Circus Bee, The (1908)

Henry Fillmore

General Info

Year: 1908
Duration: c. 2:30
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Fillmore Bros. Co.
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

Full Score
D-flat Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
E-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
B-flat Soprano Saxophone
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
E-flat Cornet
B-flat Cornet I-II-III-IV
Tenor Horn I-II
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum

Errata

In Parts:

Baritone TC, fine ending: Written G should be E-flat to match the previous tied note.

Program Notes

This march was a celebration of sorts for the fact that Fillmore and his father (who managed their publishing business) finally agreed that the young composer could publish his music “at home” even though it did not meet the elder Fillmore’s standard of being religious music. The title came from an imaginary circus newspaper; if John N Klohr could name his famous march after a show business paper called The Billboard March, why not name his new march after a circus paper, real or not?

Perhaps, if Henry Fillmore were still living, he would compose The Circus Fanfare March after the bulletin published by the Windjammers Unlimited, Inc. This group of circus music buffs alternates recording sessions at their conventions with discussions concerning music performed at circuses, past, present, and future. Most seem to agree that the Circus Bee March reflects Fillmore’s lifelong interest in circuses and his varied experiences while touring with five different big top shows.

-Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Media

Audio: Reference recording. U.S. Marine Band (Timothy Foley, conductor)
Audio CD: McLean High School Symphonic Band (James Kirchenbauer, conductor) - 2006
Audio CD: Plano East Senior High School Wind Ensemble (Jerry Thomas, conductor) – 2001

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Florida State University (Tallahassee) Symphonic Band (David Plack, conductor) - 7 February 2022
Fillmore Wind Band (Florence, Ky.) (Jim Daughters, conductor) – 2013
McClean (Va.) High School Symphonic Band (James Kirchenbauer, conductor) – 19 December 2006 (2006 Midwest Clinic)
Plano (Tx.) East Senior High School Wind Ensemble (Jerry Thomas, conductor) – 20 December 2001 (2001 Midwest Clinic)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

Courage (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1919/2003/2012)
His Honor March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1934/2014)

All Wind Works

136th U.S.A. Field Artillery (arr. Foster) (2012)
Alamo March (as Will Huff) (1916)
Alamo March (arr. Miller) (1916/2016)
America Exultant (arr. Glover) (1917/2004)
Americans We (ed. Fennell) (1929/1979)
Americans We (ed. Foster) (1929/2011)
Black Mask, The (written as Al Hayes) (ed. Foster) (1914/2015)
Bones Trombone (arr. Oliver) (1922)
Bull Trombone (1924/1959)
Chimes of Iron Mountain, The (1955)
The Circus Bee (1908)
The Circus Bee (1908/2003) (ed. Foster)
The Circus Bee (arr. Custer) (1908/1994)
The Circus Bee (ed. Schissel) (1908/2007)
The Circus Bee (arr. Stevens) (1908/2013)
Courage March (2013) (arr. Contorno)
Courage (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1919/2003/2012)
Cradle of Liberty (as Al Hayes) (arr Laferty) (2015)
The Crosley March (arr. Foster) (2001)
The Crosley March (arr. Schissel) (2023)
The Footlifter March (arr. Foster) (1935/2003)
Footlifter March, The (ed. Blatti) (1935)
Genius (arr. Clark) (1937/2005)
Gifted Leadership (ed. Foster) (1927/1959)
Go: Galop (as Will Huff) (1916)
Go: Galop (arr. Contorno) (1916/2009)
Golden Friendships (ed. Foster) (1926/2005)
Headway March (arr. Contorno) (1920/2014)
His Excellency (ed. Schissel) (1909/2006)
His Honor March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1934/2014)
His Honor (ed. Fennell) (1934/1978)
His Honor March (arr. Foster) (1934/2000)
Hot Trombone (1921)
In Uniform (1905)
King Karl King (1957)
King Karl King (ed. Foster) (1957/2007)
Klaxon, The (1930)
The Klaxon (arr. Balent) (1930/1995)
The Klaxon (ed. Fennell) (1930/1984)
The Klaxon (arr. Foster) (1930/2014)
Lassus Trombone (1915)
Lassus Trombone (arr. Clark) (1915/1998)
Lassus Trombone (ed. Foster) (1915/2011)
Lassus Trombone (arr. Schissel) (1915/2000)
Light Cavalry Overture (as arranger; ed. Foster) (1866/2000)
Lightning Fingers (arr. Foster)
Lucky Trombone (1926)
Man of the Hour, The (1924)
(We're) Men of Florida (ed. Foster) (1949/2005)
Men of Ohio (1921)
Men of Ohio (ed. Foster) (1921/2009)
Men of Ohio (arr. Schissel) (1921/1999)
Miami (arr. Foster) (1938/2006)
Military Escort (as Harold Bennett) (arr. Balent) (1923/1990)
Military Escort (as Harold Bennett) (arr. Clark) (1923/2014)
Military Escort (as Harold Bennett) (ed. Fennell) (1923/1980)
Military Escort (as Harold Bennett) (arr. Swearingen) (1923/1998)
Military Escort in 5 Ways (1930)
Miss Trombone (arr. Contorno) (1908/2012)
Miss Trombone (1908)
Mt. Healthy (arr. Shaffer) (1916/2007)
Noble Men (arr. Foster) (1922/2001)
The Orange Bowl (ed. Foster) (1939/2004)
Our Own Red, White and Blue (arr. Foster) (1917/2015)
Playfellow (1927)
Poet, Peasant and Light Cavalryman, The ((1915/1959)
Precision (as Harold Bennett) (arr. Clark) (1926/2011)
Project (as Harold Bennett) (arr. Clark) (2002)
The President's March (ed. Foster) (1956/2008)
A Review March to the U.S. of A. Armed Forces (ed. Foster) (1942/2013)
Rolling Thunder (arr. Howell) (1916/2020)
Rolling Thunder March (1916)
Rolling Thunder (ed. Fennell) (1916/1983)
Rolling Thunder March (arr. Foster) (1916/2014)
Rolling Thunder March (arr. Foster Jr.) (1916/2015)
Rolling Thunder March (arr. Glover) (1916)
Sally Trombone (1917)
Shoutin' Liza Trombone (arr. De Meij) (1920/1991)
Shoutin' Liza Trombone (arr. Foster) (1920/2002)
Slim Trombone (arr. Contorno) (2013)
Star-Spangled Banner (as arranger) (1814/1934/1959/1973)
Success (as Harold Bennett; arr. Clark) (1912/2001)
Teddy Trombone (1911)
Teddy Trombone (arr. de Meij) (1911)
Teddy Trombone (arr. Foster) (1911/2013)
A Trombone Family Reunion (arr. Glover) (2019)
Troopers' Tribunal (1905)
Troopers' Tribunal (arr. Foster) (1905/2009)
The U.S. of A. Armed Forces (ed. Foster). See: A Review March to the U.S. of A. Armed Forces
Waves March (1943)
When the Saints Meet Lassus Trombone (arr. Brandon)
The Whistling Farmer Boy (1925)

Resources

Smith, Norman E. (1986). March Music Notes. Lake Charles, La.: Program Note Press, pp. 134-135.
Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 204.