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Uni International 300 N Zeeb Road Ann Arbor. MMS1Q6

ARTHUR PRYOR (1870-1942) AMERICAN TROMBONIST, BANDMASTER, COMPOSER

*

Daniel E. Fr izane Wheaton College

M.M., University of Nebraska

Submitted to the Department of Music and the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical* Arts (Conducting).

Document Committee:

JA Chairman

•=yrtU(. crfWWt

Document defended: "~}}lij j p y

To my f a t h e r ,

s e l f - t a u g h t trombonist? and bandmaster

in t he t r a d i t i o n of Arthur Pryor

t . "

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES ' . . . v

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vU

PREFACE viii

CHAPTER ONE: THE LIFE OF PRYOR . . . . * 1

Introduction 1

The "Boy Wonder.of St. Joseph:" Paternal Influence and Early Years (1870-92) 2

"He has no equa l" : Vir tuoso Years with the Sousa Band (1892-1903) . . . . . . . 9

On His Own: The Pryor Band: Live Concerts (1903-33) 20

A Pioneer in His Field The Pryor Band: Recordings and Radio (1903-33) 29

Interlude: His Character, Standards, and Conducting Skills 33

An Active Retirement: The Final Years (.1933-42) 40

CHAPTER TWO: THE WORKS OF PRYOR 49

Introduction 49 Musical Traits 53 Publications 59 Categories ' 62 Marches 64 Rags 74 Novelties 78 Waltzes 79 Miscellaneous Dances 80 Piano Solos 80 Songs 81 Trombone Solos 82 Possible/Spurious Compositions 92

APPENDIX: ANNOTATED LIST OF COMPOSITIONS 93

Marches ...» 95 Rags 110 Novel t ies 117 Waltzes 125 Miscellaneous Dances 128 Piano Solos 129 Songs 231 Trombone Solos 136 Collections 146 Possible/Spurious Compositions ; 147

BIBLIOGRAPHY * 155

Books 155 Articles 156 Recordings 158 Miscellaneous 159

\

' • ( — ' \

4

LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES

1. Crescent Club (1894), beginning of trio, second time 53

2. The Victor (1904), end of first strain 54

3. The March King (1895), beginning of first strain 54

4. On Jersey ,-Shore (1904), beginning of firs t strain 55

5. Captain Cupid (1908), beginning of second strain 55

6. Baby Parade (1906) r beginning of trio 56

7. Kentucky Club (1899), beginning 56

8. Arms of America (1911), raeas. 23-26 of t r i o 57

9. The Arcade Girl (1910), meas. 2H-28 of trio 57

10. The Love Kiss (1908), end of piece 58

11. On Jersey Shore (1904), beginning of trio . 5 8

12. The Kentucky Club (1899), dogfight 69

13. The March King (1895), end of dogfight 70

14. Sweetheart (1897), end of dogfight 70

15. Ye Boston Tea Party (1899), end of dogfight 71

16. The Irish King (1905), beginning 72

17. La Spaniola (1898), p. 5, meas. 5-9 80

18. The Patriot (1904), opening cadenza 86

19. Thoughts of Love (1904), end of third section 86

*S>0. Air Varie (1895), final cadenza 8b

21. Blue Bells of Scotland (1904), final cadenza 87

22. Exposition Echoes Polka (1894), middle of coda section . . . . 87

23. The Tip Topper ( 1937), introduction • • 87

24. Annie Laurie (1895), trombone entrance 88

25. Love's Enchantment (1903), trombone entrance 88

26- Fantastic Polka (1939), start of trio 88 ^ /

27. Polka Caprice Type 91 A

i

4

28. V&lse Caprice Type 91

29. Valse de Concert Type 91

30. Theme and Variations Type 92

31. The Arcade Girl (1911), beginning of first strain 96

32. The Arcade Girl (1911), beginning of dogfight 96

33. The Arms of America (1911), beginning of jdogf ight 97

34. The Arms of America (1911), end of dogfight 98

35. The^Gridiron (1898), beginning of trio - 102

36. On Jersey Shore (1904), beginning 105

si

r

<sa

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Sheet Music

The March King - ^ 161 A Coort»Band Contest 161 Arms of America 162 The Whistler and His Dog 162 Mr. Black Man 163 40 and 8 . . * 163 la Lover's Lane 164 After Sunset 165 P61ka~Exposition Echoes 166-167

Programs: Willow Grove Park, 6 June 1909 168 Willow Grove Park, 3 June 1918 169„

Sheet Music Covers *

Love's Enchantment 170 The Little Chief 171 The Whistler and His Dog f?2 March of the White Rats 173 Burlington March 174 The Love Kiss Walt2 -^175

Testimonials

From John Philip Sousa s 176 From Musical Times and Band Journal 177

Advertisements

Novelty Bulletin 178 Pryor's Popular Pieces 179 Arthur Pryor and His Band 180

/ •

The career of Arthur Pryor spans an important time in American

history. _aIt saw a transition from a rural frontier life still

largely dependent upon agriculture to an urbanized, industrial world

power. One year before Pryor's birth the United States became

physically united by the Transcontinental Railroad, which reflects

the national unity that had been restored only four years before with

the end of the Civil War. The decade of the 1870s saw the invention

of the electric light, the telephone, and, of particular significance

to Pryor, the phonograph. In the 1880s the development of the

electric trolley car made rapid urban growth possible. Henry Ford

built his first automobile in 1893, and ten years afterwards the •

Wright brothers fulfilled man's age-old dream of flight.

Despite problems of labor unrest an£ urban blight, these were

exciting times in America. With industrial growth and a more stable

economy, Americans found themselves able to enjoy more of the

pleasures of life, including music. Responding to this new-found

leisure time came several forms of national entertainment, not the

least of which was the traveling concert band.

The band itself was not new to America. British military bands

were here during Revolutionary War days. In 1773 Josiah Flagg was

directing a band in Boston, and the U.S. Marine Band was established

in 1798. The Salem Brigade Band was organized in 1806, and by 1835

Ned Kendall, the celebrated keyed bugle virtuoso, was conducting the

Boston Brass Band. The Dodsworth Band of New York, directed by

brothers Allen and Harvey Dodsworth, was in existence for over half

of the last century, beginning in the 1830s; it was«~Allen Dodsworth who

designed the over-the-shoulder marching instruments popular during

the Civil War^ D. W. Reeves and C. S. Grafulla were important

composers who conducted bands in Rhode Islanc^and New York

respectively. The American Band of Providence, in particular, had a

long history going back to the 1840s under founder Joseph Green.

Several town bands sprang up in the early and mid-1800s, particularly

in Pennsylvania; many are still in existence today. *

The most important bandmaster of the la&t century, the direct

forerunner of Sousa and Pryor, is Patrick S. Gilmore. Born in

Ireland^ he became famous as a cornet virtuoso, and in a famous '

"duel" with Ned Kendall in 1856 he supposedly proved the superiority

of valves over keys. In 1859 he took over the Boston Brass Band,

renamed it Gilmore's Band, and two years later enlisted his entire

band into the Union Army. In 1864 his song "When Johnny Comes

Marching Home Again" was published under the pseudonym of Louis

Lambert.

Gilmore is most remembered, however, for a series of huge music

festivals he organized and directed. The 18-day Peace Festival held

in Boston in 1872 involved 2000 instrumentalists and 20,000 singers

presenting concerts in a hall seating 100,000": Gilmore then moved to

New York where he directed the 22nd Regiment Band which toured Europe

in 1878. Victor Herbert directed the Gilmore Band for a few years

after Gilmore died in 1892. As we shall see, Pryor almost joined the

*H. W. Schwartz, Bands of America (New York: Doubleday and Co., 1957), p. 41.

V. X

/

Gilmore Band in i t s f i n a l y e a r s , and the ; bandmaster was very

In the year of Gilmore*s death, John Philip Sousa resigned from

his position as conductor of the U.S. Marine^Band, a position he had

held since 1880. Before this he was a violinist and conductor of

theater orchestras. During his years with the Marine Band he had

established an enviable standard of musical excellence. With the

encouragement of his manager David Blakely and the initial financial

help of some businessmen, Sousa's new band #as to be organized on a

different basis; it was to be independent and self-supporting,

something that would be emulated in years to come by other V

bandmasters such as Pryor. Before this time most bands in America

had been supported by either some local civic or business interests,

or by the military. While this arrangement did assure financial

"The Sousa Band was totally dependent upon public approval for its <<r

survival, and it was something of a miracl&^in^show business for a

musical organization of its size to have played to capacity houses

2 for 39 years."

The Sousa Band was one of the first professional "business" bands

in America, and certainly the most successful, living largely off the

support of an appreciative American audience who now had the time and

means to enjoy this "golden age1' of the American concert band. A

young trombonist from Missouri would soon do his part to make the

disappointed when Pryor became a conducto operettas.

stability, it also held the band accountable to special interests.

^Paul *E. Bierley, John Philip Sousa: American Phenomenon. (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1973), p. 154.

I

Sousa Band what it was, and he Loo was destined to make his mark in

the world of American band music.

It is the purpose of this document to study th£ life and works of

this Missouri trombonist-turned-bandmaster, Arthur Pryor. Chapter

che son of a town bandmaster, his succi s trombonist with Sousa

and then as conductor of his own famed band, his contributions to

recording and radio, his personality and family, and finally his

retirement and passing. -

Chapter II surveys the compositions of Pryor. It begins with an

introduction which summarizes his musical style and the publication

of his music. His approximately 100 compositions are then discussed in

eight separate categories according to style and medium of

performance. The Appendix discusses each composition individually,

grouped according to the categories of Chapter II.

I had the privilege of growing up in a band-oriented family in

which the music of Sousa, Pryor, Henry Fillmore, K. L. King, and

Edwin Franko Goldman was held in high regard. Therefore the

preparation of this document has been a most enjoyable return to my

roots. I am convinced anew that whatever level of sophistication a

musician may claim to acquire and possess, hearing a stirring march

performed by a fine band or a "bravura'1 style «plo performed by a

true artist/showman will always be a common denominator of musical

pleasure for all people, at least in our Western culture.

I wish to thank former K.U. music history-professor Stuart Carter

who encouraged me to pick a subject that I would enjoy, and then for

is a general survey of his life, discussing his paternal heritage as

\

x u

suggesting, quite in passing, the name Arthur Pryor. I also wish to

thank the members of my doctoral committee: Dr. J. Bunker Clark who

patiently guided final organization and assembly of this study, and

Dr. Stanley Shumway, Dr. John Grashel, Pro£. Robert Foster, and Prof.

Thomas Stidham for their continuous support and encouragement. The

K.U. Band program under the leadership of Professors Foster and

Stidham has been an inspiration to me; it is an outstanding example

of the achievements of the American band movement, building on the

great tradition of Gilmore, Sousa, and Pryor. Dr. Stephen Anderson,

processor of trombone, has also shared many helpful suggestions and

offered support.

In an area where little formal research has been done, the

willing assistance of many individuals becomes necessary and is very

much appreciated. Of the many with whom I have corresponded, four

people deserve special mention: the late Glenn Bridges, Paul Bierley,

Lynn L. Sams, and William Pruyn. The lengthy and detailed letters

from these men shed much light from primary sources on the career and

personality of Pryor. In addition, Dr. Edward Bahr, Herbert

Johnston, and Frederick Williams sent many articles and other

information about Pryor. The Chatfield Brass Band Free Lending

Library of Chatfield, Minnesota sent me all the Pryor music in its

collection so that 1 could study it, and Mrs. Robert Hoe sent me

recordings of much of Pryor's music for the ame purpose.

An important incentive in my study was the preparation of a

survey of Pryor's life for the jacket notes of the album Trombone

Solos--Arthur Pryor. I wish to thank Peter Christ of Crystal

x i i i

Records fo r t h i s oppor tun i ty . The climax of my study came during a

t r i p to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. in January 1984

I acknowledge the help of Jon Newsom and h i s s t a f f of the Music

Divis ion during my s tay t h e r e , ffewsom's [ f tedecessor , James ^mart ,

was very h e l p f u l in correspondence during the e a r l y period of t h i s

s tudy. Appwcia t ion i s extended to'^Paula Ol iver fo r typing my

document, and f i n a l l y , to my wife Ginge-r and ch i ld ren Car r i e and

Matthew for p a t i e n t l y pe r se rve r ing through four years of my* "Pryor

commitment." **

x

i

CHAPTER ONE A

-A SURVEY OF HIS LIFE

Introduction

"His execution set the prairies afire^ his vibrating pedal tones

rattled the windows of the Theatre and killed the gold fishes .e'zyl «

stunned the canaries all the way out to the packing plant where even

th<* iron gates trembled."* So said an exuberant newspaper reporter

in Omaha, Nebraska, following a performance by the young trombone

virtuoso Arthur Pryor. A later performance in Kansas City almost

caused a-riot when many in the crowd misunderstood cries of "Pryor,

"Pr^er!" for "fire, fire!" And so it went through the years when

the "boy wonder" from Missouri was the featured star of John Philip

Sous-a's famous Band.

Although Pryor gave up active public performance while he was in

hi"* forties, his activities as bandmaster and composer were to keep

him in the public eye until nearly the end of his life. Pryor's Band

was a household name for some three decades, second in fame only to

that of Sousa's Band. Regular appearances in the parks and resorts

of America helped to popularize the concert band as a viable medium

of music. Many Pryor compositions were favorites of both

international heads of state and the man on the street. His famous

solos still challenge trombonists today.

*Ou t-«d in Glenn D. Bridges, Pioneers» in Brass, ird ed. (Detroit^Mi^higan: Sherwood Publications, 1972), p 103.

2 St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 1941.

i

2

While the Sousa Band continued to tour until nearly the end of

Sousa's life, the Pryor Band blazed a path of transition: moving from — i

tours and summer r e s o r t s to recording and radio s t u d i o s , thus

insur ing a f u t u r e -for the continued enjoyment of ins t rumenta l music

ensembles. There fo re , in terms of the concert band movement in

America, the Pryor Band has had a more l a s t i n g i n f l u e n c e . Vir tuoso

performer , conductor , and composer, Arthur Pryor has been a major •

figure in American musical life, and his influence is still evident

today. ^

The "Boy Wonder of St. Joseph"--Paternal Influence and •Early Years (1870-92)

Arthur Willard Pryor was born on September 22, 1870, on the *

second floor on the Lyceum Theatre, St. Joseph' Missouri. His father

was the bandmaster of the town, and the family was living at the

theater at the corner of 5th and Jule-Streets. Arthur was the second

son torn to Samuel and Mary (Coker) Pryor. The oldest son, Walter D.

Pryor, became a famous cornetist who later was featured on recordings

with the great Herbert L. Clarke. The youngest son was Samuel 0.

Pryor who became known for his skill on the drums, playing in later

years in many Kansas City theater orchestras. He also played the

trombone. Both Walter and Sam Jr. were also to play later in the

famous Pryor Band their brother directed.

The boys' father, Samuel t>., was born in Liberty, Missouri, in

June of 1844, the son of a farmer and real estate broker. His family

had fought the Indians there to protect their home. He moved to St.

Joseph in 1854 with his family, and later attended music schools in

u 3

S t . Louis and Chicago, and was music d i r e c t o r of the Lincoln

(Nebraska) Opera House"for three years . (This opera experience >

included'professional tours, and may be one reason that Arthur was

later influenced to direct an opera company^rather than join the

prestigious Gilmore Band.) Samuel Pryor and Mary (,iMoilien) Coker

wera married on November 29, 1866.^

Three years later Sam organised "Pryor's Military Band/' at one

time called the "Silver Cornet Band.1' Later, when.the band went off

to the Spanish-American War, it was known^as the "Fourth Regiment

Band of Missouri." Sam reportedly was a genius at getting jobs for

his band, and it was soon the featured attraction at Local fairs,

parades, lodge meetings (Sam was a member of the Enterprise Lodge,

I.O.O.F."), and funerals. In funeral processions the band would

solemnly play "Nearer My God to Thee,M but when heading back to town

it would strike up "There's a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight

After he told an offended minister once that he would include hymns

in his Sunday concerts, the first piece in his next concert was "The

Devil at Loose.

St. Joseph's Pryor Band must have been a colorful group in the

early days since the uniforms each man provided for himself came from

various lodge or circus bands he had pjlayed in previously. Sam

himself had a long beard and usually wore a silk hat along with

St. Joseph Biographical Directory (St. Joseph, Missouri, 1881), p. 866.

4 S t , Joseph News-Press, 19 February 1939

5 I b i d .

I

A V

4

b r igh t red pants and a whipcord coat , which toge ther must have made , 6 q u i t e an impression.

Whatever musical s k i l l s Arthur Pryor i n h e r i t e d from his f a t h e r ,

he a l so i n h e r i t e d a s t rong tongue. Once Sam was asked by a f a t h e r if *

his son could play in the Band. *''He -can't play so well yet, but is

an awfully nice boy.' 'My'-band is full of nice boys,' Sam replied.

'What I need is someone who can play like hell!'"7 He was rather

strict with his men in musical matters, like his son was years later -

with the more famous Pryor Band..

In 1902, a few days before his death, he was serenaded by his

band outside the Lyceum Theatre. Apparently he was a critic to

the end. After the serenade, someone asked, "Did he die?" Not only

did he live a few more days, but his reaction to the performance was V

"Lis ten to t ha t ! A f t e r a l l I ' v e done f o r t h a t boy Sammy, he s t i l l o

can't play in time!"

Being raised in this band environment, it was natural that the

Pryor boys would turn to music. In fact, it was said in St. Joseph

that while a rival band in town led by Carl Winkler was also very

9 fine, "Sam had the Pryor Boys!" Arthur's training began when he was 0

six years old, although one source spoke of his "competent"

6Ibid.

'ibid.

8Ibid.

9Ibid.

drumming ability at age three.10 His mother, Hoilie Pryor, was a

pianist, and soon he was studying the piano with Prof. Plato, a

"renowned theorist" living in St. Joseph. What instruction he

received on band instruments came from his father. He was taught to

play the violin, cornet, alto horn, bass viol, and the valve

trombone. His exposure to the standard literature was limited,

howeve c.

Until he had almost reached his majority, the most popular of classical music remained a sealed book to Arthur Pryor. He told me this with a humorous smile upon his rather serious features, as indicating the meagreness of his early training.

i •

The strict training by his father included a'rap on the head with a «•

violin bow if he made a mistake. (This ended abruptly when an

expensive bow was broken.)1^ When he was eleven years old, he

appeared with his father's band in Chicago, billed as the "boy

wonder" from Missouri playing the valve trombone.1*

Soon after this, a tramp printer left a battered old slide *

trombone wi th Sam Pryor as payment f o r a d e b t . Young Arthur was

f a s c i n a t e d wi th t h i s i n s t r u m e n t , the f i r s t one in S t . Joseph , so Sam

t o l d him to t ake i t out to the barn and l ea rn to p lay r t . For some

time he t r i e d to master the ins t rument wi thout us ing any s l i d e o i l ,

^ A r t h u r Wise and Mary-Margaret E i t z e n , "Band March Composers Ar thur P r y o r , " The I n s t r u m e n t a l i s t , January 1971, p. 28.

^ J . Sco t t Ames, "Arthur P r y o r , " The Music World, November 1907, p. 1

12 Ibid.

^Wise and Eitzen, p. 28.

14 Bridges, p. 101.

6

and he played using only two positions. Later, while playing pool

with a friend, he was told that there were seven positions and that

he had to find them. He did, and in effect found several more, for

in the heyday of his performing career he made great use of alternate *

aod "false" positions, forcing the notes to suit him. He could play

so incredibly fast that no one noticed that the "correct" positions

were not being- used.

Soon Arthur Pryor became a featured member of his father's band.

By this time he was obsessed with mastering his instrument, and a

boyhood friend named John White, who was also a trombonist, recalled

later that Pryor would sit and practice hour after hour, around ten a

day. At one point he had to drop out of a competition in a weekly

talent contest in his home town. He kept winning first prize and the

other contestants were upset.^

When he was 13 years old he traveled with his father to Denver to

an encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic. There he performed

"Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep," part of a serenade concert for

General "Black Jack" Logan, who responded "I have never heard that

song»played with better expression or with more telling effect. . . .

Make the best use of the divine gift you have my boy."^ He gave the

youngster a small American flag, which quickly became a prized

possession.

^Bridges, p. 101. ^

**Nolbert H. Quayle, "Arthur Pryor: Some Reminiscences," Music Journal, March 1954, p. 37.

*7. Ames, p. 1.

?

8uC he also kept up on the piano. A woman who at one time lived

with the Pryor family in St. Joseph, Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson,

recalled years later how young Arthur would sit at the piano and

"tinkle the keys a little while." He would tfcen send off his new

18 composition for publication.

By the time he was 15 Pryor was playing in^county fairs in the

area, and was becoming quite well known. In 1889 the Italian

bandmaster Alessandro Liberati organized his own band, and, during a

cross country tour iie stopped in Kansas City? He was told of the

young virtuoso of St. Joseph. He took a trip there to visit the

Pryor family, and signed Arthur to appear as §tfloist with his band.

They toured through the western states that summer. It was during

this time that Pryor began to write the trombone solos that are still

known today. He was doing things on the instrument that most people

did oot think possible before, and no music was readily available for

the trombone that could demonstrate his skills.

Ddring a break from later appearances with Liberati's Band, Pryor

appeared with his father's band in a concert at St. Louis. In the

audience, hearing him perform "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep,"

were members of the famed Gilmore Band, directed by the pioneer

American bandmaster (through Irish-born) Patrick S. Gilmore (1829-

92). The Gilmore Band was at the fairgrounds in St. Louis for a

concert series. The bandmembers rushed off to -tell their leader

19 about Pryor , and the r e s u l t was an o f f e r t o j o i n t h a t o r g a n i z a t i o n .

18 ' St. Joseph News-Press, 28 August 1955.

"ibid. , 19' February 1939.

ft

Instead, Pryor went to Denver to direct the Stanley Opera

Company. Why he passed up the opportunity to be the trombone

soloist of the Gilmore Band is hard to understand. Band historian

Glenn Bridges believes it was because he wanted to conduct and not

20 travel so much. Another reason may be that he would have been

following the great Fred Innes as soloist, something his father had

21 said no one could ever do.

According to the leading soprano of th^^plTra company, Hiss Alice $

Neilsen, Pryor was successful in this work. "She was especially

impressed with his ability as piano accompanist, both playing by ea

and for having an "endless repertoire" of songs that he knew. She

recalled one incident that took place in Omaha, where his kind

encouragement kept her singing through a performance while caged

lions (part of the following act) were snapping at- her heels.^

Pryor claimed later to learn^hrough this opera experience the

importance of knowing the piano; this aided him in his composing.

After directing the opera company for several months, he was

prevailed upon to play a solo in a concert at Salt Lake City while

the company was there. The success of this appearance, even though

admittedly he was out of practice, led to second thoughts about

Gilmore's standing offer. However, a severe illness intervened, and

Pryor returned to St. Joseph to recover. Gilmore's disappointment and

20 ^ Glenn D. Bridges, personal letter, March 1981.

21ibid. ^

22 St. Joseph News-Press, undated.

/

h i s op in ion of P r y o r ' s a b i l i t y i s r evea led in a l e t t e r he sen t t o him

at that time; ^

Had to stop the presses that were printing our program for the tour, OD which you were down for a solo. The majority of 250,000 copies which were being printed had to be destroyed. . . . I was, and an , determined to make of you a great card--yes, to make you famou^in this great city of New York in the shortest time that jt e^er took a musical genius so be recognized as a great star. ^ ^

Among the many memorials to Gilmore when he died in 1892 was the

first concert of a new band organized and directed by John Philip

Sousa, who had recently resigned as conductor of the U. S. Marine

24 Band. It was whiLe he was soloist with the Sousa Band that Arthur

Pryor achieved lasting fame and brought the trombone to a new level

of capability and r spectability.

i

"He has no equaT'—Virtuoso Years with the Sousa Band (1892-1904)

Tom Shannahan was one of several musicians who left Gilmore to

join the new Sousa Band shortly before Gilmore died. Shannahan

informed Sousa of Pryor's ability on the trombone. By this time,

recovered and back with his work with the Opera Company, Pryor was at

first reluctant to leave. But he decided to accept Sousa's offer to

see him in New York City, arriving there with his trombone and 35

cents. "Sousa did^not know that young Pryor would arrive with only

35 cents in his pocket nor that the young man was destined to play

before the crowned heads of Europe, and that he^ad spent the night

23 . Ames, p. 2.

24 Paul E. B i e r l e y , John P h i l i p Sousa: American fhenomenon (Englewood C l i f f s , N. J . : P r e n t i c e - H a l l , 1973), p. 58.

>

10

on a beach in New York's Union Square." At his first rehearsal the

next morning, Sousa suggested that he warm up a bit. Even at this

Pryor made quite an impression. "We had never heard such tones come

out of a trombone before, but fast!" was the reaction of trombonist V *

Marc Lyons. At that first rehearsal, Frank Kolton, then first

trombonist, had to give credit to Pryor for performing a difficult

passage to Sousa's satisfaction that he r Holton, had been struggliag

with. Even though Holton was ready to step down right there, Sousa

asked him to stay on for a time, s'ince "this oung fellow may be just

a flash."26

Pryor, Hoiton, and Lyons worked hard along w^th the rest of the

band getting ready for the great Columbian Exposition in Chicago in

1893. Pryor showed his trombone solos to Sousa, but the conductor

was reluctant to feature him yet. Finally, while at the Exposition,

he announced to Sousa that if he didn't get to perform a solo, he

would return to St. Joseph. Sousa gave in, and in the rain that day

he played his own composition "Thoughts of Love" to a crowd who just i

stood in awe, then cheered and threw their hats in the air.27 That

was reportedly the first of some 10,000 solos that Pryor estimates he

played with Sousa during the 11 years he was with him.

While most sources consulted in this study claim that the

aforementioned occasion was Pryor's first sol<? with the Sousa Band,

It would appear that his first solo with the band,was actually

25 St, Joseph News-Press, 14 September 1975, ^

26 -Bridges, p. 102.

27 S t , Joseph News-Press , !9 February 1939.

11

"Rocked in the Cradle of the De^p," performed in Chicago on October

14, 1892. This information comes from a program^in the Sousa

Scrapbook, a collection of old programs and news clippings stored at

the" Marine Corps Library, Washington D.C. Howler, "it was apparent

that it took time for Pryor to reach the 'front and center' status a

a regular, for thefe is no mention of Pryor in the press until May

20 1893." Probably the performance of "Thoughts of Love" marks

Pryor's formal debut as a regularly featured soloist of the Sousa

Band. At any rate, "his rise to preeminence oh the 'slip horn' was

little short of miraculous and American audiences would soon be

exposed to a new level of virtuosity for the slide trombone.

While many of Pryor's solos are still published and being

performed today, few performers, past or present, claim to even equa

the skill of Arthur Pryor. He still is considered by many to be the

greatest trombonist of all time. It is not that performers today

cannot play his solos, because they are still featured by service

band soloists and in band concerts in the park- The lyrical melodie

and dramatic variations have always been popular with audiences.

What sets Pryor apart is that he would perform the already very

difficult variations of solos such as "Blue Bells of Scotland" at

incredible speeds and still play with clean technique. The result

was not only an impressive display of technical gymnastics but an

exciting and dramatic musical experience as well>

28 F r e d e r i c k P. Wil l iams, j a c k e t no tes f o r Trombone Solos —Arthur Pryor (Crys t a l Records S451, 1983).

29 Curtis H. Larkin, "Memories of Arthur Pryor and His Band,"

part 1, The School Musician, February 1943, p. 8.

12

This was because Arthur Pryor was a musician as well as a

technician on the trombone. Along with his phenomenal tonguing *

ability (single, double, and triple tonguing were used freely) and •>

lightning fast slide technique (there was no trigger valve on that *

horn), he was equally well-known for his beautiful tone and

expressive style of playing. "THAT TONE is unforgettable, to iny way

of thinking. There were other players . . . who technically could

play most anything Pryor played, but they never quite came off the

same as Pryor's playing the same piece.

In fact, he actually preferred slow, lyric ballads and operatic

arias to the fast, spell-binding display pieces that Sousa insisted

m first on a program. (Later, in the early years of his own

band, he would first play a song, and then "follow with the

31 f i r e w o r k s . " ) For a t h i r d enco re wi th Sousa he may pe r fo rm

something like "Oh, Dry Those Tears," a sweet ballad by Del Riego

which was his favorite. Other expressive solos that he often played

were "The Holy City" (Adams), "Celeste Aida" (Verdi), and "My Old

Kentucky Home" (Foster).

His clear, unforgettable tone was marked with a constant vibrato, «-

the result of a boyhood accident when a mule kicked him in the face,

32 resulting in partial paralysis. "Old-timers used to waggle the

30 Glenn D. Bridges, personal letter, March 1981.

31T. . . Ibid.

32 B r i d g e s , p . 103. This i n f o r m a t i o n was r e l a t e d by b r o t h e r Wal te r P r y o r .

e p e r

13 4

whole instrument and modern performers like Tommy Dorsey agitate the

slide. 'I wave with my lower jaw,' Pryor says."^

The trombone had seldom had such a wide range before, four and a

half octaves, from b"-flat to FF. (One source, an advertisement for *

trombones made by J. J. Pepper Co., claimed that Pryor could go a \

whole step lower, but that is hard for this writer to imagine.

Perhaps he could "lip" it down to that approximate pitch. It would,

be below the fundamental in seventh position.) One popular encore, , r

"We Won't Go Home till Morning" (known now with'the words "For He's a

Jolly Good Fellow") would be played in four octaves.

Pedal tones would come out of that„6^-inch bell with all the ease

of the player of a modern symphony bass trombone. One critic

34 referred to them as "the shoL heard round the world J" His first

trombone had a huge 9-inch bell. When he first joined Sousa he was

down to 6-3/4 inches, but he later established 6k, inches as h^s bell

size, with a .458-inch bore size, a small instrument even in that

day.^ Band historian Lynn L. Sams (an4 former sales manager for the

C. G. Conn instrument manufacturer) says "Pryor endorsed Conn

Trombones; without doubt he tried other makes. He not only endorsed

it but he also used it. He preferred and used a Conn small bore with

a small bell. Other trombonists could not get the tone quality from

33 St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 1941.

^Br*dges, p. 103.

35 H. W. Schwartz, Bands of America (New York: Doubleday and Co. , 1957)» p. 200.

14

such a smal l bore i n s t r u m e n t .

He a l s o was ab le t o p l ay chords on the trombone. While i t i s not

uncommon f o r p l a y e r s to ge t a double v i b r a t i o n with t h e i r l i p , t h i s

u s u a l l y i s cons ide red an errois^to be avoided . £ ryor p r a c t i c e d the

t echn ique u n t i l he was p r o f i c i e n t a t f o u r - n o t e c h o r d s . ^ y

Perhaps his most important and lasting contribution to trombone

technique, however, is his legato "singing1* style of playing, evident

in -the songs previously mentioned. During a Sousa Band tour a critic

in Dublin sums up this influence: "It was almo&t too much to believe

that such a pure and exquisitely beautiful tone could be produced on

an instrument whose usual characteristics are aggressive-,T^8 The ^

London Daily Mail stated:

His solo was a revelation of what the trombone can be in the hands of one who has investigated its mysteries and solved the difficulties. He played his own composition 'Love's Enchantment" with such tenderness that one suspects that the trombone has possibilities as a serenading instrument.

Through the years he was with Sousa Pryor shared the spotlight

with the premier cornetist Herbert L. Clarke, who said of him,

"Arthur Pryor was among the greatest exponents of the trombone that

ever lived, proving this by his wonderful work, playing before the

most critical of audiences. - Mr. Pryor composed and arranged

all his programmed solos; most remarkable solos for technique and

intervals in all registers, and which he always played faultlessly.

36 ^ Lynn L. Sams, pe r sona l l e t t e r , 13 January 1984.

^ C u r t i s H. Lark in , "Memories of Ar thur Pryor and His Band," p a r t 2, The School Music ian , March 1943, p. 14.

38 Quoted in Schwartz, p. 199.

39 Ibid., pp. 198-99.

\

IS

I doubt if he missed a note at any concert, no slip of any kind,

playing with the utmost ease."*^ Clarke goes on to tell how

clarinetists from the Sousa Band had difficulty playing Pryor's solos

on their instrument- Therefore, it is not surprising that in

^referring to Pryors years with the Sousa Band that one should write

"it was during his electrically successful term with this

organization that he was christened the Trombone King, and he has

firmly established in two continents his indisputable right to the

title."** ^

He played with §ousa for twelve seasons. In 1895 he was

appointed assistant conductor of the Sousa Band, an experience

valuable to him when he left to begin his own band in 1903. During

periods when Sousa was ill, Pryor would replace him as the full-time .

conductor, and be would still continue to play his solos. Besides

traveling coast to coast with the band, he made three tours of

Europe, visiting 16 countries and playing before the crowned heads of

state. King Edward VII of England so much enjoyed one of Pryor's

band compositions^ "The Coon Band Contest," that the King had it

played at all court concerts thereafter. "The Contest" was also a

favorite of Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia, "whose approval has proven

sufficient to guarantee for it a very large, constant sale throughout

the K a i s e r ' s domain. . .

—_____ 40 La rk in , p a r t 2, pp. 15 and 32. 41 ' A r t h u r P r y o r , " The Metronome, June 1905, p. 10. 42

"Tour of P r y o r ' s Band," The Musical E n t e r p r i s e * March 1905, p . 1.

