Big Cage, The

Karl King

Karl King (arr. Andrew Glover)

Subtitle: Circus Galop

General Info

Year: 1934 / 2004
Duration: c. 1:13
Difficulty: IV (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C. L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts - $65.00   |   Score Only - $5.00

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
B-flat Cornets/Trumpets I-II
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

Dedicated to Clyde Beatty, famous lion trainer.

- Program Note from score

You can smell the cotton candy and sawdust with this rollicking galop from Karl King. Dedicated to famous lion trainer Clyde Beatty, The Big Cage is accelerated fun for performers and audiences. This first-ever concert sized edition of The Big Cage incorporates the performance practices of the composer and while not simplified, makes this galop accessible to bands of medium to advanced levels. How fast can you go???

- Program Note from publisher

King gave up trouping with circus bands in 1918, but he continued to write marches and galops for the circus for many years. One interesting example is Atta-Boy March, which was published in 1926 and then republished in 1961 as Center Ring March. The Big Cage – Circus Galop was written in 1934 and dedicated to Clyde Beatty, a lion tamer who was as famous then as Gunther Williams was 50 years later.

As a musical form, the galop has increased in tempo considerably from its nineteenth-century European origin as a ballroom dance. Then, it was a moderately fast hop-glide dance step; now, it is a fast and furious contest between the tigers and the musicians to see who can finish their act first. William, G. Pruyn, music director of Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Combined Shows, prefers a galop tempo of MM=220.

- Program Note from Program Notes for Band

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
• Audio CD: VanderCook College of Music Symphonic Band (Charles T. Menghini, conductor) - 2008

State Ratings

• Indiana: ISSMA JUNIOR BAND GROUP I
• Kansas: IV

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton, Calif.) Wind Ensemble I (Kevin L. Sedatole, conductor) - 20 December 2019 (2019 Midwest Clinic)
• California All-State Junior High School Concert Band (Jonathan Grantham, conductor) - 19 February 2017 (2017 CASMEC Conference, San Jose)
• Cary Town Band (Cary, N.C.) (Stuart Holoman, conductor) - 12 September 2014
• Santa Monica High School Symphonic Band (Terry Sakow, conductor) - 14 January 2014
• VanderCook College of Music (Chicago, Ill.) Symphonic Band (Charles T. Menghini, conductor) – 19 December 2008 (2008 Midwest Clinic)

Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music

• Coast Guards (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1942/2009)

