March of the Grand High Poobah

David Holsinger

David Holsinger

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General Info

Year: 2006
Duration: c. 2:10
Difficulty: II (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: TRN Music
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $55.00   |   Score Only (print) - $10 .00

Instrumentation

Full Score
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
E-flat Baritone Saxophone
B-flat Trumpet
Horn in F
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Timpani
Percussion

(percussion detail desired)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

All my life, I've heard the term "Grand Poobah" used in a number of different venues. It normally describes someone who is important, or considered overly important, if you get my drift. It appears to be a favorite derisive term used in editorials, both in print and on the internet concerned with unscrupulous, or sometimes just stupid, politicians, both local and national. (Or more simply put, for politicians who aren't in your party affiliation.) Occasionally, it is used as a term of endearment. But only occasionally.

"Poobah" seems to be predominantly a "business" term dealing with the infrastructure of large corporations. On a January, 1998 APHC program, Garrison Keillor described the typical corporate hierarchy by saying that, "The Emperor is at the top of the organization, and after him the Exalted Poobah, and then the executive poobahs, each of whom has a Head Peon, a Yes Man, a dozen Administrative Lackeys, a hundred minions; and each of the minions have a staff of henchmen and stooges; and the main business of each employee's day is to find someone at his or her own level, or higher, to eat lunch with." Of course, in today's business world, the Grand High Poobah is usually designated as he who deserves the longer jail sentence. Personally, I use the term as an affectionate accolade for "those at the top", which usually includes anyone who is higher on the food chain than myself! Sure, occasionally there is a hint of sarcasm implied, but normally, it's just that I don't know what these folks REAL title is and EVERYBODY knows where the "Grand Poobah" lives!

This program note is, in essence, a form of "poobahism" verbage. It will take one longer to read these overly important notes than to actually perform this short march paying tribute for all those guys and gals at the top of the ladder.

- Program Note by composer

Media

• Audio: Reference recording. University of Texas at El Paso Wind Ensemble (Ron Hufstader, conductor)

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

• Truman State University (Kirksville, Mo.) Concert Band (Curran Prendergast, conductor) – 4 December 2019
• Arlington (Wa.) High School Concert Band – 7 February 2017

Works for Winds by This Composer

• Abram’s Pursuit (1998)
• Adagio (2000)
• The Adventures of Kid Cam, the Rocketman! (2014)
• American Faces (1996)
• Ancient Dances (2020)
• The Armies of the Omnipresent Otserf (1981)
• Army Ants March and Boogie (2005)
• At the Strongholds of En Gedi (1996)
• Ballet Exaltare (1999)
• Ballet Sacra (1990)
• Battle Music (1990)
• A Call to Celebration (2012)
• Canticles! (2001)
• The Case of the Mysterious Stranger (1990)
• The Chase (2003)
• A Childhood Hymn (as arranger) (1862/1991)
• City Symphony
  • Cityscape I (Festive Hours Neon Night) (2001)
  • Cityscape II (Lonely Hours Anguished Night) (2004)
  • Cityscape III (Morning Hours Salvation Light) (2008)
• The Cluster Bluster Fluster March (1991)
• Connacht Rhapsody (2017)
• Consider the Uncommon Man (1992)
• Deborah's Triumph/Jael's Revenge (2016)
• Deerpath Dances (1996)
• Divertimented Dances (2006)
• The Easter Symphony (1986-1997)
• Elegy on an American Folk Tune (2006)
• Elegy on an Evening Hymn (2013)
• Every Morning New (2002)
• Falcon Attack! (2002)
• Fanfare for Brass and Timpani (2003)
• Fanfare for Such a Time as This (2007)
• Fanfare for the Glorious Naycart (2001)
• Fantasy on a Gaelic Hymnsong (1999)
• Fantasy on Old Hundred (2019)
• Festiva Jubiloso (2000)
• Festival Music for a Silver Celebration
• Fort Canterbury March (1989)
• The Gathering of the Ranks at Hebron (1988)
• Gears Pulleys Chains (2006)
• Gmyway’s Revenge! (1994)
• Graysondance (1993)
• Gypsydance (1994)
• Havendance (1985)
• The Helm Toccata (1991)
• Hero Music (2005)
• Homage: Three Tapestries (1999)
• Hopak Raskolniki (1980)
• If You Must Doodle, Doodle Somewhere Else (1990)
• In Praise of Gentle Pioneers (1996)
• In the Spring at the Time When Kings Go Off to War (1991)
• A Jolly Walk in Hibbertland (1991)
• Kaylen Dreaming (2006)
• Kansas City Dances (1978)
• L'Arco della Vita (2021)
• Lake Canterbury Regatta (1993)
• Last Run (2020)
• A Little Adventure Music (2002)
• Little Fantasy on an American Hymn (2009)
• A Little Mystery Music (1996)
• Liturgical Dances (1984)
• The Maelstrom (2009)
• The March of the Combat Patrol (1991)
• March of the Grand High Poobah (2006)
• March on a Russian Hymnsong (2003)
• Mobbusters! (1994)
• Nilesdance (1987)
• On a Childhood Sunday Song (2004)
• On a Hymnsong of Lowell Mason (1990)
• On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss (1989)
• On a Hymnsong of Robert Lowry (1993)
• On a Southern Hymnsong (1993)
• On an American Spiritual (1991)
• On Ancient Hymns and Festal Dances (1988)
• On the Cul-de-sac, Three O’clock, Friday Afternoon (1999)
• On the Grand Prairie Texas (1989)
• On the Overland Stage to El Paso (2006)
• One Day in a Small Town (2004)
• Otserf II : Revenge of the Warrior Prince (2009)
• Partita Allegro (1997)
• The Peasant Village Dance (1990)
• Praises! (2001)
• Prairie Dances (1998)
• Prelude and Presto (2018)
• Prelude and Rondo (1976)
• The Pride of Buxmont (2000)
• Providence Unfinished (2002)
• Quiet River (2011)
• Reagan of Illinois (2011)
• Reagan of Illinois Part II (2013)
• Riding With the Frontier Battalion (2000)
• Scaling the North Wall (1990)
• Scootin’ on Hardrock (1999)
• Scrappy Bumptoe’s Picture Cards and Ragtag Diary (1981)
• Sinfonia Voci (1993)
• Solemn Hymn & Rowdy Dance (2010)
• Soliloquy (2020)
• Some Give All (2016)
• A Song of Moses (1999)
• Summer to Fall: A Love Song (2006)
• Symphonia Glorioso (2006)
• Symphonic Movement (2000)
• Texas Promenade (1999
• Til His Hand Grew Tired and Froze to the Sword (2004)
• To Live a Life Triumphant (2007)
• To Tame the Perilous Skies (1990)
• Von Grrrhart’s 613th Regimental March (1994)
• The War Trilogy: 1971 (1999)
• The White Rose (as arranger) (1917/)
• Zinphonia (2017)

Resources

• David Holsinger website Accessed 29 August 2021
• Holsinger, D. (2006). March of the Grand High Poobah [score]. TRN Music Publisher: Alto, N.M.