16

But it was his performance skill which drew the most attention. 0

The Trombonist Club of Paris seat a skeptical delegation of their

membership to critique Pryor's first performance in the French

capital. The delegation's spokesman reported ba*k,

Is Pryor any good? I should say so. If all the members of this club were to meet in this room with their instruments and each of them was to play everything he knew, and then if all this playing were combined and all the knowledge of the different members were united in one grand whole, the ensemble would not make a single measure,of Pryor's wonderful performance. Can Pryor play? UmphJ! r J

A f t e r a conce r t b e f o r e 25,000 people in Le ipz ig , Germany, whi le

on h i s l a s t European t o u r , members of t he Gewandhaus Symphony

Orches t ra came backs tage to i n s p e c t P r y o r ' s trombone. S k e p t i c a l t h a t

an o r d i n a r y ins t rumen t could be played so f a s t , they took the s l i d e

44 apart and peered down the mouthpiece- One of their trombonists

said, "No one can play so well. It is a Yankee tricK!"^ In Germany y

and e lsewhere he was c a l l e d the "Paganin i of the t rombone / ' in

r e f e r e n c e to the g r e a t I t a l i a n v i o l i n i s t Niccolo Pagan im of the

e a r l y n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y . ^

Italian trombonists, incidentally, were aware of Pryor's ability.

During a tour in America by the famous Banda Rossi, one trombonist of

the band was asked why all the players performed on valve trombones

and did not use slide trombones. "'Can't play 'em. . . . Can't

Ames , p. 2. -s.

44 Lark in , p a r t 2, p. 32. (This was r e l a t e d by Herber t L. C l a r k e . )

45 S t . Joseph News-Press, 18 June 1942. 46 Br idges , p. 103.

17

anybody play 'em. Did you eve.r see anybody who could play one?'"

Arthur Pryor's name was Che answer. MT0h, well, I admit Pryor can

play 'em,' responded the Italian, 'but I was speaking of regular men.

Pryor, he ain't h u m a n - *

In Europe his playing was not quickly forgotten. Seven years

after Pryor's last tour with Sousa, a London audience responded to

performances of Pryor1s solos there by the touring American

trombonist Bert Smith with shouts of "Pryor, P r y o r ' T h e y

remembered. **

Back home in this country, press releases such as this one from

the Springfield, Ohio, Republican of January 27, 1897, was quite

typical: "Undoubtedly the star performance of the evening from the

audience's standpoint was the trombone solo by Mr. Arthur Pryor,

Annie Laurie, with variations. Mr. Pryor was demonstratively

AQ v

recalled and rendered The Palms (Faure)." One release that was

definitely not typical came from a reviewer Ln Augusta, Maine:

Thursday evening I went to the Opera House to hear Sousa's Band. I guess the music they gave was all right. Anyhow, everybody applauded and seemed to like it. I don't know much about this high-falutinf music. One fellow came out in front of the band and commenced to play on a thing that looked like a tin coupling pin, only it was a heap longer and hollow. He proceeded to shove the old handle out towards the audience, while with his mouth glued to ohe end he pumped wind into the machine. He rammed that handle out aYaxd and then he hauled it back and swallowed it, I guess. He played notes way above the lines, and then threw out those little notes with stems on 'em, like a threshing machine shakes off chaff. Finally he struck up with Annie Rooney, or

George C. Foreman, "Oscar Cowan's Memoirs of Fifty Years as a Town Bandsman," Kansas Quarterly 15, no. 3 (Summer 1983)^^8.

48 Larkin, part 2, p. 32.

49 Wil l iams , j a c k e t notes f o r Trombone S o l o s - - A r t h u r Pryor .

18 /

/' Annie Laurie, or some other gTtl, a I could keep up with him for a while, but he got nervous again and shook the old thing like a terrier would a rat. The programme had him scheduled as a trombone artist. I'd like to hear hia play some nice hymns in his calmer moments, when he wouldn't jiggle the machine so much. t

A

During the years that he was with Sousa, Pr$or performed with the

band in many of the places that he and his band would later frequent,

including his home town of St. Joseph. During a concert there at the

Tootle Opera House in 1895 he was presented with a gold medial by the

proud citizens.5* Another time, a local composer had written a song

which he hoped Pryor would perform as an encore during a concert.

Pryor did, and the song, "I Had a Dream,'* became very popular, and

"for the next ten years it was the No. 1 song on everybody's hit

52 parade." During his days of fame, it was said that St. Joseph was

known for three things: Jesse James, Aunt Jemima's pancakes, and

Arthur Pryor.53

Besides occasionally conducting the Sousa Band in concerts, he

also directed most of the recording sessions of the band. Sousa did

not have an appreciation for what he called the "canned music" of the

54 new recording industry, and conducted only four recording sessions

during his entire career.55 Therefore, he was more than willing to

50x. , , Ibid.

5 1 S t , Joseph News-Press , 19 February 1939.

52 S t . Joseph News-Press , 14 September 2975>

53 St. Joseph News-Press, 23 August 1942.

54 Bierley, p. 19.

5 5 James R. Smar t , The Sousa Band; A Oiscography (Washington: L i b r a r y of Coagres&7^9-70), p . 123.

19 4

let Pryor and others conduct the few number of his men who could

manage to squeeze around the primitive recording horns necessary in

those days. This gave the men additional income when they were not

on tour. While cornetists Herbert L. Clarke, Walter B. Rogers, and

Henry Higgins often conducted the band, it has been estimated that

some 75 per cent of the Sousa Band labels were conducted by Arthur

Pryor.As early as 1904 he was listed as a musical director for the

Victor Company.^ Most of these early recordings were made for the \

Berliner and Victor labels, and while the conductors were not always

indicated on the records, the 1900 Berliner catalog for example does

state that the band is performing "under the personal direction of

Mr. Arthur Pryor, the great trombone soloist and assistant conductor

58 to Mr. Sousa." The last thing^that Pryor did while he was with the

Sousa Band was to conduct it in a series of recordings for Victor in

August and September of 1903. On some of these he was the featured

59 soloist. All of this experience was to pay off later during the

long recording career of his own band.

It was while the Sousa Band was in Russia in 1903 that Pryor got

into a salary dispute with his leader. According to Sousa Band vocal

soloist Estelle Liebling, Pryor held out for an increase, but Sousa,

always S man of his word (he didn't even have written contracts with

^Jaroes R. Smart, jacket notes for The Sousa and Prvor Bands (New World Records NW 282, 1976).

" ^ B r i d g e s , p . 72. c o

Smart , p . 18. SQ

I b i d , p . 28.

20

his men in the early years), was hurt by this, and was willing to

release Pryor when they came home.*0 Pryor Lg_gt*the band to form his

own group. He and Sousa did remain good friends, however. Sousa

later said, "Nor was there anyone on earth to equal Arthur Pryor, the

trombone player, when he was with my organization.And Pryor

responded, "The real beginning of my musical career . . . was with

Sousa, and t h a t was the founda t ion of my p r e s e n t band o r g a n i z a t i o n . 6 2

. . . " Years l a t e r , Pryor was an honorary p a l l b e a r e r a t Sousa 1s 63 f u n e r a l , and then he lped in p lann ing a memorial to h i s former

i ^ 64 l e a d e r .

On h i s Own—The Pryor Band: Live Concer ts (1903-09) *

When Arthur Pryor left Sousa in late 1903 to form his own band,

he took with him the Italian-born euphonium player Simone Mantia

(1873-1951). Besides being a popular soloist on his five-valve,

double bell instrument, Mantia became the assistant conductor for the

Pryor Band, and stayed until 1934, after Pryor's retirement.65

Since Mantia was also a skilled trombonist, he would pick up

60Paul Bierley, personal letter, 15 October 1983. (This information came from an interview with Ms. Liebling in May 1967.)

6*John Philip Sousa, Marching Along 2nd ed.(Boston: Hale, Cushfnan & Flint, 1941), p. 323.

*^St . Joseph News-Press, undated. ^ 6 3 B i e r l e y , p. 96.

^ B r i d g e s , p. 48 f .

^ L a r k i n , p a r t 2, p. 14.

21

that instrument on short notice and fill in for Pryor when the

duties of conductor prevented Pryor from getting in "at least two

"l ours a day of practice"^ that he felt was necessary- Mantia also

composed several solos of his own, such as his wej.l-known variations

on "Auld lange Syne," and for 35 years he was trombonist with the

Metropolitan Opera House Orchestra in New York. He also formed his

own band, and conducted it for five seasons at Asbury Park, New

J e r s e y . Unl ike P ryor , Hantia was a b l e t o ' m a i n t a i n h i s pe r fo rming

skills, and in 1948, at the age of 75, he waXsy.ll playing euphonium

solos, this time over the radio as a member of Paul Lavelle's "Band

Of America.Both Pryor and Mantia were considered in 1903 to be

the finest performers on their respective instruments. "Many stars'

came and went from the Sousa Band during the forty years of its

existence, but it is doubtful if Sousa ever felt any loss as he did

68 when t h e s e two g r e a t s t a r s d e p a r t e d . "

A f t e r s e c u r i n g and r e h e a r s i n g h i s m u s i c i a n s , the Pryor Band

p re sen t ed t h e i r f i r s t conce r t in the M a j e s t i c Thea t r e , New York C i t y ,

on November 15, 1903.

As had been anticipated by the hundreds of Mr. Pryor's friends and acquaintances, the concert from first to last was a magnificent success, stamping the new band conductor, not only as a leader of marked talent and distinction, but as one who will, in the course of time, make his name famous in all parts of the United States. . . . The playing of Arthur Pryor's Band is masterly, and evinces that smoothness of sound and effect, so

**Bridges, p. 103.

*7Bridges, p. 97.

68 Schwartz, p. 202.

22 4

pleasing and satisfying at all times to the trained musical ear. the horn and clarinet sections being especially well balanced.

The premier concert consisted of nine compositions, including

selections from Verdi, Ponchieili, and Goldaark. Introduced for the

first time were the Pryor compositions "La Spaniola Waltz," and the

cakewalk "Mr. Blackman," which "will sweep the country for sure.

. . . A large and enthusiastic audience was present, and the

encores as many as well deserved.

For the next six years he established his band across the country

as a major musical force in America, Second in ,£ame only to the Sousa

Band. Some considered his band superior to Sousa's. "Since these

arguments can never be settled, let us merely say that these were two

superlative bands led by two great musicians."71 He secured the

finest performers and soloists he could find. Besides Mantia, he had

cornetists Bert Brown, Leon<Handzlik, and Oscar Short, clarinetists

Tony Sarli and Louis Christy, flutists John Kiburz and Rex A. Fair,

and trombonists Fortunato Sordillo, Burt L. Smith, Charles Cusumano,

72 A1 Pinard, and Chris Sorensen. He once described his band as "an

aggregation of talent that can be relied upon to serve the richest

73 menu of music. ..." Following the example of Sousa, he also

^"Pryor and His Band," The Focus, 28 November 1903, p. 1.

70-. . . Ibid.

7*Smart, jacket notes for The Sousa and Pryor Bands

72 Bridges, p. 104, and various news releases.

^^"Tour of Pryor's Band," The Musical Enterprise, March 1905, p. 1.

23

featured female vocal soloists such as Madame Ernestine Schumann-

Heink and Cecilia Niles. Maud Powell and Dorothy Hoyle were the

featured violinists for a time.** At first Pryor himself managed the

affairs of the band; later others were hired for this responsibility,

including Hal Nelson who served as band manager in the teens.

Six coast to coast tours between 19CI3 and 1909 brought his band

before millions of admirers. In the 1904 season alone, he directed

his band in 269 concerts before an audience estimated at no less than

300,000 people at Asbury Park, New Jersey.'^ Around 2500 people

would regularly crowd into the casino there to hear this great

organization "composed of soloists throughout"'* and its dashing,

young conductor. As an added treat, these early Pryor Band programs

would usually include a Pryor trombone solo, "sufficient in itself to

draw an immense audience," although this was to change as time went

by. In 1904 he established his home in Asbury Park, and his band

played there for a total of twenty summer seasons, more than at any

other park.

Asbury Park, where three generations of area residents learned to love Pryor. An erect 5-'10" figure, he always wore immaculate white uniforms on stage, brown suits off stage. He would lead his band on parade through the streets of Asbury Park to signal

74 "Arthur Pryor," The Metronome, June 1905, p. 10.

' Herbert N. Johnston, personal letter, 19 July 1981.

7*"Tour of P r y o r ' s Band," The Musical E n t e r p r i s e , March 1905, p. 1. ^

' " A r t h u r Pryor*s Band," The Musical E n t e r p r i s e , November 1904, p. 1.

78 "Tour of Pryor's Band," The Musical Enterprise, March

1905, p. 1.

24

the s t a r t <yf ano the r season . P r y o r ' s prowess as a music ian was recognized by the c i t y f a t h e r s tfhen they named the band p a v i l i o n on the Asbury Park boardwalk f o r him.

The Pryor Band program covers f o r Asbury Park would f e a t u r e a

l a r g e "A'* f o r Ar thu r , Arcade, and Asbury, and a l a r g e "P" f o r P ryor , 80 P i e r , and Park. One of h i s more famous marches, "On J e r s e y S h o r e , "

was w r i t t e n in honor of Asbury Park , and the nove l ty p i e c e "Baby

Parade" was f o r an annual c i v i c event he ld t h e r e each summer.

Next t o Asbury Park , the famed Willow Grove Park no r th of

P h i l a d e l p h i a was v i s i t e d most o f t e n by t he Pryor Band, u s u a l l y in

l a t e s p r i n g b e f o r e heading e a s t to Asbury. The band was t h e r e f o r

e l even s ea sons , spanning a twenty year p e r i o d , from 1906 through

1926, the f i n a l season of r e g u l a r summer c o n c e r t s a t the Park . Owned

and ope ra t ed by the P h i l a d e l p h i a Rapid T r a n s i t Company, whose

t r o l l e y s served the Park , Willow Grove was not the o r d i n a r y amusement

c e n t e r of the day, The goa l from a v i s i t t h e r e was "something more

than mere amusement; t o make t h i s a p lace of r e a l mental and

spiritual worth to the multitudes invited to use it as freely as if

81 it were their own." Music played an important part in achieving

this lofty goal: "So it is that music, planned as an attribute to its

charms, has been developed and made its chief charm as well as its

82 most valuable asset in the estimation of the public." A small army

79 " J e r s e y P i o n e e r , " Asburv Park Sunday P r e s s , 18 February 1973. ^

80 Larkin, part 1, p. 8.

$1 Ray Thompson, Willow Grove Park (Abington, Pennsylvania- Cass

Printing, 1977), p. 2.

*2 T W. . Ibid.

25 r $

of guards, who were "carefully selected, and are thoroughly examined

83 by the honorable judges of the courts of the county . . . ,n roamed

the grounds, quickly evicting any man found without a coat or tie,

even in summer. *

And how did Arthur Pryor and his band contribute to the charm of

music at the Park? Again quoting from the 1909 booklet: "Arthur

Pryor is America's youngest and most brilliant bandmaster. He

typifies that originality in native band music which make his a

national character, and his return to Willow Grove P rk this season

marks an event in the realm of Music."**

In the number of appearances at the Park, the Sousa Band came in

first placeK with 26, every summer from 1901. The Pryor Band was in

fifth place with its eleven seasons. At one point Pryor's salary,

500 dollars per day, was third, bettered only by Sousa and Victor

Herbert.*^ /

Concerts were presented there each afternoon and evening, with an

hour intermission during which time the famous Electric Fountain was

turned on and in the evening put on a display of colored lights. The

concert hall was a large, natural amplitheatre seating 15,000 people,

and was called The Grove. "The Grove was, in an intangible but

personal way, something special to artist and layman alike. . . -

83Ibid, p. 21.

84 Ibid, p. 8. D C

Herbert N. Johnston, personal letter, 19 July 1981.

All wno came in c o n t a c t with i t were, touched by the s p i r i t of The

,•86

26

Grove. . . . No conductor took The Grove l i g h t l y .

The Pryor Band programs here were f a i r l y t y p i c a l . They would

g e n e r a l l y inc lude a v a r i e t y of t r a n s c r i p t i o n s , such^as o v e r t u r e s and

87 selections from operas (Pryor was particularly fond of Wagner ),

original works such as marches, various dances, novelties, and

descriptive works (often patriotic), and solos. Pryor's programming

philosophy was inherited from Sousa in that both men sought to please

their audiences with a variety of popular and enjoyable musical

selections. Pryor's own compositional output reflects this. "His

programs are models of good taste, and contain an even and well-

balanced grouping of classic, romantic and popular material. His

readings are those of a sound, well-schooled, and thorough musician-

88 . . ." But in trying to please the public, he also g3ve to the

masses t h e i r f i r s t exposure to c l a s s i c a l l i t e r a t u r e .

As we s h a l l s ee , the emphasis of the Pryor Band s h i f t e d around

1910 to the r ecord ing s t u d i o , but he cont inued h i s park appearances

f o r many y e a r s , e s p e c i a l l y du r ing the summers. He would record in

the w i n t e r s , and then go to Willow Grove, and then Asbur? Park . In

1917 he began a s e r i e s of nine w in t e r seasons in Miami, F l o r i d a ,

89 per forming a t the Royal Palm Park t h e r e . At one time Pryor was

86 Herber t N. Johns ton , "Musical Memories of Willow Grove," Old York Road Historical Society Bulletin 29 (1968): 18, 22-

6 7 J

88„

*^John H. Willaman, pe r sona l l e t t e r , 1? January 1984.

Arthur P r y o r , " The Metronome, October 1907, pp. 9-10.

89 Schwartz , p. 281.

\

27

even considering building a music conservatory near Miami to be

90 dedicated to Sousa, and theirs is evidence that there was indeed a

"Pryor Conservatory" at Hialeah, Florida, for a time.91

Following the close of his seventeenth consecutive Reason at

Asbury Park in 1920, he felt the people there deserved a change. He

turned over this engagement for a few years to his able assistant

Simone tfantia, and spent the next five summer seasons with his band

92 at Luaa Park, Coney Island, New York. However, Pryor did not

voluntarily give up his regular seasonal appearances at Willow Grove

after 1918. During a rehearsal that season, it so happened that a

woman of influence at the Park overheard Pryor admonish his men in

typical strong language. (The excellent acoustics of the band shell

did not work to Pryor1s advantage that time.) It was eight years

before The Grove would echo once again to the sounds of the Pryor

~ . 93 Band.

Not all was hard work at these parks for the band members. One

reason that Pryor sought for these long, regular engagements was so

that the families of band members also could come and enjoy a

vacation. Mornings were often free to take advantage of the park's «

amusements. One annual event for several years was the baseball game

between members of the Sousa and Pryor Bands at Willow Grove Park.

St, Joseph News-Press, undated.

91 La rk in , p a r t 2, p. 15.

92 Schwartz , p. 283-

93 Johnston, "Musical Memories of Willow Grove," Old York

Road Historical Society Bulletin 29 (1968): 30, 31.

28 .

This occurred during the brief period they were there together

^etween engagements. The conductors would pitch. The score of the

1916 game has been preserved: Sousa, 16, Pryor, 29. "Apparently

Q A musicians are strong on of fense but weak on defense ."

* Other parks where the Pryor Band performed include the Steel Pier

in Atlantic City, Riverview Park in Chicago, Old Delmer Gardens in

St. Louis, Electric Park in Kansas City, and the Ball Park in his

95 home town of St. Joseph. People would flock out to these parks to

enjoy not only a ride on the various* amusements and a picnic and

swim, but also a concert by a "name" band. The parks were very

popular with Sunday Schools and lodges for annual meetings. They

were conveniently located on a trolley line, because, like Willow

Grove, they were often owned by the trolley line which served them,

an additional source of revenue on days when there was no rush hour

income. Besides those of Sphsa and Pryor, the bands of Frederick

lanes, Patrick Conway, Alessandro Liberati, Albert Sweet, Bohumir

Kryl, and Giuseppe Creatore were popular attractions, along with

their celebrity soloists, in the early days of this century before

jazz, the radio, and the family automobile would combine to undermine

the influence of these parks on Ajig fcan life.

Band music was also an important part of industrial fairs and

expositions. The first important engagement of the Pryor Band was

the St. Louis Exposition, the World's Fair, in 190i, to be followed

94 Schwartz, p. 242. 95 Bridges, p. 104, and various news releases-

29

Cwo years later by an engagement at the Pittsburg Exposition.^ The

mayor of Rochester, New York, sent a letter of thanks following the

Pryor Band's appearance at the Industrial Exposition there in 1908;

he especially appreciated the "generous manner in which you responded

97 to encores," further evidence of Pryor's debt to Sousa.

Finally, the bands of that day may also be a part of official

ceremony. When Woodrow Wilson was officially notified of his

nomination for the presidency by the Democrats in 1917. the Pryor

98 Band was there to provide suitable music for the occasion. In

summary, the Band was indeed a significant musical organization in

that day, However, as Arthur Pryor knew> his band need not be

physically pc&§erft to have an influence on Arieri?an cultural life.

A Pioneer in his Field—The Pryor Band: Recordings and Radio (1903-33)

After his last tour in 1909, Pryor decided to settle down.

The hectic pace of tour travel was not for him. He had been married

since February 1895 to a young girl from Salt Lake City named Maud

Russell, and they had two sons. During his years of constant travel,

first as Sousa soloist, and theo as conductor of his own band, he

would try to spend time with his family, first in St. Joseph where

they stayed with Pryor's parents, and then in Asbury Park where he

had established his home in 1904. Now he would settle in Asbury Park

"N,

^"Bridges, p. 104.

97 "Growth of Arthur Pryor and his Band/' The Metronome, May

1909, p. 10.

98 Jacob's Band Monthly, September 1916, p. 76.

30

and concentrate on a career in the recording studio. His faith in

the infant recording industry had been noted earlier. His work in

the studio with the Sousa Band "seems to have awakened in Pryor an

appreciation of the immense potentialities of the phonograph thac *

corresponded with Sousa*s low opinion of the medium, and throughout

its career the Pryor Band spent more time in the recording studio

99 than any other ensemble in the United States."

Since the Pryor Band would continue its seasonal appearances, as

has been noted, and since he had had much recording experience

already* this was a shift in emphasis, but a definite shift

nevertheless. While the Sousa Band continued to travel and appear in

live concerts almost until the end of Sousa1s life, the Pryor Band

w&s to have a greater influence through its recordings on the

establishment of the concert band as a significant musical force in 1

America. Later, it was to add to this influence through another new

medium, radio.

For some twenty five years, Pryor was on the staff of the Victor

Talking Machine Company as arranger and conductor. As previously

mentioned, his formal association actually went back to 1904, and

even before that when he was with Sousa. Now, with touring behind

him, a steady stream of recordings would pour forth from the Victor

Studio under his supervision. These recordings were made by the old

acoustic process of playing through the large recording horn directly

onto a disc, A master disc, called a "mother" disc, was made from

31 V

this original, and copies could then be made from the master.

Besides his band, Pryor also directed the Pryor Orchestra "in

person, and all arrangements are made under his supervision, thus

insuring an artistic result."*^ His band members no doubt provided *

the nucleus of this ensemble. He also continued to conduct recording

sessions of the Sousa Band, as late as 1926.*^

"There are thousands of oldsters who can still remember the

thrill which Pryor*s early records gave them, when played on the old

Victrola. . . , Although much of the tone coloring of Pryor s Band

was lost, at least the rhythm and the melody and the main harmony

lines came through with spine-tingling effect. Much more than

tone coloring would have been lost had not Pryor begun to arrange

music specifically for recording purposes. He eliminated the

delicate shadings and solidified the sound so that these early

recordings would at least stress the essential elements of the music.

104 Arthur Pryor i s c o n s i d e r e d a p i o n e e r a r r a n g e r in t h i s r e s p e c t .

While the Pryor Band con t inued to appear in the summer a t Willow

Grove Park and Asbury Park , and l a t e r , in the w i n t e r , in Miami, i t

would o t h e r w i s e be b u s i l y engaged e n l a r g i n g V i c t o r ' s c a t a l o g . Even

in 1906, when t h e Band was s t i l l a t o u r i n g o r g a n i z a t i o n , t h e r e a re no

^^Seaver, James, personal interview, id July 1984,

* *1906 Catalogue of Victor Records (Camden, New Jersey: Victor Talking Machine Company, 1906), p. 18.

102 Smart , p . 123.

1 0 1 Schwar tz , p . 240.

1 ClL Schwar tz , pp. 239-40.

32

less than 168 catalog numbers assigned to recordings of this very

active ensemble. The selections included all the popular kinds of i

pieces of that day, such as marches, waltzes, gavottes, medleys,

patriotic airs, fantasies, novelties, hymns, serenades, and

paraphrases. There were also cakewalks a^d rags, which helped to

introduce and popularize that emerging American art form later called

jazz.10^ Nor were the classics ignored. "In the Victor Book of the

Opera» published in 1912, Pryor's Band is listed as recording

overtures, finales, marches, selections, and fantasias from

approximately fifty operas." It is estimated that the recorded

output of the Pryor Band is easily twice that of the Sousa Band,

although no discography has thus far been attempted.

No band has ever surpassed the output of the Pryor Band. The band recorded an estimated 5,000 takes and placed 2,000 titles in the Victor Phonograph Company recording Entry Books (now preserved by the Radio Corporation^^ America). It is believed that Mr. Pryor conducted them all.

The personnel of the band remained more stable through this

arrangement of recordings and live concerts. "It was Pryor's desire

to keep his men in 'year 'round work' and through the recordings in

winters and guarantees for summer appearances he was better assured

1 OS of his men remaining with him." It was a very productive and

*^1906 Catalogue of Victor Records.

*^Schwartz, p. 240.

Steve M. Wolfinbarger, "The Solo Trombone Music of Arthur Pryor" (H, M. tljesis, North Texas State University, 1982), p. 9. This information is from Frederick P. Williams, "The Times as Reflected in the Victor Black Label Military Band Recordings From 1900 to 1*927," Association For Recorded Sound Collections Journal, 4 (1972), p. 39.

*^Lynn L. Sams, personal letter, 19 October 1983.

33

f i n a n c i a l l y s u c c e s s f u l v e n t u r e . "Mr. P r y o r ' s aud ience i s a s t i l l

l a r g e r one , and the superb P r y o r - V i c t o r r eco rds ace enjoyed in every

109 p a r t of t h e w o r l d . "

In the 1920s the Pryor Band moved into the of radio

broadcasting. General Electric, General Motors, and Cremo Cigars

were among his sponsors. One popular series of concerts that he and

his band presented was called the Cavalcade of America, sponsored by

the Dupoot Company. Another series was called the Shrader Town Band,

presented in 1929.*^ For these broadcasts he would perhaps use only

part of his band, around 25 players. By the early 1930s he was

associated with NBC for broadcasting in New YffrJTcity.

Interlude--His Character, Standards, and Conducting Skills

It may seem surprising that among the soloists Pryor secured for

his band would be trombonists. But in everything he was a

perfectionist, and as time went by he found he could no longer take

the time to practice. He gradually turned over the performance

responsibilities to others. While he continued to play the trombone

throughout his life, his greatest success as a performer was during

his time with Sousa. The last recording he made of a technical solo

was in March 1911, his own "Polka Fantastic." Less than a year

later, in February 1912, he made his very last solo recordings,

selections from Romeo and Juliet (Gounod) and Samson and Delilah _ _ _ _ _ — " HT-

109 1920 Ca ta log of V ic to r Records (Camdeo, New J e r s e y : V i c t o r Ta lk ing Machine Company, 1920).

**^Fred P f a f f , p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 29 October 1983. ( P f a f f , now age 9S, i s a former member of P r y o r ' s Band.)

34

r* (Samt-Saens). While he did conti nue to play in public

occasionally (on one occasion to disprove a statement in a Miami

newspaper that he could not),**^ Glenn Bridges estimates that by

around 1920 he had given this up. At a Pryor Band^concert Bridges

attended in 1922 at Luna Park, he was told by a band member that the

"old man" (at age 52) was no longer playing publicly.While

this is unfortunate, it does show Pryor's high performance standards.

Having thoroughly mastered his instrument.early in life, he would not

settle for anything less than perfection now. H^ had developed new

musical interests which were taking his time, and his public

performance was a thing of the past.

His standard of perfection did continue on the podium, however. 9

He would encourage his men with such phrases as "The right note in

the wrong place is a wrong note," and "If you can't play everything

on the page, be sure not to play anything NOT on the page. Simplify

114 if you must, but don't compose."

His legendary outbursts of temper, spiced with an equally

legendary tongue, have resulted in a comparison with Toscanini.

*^Williams, jacket notes for Trombone Solos--Arthur Pryor.

*^Fred Pfaff, personal letter, 29 October 1983.

113 Glenn Bridges, personal letter, 7 December 1981

114 John H. Willaman, personal letter, 17 January 1984. (John's father, Robert G. Willaman, was a clarinetist in Pryor's Band.)

^^Schwartz, p. 282. Clarinetist Charles Thetford related once that Toscanini had written to Pryor, suggesting that they collaborate on the composition of a grand opera. This was after Toscanini had "heard a band in Europe perform Pryor's intermezzo "After Sunset." Larkin, "Memories of Arthur Pryor and His Band" part 2, p. 15.

35

But, unlike the fiery Italian, the offense was quickly forgotten and

the men in the band grew to accept this as a part of the routine.

Clarinetist Louis Morris recalled that Pryor "swore like hell! But

at his brother, on bass drum. We ail laughed because we knew he

didn't mean anything.^ After the rehearsal or concert Pryor would

enjoy friendly fellowship with everyone, including the offender, over

drirtks together.

During a concert in Asbury Park in 1913, clarinetist Charles

Thetford got into an argument with his conductor. After a policeman,

at Pryor's request, ejected Thetford, the rest of the bandmembers got

up one by one and left the bandstand in sympathy with Thetford. Ail

this took place as a piece was being played, finally, Pryor was

left with only Mantia and the bass drummer (could that have been

faithful brother Sam?). Obviously this remaining "band" had to quit

playing after a few measures of futile effort, which eyewitness

Nolbert Quayle described as "excruciatingly funny." After standing

motionless for a moment, Pryor turned, calmly picked up his trombone,

and began playing "Auld Lang Syne," "as only he could play it.1'

Soon, one by one, the bandmembers reappeared and took their places,

with Thetford being the last one. They sat down and joined their

leader in the refrain. The concert then resumed. Quayle's

conclusion was, "It was .1 good comedy.(After Pryor's death in

** Paul Biecley, personal letter, 14 April 1981. (This came from an interview with Mr. Morris in September 1964.)

^^Nolbert H. Quayle, "Stars and Stripes Forever, Memories of Sousa and His Men," part II, The Instrumentalist, October 1954, pp. 46-47.

36

1942, Thetford became co-direCtor of the band with Arthur Pryor Jr.)

He knew he had a temper aad was not proud of it. But, like

Toscanini, it can be attributed to an extreme musical sensitivity,

not to ego. He once told a friend that poor playing actually caused

118 * a physical reaction in him. The tempo would usually speed up as a 9

result, and on at least one occasion (a concert at the Capital

Theatre, New York, in 1919), he tore off his collar and stamped on

it. Another time, during a concert at Willow Grove, a bandmember

threatened to smash his trumpet over*PryorTs head. Clarinetist <*•

Robert Willaman called him a "strange combination of exalted artist

119 and born roughneck." In this sort of behavior he was the exact

opposite of Sousa, who would go to great lengths not to embarrass a

120 player who made a mistake. Perhaps this is due to the contrast of

environments in growing up, Sousa in the genteel atmosphere of our

nation's capitol, and Pryor in the rough riverfront pioneer community

of St. Joseph. As was mentioned earlier, Pryor seems to have

inherited this naturally from his father. While conducting, Pryor

lived the music being performed. "Music is his life; the correct

interpretation of it, his life blood; tonal beauty, his life

121 breath." Any violation of the sanctity of this life was quickly

11 fl Schwar t z , p . 282.

119 John H. Willaman, p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 17 J a n u a r y 1984.

120 B i e r l e y , p . 117.

121 Schwar t z , p . 282.

«

37

and thoroughly dealt with, but then it was completely forgotten just

as quickly and thoroughly.

Unfortunately, and understandably, not all of his men were as

quick to recover from his attacks as he would like, although *

fortunately not many of them threatened to smash their horns over his

head! His temper did cost him some fine players over the years> but

at heart he was a very kind and generous man, and his men respected

him for his friendship as well as his musicianship. Often when

sharing meals together (which is something not every conductor did),

the men would toast him with "More power to your elbow, Mr. Pryor."

When euphonium player Ole May was critically injured in a car

accident in 1917,, Pryor voluntarily paid the entire hospital bill for

122 the eight days May suffered before he died. He has been described

as "a pleasant, affable man who asked of his men everything they

could give, but who never used abusive tactics in order to obtain

123 cooperation." This is essentially true. He did not intimidate

his men. It was only after the mistake was made that he became

angry, and that for the sake of the music. "He was never attacked by

that dread disease called 'swell head,' and is both beLoved and

124 admired by the members of his band." Tubist Willis Maupin summed

up this paradox quite well, reflecting on his former leader shortly

12? Schwart2, pp. 282-283. *•»»

123 Paul H. Apel, Music of Che Americas North and South (New York: Vantage Press, 1958), p. 157.

124 "Arthur Pryor and His Band at Willow Grove,'' The Metronome, July 1906, p. 10.

