Gus Guentzel

From Wind Repertory Project
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Biography

Gustave "Gus" Guentzel (1868, Chicago, Ill. – 1950, Glendale, Calif.) was an American composer, arranger and teacher.

Guentzel received a thorough foundation in music from his father, a choral conductor, organist, and composer. At an early age, Gus became a member of the Golconda (Illinois) Silver Cornet Band, presumably as a cornetist, and while there he organized a brass quartet known as the “Big 4.”

At age 15, he decided to make music his career. After a period as instructor of several community bands, he became solo cornetist of the National Military Home Band in Leavenworth, Kansas, studying arranging with the bandmaster, Pedro C. Meyrelles. During the next decade, he performed with circuses, theater and opera orchestra companies and was also director of various bands and orchestras.

He moved to St. Louis in 1897, and in 1904 he was selected by George W. Stewart [of Boston] to be music librarian of the St. Louis World’s Exposition. At the close of the fair, he became a member of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as bass clarinetist. For 20 years after leaving St. Louis, he worked as a clarinetist and made special transcriptions and arrangements for several leading bands.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1924, Guentzel taught music for five years. Thereafter, he arranged music for film studios in Hollywood. He lived in Glendale, California, after retirement. His most popular work was evidently his last work, the Comandante March.


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