All Wind Works

• 140th Infantry (1928)
• 147th Field Artillery
• Abdallah
• Aces of the Air (arr. Swearingen) (1942/2011)
• Alamo (1943)
• Alamo (arr. Swearingen) (1943/1990)
• Alcazar
• Algeria
• Alhambra Grotto
• Allied Honor (1955)
• Allied Honor (arr. Swearingen) (1955/1989)
• Alpine Sunset (1916)
• Altar of Genius, The
• American Beauty Waltz (1910)
• The American Way (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2014)
• Apollo (King)
• Arabian Nights (1915)
• Argonne
• Arkansas School Bands (1931)
• Atta-Boy
• The Attorney General (1921)
• Auld Lang Syne (1944)
• Autumn Romance, An
• Aviation Tournament
• The Avenger (arr. Milford) (1910/2010)
• Barnum and Bailey's Favorite (arr. Bainum) (1913/1972)
• Barnum and Bailey's Favorite (arr Milford) (arr. Milford) (1913/2012)
• Barnum & Bailey's Favorite (arr. Romeyn) (1913/2022)
• Barnum and Bailey's Favorite (ed. Schissel) (1913/2009)
• Barnum and Bailey's Favorite (1913)
• Barnum and Bailey's Fractured Favorite (arr. Leslie) (1913/2018)
• Baronet, The
• Belle Isle
• The Big Cage (arr. Glover) (1934/2004)
• Big Cage, The (1934)
• Big Four (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2002)
• Black and Gold
• Bolivar
• Bombardier
• Bon Voyage (1915/1955)
• Bonds of Unity
• Brigadier-General, The
• Broadway One Step (1919)
• Broadway One Step (arr. Paynter) (1919/1992)
• Bunker Hill (arr. Swearingen) (1943/2018)
• Burma Patrol (arr. Swearingen) (2009)
• Call to Victory (arr. Swearingen) (1942/2001)
• Canton Aero Club
• The Caravan Club (1925)
• Cardiff Giant, The
• Carrollton (1909)
• Carrollton (ed. Rogers) (1909/2004)
• Celestial Choir
• Centaur, The
• Center Ring, The (arr. Glover) (1926/2009)
• Chateau Thierry
• Circus Days (arr. Clark) (1944/1997)
• Circus Days (arr. Schissel) (1944/1997)
• Cle Elum Eagles
• Co-Eds On Parade
• Coast Guards (Flex instrumentation) (arr. Clark) (1942/2009)
• Coast Guards (arr. Swearingen) (1942/1991)
• Columbian
• Conqueror, The
• Cruiser Omaha
• Custer's Cavalry
• Cyrus the Great (1921)
• Cyrus the Great (arr. Glover) (1921/2017)
• Cyrus the Great (tr. Patterson) (1921/)
• Dance of the Imps
• Defending Circle, The
• Desdemona
• Desert Patrol, The
• Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The
• Diplomacy
• Discriminator, The
• Don Caezar
• Drake Relays (1936)
• Dreamy Dawn
• Eclipse Galop (1917)
• Eclipse Galop (arr. Glover) (1917/2018)
• Emblem of Freedom (arr. Glover) (1910/2003)
• Emblem of Freedom (arr. Schissel) (1910/2020)
• Emporia
• Enchanted Nights (1919)
• Eternal Youth (1911)
• Evening Shadows
• Eventide
• Excelsior
• Fame and Fortune
• Fete Triumphal
• Fidelity (arr. Glover) (1912/2011)
• Flying Cadets (arr. Swearingen) (1942/2016)
• The Flying Squadron (arr. Milford) (1921/2007)
• Fond Hearts
• Forest City Commandery (1915)
• Fountain of Youth (1924)
• Franklin Post
• Free World (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2005)
• Freedom City (arr. Swearingen) (1963/2017)
• Friendship
• Gallant Marines (arr. Swearingen) (1942/2000)
• Gallant Zouaves
• Garland Entrée (1912)
• The Gateway City (arr. Glover) (1910/2010)
• General Grant
• General Lee (1943)
• Georgia Girl (arr. Milford) (1914/2011)
• German Melodies
• Glorious America
• Glory of Egypt (1923)
• Golden Days
• The Goldman Band (1930)
• Greater Canton
• Gypsy Queen
• Hawkeye Fair
• Hawkeye Glory (1938)
• Henderson Field
• Herald of Progress (1936)
• High Private, The
• The Home Town Boy (1962)
• Homestretch
• Hosts of Freedom (ed. Paynter) (1920)
• Hosts of Freedom (arr. Glover) (1920/2013)
• Howdy Pap
• Huntress, The (arr. Milford) (2014)
• Imperial March (arr. Milford) (1911/2009)
• Imperial March (arr. Swearingen) (1911/2012)
• In a Moonlit Garden (1924)
• In Old Pekin
• In Old Portugal (1917)
• International Favorites
• International Peace (1911)
• Invictus (1921)
• Invictus (arr. Glover) (1921/2017)
• Invincible
• Iowa Band Law, The (1923)
• Iowa Centennial
• Iron Count, The
• Joy Riders, The
• June Twilight
• Kansas Bandman, The
• Kentucky Derby, The (1926)
• Kentucky Sunrise (arr. Foster) (1919/1995)
• King Henry (1941/1968)
• Knight Erran