38

after Pryor died. "He had a pleasing, affable personality with a

certain charm, but on the podium in front of his band he was hard as

12S nails, demanding the very best that each musician had to give."

He served his art. and was as hard on himself as he was on his *

musicians to achieve his purpose.

His high standards were rewarded with critical acclaim. A New

York critic wrote concerning a Pryor Band concert, MSunshine and

shadow, darkness and dawn, laughter and tears, peace and turmoil,

hope and despair, every human emotion of joy or sorrow , blended into

a medley of melody, a splendor of color, a wealth of harmony,

captivating, enchanting, bewildering. . . . In New York and nearly

every American metropolis Pryor's concerts have been hailed as

marking an epoch in musical annals, and the present tour has been a

126 succession of signal success." This praise was not to diminish

over the years. A 1919 concert in the brand new Capitol Theatre in

New York City brought forth this response: "To hear 'Pryor's Capitol

Band1 as the organization hereafter will be known, had been likened

to a tonic by the critics who enjoyed the opening concert, the

audience invariably being moved to the most emphatic demonstrations

of enthusiasms by the wonderful achievements in band music wrought by

Mr. Pryor and his competent company of artists. (The reviewer

^"Arthur Pryor: A Reminiscence," St. Joseph News-Press, 21 November 1942. *

*^"Tour of Pryor's Band," The Musical Enterprise, March 1905, p. 1.

127 " L a r g e s t T h e a t r e m the World," J a c o b ' s Band Monthly, November 1919, p . 73.

39

goes on Co praise Che band for beautiful, controlled playing at the

pianissimo dynamic level, something rare for a band.) Through such

success Pryor was able to pay his men well. In 1909 he was able to

repay his men debts owed from the early years of touring, $3000 from

the f i r s t t o u r a l o n e . *•

Pryor himself was an imposing figure on the podium, standing tall

129 and e r e c t (one bandmember r e c a l l e d t h a t he w.ore a g i r d l e a t cimes )

and giving a clear, precise beat. "His gestures and actions are all

original and brought about not for the sake of catching the gallery,

i but through his intense interest in the work at hand." Tubist

Fred Pfaff writes:

I never saw a better beat from any other band or orchestra leader. He was very clear with tempo and time changes; the players always knew what was going on. He was demanding to work for since the best was always expected. His temper might flare, but the episode was soon forgotten and nothing would be said off the stand. He was a fine man, a gentleman.

Pfaff also recalls Pryor's use of a drumstick for a baton

occasionally, perhaps for greater visibility and emphasis.

One reviewer waxed eloquent about Pryor's appearance at a massed

band concert in St. Louis.

And then there was Arthur Pryor. Nr. Pryor emerged from one of the exits at the psychological moment and a rumble of applause ran round the Coliseum. He was dressed in white, which did not tend to make him inconspicuous at this time of year [winter], and when he took his place on the dais placed for him it was plain

Schwartz, p. 239.

129 ^ Paul Bierley, personal letter, 14 April 1981. (This information is from an interview with Louis Morris, September I9&4.)

^^"Arthur Pryor," The Metronome, October 1907, p. 10.

131 • Fred P f a f f , p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 29 October 1983.

40 9

that he never could have been anything but a bandmaster. It would have been a crime against the laws of economy to permit that fiqe figure to drift anywhere but toward a uniform and a baton.iJZ

His "remarkable collection of valuable and beautiful medals/'

worn sparingly, enhanced his appearance considerably.Many of

these he received from nobility during his travels in Europe with

Sousa.

Speaking of Sousa, one reviewer makes some interesting

comparisons of style. "[Pryor] has Sousa's technical thoughtfulness,

but he avoids the showman tricks which were Sousa^s besetting sin."

After expressing commendation to Pryor for avoiding "virtuoso stunts

for the piccolo" and having the trombones come to the front of the

platform (it is not hard to figure out what standard Sousa Band

favorite the reviewer was referring to), he feels that with Pryor

"more was made of the music than the musicians- . . . Mr. Pryor

never forgets that a concert is music and not a demonstration by a

^ v • »134 dancing master.

An Act ive Re t i r emen t - -The F i n a l Years (1933-42)

In 1933 the Pryors r e t i r e d , moving from t h e i r apar tment m Deal ,

New J e r s e y , to t h e i r 27 -ac re farm named Dr i f twood , near Long Branch,

New J e r s e y . The Pryor Band disbanded a f t e r t h r e e decades of

132 "Band Versus Band Room," Jacob's Band Monthly, March 1916, pp. 60-61.

133 "The Trombone Hal l of Fame," J a c o b ' s Band Monthly, September 1916, p . 77.

134 "Growth of Arthur Pryor and His Band," The MetroQome, May 1909, p. 10.

ex i s t ence , longer than t ha t of any of the old t r a v e l i n g park bands,

except Sousa ' s . The Pryors shared t h e i r home with Mr. and Mrs. C. D

Haviland, the parents of Mrs. Arthur P r y o r - J r . "Musical cur ios

13 5 abound in the modest farmhouse at Driftwood," as one can well

imagine after a lifetime of service to his art.

During these years, Pryor found time for teaching, although it

also provided an excuse to get away to the city to visit old friends

He had a studio in the Life and Time Building in New York City, and

the Conn Company reserved a studio for him at Rockefeller Center.

Cotm executive Lynn Sams recalls, "Many tiroes when I visited the

store Arthur Pryor came in from his farm and we had sort of 'open

house.1 Many of the old-timers were also there and as you can well

136 imagine, some great stories were told about those early days."

But in his teaching, as in all things musical, he was totally

serious. A former student sums up his teaching standard in one word

perfection. Through long tones, lip slurs, and the study of arias

and hymns he tried to develop in his students the concept of a

singing style that he introduced on his instrument years before. As

far as his famous technical gymnastics were concerned, he said "walk

before you runt" Work out the parts slow and steady, and use lots o

alternate positions. Handle the slide loosely so the wrist and

fingers don't "stick"; the wrist must be flexible. He would

137 demonstrate on his own trombone. The lesson was "all business."

135St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 1941.

*^Lynn L- Sams, personal letter, 19 October 1983.

137 Matty Shiner, personal interview, May 1981.

42

He would also encourage young promising musicians to go on in

their study. Dr. Leonard B. Smith, former cornet soloist with the

Goldman Band of New York City, and presently conductor of the Detroit

Concert Band, credits Pryor with persuading his father to allow him

138 to go to New York to study music.

During retirement years the Pryors enjoyed working in their*,

garden and keeping several dogs, heirs to the famous bulldog Roxy,

who was the inspiration for Pryor*s most famous composition, "The

Whistler and His Dog.,T Maud Pryor was, like her husband, an

excellent pianist, and one can imagine that she accompanied her

husband as he demonstrated his skills for fortunate young musicians

who would visit their home. "His golden trombone, whose etched

inscription reads, 'Made for Arthur Pryor by Jake Burkle, 1894,' sits

on a shelf in the study, and occasionally Pryor plays a few sweet-

139 toned lyrics on it."

Yes, my grandfather played the trombone all of his life-beautifully. He never stopped. I remember the band and the music all life-earliest recollections are of the bandstand in Miami.

He also traveled to colleges to conduct band clinics, and guest

conducted at special concerts. Mr. Robert Isele recalls with

pleasure the privilege he had of performing "Blue Bells of

Scotland" with the Allentown (Pennsylvania) Band in 1938 under

Pryor's direction. Isele was for many years the trombone soLoist

138 Leonard B. Smith, personal letter, 18 Aprxl 1981.

St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 1941.

140 MaryRuth Pryor S c a l a , pe r sona l l e t t e r , 21 Apr i l 1984.

43

with the U, S. Marine Band, and, in this writer's opinion, comes

closest to duplicating the skill of Arthur Pryor- Yet Isele writes,

"When I did hear his recordings I had the greatest respect for his

incredible technique, and as far as I caa see he certainly was the

one that discovered the wonderful things a trombone could do. I

never thought any of the other trombonists were in his class."***

As a charter member of the American Bandmasters Association

142 (1929), he was concerned about the development of bands in public

schools and colleges. He served as adjudicator at -some of the early

school band contests, although he did not enjoy this task because he

143 felt such sympathy for the losers. He was aware of trends in band

music, and, as shall be pointed out in chapter 2, he was disappointed

to see the emphasis on concert bands decline as jazz became more

popular.

His awareness of trends in band music was complemented by his

ability to sense trends. This was evident many years earlier. In

1913 he encouraged young Curtis Larkin to stay on his trumpet despite

ridicule from cornet players, because "in another twenty years

144 everybody will be using trumpets." By way of contrast, in 1921

Herbert L. Clarke told a student i»n a letter that the trumpet is

141 Robert Iseie, personal letter, 12 August 1981.

142 ^ Dictionary of American Biography, s.v. "Pryor, Arthur,'1 by Paul E. Bierley.

143 Lynn L. Sams, p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 13 January 1984.

144 L a r k i n , p a r t 1, p. 8.

44

"only a f o r e i g n fad f o r the t ime p r e s e n t , . . . and was never

145 intended as a solo instrument."

Pryor also wrote articles for music publications in his

retirement. He shared with other bandmasters soma^of the techniques

and ideas he had acquired through the years. His ability to "dig

beneath the surface" is evident in the article "How To Play a

146 March," something most bandsmen"would think they already knew how

to do.

But what he did not write was something most-people expected from

him sooner or later, and that was a method for the trombone. He had

been encouraged to write a method through the years, and he did write

out exercises for his students. But when people would claim that he

used some special trick in his playing or of simply being incredibly

talented so that it all came naturally, he would give up any plans

for a book and just say "let them learn the hard way, like I did."**'

Of course he did not need to do any of this to establish himself

further in his field. By now his many musical talents and his

contributions to the advancement of the concert band in America were

recognized and appreciated by bandsmen the world over. "(His]

splendid gift of performance and his broad musicianship, covering

145 R e p r i n t e d in Band Fan, n e w s l e t t e r of the D e t r o i t Concert Band, Win te r -Spr ing 1982, p . 8. ^

146 Ar thur P r y o r , "How To Play a March," Musical C o u r i e r , September 1931, pp. 45 and 56.

147 Matty S h i n e r , p e r s o n a l i n t e r v i e w , May 1981.

45

compos i t ion and conduc t i ng , p l a c e s him on a high p l a n e , and e n t i t l e s

him t o t h e f r o n t rank among American b a n d m a s t e r s . " * ^

By t h i s t ime the two sons of Ar thur Pryor were w e l l - e s t a b l i s h e d

and famous in t h e i r own r i g h t . Ar thur J r . p layed t£e co rne t and

p i ano . Besides be ing a member of b i s f a t h e r ' s band, he was aLso

a s s i s t a n t conduc to r . "The young man has many of the mannerisms and

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of h i s f a t h e r - t h e calm, d i g n i f i e d pose when

conduc t i ng , the s imple look a t a p e r f o r m e r when c e r t a i n e f f e c t s a r e

149 desired, and the flash of the eyes when climaxes were approached."

Arthur Jr. was also an advertising executive. As vice president for

a New York-based company, he secured the talents of people like Oscar

Levant, Kate Smith, and Dinah Shore, as well as the Pryor Band, for

the radio programs that his company sponsored.

Roger Pryor was a noted actor, dance band leader, radio

personality, and husband of television comedienne Ann Sothern.*^*

His instrument was the trombone, although he credits his father for

teaching him the piano and saxophone as well. He secured permissions

from his father to use a swing arrangement of "The Whistler and His

152 Dog" as his band's theme song.

148 William C. White, A History of Military Music in America (Mew York: The Exposition Press, 1944), p. 169.

149 St. Joseph News-Press, undated.

*^St. Joseph News-Press, 25 May 1954. ^

^St. Joseph News-Press, 19 June 1942.

1 St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 1941.

46 «

One interesting period during Pryor's retirement was his years

serving in public office. In 1933 "he ran for the position of member

of the Board of Freeholders of Monmouth County, New Jersey. The

duties of this Board correspond to those of a council in a city *

government. He campaigned as a Democrat on a platform of lower

153 taxes. He was elected and served one term, and kept his promise

154 to "enter and leave political life an honest man."

Sometimes he would get together the old Pryor Band, at least as

many members as he could round up, fpr concerts at nearby Asbury

Park, scene of so many earlier triumphs. In 1942 he agreed to a

series of concerts at the Park to help bolster a summer program

otherwise curtailed by wartime restrictions. He conducted his band

over Memorial Day weekend, and "proved to large audiences that he was

still the world's master band leader. . .

It was after a rehearsal for the next series of concerts, on the

night of 17 June 1942, that he suffered a stroke, caused by a brain

hemorrhage. He never regained consciousness, and died the next

morning at 5:20 at his home. He was 71 years old. Friends said that

he had been deeply affected by the death, a week previous, of his

personal physician who was a long time friend.

1 S t . Joseph News-Press , 13 March 1933.

154 La rk in , p a r t 2, p . 15

^^Asbury Park Press, 18 June 1942.

156,. .. Ibid.

47

Arthur Pryor Jr. conducted the next Asbury Park concert, which

was presented on the Fourth of July. It included his father's last

composition, "We'll Keep Old Glory Flying," dedicated to the U. S.

Armed F o r c e s . T h e City Council of Asbury Park adopted a *

resolution at its next meeting in Pryor's honor, to the man "whose

truly outstanding talents brought world fame and glory not only to

himself, but to his adopted city. . .

The fuQeral service was at Trinity Episcopal Church, Asbury Park,

on Sunday afternoon, June 22. The service included a performance of

Pryor's intermezzo "After Sunset," played on the organ. A tribute

was given by Burt L. Smith, one of the outstanding trombone soloists

of the Pryor Band from previous years. "Pryor was a magnificant

conductor. He was a musician through and through; nobody could get

away with anything in his band. He was the greatest of them all, a

159 better musician than Sousa." He was buried in Clenwood Cemetery,

near his home. An Episcopalian by faith, he was a charter member of

the American Society of Authors Composers and Publishers (1914), as

well as the American Bandmasters Association (1929). He was also a

member of several local organizations, such as the Musicians' Union,

the Elks, and the Rotary Club.*^ His wife moved to California and

survived him by five years. Arthur Jr. died in 1954, Roger m 1979.

^^Smart, jacket notes for The Sousa and Pryor Bands. • B O

Asbury Park P r e s s , 19 June 1942.

*^Larkin, part 2, p. 15.

* °Asbury Park Press, 18 June 1942.

48

In a tribute to the dying breed of self-taught bandmasters

following Pryor's death, William Shaw of the Chicago Daily News wrote

the following:

As for Arthur Pryor, he came out of a family orchestra which played for the touring attractions that came to Missouri theatre immortalized in the Eugene Field line, 'Tootle's opry house, St. Joe.' Sam, the father, played anything he turned his hand to. Sammy, a son, played drums, his brother Walter, cornet. Arthur, of course, went in for the slip-horn. Sousa heard him, hired him. He played 10,000 solos with Sousa's band. His tone was as smooth and mellow as that of any singer; his fame for it, proverbial!

Once a musician in an act at the Pantages, St. Joseph, got an ovation after a trombone solo. ."In Arthur Pryor1 s home town?" he cried exultantly to.Butch Gerrad and Stumpy«Davis, standing in the wings. He knew.

*^St. Joseph News-Press, 1 July 1942.

CHAPTER TWO

THE WORKS OF ARTHUR PRYOR

Introduction

"America's greatest bandmaster, foremost as a writer of

attractive, successful, popular-styled composition." This

description of Pryor and his music from a Carl Fischer advertisement

of about 1910 sums up quite well not only the style but also the

philosophy behind the music of Arthur Pryor. It was music intended

for listening, music intended to give immediate pleasure- It was all

very predictable in the tonal, symmetrical, and diatonic style of the

turn-of-the-century American parlor composition. There is nothing

radical in his music. There is some that would be considered dated

today, yet there is also a certain timeless charm and elegance to the

stylized Romantic quality of Pryor's music, especially in his

marches, that keep his music quite fresh and enjoyable today. At

least one contemporary bandmaster who has regularly programmed Pryor

compositions reports that "they are liked by musicians and audiences

and should be more readily available,"* referring to the fact that

Pryor's band music has generally been long out of print-

That publishers are not always able to assess objectively the

qualities of their composers is indicated by the fact that the same

Fischer advertisement quoted above speaks of the "outspoken

individuality" of Arthur Pryor's compositional style. Written at a

time when another son of a bandmaster, heir to the >ame tradition in

America, was writing compositions which were destined to be ignored

William Pruyn, personal letter, 3 March 1984.

until mid-century, the output of Arthur Pryor contributes nothing to

the ongoing development of tonal art compared to the contributions of

his contemporary Charles Ives. Assuming the existence of a gap that

has traditionally divided the more progressive composers and the *

public at large, it could be debated whether one can indeed write

attractive, successful, and popular compositions, and still be highly

original. The history of music has provided few examples.

Yet as a testament to the cultural life of an emerging world

power, the music of Arthur Pryor, and of so many other now-forgotten

composers of that time, does have a place in the annals of American

music. This is true for its historical significance if not for its

inherent musical quality; it cannot be ignored.

As one begins to understand this music in historical perspective,

it is a small step further to appreciate it for its own sake; that

is, to find genuine pleasure in the melodies, harmonies, rhythms—in

short, the sound of this music. After all, it was written to be

enjoyed, and that is the basis upon which Pryor1s music should be

judged. It does not presume greatness. It is limiting to a broad

appreciation of music if one can enjoy music only on the basis of its

inherent quality as art. Music need not be great to be enjoyed.

Although it has been said that Arthur Pryor wrote some 300 to 350

compositions, I have been able to document only some 100 compositions

from his pen. This documentation has come from either the music

itself, stored in the Music Division of the Library of Congress and

other libraries and collections, or from records kept in the

Copyright Office of the Library of Congress, both on the cards

51

themselves and in the Catalog of Copyright Entry books. The fact

that I kept coming across the same titles over and over again through

advertisements in early music magazines and on the music itself leads

me to believe that if Pryor did write some 200 additional

compositions, they were for immediate recording or radio purposes,

were actually arrangements of pre-existing music, or were otherwise

unpublished. From Pryor's long association with the Victor Company

as music arranger we can assume that he wrote a great deal of music.

However, we can understand why everything Pryor wrote he did not

consider of lasting worth. He was no doubt influenced by Victor to

some degree as to what to write, and contractual restrictions may

well have prevented publication.

Considering the fact that in his day Pryor was very famous,

he would have seen to it, if he had indeed written 300 compositions,

that more of his music was published and disseminated. It was

simply good business for him and his band, and this in turn was

good business for publishers. Therefore I conclude that the more

likely number of Pryor's total original output is around 100

compositions. The 100 works include not just compositions that were

published, because there are some unpublished compositions known

through copyright registration. Some additional titles also are

found from secondary sources, generally through labels of old

recordings, old record catalogs, and old band programs. These are

discussed in a separate section. Considering Pryor's long career,

more titles may yet be found.

His facility at composing grew out of his ability to improvise

at the piano.

52

In an informal circle of friends he would entertain at the piano for hours by improvising. Any three or four notes struck at random on the piano by a guest would be taken as a theme or motif, which he would proceed to embellish and work into an impressive composition. He also would use as a theme a person's name, improvising on the rhythm and sound of the vowels.

Throughout the years of the Pryor Band's existence many favorite

compositions in the band repertory were Pryor compositions, so much

so that at one point he had to make a public statement that he did q

not also write the popular compositions of John Philip Sousa.

While Pryor was not the extrovert patriot that Sousa was, Pryor

did have a high regard for his country. Patriotic* selections were a

regular feature of his concerts, and several of his own compositions

were patriotically inspired. At first he wanted to call his band the

"American Band," saying in 1905 that

My band has been organized on an artistic rather than a commercial basis, to promote the healthy growth of our native music. I have expended lots of time and deep thought, as well as considerable money, upon the formation and exploitation of my band, and it is my fervent hope that it may realize, in some measure at least, my patriotic ambitions.

Some of his compositions that reflect his "patriotic ambitions0 are

the march "40 and 8," dedicated to the American Legion, and the

marches "Ye Boston Tea Party" and its successor "Bunker Hill,"

inspired by events of the Revolutionary War. His popular trombone

solo "The Patriot" includes a difficult variation on the tune

"America," and another march, "The Triumph of Old Glory," includes

2 H. W, Schwartz, Bands of America (New York: Doubleday and Co., 1957), p. 283.

3 St. Joseph News-Press, 25 May 1954.

4 "Tour of P r y o r ' s Band," The Musica l E n t e r p r i s e , March 1905, p . 1.

53

our entire national anthem in the trio. Pryor's contribution to that

distinctly American form of music called jazz through his ragtime

compositions is discussed under that category.

*

Music Traits

Melody is the primary element in the music of Arthur Pryor.

"Where is the origin of melody-whence do we get it?" he once said in

an interview. "The inspiration of melody is a gift divine, and its

proper interpretation can be handed down to posterity by the composer

only."^ His music is nothing if it is not melodious. The melodies

are organized from symmetrical phrases and are generally diatonic,

moving by step or triadic skip. They abound in sequences.

His strongest compositional trait is the extensive use of the

appoggiatura and the accented passing or neighboring tone found in

his melodies. The beginning of the trio of "Crescent Club" march

serves as an example (Ex. 1). (Examples are taken from piano solos.)

Ex. 1. Crescent Club March (1894), beginning of trio, second time.

o. - « ' A r V *

5 m r t I

1/ JJT m •9—0-

r *• -0 0-

& 7 1 |7. P V T

5Ibid.

54 9

The close of the first strain of "The Victor" march is a good example

of a rising appoggiatura figure (Ex. 2).

Ex. 2. The Victor March (1904), end of first strain. *

fa r of f t £ € l •at * J u^A

This delight in "surrounding the tonic" note with nonchordal

tones only a step away can be seen in two similar passages, both of

which are the beginning of the first strain of each march. (Ex. 3-4)

Ex. 3. "The March King" march (1895), beginning of first strain

rr.rfjrr

55

Ex. 4. "On Jersey Shore" march (1904), beginning of f i r s t s t r a i n .

4 If cjr J-r-rf

"Captain Cupid" two-step gives an excellent example of the

clashing accented neighboriag tones that Pryor often used (Ex. 5).

Ex. 5. "Captain Cupid11 two-step (1908), beginning of second strain

These very short, yet very pronounced, dissonances give the melodies

of Pryor's music a very distinctive color. That they are dissonant

is always clear, but that they are constantly present is also clear.

Pryor1s harmonies are triadic and functional, as one might

expect. He made some use of the diminished seventh chord, generally

treating the chord tones as neighboring tones (Ex. 6) or as passing

tones (Ex. 7).

56

Ex. 6. "The Baby Parade" two-step (1906), beginning of trio

* # # #

Ex. 7. "Kentucky Club" two-step (1899), beginning

J. .M f J?LS-

9 ?m 0 {>

He also frequently used the augmented sixth chord near the end

the trio. In this example from "The Arras of America" march, the

augmented sixth chord is preceded by a major supertoaic chord,

resulting in an unusual augmented fourth melodic interval in the

bass. (Ex. 8).

57

Ex. 8. "The Arms of America" march (1911), meas. 23-26 of t r i o .

Q

The following example, from "The Arcade Gir l" march and two-step,

uses an enharmonic spe l l i ng of the augmented s ix th chord (Ex. 9) .

Ex. 9. "The Arcade Gir l" march and two-step (1910), meas. 2H-28 of t r i o .

Hi

Pryor a lso makes extensive use of secondary domxnants, at

cadences in p a r t i c u l a r (Ex. 10).

58

Ex. 10. "The Love Ki.ss" waltz (1906), end of piece.

^ r\ A

HE

dim. .

His harmonic rhythm is quite steady and predictable. It is

unusual for him to hold a chord for a very long time, but exceptions

are noted under specific titles.

Pryor is generally not in a hurry to extablish the tonic of a

key. Many introductions to his compositions are entirely based on

the dominant chord, and at changes of key he may further delay the

appearance of the new tonic chord (Ex. 11).

Ex. 11. "On Jersey Shore" march, (1904), beginning of trio.

59

Pryor had 3 strong preference for the major mode, reserving the

minor mode for sections of a few marches ("The Gridiron" and "Afifi")

as a means of variation in a trombone solo ("Annie Laurie"), and for

descriptive purposes in songs ("A Coon Band Contest") and novelties

("Teddy after Africa").

Rhythmically, Pryor tended to favor shorter note values. His

marches, for example, give the feeling of constant propulsion.

Naturally, repeated rhythmic motives (at different pitch levels,

resulting in melodic sequences) unify-whole sections, but there is a

contrast of motives between the sections. For example, in

"Burlington" march, the first strain is unified by a pattern of

continuous dotted rhythms, the second strain by a pattern of half and

quarter notes, and the trio by a pattern of whole and half notes, all

in cut time.

In Pryor's rags and waltzes he was limited, of course, to the

characteristic rhythm patterns of the genres. This is also true of

his trombone solos, particularly of the theme and variations type,

where the note values get shorter and perhaps the tempo may speed up

as the piece progresses, such as in the solo "Blue Bells of

Scotland."

Publishers

Pryor's music was published during a 43-year period of his life,

from 1894 to 1939. Compositions published in 1894 are the marches

"Crescent Club," "Post Dispatch," and "Trocadero," the trombone solo

"Exposition Echoes," and the dance "Little Flirt." The variety of

61

King" march was published for band and orchestra by Pepper, and for

piano solo by B. F. fianes and Company, but this practice is rare.

The very last new composition appeared a few months after Pryor's

death. "The Rookie and His Army Mule" was published by Irving Berlin *

of New York City in early 1943 as the ,TArthur Pryor Memorial

Edition." It had been written some years previously as "Sammy and

His Missouri Mule," a sequel to the popular "The Whistler and His

Dog." The very last piece that Pryor wrote, the song "We'll Keep Old

Glory Flying," remained unpublished,- like many of his songs.

Some of his band compositions are said on the music to be

"arranged" by various people, most often M. L. Lake and L. P.

Laurendeau. There is little difference between these "arrangements"

and music credited exclusively to Pryor. These men were "house

arrangers" for Fischer, and probably did little more than prepare

Pryor's music for publication. Considering all of Pryor's experience

with bands, it is highly unlikely that he would need an arranger for

his music.

To obtain the greatest financial return from his music,

especially as Pryor became famous, publishers would print

arrangements of his music for various media. Mandolin ensembles,

banjo soloists, violinists, and guitarists were regularly treated to

the music of Arthur Pryor. It was typical of the time to read under

the title of such music "also published for. . . . This was in

addition to the normal band, orchestra, and piano solo settings.

Apparently the joy of making music was more important than observing

a strict medium of performance. C. Roberts and R. Klugescheid

62

frequently arranged Pryor's music for orchestra, and Louis Tocaben

arranged his music for mandolin and guitar. Only most of the

trombone solos and the songs remained exclusively for those media.

The piano settings would be helpful to the band conductor in that *

day when the word "score" for band meant that the solo cornet part

had the word "conductor" accomodatingly stamped on it. A few cues

might be included in the music, but that was all. In fact,

sometimes, as in the "score" for "Mr. Black Man," the conductor would

just have to beat time as he counted measures "rest" along with the

solo cornetist. Under these conditions it was good that the music is

so predictable. Surely one indication of the gradual maturing of the

concert band in this century is the gradual inclusion of an actual

score with the band parts. It is only late in his life ("Will

Rogers" march, 1937) that a composition by Arthur Pryor was published

with a conductor's score.

C a t e g o r i e s

The list of compositions, as given in the appendices, is divided

according to the category, or type, of piece. These categories are

march, rag, novelty (often called caprice), waltz, miscellaneous

dances, piano solo, song, and trombone solo. It has not been

difficult to classify his music, even though it was arranged for

various media. (Since so much of Pryor's music was arranged for "N,

piano solo, it should be pointed out that there are a few of his

compositions that are pianistic in idiom enough to warrant a separate

category of "piano solo.")

63 4

Pryor's classifications have not been very helpful at times. He

seemed to apply rather arbitrarily the terra "two-step," a popular

dance of the day, to marches (in either 6/8 or cut tine) and rags.

Often rags are labeled as "cakewalks." In this study the criteria

has been the music itself. If short note values predominate, such as

eighth notes in cut time, and there is a great deal of syncopation of

the beat itself, such as m , this suggests a more moderate tempo

and the composition is classified as rag. Longer note values suggest

a faster tempo, and the composition is. classified as a inarch.

Specific questions are dealt with under specific titles.

In general, one particular composition will receive one title.

Sometimes Pryor's category will be taken as the title of the piece.

For example, an old program may list the title "Polka Caprice" for a

trombone solo, which is Pryor's category for "The Little Chief.

This may explain the origin of some of the questionable Pryor titles.

In two instances, part of a large work also appeared as a

separate work. A particularly lyrical section of the intermezzo

"After Sunset" was also published separately as a song by the same

title. "A Coon Band Contest" song consists of a newly composed verse

melody, and a chorus which is the trio of the instrumental rag.

Also, "new" compositions may be formed from part of other

compositions. "Fox Trot" was put together from sections of two

previously published compositions, "Frozen Bill" and "Razzazza

Frederick P. Williams, jacket notes for Trombone Solos--Arthur Pryor (Crystal Records S651,1983).

64 •

Mazzazza." It was Fischer's attempt to exploit the new fox trot

craze.

Except for the category of some of the trombone solos, Pryor

wrote no polkas. He also wrote no overtures, except for what might

have begun the three operettas that have not been*located. He wrote

little descriptive program music, at least that was published. Music

portraying battles and natural calamities were very popular at the

turn of the century, but as the event would be forgotten, so the

popularity of the work would diminish. It is very possible that

Pryor wrote some of these, but the only one to be published is "The

Rookie and His Army Mule," where through sound effects and spoken

words it appears that the rookie Sammy is trying without success to

train his Missouri mule for the U. S, Cavalry.

There is some spoken dialogue in other works such as "Frau

Louisa" comedy waltz and "The Baby Parade" two-step, but not enough

to form a narrative. The text here is for humor, and is incidental

to the piece. Pryor also used pictorial imagery in his music, such

as the rhythmic figure in "Danny and His Hobby Horse" caprice to

suggest hoof beats.

Questionable Pryor titles fro® secondary sources are included in

the final section of this study. They await further research.

Marches "N,

"There i s one type of music in the playing of which the band has

always been supreme--the march. No other musical ensemble can play a

march with the z e s t , snap, and l i f e as can a good band. For years

65

the march has been the very backbone of the m i l i t a r y band."® Pryor

p r a c t i c e d what he preached in g i v i n g to the band r e p e r t o r y s e v e r a l

f i n e examples in t h i s gen re .

In t h i s c a t ego ry a r e found only what has been c a l l e d " s t r e e t " or *

"quickstep" marches, such as those by Sousa. They have also been

called "military" marches, alluding to their original function

involving the movement of troops. Pryor wrote no "grand" marches

such as are found in classical literature, Elgar's Pomp and

Circumstance for example.

There are at least twenty seven compositions by Pryor that are

definitely marches. Sixteen are in cut time, eight are in 6/8 time>

and three ("Irish King," "Arcade Girl," and "Afifi") change time

signatures. Two compositions, "Toute La Nuit" and "Blood Lilies/1

are not marches according to the standard form, and yet do not fit

any other category as well. They are certainly in march time, and are

more like a march than anything else. Also, Pryor changed styles at

times, so that "Artful Artie" and "African Beauty," more rags than

inarches, both contain trios that are really march-like in character.

As mentioned previously, Pryor has not always used the label "march";

the music itself has determined the proper category.

The keys Pryor uses range from C ("Spirit of the Purple") to G-

flat ("Vanity Fair"), although he favors the traditional "band keys"

of from one to four flats. The melody is always in the solo cornet

part, but is often doubled an octave higher by the first clarinet and

g Arthur Pryor, "How To Play a March," Musical Courier,

September 1931, p. 45.

an octave lower by the baritone. These two instruments therefore <Jo

not continuously fulfill their commonly associated functions of

ornamentation or countermelody, but only when it was deemed appropriate.

Listening to Pryor's marches means listening to gne clear melody,

with only occasional second or third lines present- Trombones often

fill in chords, but they also double the baritone in melody or

countermelody, or even play offbeats, such as during the first time

through the trio. This, plus the fact that Pryor seldom gives the

basses (trombones, baritones, tubas', and low re.eds) the melody for a

whole strain, leads one to conclude that in no way does he favor his

own instrument in his scoring.

The functions of the double reeds and saxophones vary from melody

(the oboe will seldom ornament the melody as does the clarinet), to

countermelody (tenor saxophone, bassoon), to sustaining chords (alto

and tenor saxophones). The baritone saxophone usually joins the tuba

in its unvarying function of keeping the beat. The lack of continuous

repeat measure signs for the tuba does indicate, however, that Pryor

does try to provide the tuba with some variety in his part. He knows

that it is more than a bass drum.

The horns (which at that time meant the E-flat alto horns) have

the continuous function of playing offbeats. Together with the tubas,

they form the rhythm section of the typical street march, in general not

doing much more than doubling the percussion. Eveji considering Pryor's

tuba parts as discussed above, this is basically true in his marches.

The "liberation of the horns" in the marches of more recenc times

67

i n d i c a t e s a b e l a t e d awareness of t h e i r melodic c a p a b i l i t i e s , f r e e i n g

them from a p u r e l y rhythmic f u n c t i o n .

