When I first started teaching flute many years ago, I had the benefit of teaching part time in a nice music store in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. The staff there was very friendly and knowledgeable. One thing I did often was walk into the sheet music section of the store and find my friend Roger. Roger seemed to know everything.
He always knew!
I remember using him as my “What Is That Song?” guy. I would walk in there and say, “Roger, what is this song? .. and then I would proceed to sing the melody to him. He always knew. One time it was the “Morning Song” by Grieg, and another time it was a movement from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
The other day (fast forward 22 years) I had a “What Is That Song” moment. I was watching a show on TV with my youngest son and the circus song came on to introduce the clowns. I knew I had heard that song many, many times in my life and realized I could NOT remember the name of it.
I wanted to call Roger. I didn’t. (although he lives only a block from me now, and I have taught 2 of his daughters!) But, instead I dug deep into my filing cabinet. And, I found it. It’s called: “Entrance of the Gladiators” or “Entry of the Gladiators” (Czech: Vjezd gladiátorů, German: Einzug der Gladiatoren) is a military march composed in 1897 by the Czech composer Julius FuÄÃk. He originally titled it “Grande Marche Chromatique,” reflecting the use of chromatic scales throughout the piece, but changed the title based on his personal interest in the Roman Empire. (wipikedia’s exact)
Ahhh. I feel better now. 🙂
(You can check it out in this video)