• Lexington
• Lieutenant-Commander
• Lone Crusader, The (1927)
• Love's Way
• Loyal Americans. See: March Loyal Americans
• Loyalty
• LSU Tiger Triumph
• Magic Garden
• Majestic Galop (1919)
• Manila Bay
• March Loyal Americans (1910)
• March of Freedom
• March Ponderoso (arr. Rhea) (1910/2007)
• [[Masquerader, The}The Masquerader]] (1925)
• McKinley's Own March (ed. Green; arr. Jones and Levesque) (1923/2019)
• The Melody Shop (1910)
• The Melody Shop (arr. Glover) (1910/1999)
• Mercury
• Michigan on Parade
• Mighty Minnesota
• Military Life (1910/1923)
• Miss Liberty (1955)
• Miss Liberty (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2006)
• Missouri Bandman, The
• Monahan Post (1927)
• Monte Carlo
• Monterey
• Mooning
• Moonlight Melody, A
• Moonlight on the Nile
• Morning Glory
• Morning Tears
• Mountain Trails
• Mournful Maggie (1923)
• My Lady
• The Mystic Call (arr. Rhea) (1913/2009)
• Mystic Night
• National Glory (1931)
• Nazir Grotto
• Neddermeyer Triumphal
• New Frontiers
• New Madison Square Garden, The
• Niagara Maid
• Night Flight
• Night in June, A (1912/1960)
• Nightfall
• Octopus and the Mermaid, The
• Ohio Division
• Ohio Special, The
• Old Vienna
• Omar Khayyam
• On A Summer's Eve
• On The Warpath
• Our Heritage (arr. Swearingen) (1955/1997)
• Over the Stars
• Pageantry
• Pan American (arr. Clark) (1942/2009)
• Passing of the Red Man (1916)
• Peace Jubilee
• Peacemaker (1955)
• Peacemaker (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2004)
• Persian Moonlight
• Phillipian Festival (1942)
• Plucking Roses
• Prestissimo (1931)
• Prestissimo (arr. Swearingen) (1931/2010)
• Pride of Arizona, The (1914)
• The Pride of Arizona (arr. Milford) (1914/2017)
• Pride of the Illini (1928)
• Prince Charming (Selection From)
• Princess of India (1912)
• The Purple Pageant (1933/1982)
• Pursuit Squadron (1942)
• Ragged Rozey (arr. Milford) (1913/2013)
• Remembrance
• Rifle Rangers, The
• Robinson's Grand Entree March (arr. Schissel) (1911/1996)
• Roll of Honor (1910)
• Roses and Orchids
• Rough Riders (1943)
• Rough Riders (arr. Swearingen) (1943/1996)
• Royal Emblem
• Royal Hippodrome
• Royal Hussars
• Royal Palm
• Royal Scotch Highlanders (arr. Milford) (1919/2018)
• Royalist, The
• Saint Mihiel
• Salute to Camp Harrison (1909)
• Salute to the Colors (as arranger) (1922)
• Salute to the Sultan (1912)
• Salute to the Sultan (arr. Milford) (1912/)
• Samson
• Santiago
• Sarasota (1918)
• Sells-Floto Triumphal
• Silver Fountain, The
• Sir Galahad (arr. Milford) (1917/2016)
• Sir Henry (1921)
• Siren, The
• Sky Ranger
• Soaring Eagle March (arr. Glover) (1923/2022)
• Solitude
• Sons of Veterans
• South Dakota State College (1932)
• Southern Roses
• Spanish Romance
• Spirit of Springtime (1912)
• Step On It!
• Sunny Spain
• "Sunshine" Galop (1913)
• The Three Musketeers (1924)
• Thumbs-Up USA
• Torch of Liberty
• Triumph
• The Trombone King (1945)
• The Trombone King (ed. Paynter) (1945/1983)
• Troubador
• Trouping Days
• True Blue
• Tuscarawas
• Twilight
• Ung-Kung-Foy-Ya
• United Nations (arr. Swearingon) (1942/1992)
• The University of Chicago (1936)
• University of Idaho
• The University of North Dakota (1935)
• Valiant Youth (1925)
• Valley Forge
• Vanguard of Democracy (1918)
• Venetian Beauties
• Victor, The
• Viking March, The (1911/1962)
• Vindication (1923)
• Vision of Cleopatra
• Voice of America (1955)
• Voice of America (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2019)
• The Voyager
• The Walking Frog (1919)
• The Walking Frog (arr. Foster) (1919/1993)
• Walsenburg
• Venus (arr. Glover)
• Wanderer
• Wanderlust
• War March of the Tartars (1938)
• Water Lilies
• We Stand United
• Westlawn Dirge
• The Whippet Race
• Wild Rose
• Wings for Peace
• Wings of Army
• Wisconsin's Pride
• Wood-Nymphs
• Woody Van's March (1911)
• Wyoming Days
• Yellowstone Trail
• Youth and Progress

Resources

• King, K.; Glover, A. (2004). The Big Cage: Circus Galop [score]. C.L. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa.
• Smith, Norman E. (2002). Program Notes for Band. Chicago: GIA Publications, pp. 344.