F i n a l l y , t h e p i c c o l o w i l l o c c a s i o n a l l y branch out i n t o an

e l a b o r a t e o rnamen ta t i on a i l i t s own. In s u m m a r y ^ P r y o r 1 s s c o r i n g is

not i n n o v a t i v e , but i t i s s o l i d , and h i s marches sound good.

Pryor uses the t r a d i t i o n a l band i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n he knew from

Sousa, and, pe rhaps l a r g e l y th rough t h e i n f l u e n c e of such band

composers of the p a s t , t h i s i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n c o n t i n u e s q u i t e unchanged

today . There a r e t h r e e p a r t s f o r c o r n e t s , c l a r i n e t s , and t rombones,

f o u r p a r t s f o r the h o r n s , and one each f o r the o t h e r s . C f l u t e p a r t s

a r e not i nc luded u n t i l ve ry l a t e in P r y o r ' s c a r e e r ; the D - f l a t

p i c c o l o r e igned on h i g h . An E - f l a t c o r n e t p a r t was p r o v i d e d , which

doubled t h e so lo B - f l a t c o r n e t p a r t . P a r t s were a l s o p rov ided f o r

the B - f l a t t e n o r horns in t r e b l e c l e f and B - f l a t ba s s m t r e b l e c l e f ,

which t o g e t h e r were s imply the trombone p a r t s t r a n s p o s e d a major

n i n t h h i g h e r . The t e n o r ho rn , acco rd ing to Adam Carse , was a s o r t of

n o n d e s c r i p t b r a s s i n s t r u m e n t wi th v a l v e s , a wide and c o n i c a l bo re ,

whose tone lay between the mellowness of the modern French horn and

the b r i g h t n e s s of the trombone. Along with the a l t o ho rn , to which

i t was r e l a t e d , i t had a r a t h e r " n e u t r a l tone q u a l i t y , w h i c h

e x p l a i n s the g e n e r a l demise of both i n s t r u m e n t s t oday . " I t was no

doubt on account of t h e i r con ica l bore and deep mouthpieces t h a t the

word horn (or cor ) was g e n e r a l l y i n c o r p o r a t e d in t h | v a r i o u s names by

which they were k n o w n . S u r p r i s i n g l y , the p a r t f o r B - f l a t bass

Adam C a r s e , Musical Wind Ins t rumen t s (London: Macmillau, 1939; r e p r i n t , New York: Da Capo P r e s s , 1965), p . 298.

68 4

(whether in t r e b l e or bass c l e f ) was the same as the t h i r d troojbone

p a r t , while the E - f l a t bass pa r t (always in bass c l e f ) was c l e a r l y

fo r the tuba .

Pryor favors the t r a d i t i o n a l s t r e e t ©arch form which he probably *

learned from Sousa: a short introduction followed by two repeated

strains, then, with another flat in the key, two times through the

trio with a dramatic "breaker strain" or "dogfight" in between. The

trio is generally twice as long as the strains (32 measures compared

to 16) and may have a short introduction of its own, as in "The

Gridiron." In the marches of Pryor the trio is often first repeated,

and then the dogfight and final trio are also repeated, as in "Vanity

Fair" and "The Kentucky Club."

The dogfight, named after the violent air battles in times of

war, aptly describes the effect of this strain on the relatively

sedate mood established by the trio. The dogfight is characterized

by a loud dynamic level, three phrases of shifting tonal centers that

follow a general pattern, much unison scoring, and an abrupt

alternating of motives between the treble and bass. It always ends

on the dominant seventh chord which leads into the trio. When and

where the term "dogfight" was first used to describe a march strain

is uncertain, but it is likely that the military association of the

march would remind bandsmen of the term. It seems especially

appropriate during the "battle" of the high and low instruments as

they "exchange fire." The dogfight of a march is always dramatic and

exciting; it is the point of greatest tension in the march. There is

always a sense of relief and triumph as the dogfight resolves into

the final trio, as even the casual listener would verify as he

69

listens to this in Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" march.

The dogfight from PryorTs "The Kentucky Club" march serves as a

good example (Ex. 12). There are three phrases with four, four, and

eight measures in each. The tonalities of the phrases, which are

submediant, dominant, and dominant seventh, and the short ootives

alternating between high and low instruments (in the band setting)

are typical features of this strain. The contrary motion in the

third strain is not uncommon. The strain ends on the dominant

seventh chord.

Ex. 12. "The Kentucky Club" two-step (1899), dogfight.

f f

VI

cresc.

A £t

70

Often the final section of Pryor's dogfights continues to use a

motive from the middle section, such as the treble octaves in this

dogfight from "The March King" (Ex. 13).

* Ex. 13. Pryor, "The March King" march (1895), dogfight, meas. 10-16.

The half steps in the bass in the above example represents the

chromatic passages often found in this location in his marches,

either in parallel motion, as in "Sweetheart," or in contrary motion,

as in "Ye Boston Tea Party"*(Exx. 14-15).

Ex. 14. Pryor, "Sweetheart" march and two-step (1897), ead of dogfight.

71

Ex. 15. Pryor, "Ye Boston Tea Party" march (1899), end of dogfight.

Sometimes Pryor omitted the dogfight entirely, and substituted

for it another, new trio strain, which was also repeated, as in "The

Gridiron" and "Trocadero." And sometimes the dogfight was expanded

in length, up to 24 measures, as in "The Victor/' While the term

"trio" dates from the classical minuet-trio form from which the form

of the street march derived, the dogfight is a purely band march

addition.

Usually the introductions to Pryor's marches are four measures in

length; however a few are twice that long, such as in "The Arms of

America" and "Spirit of the Purple." In two marches, "The Triumph of

Old Glory" and "Will Rogers," the introduction is expanded to a

length of 32 measures. Often Pryor repeats material from the

introduction in the first strain, as though the strain grows out of

the introduction. Examples of this are to be found in "Irish King"

(Ex. 16) "The March of the Vhite Rats," and "Afifi."

crtsc.

72

Ex. 16. Pryor, "The Irish King" march and two-step (1905), beginning.

o.. f «-

r v r (>r > A A A

i^±.

T

4 ifc

This technique of the first strain growing out of the

introduction is used in compositions by Pryor other than marches. It

appears, for example, in the rag "Frozen Bill" and the caprice "The

Whistler and His Dog." Incidentally, virtually all of Pryor's music,

marches or otherwise, have an introduction of some sort. The only

exception is "Skipperjack Dance," which begins directly with the

first strain.

For miscellaneous variety in his marches Pryor sometimes

introduced a drum and bugle corps effect, as in "40 and 8," or short

phrases from patriotic songs, as in "Arthur Pryor's American Legion."

73

In performing his marches (and other works as well), Pryor would

have different sections rest during a strain, and then join in for

the repeat of the strain. In the second strain of "On Jersey Shore,"

for example» the cornets and trombones would rest the first time and

play the second time. Doubling the melody in the clarinet and

baritone parts would insure its presence. He also encouraged

exaggerating the dynamic levels for special effect.**

Pryor had some definite thoughts regarding the proper performance

of marches, whether his own or others. Shorter note values (quarter

Gotes or shorter in cut time) are to be played separated, while

longer note values should be sustained their full value. "The result

12 is the delightful effect of contrast." The reed section should not

sharply attack notes. "Let your brass do it. All notes should have

a beauty and life of their own."*^ All notes should begin louder

than they end, resulting in a fast diminuendo.

He noted how marches in 2/4 time are played more brightly than

those in cut time. This is because performers naturally separate

shorter note values, even though technically there is no difference

between a quarter note in 2/4 time and a half note in cut time. The

appearance of the duration seems to make a difference. (This

conclusion is surprising in the light of Pryor's almost exclusive use

of cut time over 2/4 time in his own marches.)

"The Compositions of Arthur Pryor," The Metronome, July 1910, pp. 14-16.

*^Pryor , A r t h u r , "How To Play a March,1 ' p . 45.

74 4

He was critical of composers who do not indicate their intentions

more clearly through the use of shorter note values, accents, and the

like. He thought they should write more specifically what they would

like to hear. Finally, Pryor said that "grand" marches, such as

Wagner's "TannhSuser March," should be played witii all notes

receiving full value, although "we are never as heavy with Verdi as

14 with Wagner."

Pryor concluded these suggestions with a timely thought: "During

my experience I have played 'Sta_r,s and Stripes Forever' at least

3,000 times and each time I usually see something I did not see

before. The conductor who is through learning, is through, and had

better retire."^ While the best of Pryor's marches fall short of

Sousa's masterpieces, they are always tuneful, logical, and, as said

earlier, solid.

Ra^s

An important aspect of the Cakewalk craze, which led directly and logically to the rise of ragtime as a popular cult, was the connection of the cakewalk with brass band literature. It was clear from the beginning that in some ways the cakewalk music was more suitjg to instrumental rendition than to the piano keyboard.

Even while Pryor was still with Sousa he began to make his mark in

14 Ibid., p. 56.

15 Ibid.

William J. Schafer and Johannes Riedel, The Art Of Ragtime (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1973; reprint, New York: Da Capo Press, *1977), pp. 113-114.

75

this new style of music. "Pryor understood the coon song and the

cakewalk and ragtime, and when these tunes began to take the public

fancy, Sousa soon learned that Pryor had a special knack of making

arrangements of this music, and he turned most of such work over to *

him/"** As assistaot conductor of Sousa's Band, Pryor also helped

the bandmembers to get the "feel" of this new syncopated rhythmic

style. No less than seven Pryor rags date from his days with

Sousa; the international popularity of "A Coon Band Contest" has

already been noted. He was also a pidneer in recording such music.

"Pryor was one of the earliest composers of music in the syncopated

vein. His recorded cakewalks, southern melodies, and 'darky' tunes

18 predate the earliest ragtime selection by over a year."

Growing up in a frontier town on the Missouri River, Pryor no

doubt had exposure to the traveling minstrel shows of the day through

his father's show business contacts. Also, St. Joseph is near

Sedalia, Missouri, considered the birthplace of ragtime. It is easy

therefore to understand his early affinity for ragtime that was such

a help to Sousa. "Sousa's Band made a hit with Arthur Pryor's

19 ar rangements . . . t a k i n g the music a c r o s s America and Europe . "

Naturally, this emphasis on ragtime continued when Pryor formed

his own band in 1903. Several more rags were composed, and in the

1906 Victor catalog his "Razzazza Mazzazza" is called the "king of

^Schwartz, pp. 203-04.

18 Williams, jacket notes for Trombone Solos—Arthur Pryor.

19 Schafer and Riedel, p. 31.

76

20 r a g s . " Car l F i s c h e r , who p u b l i s h e d the rags of many composers ,

c a l l e d P r y o r ' s "Frozen B i l l " the " r a g g i e s t of a l l r a g s . " 2 1 Ca l led

v a r i o u s l y " r a g , " " c a l k w a l k , " " t w o - s t e p / ' o r "dance c h a r a c t e r i s t i c , M

t h e s e compos i t ions c o n s i s t i n g of syncopated melod ies of s h o r t no t e

va lues a r e q u i t e e a s i l y c a t e g o r i z e d , and form a h i s t o r i c a l l y

s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t of the ou tpu t of J 'Ar thur P r y o r , who had a thorough

u n d e r s t a n d i n g of bo th the wind idiom and the new rhythms of r ag t ime , 0 O

[creatingj a new genre of band music."

However, in all of his musical arrangements for the band

throughout his long career, he would not add a rag style, or any jazz

style, to a classical composition. Reflecting late in his life on

the whole jazz movement that his rags helped to foster, he felt that

while jazz is legitimate entertainment, "a splendid thing for those

23 who want to dance," jazz versions of the old masters "have so

confused the younger generation that youths put a swing rhythm into

music when they think they are playing it straight . . . Tschaikowsky

24 has s u f f e r e d t e r r i b l y . " Because of t h i s he once c a l l e d j a z z the

25 "parasite of music," lacking originality except in the area of

rhythm. He realized the concert band's contribution to American

cultural life, and was saddened to see it supplanted by jazz

1920 Catalog of Victor Records.

^Quoted from an advertisement on a publication, Carl Fischer, New York, ca. 1910.

^Schafer and Riedel, p. 135.

^St. Joseph News-Press, 18 June 19 2.

24 Ibid., 19 December 19M.

25Ibid., 18 June 1942.

77

ensembles as time went by. "The concert bands deserve credit for

bringing the people closer to good music."

All of Pryor's rags are in either cut or 2/4 time. They are in

the quickstep march form, except that a few (such £s "That Flying

Rag") are in an ABA form before the trio; that is, the first strain

appears once again after the second strain. Instead of a dogfight

between statements of the trio, another strain may appear, which is

the second strain of the composition transposed here to the key of

the trio, a fifth lower. This is the case in "Southern Hospitality"

and "Canhanibalmo Rag." Incidentally, as in his marches, Pryor does

not always use the label "trio," but it is clear from the context.

There may be a fermata at the end of the introduction of a rag

("Southern Blossoms"), a short coda at the end of the piece ("An

Arkansas Huskin' Bee"), and generally the final strain is to be

played much slower, suggesting a freer approach to tempo than in the

march-

In general, however, tempos should be steady and moderate in the

rags. "Classic ragtime composers repeatedly asked that their works

be played at moderate tempos," which rag specialist John Stark

describes as "slow march time," about a quarter note for 100 on the

27 metronome.

A traditional march tempo of about 120 beats per minute would

impart a pronounced rushed feeling to the phrases anfr be most

^St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 1941.

^Schafer and Riedel, p. 144.

/

7S

inappropriate to the style. The eighth notes and sixteenth notes are

to be played evenly, without the "swing" feel of jazz. Ragtime

exists as an abstract tradition, and is not to be influenced by

momentary nuances of emotional expression in performance. It is more i

disciplined than ja2z. "In this sense ragtime is more akin to other

folk music of the nineteenth century than to jazz/'*®

While some titles in this category may be open to debate, I feel

that they fit here better than in any other category. They all have

to some degree the ragtime rhythms that characterize this style. The

debate would deal more with form than with style. In "borderline"

compositions it is the trio which is generally most like a march.

Those compositions that Pryor actually calls rags generally fit this

category best.

Novelties

In the spirit of a family outing at the local amusement park long

ago, these entertaining compositions formed an important part of any

band's repertory. Because they described local events or an aspect

of current life style, they became dated very quickly» but they did

serve the need of a pleasant diversion in their time. In fact, it

was their very timeliness that made them so popular.

The musical forms of course vary, but in general there is an

introduction, key changes within, and clear, distinct sections that

are often repeated. There may also be appropriate special effects.*~~

Near the end of the composition, Pryor likes to build up to a sudden

JO Schafer and Riedel , p. 147.

79

pause, followed by some sound effect, and then concludes with a fast

chordal cadence.

Waltzes

One can understand Pryor's natural affinity for ragtime; it is

more difficult to understand his affinity for waltzes. These are

light, charming, and elegant waltzes in the Viennese tradition. No

doubt Pryor's European travels with Sousa further solidified whatever

earlier exposure he had. These are longer compositions than those

discussed in previous categories, but they consist of several

distinct and symmetrical sections, whj,ch is typical of all of Pryor's

music.

Basically there are three large sections between an introduction

and a coda. The three sections, sometimes labeled by number, can be

further divided into three (sometimes two) strains. The section

labeled "coda" includes a theme or two from the first section, and

then smoothly moves into the true coda (or "codetta") which may

include motives from earlier strains, but not whole strains. The

codas are generally to be accelerated, and instead of one final tonic

chord there are sometimes two fast chords, as in "La Spamola" and

"Love Thoughts."

These are stylized waltzes, not intended for dancing. There are

often ritards at the end of sections, and even ferma^s and breaks

within sections, as in "Love's Enchantment." Pryor frequently

employs the device of hemiola for metric variety, such as in this

excerpt from "La Spaniola" (Ex. 17).

80

Ex. 17. "La Spaniola" waltz (1898), p. 5, meas. 5-9.

As in his marches, Pryor prefers shorter note values, giving the

waltzes a somewhat hurried feeling. The smooth dotted half-note

melody of "The Love Kiss" is exceptional.

These comments apply to all of Pryor's instrumental waltzes,

however those known primarily as trombone solos will be individually

discussed in that category. The vocal waltzes, which are shorter

than the other waltzes, are discussed under the category of songs.

"Frau Louisa" ("A Comedy Waltz"), even though formally a waltz, could

also belong in the novelty category.

Miscellaneous Dances

This category is for a few isolated compositions which do not fit

any of the preceding categories. Other than that which can be said

about all of Pryor's music, there are no unifying characteristics

here. Four compositions are in this category.

Piano Solos

Considering Pryor's skill as a pianist, it is somewhat surprising

that he wrote so few compositions that in their pianistic idiom are

81 •

clearly intended as piano solos first, although all three

compositions were also published for band and orchestra. Lyric

melody continues to dominate these pieces, as it does all of Pryor's

music, hut the metric pulse is subdued here. The restful titles

reflect accurately the quiet, pseudo-impressionistic mood of these

typical "parlor" piano solos so popular at that time.

The right hand generally carries the melody, either in single

notes or more often fully harmonized, while the left hand keeps a

subdued beat of low octaves and chords. Arpeggios and various

ornamented figures add the pianistic touch. Though the mood is more

restrained and passive, the sections are still clearly distinct.

Songs

Considering Pryor's talent for writing lyrical and very singable

melodies, it is not surprising to find that he composed the music for

several songs. I was able to locate only seven of his songs, and to

acquire a recording of one more. There is evidence that he wrote

several more, both from primary sources (included here) and secondary

sources (included in the list of questionable titles). This does not

include compositions from other categories that were partially

provided with a text, such as "Mr. Black Man" and "Artful Artie." It

is surprising that Pryor wrote no music for vocal ensemble, at least

thus far discovered. There may well be some in the three operettas

that he supposedly wrote.

The songs are generally strophic, with a short introduction and

refrain. The introduction is often derived melodically from the

verse. For a few songs Pryor wrote the text as well as the music.

82

Trombone solos

"The genius of Arthur Pryor is prominent in all of his trombone

works . . . . His solos are excellent for developing confidence,

29 aggressiveness, and a sense of 'bravura* in young players." If it it

were not for this category of compositions, the name of Arthur Pryor

would be largely forgotten today. For those who have not heard him

perform, these solos also perpetuate his reputation as a trombonist.

"Pryor's theory [was] that each soloist should compose most of the

solos he was to play, which would best display his own individual

30 talent and ability." Since Pryor knew of no existing literature to

adequately demonstrate his skills, one could assume that he felt

compelled to write these solos. One may say that Arthur Pryor was

one of the first composers of a distinct body of solo literature

specifically intended for the trombone that has retained its

popularity through the years and is still available and popular

today.

While Pryor1s trombone solos are not profound in the sense of

possessing great musical substance, th^ are serious in their

approach to the instrument as one possessing outstanding lyrical and

technical capabilities. The three factors influencing the content of

his solos are an immediate appeal to his audience, his gift for

Vern Kagarice et al., Solos for the Student Trombonist: An Annotated Bibliography (Nashville: The Brass Press ,~M979), p. 10.

30 Glean D. Bridges, Pioneers in Brass > 3rd ed. (Detroit:

Sherwood Publications, 1972), p. 28. (Bridges also relates that Pryor encouraged Herbert L. Clarke to begin writing cornet solos for himself.)

83 »

melody, and his virtuoso performance skills. There are no novelty

trombone solos, full of smears, growls, or other comic effects.

Pryor treated his instrument with great respect. Trombone smears are

found only in his rags, where they are stylistically appropriate.

Audience appeal was a basic concern of Pryor, as it also was for

Sousa. Whether it be through beautiful and dazzling solo

performances, marches, rags, or the music of symphony and opera, they

wanted to communicate with as many people as possible in their

concerts. Their long careers as popular conductors testify to their #v

success. This desire for popular appeal is reflected in Pryor's

trombone solos.

Recalling that Pryor actually preferred to perform lyrical

ballads instead of his virtuoso display pieces, his concern for

expressive melody becomes apparent. He was not only a dazzling

showman; he was also a musician, as well known for his tone as for

his technique. Many of the solos he played consisted of only lyrical

melody. The bravura style present (but not exclusively so) in all of

his solos must be considered in the light of his total performance

repertory, his virtuoso skills, the apparent lack of virtuoso

literature for the trombone, and the audience he sought to impress.

In spite of their relative fame, Pryor's trombone solos form only

a small part of his total compositional output. This reflects the

comparatively short period of his life that he was active as a

soloist, from about 1890 to 1910. Some of Pryor*s solos use existing

tunes, either as a theme with variations, or just inserted for the

sake of interest, as is "Dixie" in the coda of "Annie Laurie." Host

84 «

solos, however, are completely original compositions, written to

satisfy his immediate need for program material,

He was no doubt performing many of his solos long before they

were published. For example, "Thoughts of Love" was performed with

Sousa's Band at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, eleven

years before it was published. In the early days of his career

publishers would understandably be skeptical of much of a market for

such difficult music.

The solos were published during two periods oj Pryor's life: from

about 1895 to 1915, and then in the late 1930s. The later

compositions no doubt were written many years earlier, and then Pryor

edited and submitted them for publication perhaps as a retirement

project. They may have existed previously under different titles

since no record of these late titles exists until the pieces were

published.

Through his solos Pryor demonstrated what the trombone could do

in expression and technique, similar to the work of avanEe garde

trombonist Stuart Dempster today, in the area of tone production and

timbre. This is all simply part of the ongoing process of discovering

what a marvelous musical instrument the trombone is. What Pryor did

with the trombone was as novel to many people back then as the things

Dempster is doing now: one simply builds on the other.

Traditional techniques cannot be ignored, since it is mandatory in order to learn and m.aster new techniques; learning and mastering new techniques enhance and define more clearly traditional techniques. The old and the new, so seemingly separate, are actually inseparable and, in the long run.

85

complementary, even if in the short run this seems not to be the case.

The s o l o s , of c o u r s e , form a c a t a l o g of the v i r t u o s o s k i l l s in

per formance f o r which Pryor was famous. Foremost of P r y o r ' s v i r t u o s o *

skills is the matter of speed. Tempo never presented a threat to

him. Whether the passage was by step or full of wide leaps, he could

freely move around his instrument with ama2ing speed and accuracy.

Extensive use of alternate and "false" positions freed him to this

level of dexterity in performance.

Pryor's sense of expression in performance is apparent in the

logical use he made of tempo rubato. This is reflected in his solos

with indications for frequent breaks, fermatas, and the use of

markings such as ritard, accellerando, and rallentando. Indeed, the

cadenzas are simply a logical extension of the freedom of tempo

inherent in his entire trombone solo repertory.' This is not to imply

that there should be a constant flux of tempo, but that tempo freely

gives way to expression when deemed appropriate.

Cadenzas are to be found in all his solos. Consisting of

chromatic runs, arpeggios, and various figurations, they are in the

best Romantic tradition of "giving the performer a chance to exhibit

32 his technical mastery" within the limits of expression, timing, and

good taste. Unlike many Romantic era cadenzas, however, Pryor's

cadenzas are lacking in thematic material.

Stuart Dempster, The Modern Trombone (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1979), p. 1. (Dempster has recorded some Pryor solos. )

32 Villi Apel, Harvard Dictionary of Music, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1969), p. 120.

86

Besides his beautiful tone, dazzling speed, and sense of

expression evident in tempo flexibility, there are a few specific

devices that appear in the solos that merit comment. Pryor would

often use a fast series of octave jumps, as illustrated here from

He also used the natural harmonic series of the trombone in harmonic

glissandi, as illustrated from "Thoughts of Love" (Ex. 19), and fast

lip slur arpeggios through the positions as illustrated from "Air

Varie" (Ex. 20).

Ex. 19. "Thoughts of Love" (1904), end of third section.

The P a t r i o t " (Ex. 24).

Ex. 18. "The P a t r i o t " (1904), opening cadenza.

s i Ex. 20. "Air Varie" (1895), f i n a l cadenza.

8?

He sometimes would f e a t u r e very wide l e a p s , expanding the assumed

range of the i n s t r u m e n t , as he re in "Blue B e l l s of S c o t l a n d " (Ex. 21) .

Ex. 21. "Blue B e l l s of Sco t l and ' ' (1904) , f i n a l caderjza.

• • .

) l * i-s-i 3 5 T r-r

Sf ^ *

Pryor was fond of the turn, such as here in the coda of "Exposition

Echoes" (Ex. 22).

Ex. 22. "Exposition Echoes Polka" (1S94), middle of coda section.

ClfHC .

Besides pauses and breaks at cadence points, Pryor placed them

wherever he felt that they were musically justified, even within a

beat) as here in "The Tip Topper" (Ex. 23).

Ex. 23. "The Tip Topper" (1937), introduction.

Many of Pryor*s solos begio with a dramatic rising^arpeggio, as

in "Annie Laurie" (Ex. 24), or with a high octave leap, as in "Love's

Enchantment" (Ex. 25). They were no doubt intended to get the

attention of the audience.

86

Ex. 24. "Annie Laurie" (1895), trombone entrance.

m baity

Ex. 25. "Love's Enchantment" (1903), trombone entrance rs

Cad.

In performing his soLos Pryor will'often rush together the first

two notes of a series of eighth or sixteenth notes. Apparently he

Liked this effect enough to write it in the music. It became a

stylistic trademark of his performance (Ex. 26).

Ex. 26. "Fantastic Polka" (1939), start of trio.

In general, Pryor's trombone solos have provided performance

opportunities that combine sensitive expression, technical command,

and audience appeal for generations of trombonists. They continue to

be historically significant and worthy additions to the literature of

the instrument.

In a recent study of Pryor trombone solos,^ they were divided

into four types based on form and musical style. The types are valse

Steve M. Wolfinbarger, "The Solo Trombone Music of Arthur Pryor" (M.N. thesis, North Texas State University, 1982).

caprice, valse de concert, polka caprice, and theme and variations.

Several of the solos use these type names as subtitles. The

prototype or typical Pryor solo begins with a lengthy introduction

and cadenza, the body follows with three sections, and concludes with *

a dramatic coda and cadenza.

The introduction begins with the piano alone; the trombone

entrance is marked with some dramatic gesture such as a rising

arpeggio. The trombone will often alternate thematic material with

the piano, and then play a lyrical theme of its own at a slower

tempo. The introductions almost always end in a dramatic cadenza.

The body, or central section, of the four types differ. In the

theme and variations there is a simple statement of the theme

followed by up to three variations separated by short piano

interludes. The variations are progressively more difficult, but

they are not always strict variations of the melody itself. In "Air

Varie," for example, Pryor retains the harmony and a very general

outline of the theme, but modifies the melody line of the variation

in such a way that its relationship to the theme is only vaguely

apparent- Therefore, the variations are not always simply a matter

of adding more notes. In "Annie Laurie," one variation of the theme

is achieved by contrast in meter, mode, and style.

The body of the polka caprice consists of a polka (played twice

with an interlude), a trio in the key of the subdominant and one

statement of the polka in the tonic key.

The bodies of the valse caprice and the valse de concert have similar

structures, but the body of the valse de concert is more elaborate with

more sections and themes than that of the valse caprice. In the vals

de concert the three sections are labeled by number and are thematica

distinct from each other. The sections are in different but related^

keys. There is a return in the coda (after the third section) to the v.

original key and theme of the composition, but the return to original

key and theme is within the third section of the valse caprice, which

may or may not have a coda.

The three sections in the body of the theme and variations type

are each in binary form (consisting of "theme or variation, and

interlude), while the three middle sections of the two valse types

are each in ternary (ABA) form. The three sections of the polka

caprice type divide differently according to the specific

composition. The central section of the polka caprice and the valse

caprice is called the trio, and it is in the key of the subdominant.

Only the theme and variations type stays in the same key throughout

the whole composition.

The coda is generally not regularly structured (that is, arranged

by antecedent/consequent phrases), but consists of some fanfare-like

figures, as in ''The Supervisor," or fast turns, as in "Exposition

Echoes." These are repeated all at a fast tempo and lead to a sadden

pause followed by the cadenza. As the soloist sustains the last note

of the piece (high and loud), the piano will often play a short

phrase from the main theme, as in "Starlight" waltz caprice.

To summarize, the following charts of these four types are

presented. They are partially based on Wolfinbarger's study. The

Roman numerals for "key" refer here not to chords but to tonality.

91

The opening introductions generally will serve as such for the

entire composition, while the shorter introductions within the piece

serve for just that section. In a three-strain section the middle

strain is often played by the piano alone, or with the piano and *

trombone alternating phrases. The shorter introductions and

interludes are usually for piano alone- The piano accompaniments,

incidentally, are also difficult, and require accuracy and dexterity

%

Ex. 27. Polka Caprice Type.

POLKA TRIO 4/4 I C 2/4 iKt P TH CD7

Key: I (V) I V I IV IV IV

POLKA 1-2 P CODA C I I I (V)-I

Ex. 28. Valse Capr ice Type.

3 /4 I C T 2 F *7^2 T H"7 1 c o n t e n t Key: I (V) I V I IV IV I 1 v a r i e s

Ex. 29. Valse de Concert Type.

1 2 3/4 I C 1 2 V rT^l 3 (4) P Key: I (V) I V I IV IV IV IV

3 CODA *7^3 5 T* T 4 C (T) CD1

IV IV IV M (V) I I IV IV IV

92

Ex. 30. Theme and Variations Type.

Th VI V2 4fU I C J Th intl H7l inc1 'V2 int* Key: I throughout

V3 C f~V3 TnTI C * + fast t • or• 1 '

Possible/Spurious Compositions

In the course of this study I came across several titles of

compositions credited to Pryor which have been proven incorrectly

credited, or which I have been unable to verify by finding either the

music itself or copyright information. Further research is needed -

These titles have come from old programs, recordings, catalogs,

books, and in one case a newspaper article. For the sake of

completeness all such titles are here included along with source of

original•title, or, if spurious, source of correction. Letters

containing lists of known and "mystery" titles have been sent to many

band historians and libraries in an effort to find information.

Their help is hereby acknowledged.

APPENDIX

In the following discussion of the individual compositions of

Arthur Pryor, charts are provided to enable the reader to easily see

the form, or "layout," of each piece. These include keys and meter

as well as the basic arrangement of strains and sections^ Pryor

freely arranged his symmetrical strains into both binary and ternary

sections. A march begins (after the introduction) with a two-strain

binary form arid ends with a trio-dogfight-trio (ABA) ternary form.

Although this arrangement is more common, sometimes there is a second

trio strain without dogfight, as in several rags, resulting in a

binary form for each half of the composition.

Taken as a whole, these compositions have a two-section form

overall, as in the first and second sections of a march, described

above. But if Pryor chose to go back and repeat the first section

(or part of it) of a composition, as in the classical minuet-tno-

minuet form, the result is a three-part form overall. This he does

in several of the trombone solos and novelties.

The second section of his compositions, which could be called the

"trio section," is almost always in the key of the subdominant. In

his more formally complex works he employs two subdominant

relationships, as in the trombone solo "Thoughts of Love" (B-flat E-

flat A-flat B-flat). Sometimes Pryor will employ a tertian key

relationship, as in the waltz "Frau Louisa" (G E-flat G). The only

time he regresses to the key of the dominant is within a section

where there is an ABA form, and the B strain will be in the key of

the dominant. Only in "Little Nell," "Skipperjack Dance," and the

theme and variations type of trombone solo does Pryor stay in one key

93

94

throughout; this does not rule out, however, the contrast of major

and relative minor mode to sustain variety.

For each composition the publisher, copyright registration date,

and copyright registration number is given, as found in thg Library

of Congress Copyright Office- This information was taken from the

music itself (frequently the date and number were written on it J,

from the copyright catalog cards, or from the various volumes of the

series Catalogue of Copyright Entries, (The Library of Congress

siglum is DLC.) The registration numbers and exact dates^were not

available for all of Pryor's compositions.

The following key is necessary to read^the charts. Numbers above

the symbols indicate the number of measures contained therein.

Parentheses indicates that that particular strain is repeated, with

perhaps only minor differences at the end of each strain.

I introduction C caden2a

1-2 a secoad introduction, int interlude different from the first

CD codetta 1, 2 first, second strain

IB f i r s t s t r a i n r epea t ed with P polka s t r a i n n o t a b l e d i f f e r e n c e

T t r i o s t r a i n Th theme

T - l , T-2 f i r s t , second s t r a i n of t r i o VI v a r i a t i o n one

A B used wi th more complex ex t e x t e n s i o n forms f o r e a s i e r r ead ing

DR drum

95

Marches

A f i f i , March Cover: Dedica ted to A f i f i Temple of Tacoma, Washington A.H.O.N.M.S.; Inside: To Wm. Fink, a friend since boyhood, this March is dedicated.

N-V^Carl Fischer, copyright 2 April 1910--band. Dlfc E229188 N/Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 2 April 1910--piano solo. DLC E29199 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 9 July 1910--orchestra, arr. Charles \ Roberts. DLC E236909

16 16 16 4 16 16 16 (1) 2 2B 6/8 1-2 T D T

Bb DR Eb:

The first strain begins with the melody of the introduction. Both endings of the first strain modulate to the relative major key. The second half of the second strain is different each time; the first time it moves to the dominant chord, the second time to the tonic chord. The introduction to the trio is a 4-measure drum solo. In the piano solo it is on the note B-flat. Keys given in the chart are for piano solo; band keys are a whole step lower. The clarinet part has ornamentation in the final trio. The trio has a text, printed in the piano solo and in some of the band parts:

Afifi, Afifi, With its sliding gliding Bump-a-de Bumps, And its Rag-a-de Jag-a-de sandy jumps, I got mine and so did Brother Bill, j Hang on to the rope, "Hurrah" A f i f i .

