Rolling Thunder March (arr Glover)

Henry Fillmore

Subtitle: A Trombone Ace

General Info

Year: 1916 / 2002
Duration: c. 1:55
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $65.00 | Score Only (print) - $6.00

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
Cornets/Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:

Bass Drum
Bells
Snare Drum
Crash Cymbals

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

Written in 1916, Rolling Thunder was dedicated to Ed Hicker, presumably a trombonist, since the march is subtitled, A Trombone Ace. Since its composition, Rolling Thunder has been used for diverse circus acts, including high sway poles, elephant acts, and Roman rides, at rodeos to generate excitement, and on concert programs as a show-stopper. Rolling Thunder is not only one of Henry Fillmore’s most exciting marches, it is also one of his most difficult.

- Program Note from The Grand Band Companion

Henry Fillmore wrote his great circus march Rolling Thunder while he was living in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1916. He fell in love with the circus, and many of his compositions reflect this love as well as his love for the trombone. Rolling Thunder reflects both these with its exciting, virtuosic trombone lines and its success as a “screamer.” The only tempo or style marking is “Furioso,” which gives the indication this march needs to be at a very bright tempo. making it fun for the audience.

- Program Note from Aledo High School Wind Ensemble concert program, 12 February 2016

The fast-paced march Rolling Thunder draws upon two important influences in Fillmore’s life: an early involvement in the circus and a lifelong fascination with the trombone. When the young Fillmore displayed an interest in the slide trombone, his father, a conservative partner in a religious music publishing firm, declared the instrument uncouth, sinful, and off-limits to his son. Fillmore’s mother snuck her son a secondhand instrument to practice in an attempt to keep him out of bigger trouble. The deception was serendipitous since Fillmore became an innovative composer for the instrument, writing signature trombone rags and often featuring the trombone section as he does in Rolling Thunder.

Fillmore’s conservative father also likely disagreed with his decision to join the circus, but this choice also resulted in innovative music. Fillmore’s role as circus bandmaster gave him the opportunity to amplify the circus experience for the audience by using music to intensify suspense or heighten the excitement. A fast and exciting show-stopper like Rolling Thunder makes hearts race and feet tap, whether in the circus ring or the concert hall.

- Program Note from U.S. Marine Band concert program, 28 July 2016

Rolling Thunder is a great circus march, as breath-taking in its excitement as the action feats by horsemen riding full tilt around the narrow confines of a sawdust track under canvas. The track is known in the circus as the Hippodrome and the music played by the band to accompany the riding is invariably exciting and driving in its manner, and it is always played at an appropriate breath-taking speed.

- Program Note by Frederick Fennell

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Crosby (Tex.) High School Symphonic Band (Richard C. Crain, conductor) - 20 December 2018 (2018 Midwest Clinic)
Southside High School (Fort Smith, Ark.) Wind Symphony (Sean Carrier, conductor) – 24 April 2018
Coppell (Texas) Middle School North Honor Winds (Jeremy Lindquist, conductor) - 12 February 2016 (2016 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
Aledo (Texas) High School Wind Ensemble (Joey Paul, conductor) - 12 February 2016 (2016 TMEA Conference, San Antonio)
Granite City (Ill.) Community Band - 2013

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

Fillmore, H.; Glover, A. (2002). Rolling Thunder [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.