American Patrol

"American Patrol" is a popular march written by Frank White (F.W.) Meacham in 1885. It incorporates both original musical themes by Meacham and melodies from American patriotic songs of the era such as "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean," "Dixie," and "Yankee Doodle." Composed for piano, it was then arranged for wind band and published by Carl Fischer in 1891. Copyright was assigned to Meacham's widow, Cora, in 1912 and renewed in 1919.

"American Patrol"
Sheet music cover (1885)
Song
Written1885
Published1891
Genremarch
Composer(s)F. W. Meacham
Late 1920s era sheet music cover.

Glenn Miller's Orchestra recorded a swing version of the march arranged by Jerry Gray in 1942 which was released as a 78 single on Victor Records.

Morton Gould later composed his own unusual and often dissonant "American Patrol for 3 Bands."

The "patrol" format, also used in Beethoven's Turkish March, was popular in the second half of the 19th century, and other compositions bear titles such as "Turkish Patrol," "Ethiopian Patrol," "Owl's Patrol," "Welsh Patrol" and "Arab Patrol." The format was intended to represent a military band approaching, passing, and fading into the distance. It typically included an introduction played p or pp, in imitation of bugle calls or drums, then themes played progressively louder until a recapitulation of the first theme(s), gradually dying away and finishing pp, ppp, or even pppp. The original piano version of "American Patrol" follows this scheme.

Performances

It was performed by the Marine Band on July 2, 1892 in Portland, Oregon.[1]

The 1893 Annual Meeting of the American Street-Railway Association included a performance of American Patrol by Clauder's Exposition Band.[2] Also, in 1893, Conterno's Band and Orchestra performed it as part of their concert at Paradise Park in New York.[3]

In 1896, Halle's Concert Band performed it as part of Fourth of July celebrations at Winthrop Park in New York.[4]

The Professor, played by Russell Johnson, performed the song on a flute on the television series Gilligan's Island in episode 26: "Music Hath Charm".

The online tower defense game Mushroom Revolution uses a version of American Patrol as its theme music.

1942 Glenn Miller recording
1942 RCA Victor 78 single release, 27873A.
RCA Victor 78 reissue, 20-1564-A, by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra, as part of the 1945 78 album Glenn Miller.

Glenn Miller recorded the song[5] on April 2, 1942 while the band was in Hollywood filming the 20th Century-Fox musical film Orchestra Wives in a big band arrangement by Jerry Gray, where the theme "The Girl I Left Behind" can be also heard as an overlay. The arrangement was published by the Mutual Music Society in New York. The song was released as a Victor 78 single, 27873A, backed with "Soldier, Let Me Read Your Letter". The recording was reissued as RCA Victor 20-1564-A backed with "Song of the Volga Boatmen" as Side 1 on the four disc 78 album, P-148, Glenn Miller. The record reached no. 15 on Billboard in 1942.[6]

The personnel on the Glenn Miller studio recording consisted of: Saxes: Tex Beneke, Wilbur Schwartz, Ernie Caceres, Al Klink, Lloyd "Skip" Martin; Trumpets: John Best, R. D. McMickle, Billy May, Steve Lipkins; Trombones: Glenn Miller, Jimmy Priddy, Paul Tanner, Frank D'Annolfo; Piano: Chummy MacGregor; String Bass: Edward "Doc" Goldberg; Guitar: Bobby Hackett; Drums: Moe Purtill.

References
  1. Heintze, James R. (2009). Music of the Fourth of July: A Year-by-Year Chronicle of Performances and Works Composed for the Occasion, 1777-2008. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 214. ISBN 9780786439799.
  2. "Verbatim Report of the ... Annual Meeting of the American Street-Railway Association". 1893: 69. Retrieved 2 June 2016. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Heintze, James R. (2009). Music of the Fourth of July: A Year-by-Year Chronicle of Performances and Works Composed for the Occasion, 1777-2008. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 216. ISBN 9780786439799.
  4. Heintze, James R. (2009). Music of the Fourth of July: A Year-by-Year Chronicle of Performances and Works Composed for the Occasion, 1777-2008. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. p. 222. ISBN 9780786439799.
  5. "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #5". 1972.
  6. "Song artist 6 - Glenn Miller". Tsort.info. 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
Bibliography
  • Heintze, James R. (2009). Music of the Fourth of July: A Year-by-Year Chronicle of Performances and Works Composed for the Occasion, 1777-2008. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. ISBN 9780786439799.
  • Meacham, F.W. "American Patrol" (Sheet music). New York: W.B. Gray & Co. (1885)
  • Meacham, F.W. "American Patrol" (Sheet music). Philadelphia: Morris Music Publishing Company (914). (1885 copyright renewed 1912)
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