I t i s not known to^what the t e x t i s r e f e r r i n g . The words " A f i f i " and " h u r r a y " a r e a l s o to be shouted a t the end of the p h r a s e s in the d o g f i g h t .

I 4 2 /4 I

g:

The Arcade G i r l March & Two Step (This march has a l s o been c a l l e d "Matinee G i r l / 1 )

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 5 July 1910—band. DLC E236921 (American Star Journal 1337)

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 5 July 1910—piano solo. DLC E236937 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 15 July 1910--orehestra, arr. Charles

Roberts. DLC E2371SQ

4 16 16 4 32 24 32 6/8 I (1) (2) 1-2 2/4 T D T

Eb: Ab:

96

This march changes time signatures at the trio.The introduction is in unison. The chief Pryor characteristic is seen at the opening of the first strain: the accented passing and appoggiatura tones.

Ex. 31. "The Arcade Girl" march and two step (1911), beginning of first strain.

The introduction to the trio is all on the dominant ninth chord of the new key. There is a unique phrase structure in the dogfight, appearing in both the submediant and the dominant tonalities. The structure is 1 - 4 - 3 as far as the number of measures in each phrase (Ex. 32).

Ex. 32. "The Arcade Girl" march and two step (1911), beginning of dogfight. '

| [A J j iJ: - r f? I *P I i 1 —

tr \\fl- 7 =F*T= - K r—

ri' p A A

t-H to. l

1 ' » 1 h ' r j

The piano solo keys are given in the chart; band keys are B-flat and E-flat. The baritone has a countermelody in the first strain.

The Arras of America March N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 12 July 1911—band. DLC E260768

97

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 1 September 1911--band, arr. L. P. Laurendeau. DLC E266869. (American Star Journal 1828)

N.V.: Carl Fischer, copyright 17 August 1911--piano solo. DLC £265065

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 19 February 1912 - orchestra with piano accompaniment, arr. Charles Roberts. DLC E282024

8 16 t I (1) C:

16 16 2 2B

32 (T)

24 32 D T

F:

There are two unique features in the long dogfight. First, a doubly diminished seventh chord is sustained for 4 measures, resolving on a weak beat. The haraoaic suspense is apparent even in a casual listening.

Ex. 33. "The Arras of America" march (1911), beginning of dogfight.

I

0 •H J p J 5 m

WW

The second unique feature is the syncopated contrary motion at the end of the dogfight.

98

Ex. 34. "The Arms of America" march (1911), end of dogfight.

This syncopation does not appear in the band arrangements. Keys given are for piano solo; band keys are a whole step lower. The final trio of the band arrangements features a difficult clarinet o rnamenta ti on.

Arthur Pryor's American Legion March N.Y.: Edw. B. Marks, copyright 1924—band. N.Y.: Jos. W. Stern, copyright 25 November 1919—piano solo. DLC

E463219 N.Y.: Edw. B. Marks, copyright 1 Mav 1925 - unknown medium. DLC

E568016

16 16 16 16 16 16 Z I (1) (2) (T) D T F: Bb:

The lengthy introduction includes phrases from the U.S. national anthem ("Oh say can you see" in the bass) and "Yankee Doodle" (piccolo and clarinet). Phrases from "Dixie" and "Yankee Doodle" are found in the dogfight. The second and third trios include countermelodies in the clarinet. Band keys are given; keys of the recently discovered piano solo are B-flat and E-flat. In the piano solo dogfight the phrase "home again" is set to music> and the cover * features a short tribute by Pryor to the recently returned fighting men of his country.

•

101

40 and 8 March Dedicated to Glenn L. Berry, First Commander, Long Branch Post #44,

The American Legion. N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 15 March 1939--band. DLC E76025

4 16 16 16 16 16 16 24 16 24 16 1 1 ( 1 ) 2 3 1 D R T D T D T

C: F: TUTU *

Pryor's final marches became more complicated. There is a third strain in the first part of this march, and the trio is played three times, each with added musical lines. Half of the third strain is in the distant tonality of E-flat, and the strain includes phrases from the French national anthem, "Yankee Doodle," and "Dixie/' The final appearance of the first strain (just before the trio) includes the opening phrases of the American national anthem. The trio can include a drum and bugle corps. The opening drum SQ O is repeated in each of the three trio appearances. The trumpet part can be played on an open bugle in F. The final trio consists of six melody lines with born offbeats, although the trombone part is similar to the drum part. It is quite a dramatic conclusion.

Graham Paige Legion March Words and music by Ar thur Pryor and E a r l Donegan D e t r o i t : Graham Pa ige Motors C o r p . , c o p y r i g h t 14 February 1928--

o r c h e s t r a , a r r . M. L. Lake. DLC E686095

The i jus ic i s u n a v a i l a b l e . Perhaps t h i s composi t ion was commissioned by the au tomobi le m a n u f a c t u r e r .

The G r i d i r o n March ( t w o - s t e p ) St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1898--band. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1898—piano solo. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1898—orchestra. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 13 December 1897--medium unknown. Paris: Hachette, copyright 20 July I920--orchestra with piano

accompaniment. DLC E485018

4 16 16 4 16 16 t I (0 (2) 1-2 (T-1) (T-2) d: F: Bb:

This march is somewhat unusual in that it begins in the minor mode, and there is no dogfight. There are two trio strains instead; they are of equal length and each is repeated. The second ends with a long chromatic run, ascending in the first ending, descending in the second. This is rather unusual for the composer. The introduction to the trio is interesting: as the contrary motion

102

begins (which is in itself not unusual), the composer begins the lines not at the interval of the octave, but at the interval of the ninth (Ex. 35). The keys for piano solo and band are the same. The baritone plays an unusual countermelody in the first trio strain consisting of quarter note triplets against the quarter notes of the melody. The trombones have a more traditional countermelody in the second trio strain.

Ex. 35. "The Gridiron" march (1898), beginning of trio.

& m *#££ ±

&' k I L-> =

J?

f -4h »

Guardians of the Air March Brooklyn: A. Schrader and Son, copyright 7 August 1929—piano solo.

E unp. 9701

The music for this unpublished work is unavailable.

Heart of America March Dedicated to Edwin J . Shannahan, o r i g i n a t o r of Kansas C i t y ' s

s logan, "Heart of America." N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 20 Apri l 1916—band, a r r . M. L. Lake.

£383041 (American Star Journal 2057) N.Y.: Carl Fischer* copyright 2 February 1916—piano solo E278292 N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 4 May 1916--orchestra E383352

4 16 16 16 32 24 32 6/8 I (1) (2) IB T D T

F: Ab: F: Bb: ^

The most unusual feature of this march is the inclusion of what could be called an interlude strain between appearances of the first strain. This interlude is in the key of the lowered mediant of A-flat. There is no modulation into this strain; the fifth of the key of F (the note C) simply becomes the third of the new key of A-flat.

103

However, the modulation back to F from A-flat can be explained in more harmonic terms: the tonic chord with lowered seventh functions as an augmented sixth chord leading to the C triad in second inversion, which then becomes the dominant chord of the key of F. All this happens in the second ending of this interlude strain. In oo other march does the composer move to such a distant key, but the modulation is very smooth here. Another interesting aspect of the march is that the tonic F chord does not appear until the third measure of the first strain. All is dominant harmony until this po-int. The dogfight includes two appearances of the first phrase ("Hy country tis of thee") of "America." Band keys are a whole step lower than the piano solo keys given. The trombones have a couatemselody in the final appearance of the first strain (after the interlude strain), and the baritone has a countermelody in the trio. A triangle is to be used in the dogfight. This march is my favorite.

The Irish King March and Two-Step N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 29 Hay 1905--band. DLC C95841

(American Star Journal 863) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 1905--piano solo-N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 11 September 1905--orchestra. DLC C102225

4 16 16 24 32 6/8 I ( I ) (2) BAGPIPE 2/4 (T)

C: F:

Unlike "Blood Lillies," there is a definite Irish element here. Three Irish songs are included, "Wearing of the Green/' "Killarney," and "St. Patrick's Day," and there is an added "bagpipe" strain before the trio- The "bagpipe" is the piccolo and oboe over a clarinet drone, with the drum giving a constant beat. The melody here is in the mixolydian mode (lowered seventh) which adds to the Irish modal element. The introduction to the march and the first strain begin with the same melody, and there is a trombone countermelody (marked "solo") in the final trio. This is one of the three marches of Pryor which has a time change. Keys given are for the piano solo; band keys are F and B-flat.

Kentucky Club Two-Step N.Y. : Carl Fischer (?), band. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1899—piano solo. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 7 August 1899—unknown medium

(piano solo?), DLC 51003 Paris: Hachette, copyright 13 November 1919--orchestra and

piano/conductor. DLC E468232

4 16 16 16 16 16 t I (1) (2) (T) (D T)

104

The first strain with many short eighth-note runs is definitely more difficult than the second strain .or the trio. The entire dogfight was reproduced (Ex. 12) in Chapter 2 as an example of a dogfight. The trio has many skips of a third. The band arrangement is not available. Keys given are for piano solo.

* Liberty Hall March Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1900—band. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1899--orchestra.

4 16 16 32 16 32 6/8 I (1) (2) T D T

Eb: Ab:

This is one of Pryor's better marches from his early days. The baritone and trombones have a countermelody in the first strain, and there is a strong trombone countermelody in the final trio. In some of the band parts the dogfight is in a different key than the trio. This appears to be for the purpose of eliminating the need for accidentals in those parts. Keys given are for band arrangement; the piano solo (if there is one) is unavailable.

The March King March (,TThe latest two-step.") Dedicated to "The King of Marches/' John Philip Sousa. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1895--band-Location unknown: B. F. Banes, copyright 26 January 1895—piano

solo. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1900--orchestra.

8 16 16 16 16 16 I I (1) (2) (T) (D T) G: C:

While this does not measure up to the best of Sousa, it is nevertheless a fine march. The first strain is characterized by numerous appoggiaturas (Ex. 3), and the trio by much stepwise motion in the melody line. Keys given are for the piano solo; band keys are E-flat and A-flat.

The March of the White Rats ^ Dedicated to the White Rats of America. N.Y.: Bell, copyright 1901--band. N.Y.: B e l l , copy r igh t 6 February 1 9 0 l - - p i a n o s o l o . DLC C1801

4 16 16 16 16 16 6 / 8 I (1) (2) (T) (D T)

G: C:

105

Since there are pictures of two men on the cover of the piano solo edition, and they are labeled as "Big Chief" and "Little Chief," it would appear as though the White Rats was some kind of organization, like a lodge. The introduction and first strain begin with the same melody. Keys given are for the piano solo; the band keys are E-flat and A-flat. The second and third trios include a trombone-baritone counterroelody.

*

On Jersey Shore March -v-N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 2 July 1904—band. DLC C73762 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 28 July 1904—-piano solo. DLC C75102 N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 21 July 1904—orchestra. DLC C74749

4 16 16 32 16 32 e I (1) (2) T (D T) C: F; ^

Though it does not say this on the music, from other sources (advertisements and magazine articles), we know that this march was written in honor of Asbury Park. This was at the time Pryor moved there and began his annual summer appearances. The introduction features a prominent diminished fifth interval in the melody.

Ex. 36. "On Jersey Shore" march (1904), beginning.

The appoggiaturas ic the first strain have already been noted (Ex. 4). The second strain begins with an octave drop (half note pickup to whole note) which is quite distinctive. Although this seems to be one of Pryor's more popular marches today in that it has *been recorded twice in recent years, I do not consider it to be any

Heritage of the March, U.S. Coast Guard Band, Lewis Buckley, conductor (Robert Hoe Records, Vol. YYY); The Pride of America—Golden Age of the American March, The Goldman Band, Richard F. Goldman and Ainslee Cox, conductors (New World Records NW 266).

106

better than many others that have been neglected. Keys given are for piano solo; band keys are a whole step lower. The trombones have a couutertnelody in the first strain.

Post-Dispatch March Dedicated to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (newspaper) Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 5 September 1901--band Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1894—piano solo. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper (?), copyright 1902—orchestra.

4 t I F:

16 (1)

16 (2)

2 1-2

16 (T-l)

d;

16 (T-2)

Bb:

There is no dogfight in this march, but a second trio strain instead. However, the key signature does not change-until the second trio strain, unusual for street marches by any composer. There is a change of mode at the trio, from F to D minor, but the key signature remains the same.

There is a lyrical baritone countermelody in the first and second strains of the march. The introduction to the trio consists of just 2 measures of downbeats/offbeats. The first strain of the trio is of further interest in that the melody is in the low register of the clarinets, while the trumpets play an ornamental figure above them. While most of Pryor's marches are in the standard march form, the changes here indicate that Pryor was not afraid to experiment early in his career. Piano solo and band keys are the same.

Soldiers of Fortune March Dedicated to Hope Harding Davis, a "special march, written expressly

for 'Soldiers of Fortune/ an Allan Dwan Production, presented by Mayflower Photoplay Corporation."

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 8 June 1920—band. DLC E489578 (American Star Journal 2135)

N.Y.: Carl F i scher , copyright 2 February 1920—piano so lo . DLC E474163

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 1 March I920--orchestra• DLC E479465

4 16 16 16 16 16 t I (1) (2) (T) (D T) C: Eb: Ab:

This is the only instance known of Pryor writing "film" music. The march begins in the minor mode, moving to major in the second strain. Melodic motives from the introduction of the march are used in the dogfight. Piano solo keys are given; band keys are a whole step lower. The trombones and baritone have a countermelody in the repeat of the first strain. This is one of Pryor's better marches.

107

The Spirit of the Purple March Dedicated to the Grand Lodge of Elks Reunion, Miami, Florida, 1928. Asbury Park: Arthur Pryor, copyright 18 June 1928--band. DLC

C1E694462 Asbury Park: Arthur Pryor, copyright 20 February 1928—melody, DLC

C1E686126 T

8 32 32 T8 13 16 XT1

t I (1) (2) 1-2 3 3B (4) * C: F:DR AULD LANG SYNE

This rather lengthy inarch combines the spirit of patriotism with the spirit of good fellowship as one might expect at an Elks reunion. The second strain ends with phrases from the U. S. national anthem and "Yankee Doodle." A drum solo playing a street beat leads off the trio with the trumpets joining in. Like "40 and 8 March," the trumpet part can be played on the open F bugle, so that a drum and bugle corps can join in at this point. The trumpets^ and drums repeat this strain with the low brass joining in with "Auld Lang Syne." The second half of the song is repeated and the march concludes. Pryor creates a good melody line using only the open notes to accompany "Auld Xang Syne," which shows some skill since he is limited to just one trumpet note to accompany the dominant and subdominant chords of the song.

Sweetheart March and Two-Step Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1897 (?)--band. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1897--piano solo Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1897—orchestra-

4 6/8 I

C:

16 (1)

16 16 (2) (T)

Fr

16 16 (D T)

Introduction and first strain begin with the same melody. While most of the trio melody is in the bass in the piano solo, it is all in the solo cornet part of the band arrangement. Band keys are F and B-flat.

Toute La Nuit (All Night) One-Step-Two-Step-Rag N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 19 May 1914—band, arr. M. L. Lake.

DLC E343708 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 19 May 1914—piano solo. DLC E343679 N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 19 May 1914—orchestra. DLC E343707

4 16 16 16 16 4 32 2/4 I (1) 2 2B 1 1-2 (T)

f: Ab: f: Db:

108

This is one of the "borderline" compositions, but it is more like a march than a rag; for example, there are no syncopated divisions of the beat which seem to characterize all of Pryor's rags. The trio is in longer note values and is especially like a march. In the first strain, short rhythmic figures in the cornet are echoed in the clarinet an octave higher. The first strain appears once again after the second strain, something which does happen in*several of Pryor's rags but seldom in his marches (using the categories of this study). There is no dogfight; the one trio strain is sicnply repeated.

The Triumph of Old Glory (Our President's March) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 31 May 1907—band. DLC C153348

(Universal Band Journal 928) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 25 July 1907--piano solo. DLC C157913 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 13 August 1907--orchestra, arr. R.

By virtue of the very long introduction and the use of several patriotic songs throughout, this march comes closest to being Pryor's grand march. It is like the quodlibet of music history, and reminiscent of the music of Charles Ives with the frequent phrases of tunes heard here and there. The introduction moves quickly through the tonalities of G, B, F-sharp, and finally to D, which leads to the tonic G in the first strain. The opening phrases of the U. S. national anthem is heard twice in the introduction. The first and second strains are of the usual 16-measure length, but they conclude with phrases from the French national anthem, "Dixie," "Yankee Doodle," and "Hail to the Chief." The first trio strain and dogfight are original, although the latter uses motives from the introduction, including the opening phrase of the national anthem. However, the final trio is the entire U. S. national anthem with a counteraelody from the first trio strain appearing in the high woodwinds. There is some ornamentation in the trumpets, with the anthem appearing intact in the trombones and baritone. Also in the band part, mention should be made of the woodwind tremolos and the alternation of high and low instruments found in the introduction, all designed by the composer for dramatic effect. Actually, the march is quite ordinary in terms of the quality of the original music, but there can be no doubt that with the added tunes Pryor created a 11 show-stopper" in this patriotic extravaganza. Band keys are a half step higher than the piano solo keys given.

Klugescheid. DLC C1594S4

32 16 16 16 I I (1) 2 2B G: C:

32 16 T D NAT'L

ANTHEM

109

Trocadero March Philadelphia; J. V. Pepper, copyright 1894—band. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright'1894—piano solo. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1900—orchestra.

4 16 16 4 16 16 t I CD (2) 1-2 (T-l) CT-2) C: F: *

There is no dogfight, but a second trio strain iustead. Part of the second strain of the march has the melody in the bass with the treble instruments playing offbeats. The introduction to the trio is in unison. Band keys are E-flat and A-flat. There is a high countermelody in the baritone in the repeat of the first strain and in the first strain of the trio. The trombones join the baritone for a strong countermelody in the final second trio strain.

Vanity Fair March Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 7 May 1900—band. DLC C7192 Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1899—orchestra.

4 16 16 4 16 16 16 t I (1) (2) 1-2 (T) (D T) Db: Gb:

Because of the key signatures and fast rhythms, this is one of Pryor's more difficult marches, but it is worth the effort. The first phrase is dominated by the rhythmic motive JJJJ \JJ , while the trio is mainly quarter notes. The baritone has a countermelody in the first trio, while the high woodwinds have ornamenting figures during the final trio. Keys given are the band keys.

The Victor March To the Victor Talking Machine Co. N.Y.: M. Witmark, copyright 3 October 1904—band. DLC C79278 N.Y.: M. Witmark, copyright 8 June 1904—piano solo. DLC C72292 N.Y.: M. Witmark, copyright 1904—orchestra.

8 16 16 16 24 16 t I CD (2) T (D T) Bb: Eb: D.C.

This is Pryor's only march where there are instructions given to return to the beginning and repeat the first half of the march, in the tradition of the old minuet-trio-minuet. The dogfight is longer than the trio, which is unusual and creates a somewhat unbalanced feeling in the second half of the march, although each section is fine in itself. Band keys are E-flat and A-flat. There are high woodwind runs in the final trio.

110 4

Will Rogers March (America's Cowboy Philosopher) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 17 March 1937--band. DLC E6Z222

16 16 16 16 32 16 32 t I 1 IB (2) T D T Bb: Eb:

This spirited march clearly shows that Arthur Prydr did not run out of good melodies near the end of his life. The introduction leads through the tonalities of B-flat, D and I before returning to B-flat in the first strain. The introduction consists of the repetition of a fanfare-like figure, at first stated in the trumpets and repeated in the woodwinds. This idea continues in the first strain where the high woodwinds echo, with arpeggios and trills the melodic motives of the trumpets. The melody of the trio is one of my favorites; it is again accompanied with high woodwind runs and trills. The dogfight uses the fanfare-like figure of the introduction. The drum part during the first appearance of the trio is to be played on "horse hoofs/' perhaps to emphasize the cowboy element. Band keys are given, and a complete condensed score is provided.

Ye Boston Tea Party March and Two-Step "Patriotically inscribed to our colonial forefathers." St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1896--band. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1896--piano solo. DLC 58868 St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1897--orchestra.

A 16 16 16 16 16 6/8 I (1) (2) (T) (D T)

G; C:

In the second strain of this march Pryor uses a rhythm in the melody that he has also used in a few other 6/8 marches: /? <£^75 • It has the effect of breaking the monotony of the constant long/short feel of the quarter note/eighth note pattern that is such a part of the 6/8 march. Keys given are for piano solo; band keys are B-flat and E-flat. There is a low brass countermelody during the first trio, and an ornamented countermelody in the high woodwinds during the final appearance of the trio.

Rags ^

An African Beauty Two-Step Philadelphia: J. V. Pepper, copyright 1900--band. Unknown publisher, copyright 19Q3--orchestra, arr. Mackie-Bever DLC

305272

4 16 16 16 16 16 t I (1) (2) (T) (D T) Eb: Ab:

Ill

The trio and dogfight are in a march style with none of the ragtime rhythms- The melody of the first and second strains stress the sixth scale degree, making it in effect the dominant note of the melody. The baritone has a slow moving, lyrical melody high in its range in the first strain, and in the final trio the high woodwinds have a syncopated (in rag rhythm) and ornamented version of the melody. A fanfare in the trumpets leads into this final trio. Keys given are for band. *

An Arkansas Huskin' Bee Dance Characteristic St. Joseph: Cbas. Brokaw, copyright 3899--band. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 9 February 1899—piano solo. DLC

31552 St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 9 February 1899—orchestra. DLC

11597 Paris: Hachette, copyright 13 November 1929--orchestra with piano

accompaniment. DLC E468233

4 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 6 7 2 / 4 I (1) (2) 1 (T) (3) T 1 18 CODA

F: C; F: Bb: g : Bb: F:

In both the piano solo and the band arrangement half of the melody of the trio (alternating every 2 measures) is in the bass. The third strain in the chart functions as a dogfight, coming as it does between statements of the trio and being in the relative minor key. The coda uses the beginning melody of the trio. Piano solo keys are given; band keys are a perfect fifth lower. This is not a hard driving rag, but rather light in style. On the band parts it is called a "two-step march."

A r t f u l A r t i e March and Two-Step N-Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 13 May 19Q8--band- DLC C181444

(American Star Journal 1209) N.Y.: Ca r l F i s c h e r , c o p y r i g h t 23 June 1908- -p i ano s o l o . DLC C183992 N-Y.: Car l F i s c h e r , c o p y r i g h t 29 J u l y 1 9 0 8 - - o r c h e s t r a . DLC CI86177

4 16 16 16 16 16 2 /4 1 (1) (2) 1 (T) (2)

F: Bb:

The introduction and first strain begin the same melodically. The first half of the piece is in ABA form, and the second strain reappears as the last strain of the piece, transposed to the key of the trio. The last strain, second time, is to be played "slow." Three pickup eighth notes with a fermata over each note lead into it-The trio uses longer note values than the other strains, and has a text. The second time the trio is to be whistled. Band keys are indicated; piano solo is unavailable. The text is as follows:

112

Come here, ray artful, artful Artie, For I know you love ice, and I love you, Let's run away, away, away from here, And never come back no more.

The text does not appear in all the parts. The baritone has a slower moving countermelody in the first strain. While the piece is not labeled as such, it is definitely a rag, except for the trio which stands out from the rest with its slower rhythm.

Mr. Black Man March and Two-Step Detroit: Shapiro, Remick and Co., copyright 1904—band. Detroit; Whitney-Warner Publishing Co., copyright 3 February 1904—

piano solo. DLC C63974

4 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) 2 2B 1 (T) 3 T

a: C r a: F: d: F;

In both the first and second half of this piece, each in ABA form, there is contrast of mode between major and relative minor. This contrast is also seen within the very first'strain where the first four measures are in the tonality of A minor, the second four are in C, the next four in A minor and the last four in C. The long first ending of strain two ends on the dominant of C, the second ending on the dominant of A minor. As in "Artful Artie,M the trio here is the most march-like strain, and it uses relatively longer note values. It also has a text, which does not appear in the band parts. The band arrangement calls this piece a Cakewalk. The third strain (after the trio) functions as a dogfight by mode and location (between the trios), again as in "Artful Artie." The text is as follows:

Oh Mister Black Man, whar have you been I'se gwine to leave you if you don't run right round here And love your baby, love love her true And if you don't she'll lose you.

Canhanibalmo Rag N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 22 November 1911—band, arr. L. P.

Laurendeau. DLC E272811 (American Star Journal 18294 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 8 August 1911—piano solo. DLC E265068 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 8 August 1911—orchestra with piano

accompaniment. DLC E262588

4 16 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) (2) (T) (2)

Bb i Eb:

113

Appropriately enough, this rag with the difficult name is also difficult to play. Syncopation extends further in the measure, and the melody and countermelody (in the baritone) are continuously alternating short,-syncopated figures. A polished performance would need an ensemble that can "feel" ragtime as Pryor reportedly could teach it. The final strain, which is the second strain transposed, features a high lyrical baritone countermelody. It is to be played "slower" the second time. Band keys and piano keys are the same.

A Coon Band Contest Cakewalk Two-Step N.Y.: Bell Husic, copyright 1 December 1899—band. DLC C78271

(The above with same registration number is also listed for N.Y.: Emil Ascher.)

N.Y.: Bell Music, copyright 27 November 1899--piano solo. DLC C77420 K.Y.: Bell Music, copyright 1 December 1899—orchestra. DLC C78272

(For all the above the copyright is by'the compose^.)

4 16 26 4 16 12 16 2/4 I (1) (2) 1-2 (T) (D T)

C: F:

The Kaiser's favorite band composition is indeed worthy of one's attention, head of state or otherwise. This lighthearted rag bounces right along in the best stylistic tradition, although it follows the march form more than any other rag discussed so far. The dogfight, for example, follows exactly the example given in the introduction to Pryor's marches (Ex. 12), although in the slower and "happier" rag the dogfight admittedly loses some of its "fight/1 The baritone has a countermelody in part of the second strain, and the trio calls for several smears from the trombones, a device Pryor used only in his rags. Band keys are the same as the piano keys given. Apparently this piece was also popular with circus audiences, since it appears as part of a four-record set titled "A Tribute to Merle Evans," who was bandmaster for many years of the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus. The 1970 recording discreetly lists the title as "A Band Contest Characteristic." In 1940 an arrangement for band by Frank Morton was published by Emil Ascher, and today (as of 1977) there is a simplified arrangement for band available from Alfred Publishing Company. Arranged for young bands by John Kinyon, it leaves out the trio and is called "Happy Band Rag."

Fox Trot -N. N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 6 December 19l4--band, arr. M. L. Lake.

DLC E354928 (American Star Journal 2018) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 9 February 1915—piano solo. DLC

E359029 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 5 November 19l4--orchestra, arr. M. L.

Lake. DLC E353118

114

The only reason that this composition appears in this category is that it is made up of sectioas of two previously published rags. The only new music in it is a 2-measure codd which has the familiar melody that goes with the phrase "shave and a haircut - two bits.11

In order to take advantage of the new fox trot dance craze, Fischer assigned staff arranger Mayhew Lake to put together a "new" composition from pieces it already published, and this is the result. Stylistically it is no longer a rag in that now dotted rhythms predominate. "Fox Trot" consists of the introduction and strains one and two (each repeated) of "Frozen Bill," followed with the trio of "Razzazza Mazzazza" and the second strain of "Frozen Bill/1

again both repeated. A flat is added to the key halfway through, and the "original" coda ends the piece. Band keys are D-flat and G-flat; piano solo keys are G and C. Even though Pryor is given credit as composer, and no doubt he received some kind of royalties, one wonders what he thought of this. I am inclined to think that he would have an open mind to style changes to please the public, but that he would not want to give the impression that a new-title means a brand new composition.

Frozen Bill Rag N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 21 May 1909—band. DLC C208227

(Universal Band Journal 1130) N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 24 June 1909--piano so lo . DLC C210109 N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 30 June 1909—orchestra, a r r . Charles

Roberts . DLC C210726

4 16 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) (2) (T) (2)

F: Bb:

This is an excellent example of ragtime style, and it incorporates the changes from a march form that one w6uld come to expect. The second strain appears again as the final strain which does have the effect of rounding'out the form. The last time it is to be played "very slow," with fermatas over the three pickup notes leading into it. Piano solo keys are given; band keys are D-flat and G-flat. The baritone has a high countermelody in the second strain, and in the same strain after the trio.

A Kansas Two-Step Dedicated to a Kansas Editor (no other information given) ^ Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1895—band. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 12 December 1895—piano solo.

4 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 t I U ) (2) 3 (T) (3) T (1) F: Bb: g: Bb: F:

115

The introductioD ends with a fermata over the dominant seventh chord. There is a short trombone smear at the end of strain one. Strain two is evenly divided between the submediant and dominant tonalities, and is like the first half of a dogfight. Strain three has the melody entirely in the bass; in the band arrangement it is in the baritone and tuba parts. The melody consists almost entirely of eighth notes acd is rather difficult. A reappearance of the first strain at the end of the piece rounds out the form. Band and piano keys are the same.

Passing of Ragtime: Characteristic Two-Step Elkhart, Indiana: C. G. Conn, copyright 4 October 1902—piano solo.

DLC C34156

4 16 16 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) 2 1 (3) (4)

D: g: Bb:

The key sequence of this rag is unusual. The third strain, in the minor mode, is labeled "African war dance," and features several upward leaps of fifths and octaves, suggesting war cries. Pryor played-^onn trombones during his career, but this is his only use of the company as his publisher. The Sousa Band recorded this rag under Pryor1s direction on four occasions in 1902 and 1903. Apparently the band arrangement was not published.

Razzazza Ma2zazza N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 27 December 1905--band- DLC C110586

(American S t a r J o u r n a l 887) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 2 April 1906--piano solo. DLC 017970 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 December 1905--orchestra. DLC

CI 11235

4 16 16 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) (2) 1 (T) 2

F; Bb:

Called "a clever trombone sneeze" in Fischer advertisements because of the use of some smears, this fine rag with the "raggyM

title features a countermelody in the trio for the tuba, instead of the usual "oom-pahs." The baritone has a countermelody in the second strain which is repeated in the transposed final second strain after

James R. Smart, The Sousa Band: A Discography (Washington: Library of Congress, 1970), p. 63

116

the trio. In the drum part, bells are called for in the trio (second time), and slapsticks in the final strain of the piece. (In recordings of rags by the Pryor Band-the use of slapsticks in final strains is common.) The final strain in the piano solo is marked "slow and broad,11 and in the band parts "grandioso." The trombone smears are limited to pickup notes; the smear is not highlighted as a solo device as it is in "The Coon Band Contest." The trio has slower note values and is more like a march trio. Piano sglo and band keys are the same. This composition has recently (1980) reappeared as an arrangement for trombone trio and piano by Byron HcCulloh, published by Accura Music of Athens, Ohio.

Southern Blossoms-A Dark Town Two-Step (In the piano solo, "Southern Blossoms" is given as the second k title.)

Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright i9 October 38-98--band. 57408 Publisher unsure (Pepper?), copyright 25 January 1898 by Arthur Pryor

and Henry Higgins—piano solo. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1898--orchestra.

4 8 8 8 16 16 15 4 t I (1) (2) 1 T (3) T CODA F: d: F: Bb: g: Bb:

A strain in the relative minor tonality appears in each half of this piece between statements of the more prominent stra.in, creating an ABA form in each half. The piece begins with a trombone smear, and the introduction ends with a fermata over the dominant chord. Melodic material from the introduction is repeated in the trio, which is unusual. The opening trombone smear also appears in the coda, just before the final cadence chords, so one can conclude that the smear is the unifying element here. Piano solo and band keys are the same. There is a baritone countermelody in the second strain, and part of the third strain is a bass solo.

Southern H o s p i t a l i t y Ragtime Cakewalk S t . Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1899 (?) - -band. S t . Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 21 February 1899--piano solo

DLC 20915 St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 21 March 1899--orchestra. DLC

14428 *>,

4 8 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) (2) (T) 2

F: Bb:

The final second strain is transposed to the key of the trio. It' is not marked to be played any slower. This is another fine rag that demonstrates Pryor's mastery of the style.

117

That Flying Rag N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 19 October 1911—band, arr. L. P.

Laurendeau. DLC E269627 (American Star Journal 1825) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 8 August 1911--piano solo. N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 8 August 1911—orchestra with piano

accompaniment, arr. Charles Roberts. DLC E265099

4 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 2/4 I (1) 2 2B 1 T (D T) *

C: Eb: C: F:

This is a superb rag, my favorite and one of Pryor's best. The title suggests a faster tempo than usual, and this is appropriate. Several chromatic runs occurring throughout the piece would be more effective for one thing, but overall it just seems correct to go fast here, even though some may feel this detracts from the proper rag style. There is a middle strain in the first half of the piece that is in the key of the lowered mediant, something that occurred only once before, in "Heart of America" ma-rch. The long endings of this repeated strain lead respectively to the dominants of E-flat and C. The dogfight functions as such even though it does not harmonically follow the norm (Ex. 12). Finally, the tonic chord does not appear until the third measure of the first strain of the piece, illustrating again the composer favoring a "delayed tonic" effect. The first six measures are all on the dominant chord. The band keys are a whole step lower than the piano keys given, and the baritone has a rather continuous countermelody throughout, something unusual. In short, it is a driving, exciting rag in the best, albeit "pushed," tradition.

