Klaxon, The (Fillmore)

From Wind Repertory Project
Henry Fillmore

Henry Fillmore


General Info

Year: 1930
Duration: c. 2:55
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Fillmore Brothers
Cost: Score and Parts – Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.


Instrumentation

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

  • Bass Drum
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Orchestra Bells
  • Snare Drum


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

This well-known march was composed in 1930 by Henry Fillmore (1881- 1956) for the Cincinnati Auto Show and was dedicated “to the producers of the Klaxon Automobile Horns.” Cast in cut-time meter and marked simply “March tempo,” the work begins in E major and modulates to A major at the trio following well-established march tradition. The colorful trio begins with a legato melody featuring the horns, alto saxophones, and tenor saxophones and beautifully demonstrates Fillmore’s gift for creating interesting melodies and counter-melodies.

- Program Note from The Instrumentalist


Paul Bierley, who has written two interesting and scholarly books on John Philip Sousa and his music, culminated nearly a decade of research in 1982 with the publication of two valuable books on the life and music of Henry Fillmore. Among many sidelights, he learned that, contrary to oft-repeated stories, the pseudonym Gus Beans was not selected at random from a Cincinnati telephone book; the Crosley March has nothing to do with a compact car; and there was another Ohio composer whose real name happened to be the same as one of Fillmore's pseudonyms, Will Huff.

Stories of a connection between a car horn and The Klaxon March were more factual. Composed in 1929 and published the next year, the march (subtitled March of the Automobiles) was written for the Cincinnati Automobile Show which began at the Music Hall in January 1930. Fillmore also invented a new instrument for the occasion called a klaxophone. It consisted of 12 automobile horns, mounted on a table and powered by an automobile battery. Like Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture cannons, the klaxophone was a bit noisy.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band


Media

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

  • United States Marine Band (Washington, D.C.) (Darren Lin, conductor) - 9 August 2023
  • Bemidji (Minn.) Area Community Band (Ryan Webber, conductor) - 3 July 2022
  • Youngstown (Ohio) State University Concert Band (Michael S. Butler, conductor) - 25 April 2022
  • Kankakee (Ill.) Municipal Band (Jewel Ann Wiltfang, conductor) – 5 August 2021
  • Springdale (Ark.) Har-Ber High School Wind Ensemble (Jeremy Ford, conductor) – 10 March 2020
  • University of Georgia (Athens) Hodgson Wind Symphony (Jaclyn Hartenberger, conductor) -19 September 2018
  • Champaign-Urbana (Ill.) Civic Wind Band (Linda Moorhouse, conductor) - 1 July 2018
  • Vienna (Va.) Community Band (Cornelius Young,conductor) - 10 December 2017
  • Indiana University (Bloomington) All-Campus Band (Andrew D. Chybowski, conductor) – 6 December 2016
  • Orcas Island (Washington) Community Band (Karen Key Speck, conductor) - 4 June 2016
  • Florida State University (Tallahassee) Wind Orchestra (James Croft, conductor) - 7 March 2013 (ABA 2013 Annual Convention (Tampa, Florida))
  • United States Air Force Band (Washington, D.C.) (Lowell Graham, conductor) – 21 February 2001 (CBDNA 2001 National Conference, Denton, Tx.)


Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

  • Courage (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1919/2003/2012)
  • His Honor March (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1933/2014)


All Wind Works


Resources