| The music score for Ringling’s ill-fated 1956 Edition was actually quite good. Instead of original songs by John Ringling North or Henry Sullivan, the production numbers used well-known songs by Frank Loesser: “A Woman in Love,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Once in Love with Amy,” etc. (Loesser must have been one of JRN’s New York pals since most of North’s music was published by Loesser’s Frank Music Corporation.) Using so many show tunes in the score might have prompted North or the Barstows to replace the traditional circus band with a Broadway-type theater pit orchestra, complete with violins. Although this was considered sacrilege at the time, audio from the 1956 Ringling TV special indicates that the music was more or less typical of what was used back then on the big TV variety shows like Ed Sullivan’s. It was certainly more “traditional” sounding than what is being used on circuses today. |
Sunday, May 25, 2008
1956 Circus Song Folio1 (From Eric Beheim)
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5 comments:
I have often wondered what is meant by traditional circus. The circus band leaders who wrote tunes for particular acts or specs, are almost always considered to be the only source for circus music. I have to disagree with this as the circus bands of the past also included many tunes that were popular at the time they were used, as long as they fit the purpose they were played for. Back in the mid 60's a circus fan who considered himself an expert on circus band music came up to Chuck Schlarbaum on CBCB after the show and said that that was the greatest book of circus music he had ever heard. After he left, Chuck and I had a good laugh, as the show had a wide variety of popular music from 20's to 50's as well as a large sampling of rock that certainly fit the acts better than any previous "circus music" ever had.
So, Johnny was correct to use broadway tunes if they fit the acts.
Bob Kitto
Bob Kitto
Kind of interesting...The Culpepper & Merriweather show uses all original music composed and recorded by LA based composer Matt Margucci. Matt's music sounds very much like traditional circus music. Because it's original the license solves ASCAP issues. He's created 80 plus pieces over the last several years, so there's almost always music to fit any kind of act. That said, ironically a generation of performers used to using pop tunes don't particularly "like" the traditional sound. However it certainly creates a wonderful atmosphere that says "circus" and I only wish it was performed by an actual band.
Ben , be careful what you wish for --- Spike Jones had a " band " , Brian Setzer has a " band " , Lawrence Welk had a " band "-- should any of them be playing circus music ?? Now that you got me thinking about it , I would certainly love to hear some Karl King,Fred Jewell , and Henry Fillmore tunes interpreted by the Trans Siberian Orchestra -- and they would sure put the spotlight back on the circus !Good job, Ben !
Jim,
I would be careful of what you say about the Spike Jones Band. Having heard them in person several times and having almost all of the later recordings (not when he played big band music), I think that he probably had some of the best musicians playing in his org. These men could play circles around many of the circus musicians and I would venture to say that they could cut any circus book from the start of circus bands to today.
Carson and Barnes for the last 10 to 12 years has had a continual emphasis on improving the music to fit the acts and they have no traditional circus music of the past. But, it is circus music never the less.
Bob Kitto
Bob , I agree with you 300% -- I love spike's music -- I think I meant his style of attack ( for want of a better term) -- not so sure wedding of the winds would have ended up as did "The Jones Laughting Record " , but you never know -- he had the best guys around according to his biography --
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