Novelties

The Baby Parade: A Two-Step Patrol N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 2 April 1906--band. DLC CI 17936

Universal Band Journal 848) N.Y.r Carl F i sche r , copyright 31 May 1906--piano so lo . DLC C122548 N.Y.r Carl F i sche r , copyright 6 March I906- -o rches t ra .

, A B A 8 r l6 16 16 I T r8 167 16 16 17 10

2/4 I (1) 2 2B 1 1-2 (T) 1 2 1 CODA C: Eb: C: F; C: Eb: C:

This composition was written for the annual baby parade held at Asbury Park. It is in three large sections overall (ABA) with an introduction and coda. The introduction consists of a drum street beat, but surprisingly it is in the bass drum and tuba, not in the snare drum. On the piano it is on the note G. The second strain is in the key of the lowered mediant, with the long endings leading to the appropriate dominant chord to continue- In the middle section (introd-

118

uction to the trio and the trio itself) the rhythmic motive f J* is the unifying element, and the melody is in the bass. It is a lyrical melody, like a lullaby, in contrast to the lighter, "bouncier" melody of the first and last section; is this the baby awake? Towards the end of the third section there is a gradual decrescendo, the spoken word "Mama/1 a phrase from the "lullaby/1 a baby cry, and the final cadence chords played fortissimo. Piano solo keys are given; band keys are a minor third higher. The percussion call^for tin horn, sleigh bells, whip, and slapstick (for spanking baby).

Danny and His Hobby-Horse Caprice Dedicated to "my f r i e n d " Danny Maher, who i s a jockey. N.Y.: Carl F i s c h e r , copyright 31 Ju ly 1907— band. DLC C158207 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 13 August 1907—piano solo. DLC C159486

4 16 12 16 16 16 15 11 2/4 I 1 2 1 (T) 1 1 CODA

G: C: F:

The picture here may be that of a child riding his hobby-hors€ in an imaginary race* The introduction consists of a repeated, three-note "horse-hoof" motive using the notes D D-sharp and E. This figure continues on into the first strain, with markings to "accelerate" and "ritard," suggesting an uncooperative horse. The second strain has the harmonic pattern of a dogfight and functions as such. The trio melody line contains several descending fcide le*ps in addition to the "horse-hoof" motive. The final first strain ends abruptly just before what would be the final tonic chord. The coda consists of the introductory motive in between the spoken words "get up," "whoa," and "Mamma, my hossey fall down" (which follows a fast descending chromatic scale of two octaves). A fast ascending major scale and final tonic chords then conclude the piece- The band parts are not available, but the band key is a half step higher.

In Darkest Africa London: Ascherberg, Hopwood, and Crew, copyright 31 May 1911—band.

DLC E258699

This composition is listed in the Catalog of Copyright Entries as part of a band collection. No other information is available. It is categorized here because of its descriptive titt*, but this is only a guess. It may be a foreign edition of "Teddy after Africa."

Goody Two Shoes Caprice N.Y,: Carl Fischer, copyright 5 July 1910—band. DLC £236920

(American Star Journal 1339)

119

N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 18 August 1910—piano solo. DLC 237165 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 20 July !910--orchestra, arr. Charles

Roberts. DLC 237153

8 16 16 16 16 16 2 / 4 1 1 2 1 (T) 1

F: Bb: F: — *

The "horse-hoof" rhythmic motive used in "Danny and His Hobby Horse" is also used here. However, there are several wide and sometimes awkward intervals in the melody lice, and, along with the ritards and sudden pauses in the first strain, there is the suggestion of a beginning dancer. Since "any baby toy" may be sounded ("if wanted") before the first strain, another possibility is a child taking his first steps. The second phrase contrasts sudden loud and soft dynamic markings. The piano solo and band arrangement are in the same keys.

In Lover's Lane Tone Poem N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 26 May 1908--band. DLC C182228

(Universal Band Journal 1037) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 29 July 2908—piano solo. DLC C186223 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 29 July 1908—orchestra.

r8 ? 32 16 16 32 8 6/8 2/4 1 (2) lB - T (D.C.) CODA

Eb: Gb: Eb: Ab:

This is the only composition that Pryor calls a tone poem. The clarinet shares the^melody equally with the cornet, and there is an important oboe solo in the second strain. The composition consists of a collection of lyrical melodies with some "kisses" (both "long" and "short") indicated in the coda. (The percussion section is assigned the unique task of figuring out how to create this sound effect.) The introduction is in 6/8 time, but this meter is not repeated throughout the rest of the piece. The first strain features a repeated note figure in the clarinets answered by lyrical phrases in the cornets. Phrases of the oboe in strain two are answered by clarinet runs as Castanet rhythms give a Latin quality to the melody. The trio, the only strain of the piece not included in the lengthy da capo repeat, divided melodic interest equally, first to the clarinets, then to the cornets. There are no countermelodies. The coda consists of the clarinet phrase in augmentation from the first strain, and the "kisses" alternating with the final cadence chords. (On a Pryor Band recording the "kisses" are played on the bells.) Castanets (during the oboe solo) and sleigh bells are called for in the percussion part. Overall, the melodies are so light and simple that this could hardly be a serious love affair. It seems more like children playing, or young teens on a first date. Band keys are given; the keys of the recently discovered piano solo are a whole step higher.

120

The Rookie and His Array Mule (Arthur Pryor Memorial Edition) N.Y.: Irving Berlin Inc., copyright 3 February 1943--band, arr. M. L.

Lake. DLC Ell 1238

8 32 16 32 32 14 16 6/8 I 1 2 1 3 IS CODA

F: C: F: Bb: F:

This posthumous publication is the final published composition to appear from the pen of Arthur Pryor. In a way it is appropriate in that it is a sequel to his most popular composition, "The Whistler and His Dog." Pryor grew tired of continued requests to perform "Whistler," so he wrote a piece called "Sammy and His Missouri Mule" that he hoped would "relieve the monotony somewhat. 'Sammy' has a whistling part too, and winds up with that old Missouri yell, 'Show me No doubt to do his part for the war effort, Pryor retitled the piece "The Rookie and His Army Mule," but the "cast of characters" is exactly the same with the rookie Sammy trying to train his obstinate Missouri mule for cavalry service. As stated previously, it is the only Pryor composition that tells something of a story. ,

The introduction is rather free harmonically and rhythmically, with two long descending glissandos in the clarinets (is this to suggest "hee haw"?) and ending with a drummer saying, "Get up, you Missouri mule! Get Goin'l" punctuated with cracks of the whip. The first strain begins with the same melody as the introduction, and features a 2-measure phrase repeated in sequence and echoed in the piccolo and whistling. The third strain functions by location and key as the trio. The final strain (before the coda) is the second half of the first strain, and it leads directly into the coda. Each strain of the piece has a different tempo .indication than the previous one, ranging from moderato to allegro, but the coda is marked "vivace/' and then "accelerando" as we were told that the mule is running away. Hoof beats in the percussion add to the excitement. Sammy shouts "whoa!" repeatedly, a cymbal roll ends in a "glass crash," followed by a pause. Sammy's superior officer (?) then speaks softly "Sammy, here's your saddle" (which we assume he had forgotten); there is the clarinet glissando again (from the introduction), and spoken "show me," and the final chordal cadence. It is all very clever and no doubt was quite a timely crowd-pleaser. In its light 6/8 rhythms it is much like "The Whistler and His Dog."

St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 19M. This is a quote by Pryor.

121

Teddy Af te r Afr ica Humoresque Two-Step N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 24 June 1909--piano solo . DLC C210108 N.Y.: Ca r l .F i s che r , copyright 24 J u n e ' l 9 0 9 - - o r c h e s t r a , a r r . Charles

Roberts . DLC C210072

8 16 16 16 4 32 4 21 12 2/4 I (1) 2 1 1-2 T I IB CODA

c; F: c: *

Inspired by Teddy Roosevelt's exploration, this 6'omposition is a stereotyped impression of the "dark continent," concluding with a bit of America. The introduction features the rhythm J3JP in the bass, suggesting tribal drums. The use of the minor mode for much of the piece, along with a repeated and accented raised fourth in the melody of the first strain, further suggests a pseudo-exotic quality. However, the trio, which is in the major mode, is quite lyrical and not at all exotic. The melody of the first half of the trio is in the bass. After the trio, the repeated first strain ends with the final cadence being extended through broken, rising diminished seventh chords which lead to the dominant chord. The performer is then to "imitate wild animals." The coda consists of a fast rendition of "Yankee Doodle," half in the minor mode and half in major, followed with further imitations ("chicken, goat, pig, and cow") in between the final four chords of "Yankee Doodle." This leads to the opening phrase of "Dixie," followed by a fast final cadence. Apparently Pryor did not want Roosevelt to forget that he was an American.

The Whistler and His Dog Caprice (On the cover of the piano solo it reads "march two-step.")

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 August 1905--band. DLC C1017&0 (Universal Band Journal 805)

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 August 1905--piano solo. DLC C101701

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 27 July l90S--orchestra. DLC C99585

As was stated in introductory comments, many of Pryor's compositions were also arranged for various mandolin/guitar/banjo ensembles; these were published about the same time as the band, piano solo, and orchestra arrangements. However, "The Whistler and His Dog" is by far the most popular composition by Arthur Pryor, and we will include here all the known arrangements of this famous composition. It will be noticed that these continue a^ a steady rate into the 1960s. There are no doubt other arrangements that for some reason have escaped notice here.

N.Y.: Carl Fischer ( ? ) , copyright 1905 ( ? ) - - t h r e e mandolins and guitar, with piano accompaniment.

N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 1908--banjo so lo , a r r . Howard Curry. N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 1912—banjo and piano, a r r . Joe Morley.

122

Leipzig: D. Rahter, copyright 1935 — orchestra, arr. Leopold Wemnger. ("Der Pfeifer und Sein Hund")

N.Y. : Carl Fischer, copyright 1938—accocdian solo, arr. Anthony Gaila-Rini.

N.Y.: Carl Fischer (?), copyright 1938—flute/piccolo solo with piano accompaniment, arr. Charles Roberts.

N.Y.: Ca r l F i s c h e r , c o p y r i g h t 1943--p iano s o l o , a r r . Maxw^l E c k s t e i n .

N.Y.: Car l F i s c h e r , copy r igh t 1944—renamed "The W h i s t l e r ' s Song," t e x t by Al T r a c e , a r r anged somewhat as a song.

N.Y,: Ca r l F i s c h e r , copy r igh t 1945—the above "The W h i s t l e r ' s Song," a r r anged f o r dance o r c h e s t r a by Paul Wei r i ck . (Perhaps t h i s i s what Roger Pryor used as the theme song f o r h i s band . )

N.Y.: Ca r l F i s c h e r , c o p y r i g h t 1951- -a r ranged as a song , t e x t by Frank Lu the r .

N.Y.: Ca r l F i s c h e r , copy r igh t 1953—arranged^fo r Hammond organ by Thomas J . F i l a s .

N.Y.: Car l F i s c h e r , copy r igh t 1959—arranged f o r band f o r parade and f i e l d use by Howard Akers .

N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 1950--simplified piano arrangement by Maxwell Eckstein.

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 196l--flute/piccolo solo with piano accompaniment, arr. Hugo M. Stuart.

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 196l--clarinet solo with piano accompaniment, arr. Hugo M. Stuart

N.Y.: Marks, copyright 1962—piano solo, arr. Louis Gordon. North Hollywood: Hall, copyright 1962--"arranged for all organs" by

Dave Coleman.

Perhaps Carl Fischer deserved to get from this composition all it did through the years, because shortly after the piece first appeared Fischer seemed to advertise it more than Pryor's other compositions. One "Novelty Bulletin1' of their band and orchestra music had this to say:

Pardon our waxing enthusiastic about Arthur Pryor's "Whistler and His Dog." There's plenty of reason for our joy. If ever there was a novelty composition inclined to become a popular craze, then "The Whistler and His Dog" is i_t. Leaders who have never heard it cannot picture to themselves how it takes with an audience. It holds them from start to finish and leaves it cheering, applauding and demanding it repeated again and again. Recently a leader who used it for the first time remarked to one of the boys, "Did you ever see a bunch hook on to anything the way they did to 'The Whistler?"1 Not good English perhaps, but it tells the tale. . . . Your whole audience will whistle it with you. The melody is so catchy you can't lose it. Everybody likes.it. Everybody wants it. TRY IT AND MAKE THE HIT OF YOUR LIFE.

Carl Fischer, Novelty Bulletin of band and orchestra music, November 1905.

123

While Carl Fischer's advertising department was not known for their verbal restraint at that time, it.does appear from other less biased accounts that "The Whistler and His Dog" did indeed sweep the country, and did more to spread the fame of Pryor and his band than anything else. And, as we have seen, its fame did not diminish. A reminiscence by Pryor Band tubist Willis Maupin includes this memory:

In the many newspaper notices of (Pryor1s) demise here was always mention of his most popular composition, "The Whistler and His Dog," featuring a whistling chorus and ending with a dog bark. The playing of this piece was always the source of a lot of fun. In my Chautauqua band our bass player could imitate a hound dog to perfection, so much so that whenever he let out that bugle note every dog in the neighborhood responded with an answering chorus. At the York, Nebraska chatauqua the secretary owned a large Irish setter and in response to that hound cry he came bounding down the aisle of the auditorium barking excitedly at every jump, crossed in front of the stage and out the back entrance, all to the hysterical delight of the audience. At Carthage, Missouri, the town marshall tried to sell us a dog license.

It was listed as one of the hit tunes of 1905 by ASCAP,6 and everywhere "leaders of the orchestras are simply swamped with requests for 'Whistler and His Dog' please.This was of course true of the Pryor Band, so much so that the composer got tired of it and wrote the companion piece "Sammy and His Missouri Mule." He assured an interviewer in 1941 that "there isn't a copy of.the 'Whistler' in the house. I still like it, but it embacassgs me a little because every time we gave a concert they want it. Pryor wrote it as a memorial to his boyhood pet bulldog named Roxy who died sometime after the composer left St. Joseph to begin his music career. It was given to him by one "Uncle Jack Hughes." The Pryors kept several dogs during their retirement years at Driftwood, so apparently Pryor1s love for "man's best friend" continued throughout life.

4 16 24 16 16 4 16 6/8 I (1) D 1 (T) I IB

C: F: C:

^St. Joseph News-Press, 21 November 1942.

^ASCAP Hit Tunes (New York: American Society of'Composers, Authors and Publishers, n.d.), p. 2.

Carl Fischer advertisement, The December 1905,

^St. Joseph News-Press, 19 December 194*1.

9Ibid.

124

This famous composition is not really any different than many other Pryor compositions, although the main melody (in strain one) is particularly charming and easily remembered. It has a range of a twelfth, so it is not particularly singable. It is to be whistled, and no doubt conjured up the picture of a little barefoot boy whistling down the country lane with his faithful companion at his heels. The tune begins with a long upward sweep of an<octave on the dominant note- The introduction begins with the same melody. The dogfight follows the standard form given earlier (Ex. 12), even though it is extended in length and appears earlier in the piece than usual. The trio is 16 measures loag# like the main theme, so this makes the dogfight the longest strain, very unusual for the composer. There is no coda; the dogbark occurs just before the final cadence. In the band arrangement, however, there is a short whistling "call" heard just before the dog bark. The band keys are a whole step lower than the piano solo keys given, and call for some additional whistling in the dogfight. The tubas are instructed to "bark through your instrument like a large dog," accompanied by a bass drum roll. The clarinets have offbeats during the main melody, and the bells are featured the second time the trio is played. Overall the composition is not at all spectacular, and it seems that, although no clear sources can be given, Pryor himself was surprised by its success. Some of the waltzes, the march "Triumph of Old Glory," and even the sequel "The Rookie and His Army Mule" are much more elaborate compositions and no doubt called for more effort in production than "Whistler." It simply goes to show that a "catchy" tune combined with a warm memory of one's past will more likely capture the public fancy.

It should be pointed out that there are six compositions by

Arthur Pryor for band that have been reissued and are still available

from Edwin F. Kalmus & Co., Opa-Locka, Florida. These are copies of

the original Brokaw/Pepper/Fischer band parts without any attempt at

editing for modern instrumentation. "A Kansas Two-Step" is the only

orte that comes with a C flute part (added in manuscript to the

original parts), and "The Whistler and His Dog" includes a two staff

score in the t rumpet key. ^

The selections are:

An Arkansas Huskin' Bee Bunker Hill March A Kansas Two-Step The March King March

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On Jersey Shore March The Whistler and His Dog

Waltzes

Aeroplane Dip Wal t z : H e s i t a t i o n Wal t2 -Va l se Boston * N.Y. : C a r l F i s c h e r , c o p y r i g h t 23 A p r i l 1914—band, a r r . t l . L. Lake.

DLC E346470 (Universal Band Journal 1405) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 11 Hay 1914—piano solo. DLC E343698 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 27 April 1914—orchestra. DLC E346472

A B A 8 *32 16 321 16 3? '32 301 12

3/4 I 1 (2) 1 (3) (4) 1 (2) 1 CODA Bb: F: Bb: Eb: Bb: F: Bb.:

There are three sections between the introduction and coda. The sections are ternary, binary, and ternary respectively. After the fermata at the end of the introduction the tempo continues without change until the coda which is marked "vivace." Part of the fourth strain is a lyrical baritone solo. The main theme (strain one) features several dotted half note neighboring tones, which may be the "dip" implied in the title. Perhaps in performance these notes were sustained a bit longer, suggesting the "hesitation" effect. Keys given are for band; the keys of the recently discovered piano solo are a whole step higher. Several breaks in the first strain (that are not in the band arrangement) also stress the "hesitation" effect.

Country Club Waltzes Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1696--band. St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1896--piano solo. P h i l a d e l p h i a : J . W. Peppe r , c o p y r i g h t 1 8 9 6 - - l a r g e o r c h e s t r a , 1900--

smal l o r c h e s t r a .

1 16 ' 3 2 32 4

3 /4 1 1 2 1 -2 Eb: Bb: Eb:

"321 *32 32 321

1 3 4 3 Ab: Eb: Ab:

3 CODA ^ 16 321 *20 32 16 IP ^ 1 - 3 (5) 6 1 - 4 1 5 CD

Db:

The p l u r a l " w a l t z e s " i s a p p r o p r i a t e he re s i n c e each of t h e f o u r s e c t i o n s could be p l a y e d s e p a r a t e l y as an i n d i v i d u a l p i e c e . Each s e c t i o n d i v i d e s i n t o two or t h r e e s t r a i n s . The coda s e c t i o n i n c l u d e s

126

two strains that appeared previously. There is a grand pause of 2 measures between these strains. The introduction stresses the dominant chord; the first strong tonic chord is in the fifth measure of the first strain. Band keys are the same as piano solo keys. The entire melody of the second strain is in the clarinet, with some rather difficult runs and arpeggios in the baritone providing a countermelody, ^

Frau Louisa: A Comedy Waltz N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 10 May 1906--band. DLC C121075

(Universal Band Journal 869) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 3 July 1906--piano solo. DLC C124764 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 31 Hay 1906--orchestra. DLC C122475

A B * A 8 T~8 8 8 T32I r§ g ^ 15

3 / 4 I (1) (2) (1) (3) (1) (2) 1 CODA 0: D: G: Eb: G: D: G:

Between the introduction and coda there are three sections in an ABA form. The A sections consist of three strains, also in ABA form. Rhythmically the most interesting feature of this composition is the contrast of continuous eighth notes in the melodies of section A with the continuous dotted half notes in section B, resulting in two different "moods'1 to Louisa- Harmonically the most interesting feature is the middle section, which functions as a trio,* in the distant key of E-flat. The note G provides a smooth transition: the tonic of G becomes the third of E-flat. The introduction and coda both use phrases from the German melody sung to the words "The More We Get Together." The introduction concludes with the spoken text "Louisa? Tanz mit?" while the coda gives instructions to "strike piano with knuckles," stamp foot (downbeat) and say "Sh - Sh" (offbeats) for two measures, and say at the end "Dat vas fine yah?" The band keys are a whole step lower than the piano solo keys given. The clarinets and baritone play the melodies in strains one and two respectively, while the piccolo is featured in an ornamentation during the repeat of the "trio." This is a "fun" waltz that must have been a crowd-pleaser.

La Span io la Waltz S t . Joseph ; Chas. Brokaw, copy r igh t 1898--piano s o l o . S t . Jo seph : Chas. Brokaw, copy r igh t l 8 9 8 - - o r c h e s t r a .

WALTZ SEC. 2 SEC. 3 17 16 16 16' 1 32 1? r4 T 6 llT I (1) 2 1 1-2 (3) ( i ) 1 - 3 (5) (6)

3'• C : a : C : f : Ab:

.CODA 8 19 i T 7

1-4 1 EXT M a :

127

Again there are three sections between introduction and coda; however the sections here are dissimilar. The I7~measure introduction is the result of a slight extension of the third phrase. Introductions to the second and third sections consist simply of repeated rhythm patterns on the tonic chords of each section. The hemiola technique used ia the third strain was pointed out earlier (Ex. 23). The introduction to the coda section is a modulation from A-flat back to A minor. This is smoothly done by making A-^lat (G-sharp) the third of a dominant seventh chord on E, and that simply resolves to the A minor tonic chord on the downbeat of the coda. The effect is that of the augmented sixth chord of the key of A-flat (built on F-flat) being the same as the dominant seventh of the key of A minor (built on E). In the coda there is a long extension on the dominant seventh chord (through arpeggios and a repeated rhythm figure) before the final four-measure cadence marked "presto." Generally the rhythms in this composition are quite fast and suggest a rather wild Spanish dance. „

The Love Kiss Waltz N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 24 June 1908—band. DLC C284117

(Universal Band Journal 1044) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 3 July 1908--piano solo. DLC C184710

Carl Fischer, copyright 25 August I908--orchestra. DLC C187899

16 32 32 32 4 32 36 16 3 / 4 1 1 2 1 1-4 (3) 1 CODA

Eb s Ab:

This waltz is unusual in that it does not return to the original key, even though it does repeat the first strain in the second key. The introduction consists of turns and other melodic figures around the notes of the dominant seventh chord built on B-flat. All of this extended dominant sound does not resolve until the down beat of the first strain (marked "valse"). This shows ODce again the composer's love of delayed resolution. The tempo is quite free in the introduction, and three fermatas placed within phrases of the third strain break the smooth flow of that trio-like strain. The rhythm of the first strain consists mainly of dotted half notes, giving it a restful, sustained quality. The final first strain (now in A-flat) ends with an extended cadence leading into the coda. The 16-roeasure coda is the second half of the first strain, but now the first 8 measures are to be played very loudly "with power" while the final 8 measures are marked very softly "with pathos," giving this waltz an unusual subdued ending. There are more expression marks in this piece than usually appear in the music of Pryor. For example, the first strain is to be played ,Twith grace and tenderness/' and later (in A-flat) "grandioso.'* Piano solo and band keys are the same.

128

Miscellaneous Dances

The Broadway Tango N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 19 May 1914—band, arr. M. L. Lake.

DLC E347125 (American Star Journal 2001) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 19 May 19I4--piano solo. DLC E343678 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 39 May 1914—orchestra with piano

accompaniment. DLC E343706 *

. A B A 8 r16 16 167 % 3? U6 16 TT

2/4 I (1) (2) 1 1-2 T (1) (2) 1 a: C: a: F: a: C: a:

This composition uses throughout the rhythm of the habanera, the most popular jgnce of the New World at the time of the Spanish-American War. It is the ancestor of the Argentine tango, but otherwise it is not known how Pryor came to call this piece a tango. The habaflera rhythm is 2/4 this is Pryor1 s only composition to use this rhythmic motive as a unifying element. It is in three sections in ABA form using both minor and major modes. The introduction and first strain begin with the same melody, and the piece ends rather abruptly at the end of the final strain one with no ritard or other closing device. This is one of Pryor's more successful and convincing attempts at introducing an exotic element in his music. One wonders why he did not choose to repeat it. Band keys are a whole step lower than the piano solo keys given. The baritone has a continuous countermelody.

Little Flirt ("The Latest Dance") Dance by Prof . Edward A. Pr inz S t . Joseph: Washburn, copyright 1894--piano so lo .

2 8 16 8 4/4 1 1 3/4 2 4/4 1

A: D: A:

This short (one p|£e) simple, and yet tuneful piece is in two distinct styles: a bouncy melody full of dotted rhythms, and a lyrical waltz. It is in ABA form. The introduction is marked "allegro,1* while the following melody is marked "moderato."

Little Nell Song and Dance Schottische Philadelphia; J. W. Pepper, copyright 5 June 1899--band. DLC 28614 Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 29 March 1698--piano solo. Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1899—orchestra.

Willi Apel, Harvard Dictionary of Music, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1969), p. 365.

129

8 16 8 16 16 2 £ 1 1 2 1 DANCE BREAK G:

This charming little piece consists of an introduction, the main section in ABA form, and a "dance" which ends vith a short "break," like a coda. The second strain in the main section functions like a little dogfight, in tonality as well as location. The dance consists of two identical 8-measure phrases. Band key is F, "ind trombone solo key (as Pryor played it) is B-flat. The style throughout is light and happy. Although it is in cut time, 4/4 time would be better.

S k i p p e r j a c k Dance N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 31 May 1901—band, arr. L. P.

Laurendeau. DLC C8167 ("By permission of Chas. 0. Brokaw.") N.Y.r Carl Fischer, copyright 1901—orchestra, arr*,L. P. Laurendeau.

8 2 12 8 8 2 ( 1 2 D 2 (3) BREAK Ab: v

Despite a few ragtime rhythms, thib*NCoraposition cannot be categorized as such. The melodies simplyvdo not possess the bouncy, ragged qualities one finds in a rag. Th^most unique characteristic of this piece is that there is no introduction; the first strain opens the piece directly. The effect overall is that of a series of strains, with the dogfight (in standard form) offering some variety. The continuous tonality is monotonous. The "break" functions as the break in "Little Nell," as a short coda. Band key is given.

Piano Solos

After Sunset Intermezzo N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 31 July 1907--piano solo. DLC C158208 N^.; Carl Fischer, copyright 31 August 1907—band. DLC C161062 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 1907--orchestra, arr. R. Klugescheid.

8 16 8 16 20 4 16 4/4 I 1 2 1 3 1-2 1

Eb: C: Eb: Ab: Eb:

A single-line melody in the first 2 measures soon'-gives way to a full chordal accompaniment for the remainder of the introduction. The second appearance of the first strain features fuller chords than the first, with a greatly ornamented melody. It is to be played "con grazia." The third strain functions as a trio; the melody here uses longer note values, giving the effect of slowing the pace of the composition. It was published separately with text as a song (see

130

below). It was also published separately as a violin solo and a cello solo. A quiet syncopated chord figure in the left hand is repeated throughout this third s t r a i n T h e shortened secoad introduction is derived from the first introduction, and the final first strain has the thinner texture of its first appearance. The band arrangement, which is in the same keys as the piano solo, features a trombone/baritone couatermelody in the second strain, but nowhere else. This is somewhat surprising considering the potential here for lyrical second melodies, but it does show that Pryor does not need second melodies; one good melody is sufficient for his purposes. Much tempo rubato is needed in the performance of this expressive and beautiful composition. It will be recalled that reportedly Toscaaini was highly impressed with this piece.

Canoeing Idyl N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 24 June 1909—piano solo. DLC C210110 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 5 May 1909—band. DLC C206705

(Universal Band Journal 1129) N.Y.J Carl F i sche r , copyright 30 June 1909—orchestra, a r r . Charles

Roberts . DLC C210723

8 16 16 16 16 15 12 6 / 8 1 1 2 1 (3) 1 "FINALE"

F: Ab: F: Bb: F:

The form here is nearly the same as that of "After Sunset/1

except the third "trio11 strain is repeated. It is repeated with a thinner harmonic texture, which is unusual, since one might expect the reverse to be the case. The first strain features a repeated little "flourish" of thirty-second notes ( z j f f l . ) which gives some truth to the claim of a Fischer advertisement that "you can hear the swish of the paddle." The contrasting second strain is in the tonality of the lowered mediant, A-flat, which was first seen earlier in the march "Heart of America." On a recording by the Pryor Band the tempo of the third strain picks up to nearly that of a march. Bells enhance the melody line here. The "finale" is in two parts: material from the introduction, and a rising arpeggio line preceding the final cadence. The second part is marked "presto," and is a surprising ending to this otherwise very restful piece. Perhaps there is some programmatic significance here. Band keys are same as piano solo keys.

An Egyptian Love Dance from Original Dance Suite N.Y.; Carl Fischer, copyright 25 July 1907--piano solo. DLC C157879 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 14 May l907--band. DLC C151568 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 24 June 1907--orchestra, arr. R.

Klugescheid. DLC C155407

131

4 16 16 14 6 4 / 4 1 1 2 1 CODA

a: C: a:

This composition, in a simple ABA form with introduction and short coda, is more march-like than the previous two piano solos, and the texture is thinner, but it still is best as a piano solo. The introduction and first strain stress the dominant note E, and throughout the composition there is a subdued downbeat/offbeat rhythm which gives the slow inarch effect. The coda uses a motive from the first strain and ends on a high tremolo on the tonic triad. Except for just two places marked fortissimo (a descending triplet figure in the middle of strain one) the entire composition is to be played softly, fading at the end to the dynamic level of pppp. The prevalent minor mode in the style of a slow march give the piece a rather somber mood. While the title is always mentioned in connection with "Original Dance Suite," no other music or information about this suite has been located. The "band arrangement begins in the key of B-flat minor and gives much of the melody to the clarinet.

Songs

After Sunset, text by Alice Mattullath (high voice; A-flat, low voice: F)

N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 December 1910. DLC E250178

The music for this song is the third strain of "After Sunset" intermezzo, discussed previously. The melody of the 4-measure introduction is not derived from the melody of the verse in this case. The introduction also serves as the interlude between the two stanzas; there is no refrain. As in the intermezzo, there is an extra phrase added to the verse, resulting in a length of 20 measures. The song is to be performed "con amore" and "dolce expressivo." The arch-like melodic line covers the range of a twelfth. The accompaniment consists mainly of arpeggios. The text of verse one is as follows:

Give me your hand and promise you'll be true, Give me your heart and I'll give mine to you. Though many leagues divide us, though grief or joy betide us, But one thought shall ever thrill my being; you, only you! One thought shall ever thrill my being; you, love, only you!

Baby Love: A Lullaby, text by Nixon I. Stone (Eb) Respectively dedicated to Miss Elise Mannering Keteltas Hackett N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 28 February 1906. DLC C115183

Following a 6-measure introduction there are two verses and refrain, each 16 measures long. In a flowing 6/8 meter, this tender

132

song i s addressed t o a s l e e p i n g c h i l d , o r , in an a l l e g o r i c a l s e n s e , to a c h i l d who has d ied and i s awa i t i ng r e s u r r e c t i o n . The f i r s t 6 measures of the v e r s e a r e w r i t t e n over aa E - f l a t p e d a l * p o i n t which s t r e s s e s the s u s t a i n e d q u a l i t y of the melody l i n e . The melody i s ve ry f lowing and e x p r e s s i v e , even wi th an o c t a v e leap a t the ph rase "break of the d a y . " The t e x t of v e r s e one and the r e f r a i n i s as f o l l o w s :

Sleep ray baby love, sleep in thy way * Night is come over thee, soon 'twill be day Dream through the night my love sweet dreams so pure Dreams that will make thee happy I'm sure. Rock my baby love, rock without fear God will receive you in dreamland to play, Then He'll return you at break of the day Sending to dreamland the one so dear, sleep baby sleep, Sleep my baby, sleep my love, baby love, sleep.

A Coon Band Contest or The Tune that Won the Ham for That Coon Band N.Y.: Bell, copyright by Arthur Pryor 27 November 1899. DLC 77421

This song consists of three verses of text (by Pryor) to three distinct musical strains. A 4-measure introduction is followed by two strains in a rather heavy, ponderous style, which quickly changes into a light ragtime style for the third strain. If one considers the first strain as the verse, the second strain as the interlude (it is half the length of the first), then the third strain is the chorus. Musically this is the effect. The first strain is in D minor, the second is in T major but stressing the dominant, and the final strain is clearly in F major as though the interlude resolves into it. The final strain is the trio of the instrumental rag of the same title. While some rubato tempo would be appropriate for the first part of the piece, the rag must be performed at a steady tempo. The trombone smears from the instrumental version are imitated in the piano accompaniment. The introduction of the song uses the melody of the verse. The song begins in 4/4 time, switching to 2/4 at the rag "chorus."

The text is an example of ethnic humor that would be inappropriate today. It is not in dialect, but it is casual with some slang and bad grammar, such as "them coons," "ain't," and "gals." The song describes a coon band contest where the prize ham was won by some kiad of divine leader ("from above"). He played his winning tune on the trombone so well that he stole "the black gal's" hearts, and was shot by a jeal«ous boyfriend. Even though he was then buried "like they do all sporty coons," the other "stiffs" m the cemetery learned "that awful tune," and they haunt the Countryside each night playing it. While that is the general story, many of the phrases of the text do not make much sense and seem incidental.

Crusader: A Sacred Song, text by James O'Dea N.Y.: Shapiro, Remick and Co., copyright 1904. DLC E118849

133 «

It is listed oc the Library of Congress catalog card as "No. 2 in G minor." The music is unavailable. This is the only sacred composition by Pryor.

