Karl L. King

Overview - Recordings - Scores - Books - Links

Born: February 21, 1891, Paintersville, Ohio, USA
Died: March 31, 1971, Fort Dodge, Iowa, USA

Karl King, a master of circus marches, is especially well known for Barnum and Bailey's Favorite. But there was much more than that. Matthew H. Phillips has recorded the best single-CD overview of King's marches, with 28 of them on a single budget-priced CD. I had never heard these before, and it was a joy to discover works such as the Fete Triumphal March that easily rank with King's best. Phillips later recorded 6 of the faster galops for his Thoroughbred Thunder collection, which also boasts a fine selection of 7 marches from J. J. Richards and 4 from Russell Alexander.

For Barnum and Bailey, you have to go to one of Fennell's recordings. They're both fine; the Cleveland recording has better sound, and is part of a mixed program of concert and march works combined from two very different LPs. The Eastman recording is part of a classic all-march program. Fennell has also recorded four more of King's marches on Screamers, a stunning collection of circus marches featuring J. C. Heed's incomparable In Storm and Sunshine.

Recordings

Works	Performers	Reviews	Stores
"Circus Spectacular": 28 marches by Karl King	Matthew H. Phillips & His Circus Band	Salas	Tower Amazon
The Big Cage Circus Days Invictus Robinson's Grand Entree	Eastman Wind Ensemble Frederick Fennell	McColley	Tower Amazon
Barnum and Bailey's Favorite	Cleveland Symphonic Winds Frederick Fennell	Bauman	Tower Amazon
Barnum and Bailey's Favorite	Eastman Wind Ensemble Frederick Fennell		Tower Amazon
Home Stretch Galop Emporia Galop Excelsior Galop Prestissimo Galop Majestic Galop Walsenburg Galop	Matthew H. Phillips & His Circus Band		Tower Amazon
Caravan Club Georgia Girl Broadway One Step Abdullah	The Grand Old Circus Band Jimmy Ille		Tower Amazon
Rough-Riders	Dallas Wind Symphony Frederick Fennell	McColley	Tower Amazon