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Screamer (march)

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A screamer is a descriptive name for a circus march, in particular, an upbeat march intended to stir up the audience during the show.

Contents

History

Screamers were mostly composed in a 60-year period (1895–1955). Circuses were in need of music that would stir the audience into a frenzy, as four-footed animals galloped across the ring. Because march music was a prominent part of American music at that time, and because it carried such a quick tempo, it was this that ringleaders demanded.

Musicality

Circus marches are faster than a normal military march, often 130 to 150 beats/minute.

Although screamers tend to follow the march form, many times they are abbreviated, and additions, such as a quick cornet call introduction to a new melody, are included. A typical screamer lasts a minute to three and a half minutes.

Screamers are a very demanding type of music, due to their extremely fast and advanced rhythms, especially the low-brass parts. Double and even triple tonguing is often required in order to play these rhythms. The trio in "The Melody Shop" is a good example of this.

Many screamers have two prominent melodies playing at once. Although this is not unusual in a march, screamers tend to go further with this. The low-brass section can be playing a long, stately melody, while the woodwinds can be moving along with a phrase of 16th notes, or vice versa.

Due to the circumstances in which screamers are played, dynamics tend to stay at a level forte. Unlike some military marches, piano is rarely used.

Composers

The most prominent composer of circus marches is Karl L. King, most notably with his march "Barnum & Bailey's Favorite". Other screamer composers include Fred Jewell and Henry Fillmore. John Philip Sousa wrote "On Parade" and a few others, but his writing in the circus march style is not renowned.

  • The ABA March by Edwin Franko Goldman
  • Americans We by Henry Fillmore
  • Barnum and Bailey's Favorite by Karl L. King
  • Bennett's Triumphal by Melvin H. Ribble
  • The Big Cage by Karl L. King
  • The Billboard March by John N. Klohr
  • Bombasto by Orion R. Farrar
  • Bones Trombone by Henry Fillmore
  • Bravura by Charles E. Duble
  • Bugles and Drums by Edwin Franko Goldman
  • The Circus Bee by Henry Fillmore
  • Circus Days by Karl L. King
  • Circus Echoes by Arthur W. Hughes
  • Circus King by Charles E. Duble
  • Coat of Arms by George Kenny
  • Entrance of the Gladiators (also known as Thunder and Blazes) by Julius Fučík
  • Floto's Triumph by Fred Jewell
  • His Honor by Henry Fillmore
  • Invictus by Karl L. King
  • Klaxon by Henry Fillmore
  • The Melody Shop by Karl L. King
  • Onward and Upward by Edwin Franko Goldman
  • Robinson's Grand Entree by Karl L. King
  • Rolling Thunder by Henry Fillmore
  • Sells-Floto Triumphal by Karl L. King
  • The Squealer by Will Huff
  • The Screamer by Frederick Jewell
  • Smilin' Jack by Robert S. Keller
  • Them Basses by Getty H. Huffine
  • References

    Screamer (march) Wikipedia


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