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.
As suggested by the title, King wrote Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite for the Barnum and Bailey’s Circus Band. It was 1913, he was 22, and he had just accepted a position as the euphonium player in their 32-piece band. This march was a tribute to the band and its director, Ned Brill. It would go on to become one of King’s most enduring works, earning the title “The Granddaddy of Circus March.” Here is the original as rendered by the US Army Band:
There is another full score edition arranged by Glen Cliff Bainum:
…and even a young band version arranged by Jerry Brubaker:
If that’s not enough, there are also versions for bassoon quartet:
and handbells:
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 Barnum and Bailey’s Favorite at Wikipedia, J. W. Pepper (young band version), the original publisher C. L. Barnhouse, the Band Music PDF Library (which offers the original edition for free), and the Wind Repertory Project.