Lassus Trombone

Henry Fillmore

General Info

Year: 1915
Duration: c. 2:50
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Fillmore Music House
Cost: Score and Parts - Out of print.

For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.

Instrumentation

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

Bass Drum
Bells
Crash Cymbals
Snare Drum

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The minstrel show, which emerged as a form of entertainment in the United States in the 1840s, consisted for a time of humorous musical programs based on Northern concepts of Negro entertainment. Fillmore’s trombone smears, beginning with Miss Trombone in 1908, often included subtitles which were in the minstrel-vaudeville idiom of the time. Paul Bierley writes that they were also influenced by his grandmother McKrell’s former slave, Sarah, a jolly soul who sang catchy old spirituals while she worked and was always treated with respect and kindness in the Fillmore household. In addition to Lassus Trombone -- "De Cullud Valet to" Miss Trombone (1915), examples include: Pahson Trombone -- Lassus Trombone's “Old Man” (1916); Sally Trombone -- Pahson Trombone’s Eldest Gal (1917); Shoutin’ Liza Trombone -- Mose Trombone’s Ah-finity (1920); Dusty Trombone -- He's de Next Door Neighbor to Bones Trombone (1923); and Boss Trombone -- He’s de Head Man (1929). Other smears were written for Slim, Mose, Teddy, Bull, Bones, Ham, of course, Hot Trombone, which undoubtedly called for additional lubricant for the slide.

Lassus Trombone was John Philip Sousa’s favorite smear. He programmed the tune on every concert of one of his final tours. It was also Fillmore’s favorite. Delegates who attended the 1949 Southern Division meeting of the Music Educators' National Conference in Tampa, Florida, may have forgotten most of the other details, but they will never forget "Uncle Henry,” dressed in his customary white suit and wielding a huge baton, conducting a line of trombonists stretched across a football field playing his Lassus Trombone. The sheet music arrangement has sold over two million copes.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

According the author Paul Bierley, "For all practical purposes, Lassus Trombone is a classic. The structure is solid. The melody, harmony and rhythm are combined in a glorious, near perfect manner. It is highly listenable, clever and snappy. Because it literally exudes happiness, it is little wonder that Henry lived to see sales of the sheet music surpass the two million mark. Lassus Trombone quickly took a place among the world's toe-tappers, and it still falls in that category."

When he was asked about the origin of the title, Fillmore responded, "Why, molasses, of course ... I thought of molasses on bread for breakfast, lunch and dinner. "

- Program Note from score

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

Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, Tx.) Symphonic Band (Chris Kaatz, conductor) - 11 October 2018
Atascadero (Calif.) Community Band (Jennifer Martin, conductor) – 16 August 2016
Catskill Valley Wind Ensemble (Oneonta, N.Y.) (Scott Rabeler, conductor) - 3 May 2015

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. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 204-205.