Imperial

Karl King

Karl King (ar James Swearingen)

General Info

Year: 1911/2012
Duration: c. 2:10
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: C.L. Barnhouse
Cost: Score and Parts - $65.00   |   Score Only - $7.00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute/Piccolo
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
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion, including:

• Bass Drum
• Snare Drum
• Crash Cymbals
• Bells

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

The long list of newly edited King marches continues to grow by leaps and bounds. You can be assured that this latest selection will be another crowd pleaser for audiences of all ages. It should also be noted that musicians love to revisit the glory days of circus band performances and it just doesn’t get any better than this toe tapping march by the great Karl L. King.

-Program Note by C.L. Barnhouse

Imperial March was one of Karl King’s earliest compositions, published in 1911, when he was only 20 years old. It was dedicated to a friend from his hometown of Canton, Ohio, where King got his first band experience playing in the Thayer Military Band. At the time Imperial March was written, King was playing baritone in the Yankee Robinson Circus Band. He joined the circus world at a time when the acts were in great need of special music. King was a master at writing music to match the rhythm of the acts and quickly rose to leadership positions in some of the most famous circus bands in the country, including Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and Barnum and Bailey’s. King published more than 280 compositions during his career and contributed more circus marches than any other composer.

-Program Note by the Creekside Middle School Wind Symphony concert program, 20 December 2013

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown
• Audio CD: Washington Winds (Edward S. Petersen, conductor) - 2012

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• PassaicTechnical-Vocational Schools (Wayne, N.J.) Concert Band (Nelson Mendez, conductor) - 17 March 2023
• Creekside Middle School (Carmel, Ind.) Wind Symphony (Dennis Zeisler, conductor) – 20 December 2013 (2013 Midwest Clinic)
• Mabry Middle School (Marietta, Ga.) Symphonic Band (Kim Snyder, conductor) - 2012

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 March (1911)
• 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 (1927)
• Bombardier
• Bon Voyage (1915/1955)
• Bonds of Unity
• The Brigadier General (1936)
• 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 (arr. Milford) (1910/2015)
• 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 (1916)
• 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
• Happy-Go-Lucky
• Hawkeye Fair
• Hawkeye Glory (1938)
• Henderson Field
• Herald of Progress (1936)
• High Private, The
• The Home Town Boy (1962)
• Homestretch (1912)
• Homestretch (arr. Milford) (1912)
• Hosts of Freedom (ed. Paynter) (1920)
• Hosts of Freedom (arr. Glover) (1920/2013)
• Howdy Pap
• Huntress, The (arr. Milford) (1916/2014)
• 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)
• International Peace (arr. Milford) (1911/2023)
• 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
• The Lieutenant Commander (1934)
• 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)
• 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)
• Men of Music (with Walters) (1952)
• Mercury
• Michigan on Parade (1938)
• Mighty Minnesota
• Military Life (1910/1923)
• Miss Liberty (1955)
• Miss Liberty (arr. Swearingen) (1955/2006)
• The Missouri Bandman (1929/1956)
• Monahan Post (1927)
• Monte Carlo
• Monterey
• Mooning
• Moonlight Melody, A
• Moonlight on the Nile
• Morning Glory
• Morning Tears
• Mountain Trails (1925)
• Mournful Maggie (1923)
• My Lady
• The Mystic Call (arr. Rhea) (1913/2009)
• Mystic Night
• National Glory (1931)
• Nazir Grotto
• Neddermeyer Triumphal March (1911)
• New Frontiers
• The New Madison Square Garden
• 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" Dirge (1912)
• Rifle Rangers, The
• The Rippling Waves
• 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 (1928)
• 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 (1909)
• Sons of Veterans (arr. Milford) (1909/2005)
• 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.; Swearingen, J. (2012). Imperial: March [score]. C.l. Barnhouse: Oskaloosa, Iowa