Deep Evening, text by Eva Williams N.Y.t Burt Smith and Arthur Pryor, copyright 21 October 1931. DLC E

unp. 46530 (This is the entry from volume 200 of the Catalog of Copyright Entries >)

The music is unavailable.

Down at Asbury Park, text by James Danoday (F) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 17 August 1905—song. DLC C100841 N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 December 1905--band,"arr. Tobani.

DLC CI11244 (Universal Band Journal 842) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 January 1906--orchestra, arr.

Tobani. DLC CI 13176

After an 8-measure introduction this waltz song has two verses and a refrain, each 32 measures long. The introduction begins with the same melody as the refrain. The melody has a surprisingly large number of skips but it is Quite smooth overall. For variety Pryor will insert a shorX/long rhythm ( / J ) within a phrase, contrasting with the usual JJ. The piano accompaniment is largely in the "oom-pah-pah" waltz tradition, but sometimes doubles the melody. The text speaks of romance at the park from a bygone era, but it also sings the praises of Asbury Park in particular. There is a reference to the annual baby parade at the part in the phrase "why even the babies go on parade." Also, mention must be made of the pun in the phrase "you can't be short if you would belong—down at Asbury Park." The text of-the chorus is as follows:

So take me down to Asbury Park on the Jersey Shore Let me listen to music grand, I ask for nothing more Both our hearts will beat in tune as underneath the smiling moon To sweetest music we will spoon down at Asbury Park.

•r

The arrangement for band is in the same key of F major, however there is a long strain added on that is not from the song. It is in the key of the dominant, and is played between the settings of the song, giving an ABA form overall of song-added phrase-song.

I'd Love To Love You Again, text by Burt Smith (Perhaps this is the Burt Smith who was trombone soloist with Pryor's Band.) Copyright 13 November 1931. DLC E unp. 47598

The music is unavailable.

134

Miami, This Is You, text by Sue Clement (low key: Ab) Miami (?): Sue Clement (Mrs. Justin Dean), copyright 21 August 1926.

DLC E645529

This waltz song obviously sings the*praises of Miami. It consists of a 4-measure introduction followed by two verses and refrain, each 32 measures long. The introduction begins with the same melody as the verse, and there is ouch stepwise melodic movement. The accompaniment doubles the melody throughout. It is a sentimental tribute to Pryor's "second home." Except for a rather sudden pause in the opening phrase of the verse, "now I have reached-Miami,1' the song flows along quite smoothly. The refrain reads as follows:

Miami, Miami, Miami by the sea, With all the beauties you offer There is no other place for me. I have traveled this country over ** And the old world too; Miami, Miami dear, I give the honors to you.

Oh What Will Television Do to Me Copyright 4 September 1931. E unp. 45195

In 1926 the first demonstration of television took place, and in 1931 an English organization named the Electric and Musical Industries established a television research team, Perhaps Pryor's song was in reaction to this. Four years later the team would develop a complete and practical television system that was adopted by the British Broadcasting Corporation. Unfortunately, Pryor's song has not been located.

Sweet Lorena Ray, text by Deamor R. Drake (key of G) St. Joseph; Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1896.

The music for this song was found on the back cover of another Brokaw publication. The fact that it is an advertisement in small print along with three other songs leads me to believe that there may be more to the song than what appears here. There is no introduction, and the word "chorus" appears above the opening line. On the other hand, "Little Flirt" was complete on one page. We have here a walt2 song of 32 measures in which the singer is proposing to

^Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1974, ed., s.v. "Television."

135

"Sweet Lorena Ray." Again Pryor occasionally reverses the usual waltz measure division to short/long (J J ) for rhythmic variety, and it flows smoothly along until two pauses in tSe last line, on "bride" and the third syllable of "Lorena." To really make his point, the singer may end on an optional high G. The text is as follows:

Lorena, Sweet Lorena Ray, with your face divine Smiles that brighten all the day * Say you will be mine Then no matter what betide, love will light our way Happy with my little bride, Sweet Lorena Ray.

Travel Travel Little Star, text by Vincent Bryan (key of D, perhaps Eb)

N.Y.: Leo Feist, copyright 22 January 1910. DLG E223572

Information about this song was obtained from a recording sent to me from Mr. Bill Pruyn. The comedy team of Montgomery and Stone perforin the song along with band accompaniment. It has nothing to do, musically or textually, with "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," but instead it speaks of two "stars" who have bought a circus. When the circus does not live up to expectations and the audience demands a refund of their money, the "stars" have left town with the sheriff in pursuit. It is all very humorous, and Pryor's light-hearted melody certainly contributes to its success. After a very short fanfare, • the song begins with an introductory strain of 16 measures in 2/4 time. There are two verses in a moderate tempo, and the refrain in a fast tempo. The last phrase of the refrain is even repeated by the band in a faster tempo yet, as the performers make their exit, all in the best vaudeville tradition. The refrain text is as follows:

Travel travel little star In your one horse circus car, Each policeman you get by Must have cinders in his eye. Lots of fame attached to you, Sheriffs have attachments too; How they'll wonder where you are. Travel little star.

We Want Beer, text by Burt Smith Copyright 20 October 1931. DLC E unp. 47562 ^

The Prohibition Era was nearing its end at this time. It would be interesting to see what this song says, but it is unavailable.

We'll Be There, Uncle Sammy (Patriotic March Song), text by William K. Deveroux (key of C)

N.Y.: M. Witmark, copyright 7 September 1917. DLC E407848

Written shortly after the entrance of the United States into World War I, this spirited march song was perhaps vritten to inspire young sen to serve in the armed forces. The text recalls the courage of American soldiers in previous wars and how an attempt at neutrality has failed in the present war. Therefore "now we're anxious for the battle, for Old Glory bright and fair!'1 The tune is excellent, and one can imagine the recruits singing this song as they lined up to enlist in the "war to end all wars." The rhythm of the melody (in 2/4 time) uses mainly quarter and eighth notes, but Pryor effectively sets each phrase of "We'll be there" in the refrain in half notes, giving it special emphasis. The opening of the refrain also serves as an 8-measure introduction to the song. There are five verses. Pryor may well have arranged this stirring song for band, but apparently such a version was never published. *-The piano accompaniment, with its continuous melody, downbeats/offbeats, and occasional "flourishes" at cadence points, sounds like a band arrangement as it is. The refrain text is as follows:

We'll be t h e r e , Uncle Sammy, we111 be the re ! ( r epea t ) Tell to us the old, old story, that you need us for Old Glory; We'll be there, Uncle Sammy, we'll be theret

We'll Keep Old Glory Flying, text by Ada Truax Fletcher Dedicated to the U.S. Armed Forces Copyright 28 September 1942. DLC E unp. 310411

This is the last composition written by Arthur Pryor, and it was performed by his band under the direction of Arthur Jr. at Asbury Park shortly after his death. It was after a rehearsal for this concert, on the night of 17 June 1942, that Pryor suffered a fatal stroke. While he did not serve in the military himself, there was always a strong patriotic emphasis in his concerts, and it is appropriate that this was his final composition. Unfortunately the music is not available.

Trombone Solos

Air Varie Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, Copyright 1895. Chicago, Chart, copyright 5 November 1945, arr. Jaroslav Cimera. DLC

EP5999 (The solo was renewed in 1974 by Arthur P. Schmidt, who was later bought out by Summy-Birchard Company.)

137

, 1 1 t Th 30 8 24 8

4/4 I C 3/4 Bolero 4/4 Th int bb: Bb:

VI V2 V3 CODA *24 81 ^ 4 1 24 r4 T 1 * VI int V2 3/4 1-2 V3 int-2 C CD

M,Air Varie,' I understand, is the most difficult trombone solo ever composed, and that the great soloist, Arthur Pryor himself, made many tries at Camden, New Jersey, in the old days to record it satisfactorily, but never released any of his attempts." One may question whether it is the most difficult trombone solo ever written, but it certainly is one of Pryor's most difficult solos. According to Glenn Bridges, the reason Pryor never released a recording had nothing to do with his ability to play it, but had 'to do with where to make cuts in the piece to fit the time permitted by the early recordings. A much later recording of "Air Varie" by Jaroslav ("Jerry") Cimera became popular when it was released, and "if Jerry Cimera could play it on a record, why couldn't Pryor do it, who could play rings around Cimera, and Jerry himself.told me this. It had to be cut too much; it is as simple as that." According to the Sousa Band Scrapbooks, Pryor was playing this solo as early as 1893, late in the fall.

The composition is of the theme and variations type. The introduction combines an expressive melody with short, cadenza-like flourishes, concluding with a lengthy cadenza of, among other things, several diminished seventh chord arpeggios on an ascending chromatic line. The introduction is exactly the same as that for Pryor's "Fantastic Polka;" it is not known for certain which solo was written first. From various sources it appears as though "Air Vane" was written first, but later Pryor would perform "Fantastic Polka" more often; he apparently was fond of this introduction so he included it with the latter composition- When "Fantastic Polka" was finally published in 1939 (although Pryor had first recorded it in 1910), "Air Varie" had perhaps been out of print for a time, so Pryor "officially" included the introduction with "Fantastic Polka."

The theme and each variation are in a three part, ABA, form with eight measures in each phrase. The middle phrase is in the dominant tonality. The first piano interlude is a Spanish Bolero, while the

12B. H. Walker, "I Teach the April 1952, p. 27.

^ G l e a n D. B r idges , p e r s o n a l

14 Williams, jacket notes for

Solo Brass," The School Musician,

letter, 23 May 1981.

Trombone Solos--Arthur Pryor.

138

next two are the first phrase of the theme. As is true of the other solos of this type, the first variation consists of triplets, and the second of sixteenth notes. Here the third variation is in a different meter and features slow pedal tones alternating with fast arpeggios. The coda consists mainly of a long cadenza with fast arpeggio lip slurs through six positions of the instrument. If one possesses the skill and endurance to perform "Air Varie," it is well worth the effort. (These comments are based on the Cimera arrangement; the original Pepper edition has not been iocated.)

Annie Laurie Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1895. Cleveland: Ludwig, copyright 19 March 1958, arr. Glenn P. Smith. DLC

EP117127

Th VI V2 * 28 rT6 T""7 fl6 8 ^ IS 8 1

4/4 I C Th int VI int V2 int-2 Eb: c:

V3 CODA W r8 32 8 1

3/4 V3 2/4 1-2 Dixie Y.D. Bb:

The old Scottish tune "Annie Laurie" is used as the theme for a set of variations. The most unusual aspect of this popular composition is the third variation, which is a melodic variation of the theme in the minor mode, in slow tempo and in a different meter. The coda section includes "Dixie" (the entire song with no variations), and as the trombone sustains the last note the piano plays a phrase from "Yankee Doodle."

The chief differences in the Smith arrangement are that the unusual third variation is located between Pryor's first and second variations, and that there are no extra tunes added at the end. The piece ends with the sixteenth-note variation, with only a short, cadenza-like scale run at the final cadence giving a sense of finality to the entire composition.

Blue Bells of Scotland London: Chappell, copyright in U.S.A. by Arthur Pryor 2KApril 1904.

DLC C69288 (Later assigned to and published by Carl Fischer.) N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 29 June 1944, trombone solo with band

accompaniment, arr. E. M. Pearson. DLC E124024

I Tb VI V2 r23 T"1 16 T"1 f24 Ti, 7 1

4 / 4 I C 1 - 2 Th i n t VI i n t V2 i n t - 2 C F :

139

V3 int-3 final chords

This most popular of Pryor's trombone solos, called t!a tour-de-force of the^ate nineteenth and early twentieth century trombone solo style," is another set of variations on a Scqttish melody. The introduction begins with the first phrase of the theme alternating with short cadenzas. This is followed by an original melody entirely given to the solo. A long cadenza concludes the introduction. Fast slurred octaves are a feature of the second variation, and the final variation is to be played faster (marked

t "vivace") than the others (marked "allegro"). The 2-measure interlude, leading into the final chords of the piece, is taken from the theme. Countless young and aspiring trombonists have tried their skills on "Blue Bells," and it has remained a crowd pleasing favorite through the years since Pry or first performed it wi-th the Sousa Band in 1899.

Exposition Echoes Polka Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 1904. Phi lade lph ia : J . W. Pepper, copyright 1902, cornet/trombone solo with

band accompaniment, a r r . Mackie-Beyer.

• PQ^A TRIO 4 16 16 4 1 6 * 1 6 16 TP

2/4 I P ( i n t ) I P 1-2 (T) CD Ab: Eb: Ab: Db:

CODA 4 1 6 12 1

1 P CD C Ab:

This is Pryor's only solo where the trombone begins with the piano in the introduction, and the introduction does not end with a cadenza. Written in a modified Polka caprice form, this composition ends with a "coda" section which, with its polka strain, is really a shortened version of the opening polka section. The codetta is marked "vivace," and consists of repeated melodic turns similar to those which open the piece. In a light style throughout, the composition reflects the spirit of a polka quite well.^ This is the only Pryor solo that has not been available in recent years.

15Vern Kagarice et al., p. 27

140

F a n t a s t i c Polka N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 20 July 1939. DLC EP78681

POLKA 32

4/4 I C bb:

8 2/4 1-2 C

Bb:

16 8 16 P iat P F: Bb:

TRIO POLKA

Eb:

4 161 *8 2? 20 1-3 (T) 1-4 P COLA C

Bb:

As stated earlier, the introduction here is exactly the same as that for "Air Varie." The light polka melody (first strain) includes several ascending melodic skips. The half and full cadence points of the trio have some three octave skips. The final polka strain closes with an extended cadence which includes some echoing of phrases between the solo and piano. The coda, marked "presto," calls for arpeggios and lip slurs. A short piano interlude leads to a final, short cadenza which is an ascending dominant seventh chord. It is interesting that the same introduction can serve so well for compositions of completely different types.

La P e t i t e Suzanne N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 25 February 1937. DLC EP61203

"Although this solo has not received Che accord that some of his other works have received, its technical Remands and melodic beauty exemplifies the best of Pryor's output." Written in valse caprice form, this solo makes more use of sensitive expression than technical skills. The entire introduction including the cadenza is on the dominant seventh chord} the tonic chord does not appear until the downbeat of the first strain. Each of the five phrases of strain one begin with downbeats in the piano, with the trombone entering on the second beat. There is an added phrase in the second strain as well. The trio is distinguished by wide descending intervals in the melody line, and the coda is marked as not to be played any faster than the previous strains, which is somewhat unusual. The final cadenza is quite lengthy and consists almost entirely of arpeggios on the

TRIO 8

3/4 I C Db:

40 40 8 4? Z 1 2 I 1 1-2 Ab: Db: Gb:

32' 8 40 ' 23 (T) I 1 CODA C

Db:

16 Vern Kagarice et al., p. 10.

141

dominant seventh chord. Overall this solo has some very smooth melodies, and except for a few breaks and fermatas it flows along continuously in rich legato lines. It has more musical substance than some of Pryor's more well-known solos.

The L i t t l e Chief N.Y.: Carl F i sche r , copyright 12 Ju ly 1916. DLC E3891&

POLKA TRIO 30 **12 16 12 TP r4 20 TP

4/4 I C 2/4 1-2 P i n t P 1-3 (T) CD Ab: Db: Ab: Db: Gb:

POLKA

1-4 ^ 20*?

Db:

The introduction of this polka caprice is rather long and complicated, moving smoothly through the tonalities of C-flat, E-flat, and F before resolving to D flat after a short cadenza. The trio has an extended second phrase; no further phrase is repeated or added on. The codetta to the trio is in effect like an extra strain added on to the trio. The final polka has an extended cadence consisting of fast ascending arpeggios over an A-flat pedal point. A short cadenza precedes the final tonic chords. Unlike the other solos of this type, there is no coda, but only the extended final cadence. Many fast notes throughout make this a rather spirited polka.

Love's Enchantment London: Chappell, copyright in U.S.A. by Arthur Pryor 16 October

1903. DLC C56768 (Later assigned to and published by Carl Fischer.)

London: Chappell, copyright in U.S.A. by Arthur Pryor 24 November 1903—piano solo. DLC C59395

London: Chappell, copyright 13 November I903--orchestra. DLC C5S707 Arlington, Virginia: Harold Brasch, copyright 1970--trombone solo

with band accompaniment, arr. Harold T. Brasch.

1 2 ^ 8/7 1 2 32 321 r4 32 16 ST

I C 3/4 1 2 ] 1-2 (3) (4) 3 F: Bb:

142

pr 1-3

Eb:

3 •37—521 15 5 6 1 -4

N

CODA <32 32

C 1 IB F:

This composition is of the valse de concert type, the most formally complicated of the four types. The first half of the opening introduction is a slow march in 4/4 time; it begins with a short fanfare. The second half is in 3/4 time. The trombone cadenza begins with an octave leap on the dominant note followed by a dramatic descend on the dominant seventh chord. The first strain has an abrupt break after the opening motive of each of the four phrases; this is an effect Pryor was fond of, and he makes deliberate use of it in recordings. There are a few harmonic glissandos at cadence points in the solo. After some key changes the introduction to the coda section modulates back to the original key of F. The final appearance of strain one has the melody'in the piano^with the trombone playing arpeggios and scale runs. This strain is omitted in the piano solo arrangement of the composition, which begins in the key of D. Overall, the composition is a charming and light walt2, providing a pleasing balance of musical interest and technical "gymnastics." Interestingly, the original (1903) solo trombone part is entirely in the tenor clef; this is the only time that this clef appears in all of Pryor's solos.

The Patriot London: Chappell, copyright in U.S.A. by Arthur Pryor 1 April 1904

DLC C67972 (Later assigned to and published by Carl Fischer.)

POLKA 23 r 4 \Z l5 3 TP

4/4 I C 2 / 4 1 -2 <P) i n t 1 -2 P Bb: Fr Bb:

TRIO POLKA *4 16 5-p r% - j p 16

1-3 (T) CD 1-2 P CODA C Eb: Bb: America

The introduction to this polka caprice uses phrases from "The Star Spangled Banner." The trombone entrance is a fast two octave ascending arpeggio on the B-flat triad following the first phrase of the national anthem. A series of ascending octave slurs is the main feature of the cadenza. The second time the trio strain is played the piano accompaniment has a countermelody. In the coda the trombone has an ornamented version of ''America," followed by a fast phrase of "Yankee Doodle-" A short arpeggio on the dominant seventh chord by the soloist leads to the final tonic chord. A recurring

143

melodic interval in the polka and trio strains is an ascending third. Since this is the case, there is less melodic distinction between these strains than is usually the case. While it may be true that "this solo exhibits considerably more technical display than tunefulness and substance," it is still fun to play and no doubt aroused some patriotic fervor.

*

Starlight N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 20 July 1939. DLC EP78680

TRIO 16 J16 16 1? *4 32 321 15 ^ 3 '

3/4 I C 1 2 1 1-2 T-l T-2 I C IB ext F: C: F: Bb: F:

This waltz caprice is perhaps Pryor's easiest"solo to perform, yet it is not lacking in bravura style. Its range is only two octaves, or an octave and a half if one alters the opening cadenza slightly. As is most typical of the waltzes, it is light and tuneful overall. The first strain features several quick, wide intervals that call for a nimble, flexible style in performance. While the melodies are tuneful, they are not as smooth as those found in the other waltzes. The introduction to the final section (piano alone) is the same as the opening introduction, an unusual feature of this solo. The cadence of the final strain is extended, and leads into a short, ascending dominant chord arpeggio before the fin'al tonic resolution- The piano plays a phrase from the first strain as the soloist sustains a high F. This solo is important in the repertory because it provides authentic "Pryorian" bravura for young players, and may even inspire more practice to conquer his other solos.

The Supervisor N.Y.; Carl F i sche r , copyright 20 July 1939. DLC EP78679

I Th VI * 4 2 8 1 rl6 iT1 r24 8 1

4/4 I 1-2 C Th in t VI i n t - 2 Bb:

V2 r24 17 1 26 V2 i n t - 3 2/4 F ina le

^Vern Kagarice et a l . , p. 16.

144

This theme and variations solo is perhaps the easiest of its type, but it still guarantees a workout for the performer. It is unusual in that the second variation'consists of triplets, and the first consists of eighth and sixteenth-note rhythms. Pryor creates variations here that are related to the theme in a very geQeral way; the subtle relationships are interesting.

The introduction is in the tonality of D-flat for a short time. Rhythmic motives for the introduction are also those of the first variation. Part of the final interlude is in the relative minor mode; there are two short caden2a arpeggios withia this interlude. The "finale," which functions as a coda, has no cadenza. "The Supervisor" is another fine Pryor trombone showpiece.

Thoughts of Love (Love Thoughts) London: Chappell, copyright in U.S.A. by Arthur Pryor 1 April 1904.

DLC C67973 (Later assigned to and published by Carl Fischer.) St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 8 May 1899--band. DLC 31036 St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 31 January 1898--piano solo. DLC

10469 (?) St. Joseph: Chas. Brokaw, copyright 1898—orchestra. N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 30 December 1939—

cornet/baritone/trombone solo with band accompaniment, arr. Roberts. DLC E82598

Chicago: Rubank, copyright 11 June 1954, trombone solo with band accompaniment, arr. C. Johnson. DLC EP81246

Chicago: Rubank, copyright 1965, trombone solo with piano accompaniment, arr. C. Johnson, included in Concert and Contest Collection compiled and edited by Himie Voxman. (This is the same as the 1954 band arrangement, and is a shortened and simplified arrangement of Pryor's original.)

, 1 , 2 16 '32 32 16 TP *"4 32—TZ 3?

3/4 I C 1 1 i n t IB 1 -2 3 (4 ) 3 Bb; F: Bb: Eb:

3 CODA ^ 16 TP f15 32 321

1 - 3 (5) (6) 1 - 4 C 1 CD Ab: M Bb;

Next to "Blue Bells of Scotland," this is probably Pryor's most popular solo. The reader will recall that it "officially" launched his solo career with the Sousa Band at the Columbian Exhibition in Chicago in 1893. The introduction of this valse de concert begins with a unison fanfare on the dominant note F. Each phrase of the first strain builds to a wide upward leap before resolving. The repeat of the strain features a countermelody in the piano. The third section (the fifth and sixth strains) call for some

145

particularly fast passage work on the trombone. In the sixth strain the melody is in the piano. The introduction in the coda section is a modulation back to the F dominant seventh chord, on which the following cadenza is based. The cadenza includes a descending run of over two octaves. The codetta features fast ascending arpeggios of diminished and major chords over a two-octave range. Under the triumphant final high B-flat in the solo part, the piano plays a phrase from the first strain. This solo has a particularly dramatic conclusion, and one can well imagine the enthusiasm of that crowd of long ago. Crowds since then have reacted no differently. The band arrangement keys are the same as the trombone solo, but the piano solo keys are a half step lower. In both, the melody of the fifth strain is different than that in the trombone solo, and the sixth strain is omitted entirely.

The Tip Topper -N.Y.: Carl Fischer, copyright 25 February 1937. DLC EP61204

POLKA [ 24 "18 16 16 4 I P v

4/4 I C 2/4 1-2 P int 1-3 P Eb: Bb; Eb:

TRIO POLKA 1 T61 rZ TP 34 1-4 (T) 1-3 P CODA

Ab: Eb:

Although this solo is subtitled "Introduction and Polka/' it is of the polka caprice type. The lengthy introduction of a "heroic" nature ac'Cually begins in the relative minor mode. A brief cadence in the tonality of G-flat appears before moving to the opening cadenza. There is then an unusual separate and lengthy introduction to the polka strain itself for the piano alone. The polka strain is full of tempo rubato markings; the following interlude, with the melody shared between piano and trombone, is in a more steady tempo. On the repeat of the trio the melody is in the piano» with the trombone providing a countermelody often echoing the melodic motives. The coda is characterized by a series of melodic turns and is marked "presto." Once again, a final cadenza (made up of ascending and descending diminished and major triads on B-flat) resolves into the last chord of the composition. If a cadenza is supposed to dramatically heighten the sense of harmonic resolution^Vryot' s cadenzas certainly achieve their purpose in his solos.

146

Collections

Arthur Pryor's Collection of Trombone Solos Philadelphia; J. W. Pepper, copyright 17 September 1910. DLC C162106

This collection consists of Pryor compositions other than his standard trombone solos simply arranged for trombone solo and piano. For example, the tune of "Liberty Hall" march is ta^en and arranged for trombone solo and piano accompaniment. Hone of these selections are similar to Pryor's standard solos for the trombone.

Contents:

Burlington fetch Country CluB"Waltz Crescent Club March The King Schottische Liberty Hall March Little Nell Song and Dance Schottische Masurka Patriotic Post Dispatch March Serenade Sweetheart Waltz

"The King Schottische" is "The March King" march with some dotted rhythms that do not appear in the original. No doubt it was to be played at a slower tempo. The origins of "Serenade" and "Mazurka Patriotic" are not known. It is possible that these pieces appear only here; it is more likely that these pieces find their origins in some of the possible titles discussed in the next section. "Serenade" is in an ABA form: a lyrical melody with a lively waltz strain in the middle. A short introduction and coda surround the ABA section. T,Ma2urka Patriotic" features triplets and dotted rhythms in a 3/4 meter throughout. After a short introduction, the first half is in ternary (ABA) form, and the second half is in binary form, with all strains repeated. The second half is called the "trio," and adds a flat to the key. The piece contains no patriotic songs.

The Sousa-Prvor Band Book Philadelphia: J. W. Pepper, copyright 18 May 1930. DLC A265186

This march size band book brought together some of the popular compositions of these two famous bandsmen. No doubt this collection was an important part of a band's library back in those days. The contents are as follows:

An African Beauty March Bonnie Annie Laurie March Burlington March

Pryor Sousa Pryor

147

Crescent Club March Esprit du Corps March Globe and Eagle March Guide Right March Kansas Two-Step Liberty Hall March Little Nell Schottische March King March Mother Goose March Post Dispatch March Pet of the Petticoats March Resuioption March Right Forward March Right Left March Southern Blossoms March Sweetheart March The Triton March Transit of Venus March Trocadero March Vanity Fair March Wolverine March *

Possible/Spurious Compositions

All for You

This composition appeared on a Pryor Band concert presented at Willow Grove Park, 25 June 1915. Pryor played it as a solo.

American Fantasy

This composition appeared on a Sousa Band concert on 14 October 1898. The program is preserved in the Sousa Scrapbooks of the U.S. Marine Band.

At the Court of Jack the Giant Killer

This composition appeared on a Pryor Band concert presented at Willow Grove Park, 9 June 1915. Pryor played it as a solo.

Pryor Sousa Sousa Sousa Pryor Pryor Pryor Sousa *Sousa Pryor Sousa Sousa Sousa Sousa Pryor Pryor Sousa Sousa Pryor Pryor Sousa

148

Back Among the Hills I Love So Well

This composition was recorded by Pryor for the Berliner Gramophone Company. He is given credit as the composer.

The Bandmaster March and Two-Step

Mixed in with advertisements for other compositions on the back of a Brokaw publication is an advertisement for this march with Pryor given as the composer. A copyright catalog card was then located with this title published by Chas. Brokaw of St. Joseph, DLC 28324, 24 April 1899, with the composer given as Milton Willard. Since Willard is Pryor1s middle name, I suspected that this was a pseudonym for Pryor. Then I was informed that according to Arthur Pryor Jr., Arthur Pryor Sr.^did indeed use this pseudonym to avoid a contractual dispute. SB I conclude that "The Bandmaster" was written by Pryor; unfortunately the music has not been located in order to confirm this through style analysis. Charles Welty is credited as being the arranger, and the Sousa Band reggrded it under Herbert L. Clarke's direction on 20 December 1904. The composer listed on the recording is Willard.

Cherry Blossoms: A Japanese One-Step

This band composition credited to Pryor was recorded by Pryor's Band on the Victor label on 22 April 1904. The second strain of this march-like composition is exactly the same as that of Pryor's "Blood Lilies: A Japanese Two-Step" which was copyrighted in 1905. The title may have come from an offer the Japanese made about this time of cherry trees for our nation's capital. Perhaps "Cherry Blossoms" did not sell very well [it was reportedly published in 1904), so Pryor wrote a new composition around the second strain. The title of the new piece refers to the Japanese lily which is white spotted with red; it may allude to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05. According to the recording, "Cherry Blossoms" is in Pryor's compositional style.

18 Wi l l i ams , j a c k e t n o t e s f o r Trombone Soios- -Ar th i rg P ryor .

19 Will iam Pruyn, pe r sona l l e t t e r , 21 March 1984,

^ J a m e s R. Smart , The Sousa Band; A Discography (Washington: L ib ra ry of Congress , 1970), p. 32.

^ W i l l i a m Pruyn, p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 8 Apr i l 1984.

149

Dance of the Honeybel l s

22 This title is listed only in Berger's Band Encyclopedia. No other information is available.

E s p i r i t o d 'Corps *

This is a composition Pryor performed as a solo in a concert of the Sousa Band on 17 June 1893. Sousa wrote a march with a similar title, included in the Sousa-Pryor Band Book.

Forever Intermezzo

This is a tromtjgne solo recorded by Pryor in April 1901 and December 1902. Listening to the recording I would say that it is like a song and not at all like the virtuoso solos that he is known for. According to old programs, Pryor did perform a solo "Forever" by Lorenz; couPtf the record labels credit the composer incorrectly? —'

Hohenfreidberger March

24 This march was reportedly arranged by Pryor but it was written „by perhaps either D. Ertl or Friederich der Grosse. In the New Grove Dictionary this composition is listed as "doubtful" by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia (1712-1786). 3 It is not included in his complete works.

^S(enneth W. Berger, Band Encyclopedia (Evansville. Indiana; Band Associates, 1960), p. 159.

23 Wil l i ams , j a c k e t n o t e s f o r Ar thur Pryor--Trombone S o l o s , and Smart , p . 42.

24 Will iam Pruyn, p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 8 Apr i l 1984. Pruyn a l s o noted t h a t a 1906 V i c t o r r e c o r d i n g log l i s t s F r i e d e r i c h der Grosse as composer of t h i s march "and t w o - s t e p . "

^ T h e New Grove D i c t i o n a r y of Music and Mus ic ians , s . v . " F r e d e r i c k I I , " by Eugene Helm.

150

Lasses Trombone

While proof is lacking at present, in all probability this is a misspelling of the popular trombone smear composition "Lassus Trombone," written in 1915 by Henry Fillmore. Fillmore wrote several compositions of this type as part of a "family" of smear pieces for trombone; there is nothing in Pryor's output for solo trombone resembling this at all.

Little Marcia Marie Polka

There are records that this trombone solo was recorded on three occasions by Pryor: twice in 1895, and on 1 September 1897, all listing Pryor as composer. It is very probable, therefore, that Pryor did compose this piece. We know that he wrote several polkas, and it may be that this is iix earlier title for "The Tip Topper" polka, which was not published until 1937. No recordings have been located.

Matinee G i r l March

This title comg^ from two Sousa Band recordings, in April 1898 and June 1899. According to those who have heard these recordings, this march is the same as "Arcade Girl" march.

Mazurka P a t r i o t i c

This is the trombone solo that appears in the Pepper collection discussed previously.

Megaphone B e l l s March

2 8 According to Bill Pruyn, this march was written by Simone Mantia, Pryor's euphonium soloist and assistant conductor. Pruyn believes the title to be "Megaphone Belles," and that it refers to cheerleaders.

26 Williams, jacket notes for Arthur Pryor--Trombone Solos,

and Smart, pp. 9, 11, 21.

27 Smart , p . 21.

2S Will iam Pruyn, p e r s o n a l l e t t e r , 3 March 1984.

151

My Lady Sleeps

This title appears in two recordings of the 1906 Victor catalog, both credited to Pryor. It also appears in a Pryor Band program of 25 June 1915, and it was.recorded by Pryor with the Victor Orchestra on 4 March 1904. Glenn P. Smith suggests that the title may have come from a Longfellow poem, "Stars of the jjmmer Night;" the last phrase of each verse is "my latfy sleeps." Woodbury set Longfellow's poem to music, and perhaps Pryor*s solo is an arrangement of this song.

Offenbach-iana March and Selection

This is no doubt an arrangement of tunes by the French operetta composer Jacques Offenbach. During an American tour Offenbach's "attention was called . . . to an arrangement of his most famous melodies by Coa^d called 1Offenbachiana;' this he played at every concert." This information came from a young violinist in his orchestra named John Philip Sousa. Pryor may have transcribed this arrangement for band.

Pa r i s i an Melodies

This composition appears credited to Pryor on a recent recording for which I have written biographical notes. This recording was taken from.an original Pryor trombone solo recording made on 28 May 1901. Two recordings of "Parisian Melodies" are listed for this day, and on both Pryor is listed as "arranger," perhaps in the same sense that he is the "arranger" of "Blue Bells of Scotland." "Parisian Melodies" is in the form of the valse caprice type and uses the opening phrase of "Marseillaise1' in the introduction and coda, the only places that are in 4/4 time. It is in the typical virtuoso trombone solo style seen in Pryor'$ other solos. It probably is composed by Pryor, but to be consistent with the criteria concerning other titled, it must be placed in this category. No music or copyright information has been located.

29 Williams, jacket notes for Arthur Pryor*-Trombone Solos.

30 Glenn P. Smith, personal l e t t e r , 9 March 1984.

31 John Philip Sousa, Marching Along (Boston: Hale, Cushman & Flint, 1941), p. 55.

32 Williams, jacket notes for Arthur Pryor—Trombone Solos.

152

Queen T i t a n i a March

This title appears in Berger's.gand Encyclopedia^ and in an Asbury Park newspaper article. There is some evidence from the article that it may have been connected with Asbury Park's annual baby parade, but it is not the same composition as "The Baby Parade" according to Pruyn. *

Remember

This song appears on a Pryor Band program of 15 J u l y 1930. Pryor i s c r e d i t e d as t h e composer.

