Ohio native, eighth-grade dropout, and self-taught composer Karl Lawrence King (1891-1971) got his musical start in circus bands. There, he began writing circus marches including the classic Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite, eventually amassing an oeuvre of more than 300 light works. Initially a cornet player, he later switched to euphonium, so he made sure to feature the low brass prominently in many of his marches. He spent the bulk of his career in Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he conducted what would become the Karl King Band.
King wrote The Melody Shop in 1910 at age 19. It is a circus march dedicated to the owners of Powell Music Company Melody Shop in Canton, Ohio, where King was living between tours with Robinson’s Famous Shows. It is notorious for its difficult euphonium part, delivered flawlessly in this performance:
Karl King’s website. Maintained by the Karl King Band in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Karl L. King on Wikipedia.
Karl King at C. L. Barnhouse publishing. Includes an extensive biography and works list.
Notes on many of Karl King’s compositions.
See more about The Melody Shop at J.W. Pepper, Wikipedia, and the Wind Repertory Project. A modern edition arranged by Andrew Glover is available through Barnhouse, and the original edition can be found on Band Music PDF.