Trombone Smear", All of Fillmore's trombone rags are as follows:
- "Miss Trombone (A Slippery Rag)" (1908)
- "Teddy Trombone (A Brother to Miss Trombone)" (1911)
- "Lassus Trombone (The Cullud Valet to Miss Trombone)" (1915)
- "Pahson Trombone (Lassus Trombone's 'Ole Man')" (1916)
- "Sally Trombone (Pahson Trombone's Eldest Gal Some Crow)" (1917)
- "Slim Trombone (Sally Trombone's Cousin- the Jazzin' One Step Kid)" (1918)
- "Mose Trombone (He's Slim Trombone's Buddy)" (1919)
- "Shoutin' Liza Trombone (Mose Trombone's Ah-finity)" (1920) (Also known as "Hallelujah Trombone" for the quote from Handel's "Messiah")
- "Hot Trombone (He's Jes a Fren' ob Shoutin' Liza Trombone)" (1921)
- "Bones Trombone (He's Jes as Warm as Hot Trombone)" (1922)
- "Dusty Trombone" (1923)
- "Bull Trombone (A Cullud Toreador)" (1924)
- "Lucky Trombone" (1926)
- "Boss Trombone" (1929)
- "Ham Trombone" (1929)
Occasionally, as in "The Footlifter" credit, Fillmore wrote with the name Harold Bennett.[11]
References
- ^ McCann, Forrest Mason (1997). Hymns & history. Abilene, Texas: Abilene Christian University Press. p. 400.
- ^ Band of America (July 23, 2003). "Americans We march". Shrine Temple Auditorium: Hallway Independent Productions. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c Findsen, Owen (March 3, 1996). "Henry Fillmore: The March King". Newspapers.com. The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 42. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ a b c Segal, Alfred (December 20, 1951). "Fillmore Music Shop Sold to New York Firm". Newspapers.com. The Cincinnati Post. p. 30. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "Miami FL - Fight Song - Miami U How-Dee-Doo". Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
- ^ Liner notes to Front & Center, a Collection of American Marches, U.S. Air Force Band
- ^ “Alias Henry Fillmore.” Metronome 44:12 (December 1928), 55.
- ^ "School of Music Records UA.16.86". archives.msu.edu. 2007. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
'The Man of the Hour' march by Henry Fillmore (folio #HM-17) 1924
- ISBN 9781609495756. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ Yeo, Douglas (June 28, 2020). "Trombone Players: It's Time to Bury Henry Fillmore's Lassus Trombone". The Last Trombone. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ^ Bennett, Harold; Fillmore, Henry (September 17, 2013). "The Footlifter". Just Sheet Music. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
Further reading
- Bierley, Paul E. (1982). The Music of Henry Fillmore and Will Huff. Columbus, Ohio: Integrity Press. ISBN 0-918048-02-8.