A Rustic Patrol

This title also appears on the Pryor Band program of 15 July 1930. It may be "The Baby Parade: A Two-Step Patrol."

Salute to the Stars and Stripes March

This is anoth^g title that only appears in Berger's Band Encyclopedia, Because this is a band encyclopedia it is unlikely that the author would confuse this march with Sousa's masterpiece- On the other hand, considering the substantial dimensions of Pryor's other patriotic marches such as "The Triumph of Old Glory," it is unlikely that this composition would remain unpublished and unknown.

Serenade

This is another unknown title from Pepper's collection of Pryor trombone solos. It was discussed previously.

^Berger, p. 159.

34 Asbury Park Sunday Press, 18 February 1973.

^William Pruyn, personal letter, 21 March 1984. (In this and other letters Pruyn gives as his sources several former Pryor Band members that he knew in years past.)

^Berger, p. 159.

153

The Signal Polka

la severa l sources , both old and new, i t i s c l ea r t ha t t h i s solo i s by E l l i s Brooke. I t was published by Carl F i s che r .

Sunset a t Hialeah *

This composition appears on a Pryor Band program of 19 July 1930. This night be "After Sunset" retitled for the local audience of Miami of which Hialeah is a northern suburb.

Trombone Sneeze

This is no doubt Pryor's most well-known spurious composition. It appears to his credit on a recent recording. According to the music itself which was sent to me, the composer of this "serio comique" piece (as it is called) is Chris Sorensen, Jr., a Boston trombonist and member of Pryor*s Band. W. Paris Chambers is the arranger. The recent recordi^ was taken from a 1902 Sousa Band recording conducted by Pryor. Apparently no other name appears on the original record label, so the composer was assumed to be Pryor. In doing research at the Library of Congress I came across this title by Sorensen (published by Carl Fischer, copyrighted 23 June 1908, DLC 183989) and later learned that Sorensen was a member of Pryor's Band. It shows that composers can be erroneously credited on record labels.

Trombonium

This trombone smear composition was written by "Buell F. Withrow," but he is unknown apart from this composition. Given credit for arranging this piece for band is "Ribe Danmark," a known pseudonym for J. Bodewalt Lampe who was a well-known "house arranger" for the Remick publishing firm. ,TThe trio of 'Tromboniura' bears a suspiciously marked resemblance to the verse of Lampe's own 'Creole Belles.' Another Lampe composition, 'Georgia Sunset Cake-Walk,1 recorded in 1908 Arthur Pryor's band, also sounds much like 'Creole Belles.'" All this, plus the fact that there is no convincing evidence that Pryor wrote

Smart, p. 76. o p

Schafer and Riedel , p. 115

154

any trombone smear so los , leads me to conclude t ha t Lampe wrote i t and not Pryor. The Pryor Band may have performed i t , and t h i s s t a r t e d the rumor.

The Jingaboo On the Evening of A Wedding Day Uncle Tom's Cabin

In spite of frequent, recent accounts of these three comic operas from Pryor's pen, no music, copyright information, or contemporary accounts in any source has been located to suggest their existence. However, PryorTs granddaughter recently wrote with this information: "Yes, he wrote the operettas but 1 don't know where or how. I think it was in connection with the Montgomery Theater in St. Joseph, Missouri." One would assume therefore that these were early works, perhaps'-datiag from his assocation with the Stanley Opera Company, and that the music has been lost.

The Vil lage Bel le

Described as a song and dance schottische, this title appears on a Brokaw advertisement as being composed by Milton Willard. From the information given previously under "The Bandmaster March", one may conclude that Pryor wrote this composition also.

39 MaryRuth Pryor Sca la , personal l e t t e r , 21 April 1984.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Apel, Willi- Harvard Dictionary of Music. 2nd ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1969.

v Apel, Paul H. Music of the Americas North and South. New York:

Vantage Press , 1958. * *

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Edited by Nicolas Slonimsky. 6th ed. New York: G. -Schirmer, 1978.

Berger, Kenneth W. Band Encyclopedia, Evansville, Indiana: Band Associates, 1960.

Bierlev* Paul E. John Philip Sousa: American Phenomenon. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.r Prentice-Hall, 1973. *

. Hallelujah Trombone 1 The Story of Henry Fillmore. Columbus: Integrity Press, 1982.

. The Music of Henry Fillmore and Will Huff. Columbus: Integrity Press, 1982.

. The Works of John Philip Sousa. Columbus: Integrity Press, 1984. (Revision and reprinting of John Philip Sousa: A Descriptive Catalog of His Works. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 19730

Blesh, Rudi. They All Played Ragtime. New York: Oak, 1966.

Bridges, Glenn D. Pioneers in Brass. 3rd ed. Detroit: Sherwood Publications, 1972.

Bryant, Carolyn. And the Band Played On. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1975.

Catalog of Victor Records. Camden, N.J.: Victor Talking Machine Co., various years.

Carse, Adam. Musical Wind Instruments. London: Macmillan, 1939; reprint. New York: Da Capo Press, 1965.

Clarke, Herbert L. How i Became a Cornetist. Kenosha, Wisconsin: C. Leblanc Corp., n.d.

Claghorn, Charles E. Biographical Dictionary of American Musicians. West Nyack, N.Y.: Parker Publishing Co., 1973.

Dictionary of American Biography, suppl. 2 (1958), s.v. "Pryor, Arthur," by Paul E. Bierley.

155

156

Fennell, Frederick. Time and the Winds. Kenosha, Wisconsin; G. Leblanc Corp., 1954.

Foster, Robert E. Multiple-Option Marching Band Techniques, 2nd ed. Port Washington, N.Y.: Alfred Publishing Co., 1978. (Chapter I: "A Short History of the Marching Band.")

Goldman, Richard Fraako, The Concert Band. Nev York: Rinehart. 1945. *

. The Wind Band: Its Literature and Technique. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1961.

Kagarice, Vern, Leon Brown, Karl Hinterbichler, Milton Stevens, Robert Tennyson, and Irvin Wagner. Solos for the Student Trombonist. Nashville: The Brass Press, 1979.

Lake, ttayhew. Great Guys. Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan: Bovaco Press, 1983.

St. Joseph Biographical Dictionary. St. Joseph, Missouri, 1881.

Schafer, William J., and Johannes Riedel. The Art of Ragtime. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1973; reprint, New York: Da Capo Press, 1977.

Schwartz, H. W. Bands of America. Garden Ci ty , N.Y.: Doubleday and Co., 1957.

Smart, James R. The Sousa Band: A Discography, Washington D.C.: Library of Congress, 1970.

Smith, Norman, and Albert Stoutamire. Band Music Notes. 2nd ed. San Diego: Neil A. Kjos, 1979.

Sousa, John Philip. Marching Along. 2nd ed. Boston: Hale, Cushman, and Flint, 1941.

Thompson, Ray. Willow Grove Park. Abington, Pennsylvania: Cassidy Printing, 1977.

White, William C. A History of Military Music in America. New York: Exposition Press, 1944.

Wright, A. G., and Stanley Newcomb. Bands of the World. Evanston, Illinois: Instrumentalist Co., 1970.

Articles

Ames, J. Scott. "Arthur Pryor, a Little Biography." The Music World, November 1907, pp. 1-3.

157

"Arthur Pryor." Metrogome, June 1905, pp. 10-11.

"Arthur Pryor." Metrotome, October 1907, pp. 9-10.

"Arthur Pryor and His Band." Metronome, February 1905, p. 13.

"Arthur Pryor and His Band at Willow Grove Park." Metronome, Julv 1906, p. 10. ~

"Ar thur P r y o r ' s Band," The Musical E n t e r p r i s e , November 1904, p . 1.

"Band Versus Band Room." J a c o b ' s Band Monthly, March 1916, pp. 59-61.

"The Compositions of Arthur Pryor." Metronome, July 1910, pp. 14-16.

"Growth of Arthur Pryor and His Band." Metronome, Mav 1909, o. 10.

Johnston, Herbert N. "Musical Memories of Willow Grove." Old York Road Historical Society Bulletin 29 (1968): 16-38.

"Largest Theatre in the World." Jacob's Band Monthly, November 1919, p. 73.

Larkin, Curtis H. "Memories of Arthur Pryor and His Band." The School Musician, February 1943, pp. 8-9, 25; March 1943, ppT 14-15, 32.

Large advertisement, Metronome, December 1905, p. 29.

"Pryor and His Band." The Focus, 28 November 1903, p. 1.

Pryor, Arthur. "How To Play a March." Musical Courier, 26 September 1931, p. 45, 56.

Quayle, Holbert H. "Memories of Sousa and His Men." The Instrumentalist, September 1954, pp. 33-35, 45-46;~October 1954, pp. 44-47, 52; November 1954, pp. 16-17, 46-48.

. "Some Reminiscences." Music Journal, March 1954, pp. 37, 70-71.

"Thousands Enjoy P r y o r . " J a c o b ' s Band Monthly, March 1918, p. 64.

"Tour of P r y o r ' s Band." The Musical E n t e r p r i s e , March 1905, p . I .

"The Trombone Hal l of Fame." J a c o b ' s Band Monthly, September 1916, pp. 76-77.

Walker, B„, H. " I Teach Solo B r a s s . " The School Mus ic ian , Apr i l 1952, pp. 26-27; May 1952, pp. 34-35; June 1952, pp. 36-37.

15$

Williams, Frederick P. "Willow Grove Park Concerts." Unpublished.

Wise, Arthur, and Mary-Margaret Eitzen. "Band March Composers-Arthur Pryor." The Instrumentalist, January 1971, p. 28.

Wolfinbarger, Steve. "The Solo Trombone Music of Arthur Pryor." International Trombone Association Journal 11, na. 1 (January 1983): 13-15; no. 2 (April 1983); 27-29; no. 3 (July 1983): 20-25. (These articles are the publication of Wolfinbarger's entire Master of Music thesis.)

Recordings (Pryor works in parentheses)

American Sampler. Stuart Dempster, trombone, Victor Steinhardt, piano. Olympic 01y-104. ("The Supervisor," "Jhe Tip Topper.")

Cornet Solos. Herbert L. Clarke, cornet, with the Sousa Band and the Victor Orchestra. Original recordings, 1904-1921. Crystal Records S450t 1979.

Cousins. Gerald Schwarz, cornet, Ronald Barron, trombone, Kenneth Cooper, piano. Nonesuch H-71341, 1977. ("Blue Bells of Scotland," "Exposition Echoes Polka," Thoughts of Love.")

Dermis Smith, Trombone. Pandora PAN 2001. ("Blue Bells of Scotland.")

Heritage of the March. Band of the Scots Guard, D. R. Beat, conductor. Robert Hoe Records, vol. WV. ("Burlington March," "Crescent Club March," "Heart of America March," "A Kansas Two-Step," "Liberty Hall March," "That Flying Rag," "Triumph of Old Glory," "The Victor March.")

Heritage of the March. Memphis State University Band, Sidney McKay, conductor. Robert Hoe Records, vol. YYY. ("Canhanibalmo Rag," "Captain Cupid," "The Gridiron March," "Mr. Black Man," "On Jersey Shore," "Razzazza Mazzazza," "The Spirit of the Purple," "Trocadero March," "Vanity Fair March.")

Heritage of the March. U.S. Coast Guard Band, Lewis Buckley, conductor. Robert Hoe Records, vol. 39. ("Afifi March," "The Arcade Girl March," "Arms of America March," "Arthur Pryor's American Legion March," "The March King Ma*rch," "Post Dispatch March," "Soldiers of Fortune March," "The White Rats March," "Ye Boston Tea Party March.")

John Swallow, Trombone. Harriet Wingreen, piano. Golden Crest RE 7015. ("Blue Bells of Scotland.")

159

Leonard Falcone! Baritone. Joseph Evans, piano- Golden Crest RE 7016. ("Blue Bells of Scotland.")

The Pride of America-Golden Age of the American March. The Goldman Band, Richard F. Goldman and Ainslee Cox, conductors. New World Records NW-266, 1976. ("On Jersey Shore March.")

* Robert Isele, Trombone Solos. With U.S. Marine Band. Robert Hoe

Records, PDB 117. ("Annie Laurie," "Blue Bells of Scotland," "Fantastic Polka," "Love's Enchantment," "Thoughts of Love.")

Soloists of the Detroit Concert Band. William E. Lane, trombone, Detroit Concert Band, Leonard B. Smith,-conductor. ("Blue Bells of Scotland.") 1

The Sousa and Pryor Bands. Original recordings, 1901-1926. James R. Smart, commentary. New World Records <HW-282, 1976. ("The Patriot," Arthur Pryor, trombone, with the Sousa Band.)

Too Much Mustard. Pryor's Band, Arthifr Pryor, conductor, and * others. London: Saydise Specialized Recordings Limited, SDL 221. ("Canhanibalmo Rag.")

c A Tribute to Merle Evans. The New England Conservatory Circus Band,

Merle Evans, conductor. Golden Crest Records, 1970. ("A Coon Band Contest")

Trombone Solos--Arthur Pryor. With the Sousa Band, Pryor Band Pryor Orchestra, or piano. Original Recordings, 1897-1911. Crystal Records SA51, 1983. ("Blue Bells of Scotland," "Little Nell," "Love Thoughts," "Love's Enchantment," "Parisian Melodies," "The Patriot," "Polka Fantastic.1')

Miscellaneous

S t . Joseph P u b l i c L i b r a r y , S t . J o s e p h , M i s s o u r i : newspaper a r t i c l e s conce rn ing Ar thur Pryor from S t . Joseph F r e e - P r e s s , 1939-1975.

Long Branch Pub l i c L i b r a r y , Long Branch, New J e r s e y : newspaper a r t i c l e s concern ing Ar thur Pryor from Asbury Park Press. , 1942-1973.

Personal correspondence, 1981-84: ^

Bahr, Edward, Delta State University, Cleveland, MS, Bierley, Paul E., Columbus, OH. Bornemann, Charles, Orlando, FL. Bridges, Glenn D., Fraser, Ml. Brandon, Steve, Savannah, GA. Bryan, P. R., Duke University, Durham, NC.

160

Burk, James, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO. Byrne, MSgt. Frank, U.S. Marine Band, Washington DC. Cox, Ainslee, Goldman Memorial Band, New York, NY. Dillon, Steven, Edison, NJ. Evans, Merle, Ringling Bros. Barnam and Baily Circus, Sarasota , FL. Falcone, Leonard, Michigan State Univers i ty , E. Lansing, MI. Ceiger, Loren D., Lancaster, NY. * Graves, Alison, St. Joseph Public Library, St. Joseph, MO. Hawkins, Billy, Palomar College, San Marcos, CA. House, Keith, Central Methodist College, Fayette, MO. Isele, Robert, Hillcrest Heights, MD. Johnston, Herber t , Abington, PA. Kessler, MSgt. James, U.S. Army Band, Fort Mayer, VA. Levine, MUC Gerald, U.S. Coast Guard Band, New London, CT. Lillya, Clifford P., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Moses, Kenneth, University of Miami,- Coral Gables, FL. Newsom, Jon, Library of Congress, Washington, OCT Omeis, William, Youngstown, OH. Perkins, Jim, Chatfield Brass Band, Chatfield, MN. P f a f f , Fred, Maitland, FL. Pruyn, William, Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus,

Sarasota, FL. Rehrig, William, Baltimore, MD. Sams, Lynn L., Napa, CA. Scala, MaryRuth Pryor, San Jose, CA. Scoles, Muriel, Long Branch Public Library, Long Branch, NJ. Smart, James R., Library of Congress, Washington, DC.. Smith, Glenn P., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. Smith, Leonard B., Detroit Concert Band, Detroit, MI. tubiash, Pearl, American Bandmasters Association, College Park,

MD. Wiehe, Larry, Clemmons, NC. Willaman, John, Byron, MN. Williams, Frederick P., Philadelphia, PA. Wolfinbarger, Steve, McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA.

Personal in terviews, 1981:

Fennell, Frederick, Miami, FL. Shiner, Matty, Duquesne University, Pittsburg, PA. Spiros, Lucas, U.S. Marine Band, Washington DC. Wiley, Russell, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

"N,

Record list from personal collection of Glenn D. Bridges.

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I V I I A M ! • * • • > t < u u r * k « x A » : * p t o r i ' H I M v<ji< T i t l e s | « ) M U C p O S l l 5 I«irrn< U i t * * * *

0 * l r T n * i C w c « n r l f t t V H09M.

1 M ^ I H U V X • • < C * r * * I m x l « a « v > t J ^ O a n S Ar»rwr1 U » . U c > & 3 I C S *«*TV».J<h

'o i * i u I M A I I I I I W P i rcmc i .Gut i i i lm . Tr*U«». A M ' i M * . H « r i > f i , P«JI»M»( Stilly ind A f t m

fei C«IIIOI«A el fltnii, IK«KIW D<rW«n4b «U-

Quarin ittd Alortgtgtt tar Sole.

» H J i A 0 S b » M * e ta<»*Kr »o» evA»4WT«t r«s w e a p o n B« ?I«M tUUJi'l

\ \

THE LSND TITLE & TRUST Co. •• Sunday, June 6th, 1909 \

f O . J FFICIAL RQ6RAMME

- P R Y O R CONCERTS A F T E R N O O N < f c t V t H J N Q W

Pryor ^ I T M V I ^»*C«vp

A N D HIS Band (WOMt *4WTt»

, 4 M C u f t l W

— J

169 »•

AMUSEMENT FEATURES

Willow Grove Park DtfleeliAd

I*nneb Row Bead Theater FhotCfr«ph Studio

Trort frf the World CoaJ Mine Two C*rrwi«ti The Whip

Venice Cmiy Village 4

Scenic Railway Mlrror-Muc Flytni Mtchfcrm Phonograph Parlor

Mountain Seen*: Railway Skee Bill Radn* RoUer*Coa*ter

Miniature Electric Rillsvty Cindy H>d Soft Drink Booths

C M bo The Ufeslde Cafe

tarctM to fall * l r« »f tM L»i»

The Japanese Cafe ) N I \ M O M I U t V * l i W W

The Roatic Lunch | K i t M M M A m i H i . i

MUSICAL ATTRACTIONS FOR 1918 UUJt n u t ( A » W OICKBTU M V S M B I W M tiTm HTH m n t in . • ncroa nisnr w® o worm* conu m re am . . . . wrnai un w<>br—iTfi < • Mr»i»A«ira «9UU A » IB

Monday, June 3,1918 FFIC1AL !9N.ctiitis5C PO&PAHHE

• <- - »

j .

^ • P R Y O R • AFTUWQON AHt> £VEHWC

ARTHUR PRYOR'S AMERICAN BAND

ARTHUR MtTOR

170

TROMBONE SOLO WITH P I A N O ACCOMPANIMENT

3-sr — /

( T R O M B O N E S O L O I S T O P S O U S A S QANO.J

N E T P R I C E S . „d TROMBONE SOLO WITH PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT2 6

SOLO P A R T 0 .6

P IANO A C C O M P A N I M E N T 2 .0

C H A P P E L L & C P ITP SO. NEW B O N D STREET, L O N D O N . W

. c . «C5A-e*

MA* a e • t * f o a i > e a * m * 9 u t n • © • wiecxsc

171

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tf, r i n u r j r r y o r s B E S T C O N C E R T S O L O S

F O P ^

l i b C O R N E r T T R O M Q O N E

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W I T H

P I A N O A C C O M P A N I M E N T

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0 L u e E>ei.L«s ° r 5 ^ O T L A N D A T t S A H Q V A M A T I O N A

L O V < ^ ' ^ C M C H A N T M C - r i T V A L & C P C C O N < = . ^ I \ T

T H C P A T R I O T P O L > * . A

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172

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• * • '

'Dedicated to" c / "

J£S£P

Published by

P H I L A O C L ® H I A , AXQiocuST M R r r T s

CHICAGO. 147-149 W A B A S H AVENUG

175

THE LOVE KISS W A L T Z

PUBUSHED JU.SO TOR* 0 R . C H E 5 X R A

TOR P I A N O 5 Q L O MU.ITK.TOT DAHD

ARTHUR PRYOR-P u a t W K S D B v

C A R L H S C H E R - v 4«a AVE C c e d ! f c £ ' t ^ l ' A , R - E , ^ E , * ' ^ O R ^ w '

176

r DON'T FAIL TO

" get a copy of our Great CAKE WALK Hit A COON BAND CONTEST.

by ARTHUR PRYOR,

ASS'T CONDUCTOR OF

Sousa's Band. Plnyed throughout Europe with phcnominal succe99 by JOHN

P H I L I P SOUS A and Ms band.

* T

Head ivliut Bandmaster

i * 1

Uie grc»nt w ay a:

"My greatoft l encore'.' x

177

utmrn.—i imiiEiiiiiffl nm. % i». ARTHUR W. PRYOR,

T M I i l i M f n » M l i MMl l , SOUSA'S PEERLESS CONCERT BAKO.

Arthur W. Hryur la lb« lr*J1i>c tramVut* wlfllrt of lb« vntl l . As a «PUJ«I be U «(>• frjgstftl. | l« h » t&r r v » p i i ) l«

(be h1*1ml f n d * fnwn ih# ablnrf «rli(oi and all i1* m»mt»r« • / tl it |x^rMl»n. in* u l tn t ami wwhlrrtVI FiMti jnn liave a w l hl« pln/inr l»> >• ^ran"i#(* l rK^BJV o * A * t TJi» •< * IUn»l «*Hft *li»ni li» l« iu>W iiUvliijr, all m i c n l ' hint lo b>' »|h.»j»pru«Hk»b(y ft" «>*»*«"< "•• t lx t r - n u j i r In Amrrl'm nr Kilfu*» Tlita l» • cvan>l irtlMlv to ' IU«nVnifJ urti ' i - rt f*ni«rk«

t<*s a*. • ' • ins to Km Hifttfilf f«l«4ln? In tlv- HuMint pfnfr^Uit, U U K orll'l M » t ( w wN^i In t ni i in iKi i i l i lM i inl (RMII hu (-II™ n»u«lri»r» Mr frynr< rifTMil'IIM« i >ri 11 uiil n ml h l> ttni l i f i iF

of a in) art lit* »J ' - n » Bbitkcd * i t h all in'Vio<)> t-r onnel >•«) Int ' l l l^nl e»[i«*jnn ati<l mi i t ic f o i m ^ Jte ]>).«>• «<t)u of Kir nw-4 ll l l jnilt *fc»Hn « 4 a «» tin- iR'mUiitp, ai»l a»i«'«u*h t i c ir*'>+ nf Hi' •Urtlniliy <4 hi. MUI lUa l iH r l ' M H ' A ka l*Krt uculmti"! Mxl a|»|<m4ifnl l»» I t ' pA^r^U"! than Iry llif s*nrni |«i»'tlf, li« I* nlrem»l» pu|*jbr »ith hU all nrvrilK Unit*.I «WI«*. lit* i«u*»»CU-i>l aoti»

•(ni)lnc )<JAI »|i(iUu*. sir »• >r> in w i . afiO It | * tnl ;>f" ir \ run lVi»n«Uj >1<I ••r ial lrhe I ' *A airmrtlr* r-nltvrru»-ln(«l> IlKvnl. ••( ph^»lnf u*r»ei-«lllj a * ! • «*«1 r n n w m i v n i l M , (ml tia» ni«a* ««rm u d ffo<v><-*»ri'[»ln nn«|.nrf»w»of

* * * « ' • fetid n u k « nn m r n H * ! iM)» riwrlnr «l* U l „r out m l r n t U t. P r y « erU • » b ( » m « than <h« avrru* r r » H « » .a ft*J IK« "t M*l> H», aiul *">n tnak*

r S ! T r M i f ' llt*» M «1«f » M puw M If UfT S j S l S - r - n 3 * a r t lh» III.to d.toVJn'*™#. " 0 « H.<D« Till M « h i o * ' *Uki,

k a Cfcmtl* « o w * »Uh61m, b« plaj»lnflAjr<*i*Tf% Tti» ft»Uo»1o« .•m of Mr. Pry*?* vlll ten* U «bo* hh n m l o * aNHiy U tt '»Un

ftoni hi* r™»CaDK "Air Vartf."

Aimolt w. P8TM.

W * a d H * «hfl bar* the r^pwtun I I j lo go and h^ar hl ia llaiiil anJ *lote». plains thU <MJ|b(fOl lr»« »1«WB rcmtti *1 a » m n i M i j - r M iA-1 ponlf tU r«>lal F>, »HkU li a bair i » - a i*w*i• Hi wl ikb la M * X o th» InrtrumfM. (Kit ]« i»ttli lt» lip alen* Ha

Mr P m r M N . n d v J t * 1 • . a J. W , t V r c " Pwnlw—AltlB'a W * T i m b e r * BtRfi an t A K - u lo * !1y Ufi « e l t w U h a e i l i e W m w f bait •llb«iol aat itimwilty, Anrt h* U -e l l lh-1 »f itmulU' t m n b m « " a voederand ' i W i h ilralrf' io all «*h#T«rak»^~ On u lw |»w1an«*4nrtlilnK o w r «ir»<»i«»-J w* MarleC aail U»%aed baal»>r t aT»* j # « W i H r " ® « d » . Is (MUI1®O, ftwtitb*bulm M» i««e>4

M3c ^ i l l i nait* ~4 iba / W Prpprt Tiw'«i4»a

fsurUiduf i^bal lc«Un* ' r. Pmu blih n» V. (o M* 1 &

m

178

*

NOVELTY BULLETIN o r

BAND AND ORCHESTRA MUSIC » U 1 U « H B D A N D F O R • A L E

CARL FISCHER « a - 6 i e o o p c n « q u M i 0>I0 P O U t t t H A V E N U I

vcir. HI N O V E M B E R , I * 0 3 .

NEW YORK KO. IV.

^ o . ^ u r w a ^ c . K e n t h i 1 , ^ W H I S T L E R A N D H I S D O G B>llc about Artlmr Pry or'* — • There's plenty of rc»<AQ (or aeir joy. If ever Inclined In lieveme A popular crare, ttien the "The

WHISTLER 1,c.ii!er3uho h 10 themselves 11 hold* them cheering,

A W| ]M I I »£ Novell y in two-«cp form msd positively the mn-t cxtraonltattiy number we have ever heard to cntcli tliv pnWIe ecvr. Your whole tudtenee trill tvliiwtl" it with yon. The nielody |» » catchy yoa can't low it. *

TRY IT AND MAKE THE HIT OF YOUR LIFE : : : conception in ti novelty two-Ale p ever published,

es il. Everybody wanta il. It*4 the lill of l!W.r>. t 10 Plrti, 6 0 1 4 Parta, OOc.t *•». 11.00; PUM l PUao Aele, ReulJ, Me,

wo* a ?iovelt> composition Whistler and I fin Dog" i« It. .< neverheard iu-nnnol picture a w i t i a k u «itli an audience nni start to 6ttl»li find leaves it

aod demanding it repeat* til •Riio tntl uphill Recently t l««l«f who U»AJ jt fot tb« first Itcnr mnarbrO to see of Lbe boyJ ' " Ifid yon evtr M I Iroosb hook ©0 w neydilag tb« w y

the/ did 10 'THE • m | W H I S T L E R ? " U I C Not jpod Barf tit n i « P«>»P«. bat It

tells lieUie."

NOW.

OTHER SUCCESSES BY ARTHUR PRYOR Irish King March

Tie Vwcb Willi the Jriafc Soap.

'Blood Liliies Intermezzo A qsila! BSH qurer, b«t *t<7 catchy JafitBfte JntemetKs

La Spaniola Waltz A beautiful, f*M<onu» Wclu.

'Bunker Hill flarch A i m s big fait.

Arkansas Huskin' Bee CbUtrtwfrtlt, tfluAl, tetthy ^ p « w

'On Jersey Shore March Tfe« big ktdTtfc bit «t A»bQxj Pt*k,

Love Thoughts Waltz A s4saifie«sv mtluJlOM H'alti

'The Gridiron flarch Plot mpfj U.trcli. Great Ifuj.

' Ye Boston Tea Party AM Donbl* Bomber for Orth.. urd Baod,

ITJ SrCu to««tbrr ««tb -IWrr? A•<*u f d t l *

'Southern Hospitality Fta«. U good * M*rtb u lite beat.

J3c. PVICG5 OP ABOVBT" (0 P«n* Mc.1 14 Part*. OOc.: Fun, SI.OOi Pbino •AIM F«Wih*j fee *md. Prta* »0c.

isr B«B4 w i y . pric*, (ftc. fn Preparsthn r RQ7QZZQ IWtlVCh

179

4

P R Y O R ' S P O P U L A R P I E C E S

RAZZAZZA • • • « MAZZAZZA

A C l m f TrombflR* SOMI«< M l l K W I t " * * 1 f a m U t t » U » a t 11 • l u l l * 7 X

W r w > • " n l M M n l j w t w M W M H I H i X • W W I I

B A B Y P A R A D E

A | * i t r a l

TVtaml HW>n>V l U a a H W ' ^ f T v m « t w « . [ i i t i x n w i i K M ^ > i » « i n f « . • • • )

IRISH KING MARCH I M n a w O I I W

M i t ( M f i r f l w M w f U I W « » t » » « 1 «<l H»

ON JERSEY SHORE MARCH N r t M t , 1 1 ^ 1

m n B i * U t l w t* M * « l > ! • • • * 4 v % > i » y < O M i t e * v t o > • • i> v w i

LA SPANIOLA WALTZ • & '—"•-* n « M ) ~ r - - n l i | « •/ a w n MM

BUNKER HILL MARCH « * • «J M p i i f l M r 7 « m <

ARKANSAS HUSKIN' BEE

m WHISTLER AND HIS DOG A l > l * r * • » • ! « *

i n i B a M K U V a t » - 7 n i l n H M * t M > N • >•< l a t a V ' f t i c a M ' I I | H

• • o a f l W M I > W H ' ; M X W I M f « < M ^ W V

BLOOD LiLLIES Jap. Intemi. t ftpmMirtt iiM>ti»i<>mnii" W t i l ^ i i i g M m i i i i ) M — f " ! * * ' W* i n a a a t M l I n

LOVE THOUGHTS WALTZ — M

• l i f ! » » • — ' i n W M M i n i J W W a I « ^ t a l i a ( I S l l W < M n U )

M a * t « « • ( M N l k a U W M R M * M « 1 » » i 1* M i r r u M n M t

THE GRIDIRON MARCH YE BOSTON TEA PARTY MARCH SOUTHERN KOSPITAUTY MARCH

nrawiMTt «niimanft.a natw. ftixij.touH. fcjiutrm

m nsan s rwirrHAvnuc

180

ARTHUR PRYORaasBAND Are Now Featuring his Popular Successes

* P V* A I I T h e G e n t German f — — < r Wat i t . The

A L o u i s a ^ *-* .. . . . DrrikinR « U « r . Put U L I a y Uon your P r e m i m w * * q

' I r i s h Al«»y« K i n g

T h « C r e a i m ' I r i s h " March erer

vmtt tn . gocd for

l ^ o r c b r e e M a r c h e n e « r « » .

f I « k i j A A wDoJedul W i t t z . N e o t t o i t f r

T h o u g h t s ^ A W i l t i of which you \ A / A 1 ^ 9

never life. w f

T H E G R E A T CHARACTERIST IC SUCCESS. T H E T W O 5 T C P R A G 5 O P TMG COUNTRY.

Etxrybody ujklsllu it! Everybody phys it! Everybody tilts it! -

THE WHISTLER AND HIS DOG H r w w u t M ««tf EH W rt |Mr iM.tM* 1H4VI | n t t <bar»elwttU w*4tT-?*•»*>• <Jl» !• R ! * • « 4»cktaM

?j| ?4?94? 5j? 9j? ?J? qj?

Rah / Rah J Rah t Sizf Boom! Bah/

Razzazza Mazzazza

March Is * distinct tot, Jilttf* 7*0*1 • h w £ v r i r i d / iA< ftfftitsi w

<5®5 djs <$>ifc ARTHUR PRTOH

Amhe»'if*lnl iintHuitr « x f r jfl/>i«ir f ro; fM^r.

/ / Ciiteby jnel&iioutjjftinefe infer' J«J1 cif of the best Pryer

rirr vroff.

B l o o d L i l i e s

I n t e r m e z z o J W the thing for a little

entr'acte.

dfc 4&S 4$£ e?s djb tfi d?i

N«»1 m i n • ' . IAIUI, IM | n < M r«M( M > w t M , • « M O M • * Uf W. M M d n i PMT I M K V I n a b t« kair II i i ( ||«S.

BABY PARADE Ai l f tv F i n * >CR fnar« (bis (wpuiw a«ab«> bU loot tad r « v «wlJ«iie* <rltl at to bear pJ*7 tt-

• l > T b ( a r l f iu l Pvk

J e r s e y S h o r e JJSTSSt M a r c h

P r i c e d o f a b o v e . « K » V T I A i t t i u r n m . »IT.Uo«cnt*Ti» i i — v i v o ftkt m.

n i M i k i i t i f t ' » M >qi i t n " — | M

I I.W •

" D o w n a t A s b u r y P a r k

lelnriidar i a r a | 4 _ pop^Ui «*#i M. " a '

a