Patrick Gilmore facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | December 25, 1829 Ballygar, County Galway, Ireland
|
| Died | September 24, 1892 (aged 62) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
|
| Occupation | Composer, bandmaster, soldier |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen O'Neill (m. 1858) |
| Children | Minnie L. Gilmore |
| Signature | |
.png){kind=small} |
|
Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore (born December 25, 1829 – died September 24, 1892) was a famous musician. He was born in Ireland but moved to the United States in 1848. Patrick became a talented composer and a leader of bands. During the U.S. Civil War, he wrote the words to the well-known song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home". He published this song in 1863 using the name Louis Lambert.
Contents
Patrick Gilmore's Early Life and Music Career
Patrick Gilmore was born in Ballygar, a town in County Galway, Ireland. He began his journey in music when he was just fifteen years old. He even spent some time in Canada playing with an English band.
In 1848, Patrick settled in Boston, Massachusetts. He quickly became the leader of several bands there. These included the Suffolk, Boston Brigade, and Salem bands. He also worked in a music store and performed with a group called "Ordway's Aeolians". With the Salem Band, Gilmore played at the inauguration of President James Buchanan in 1857.
In 1858, Patrick married Nellie J. O'Neil in Lowell, Massachusetts. That same year, he started his own group, "Gilmore's Band." When the Civil War began, his band joined the 24th Massachusetts Volunteers. They traveled with General Ambrose Burnside to North Carolina. Later, they played for troops under General Benjamin Butler in New Orleans, Louisiana.
After military bands were temporarily sent home, Gilmore was asked to help. Governor Andrew of Massachusetts trusted him to organize military music again. General Nathaniel P. Banks even named him Bandmaster-general.
Organizing Big Music Festivals
After the war ended, Patrick Gilmore was asked to plan a big celebration in New Orleans. This event was a huge success! It made him brave enough to try two even bigger music festivals in Boston.
The first was the National Peace Jubilee in 1869. The second was the World's Peace Jubilee and International Musical Festival in 1872. These festivals featured giant orchestras with many bands. They also had the best singers and musicians. Even the famous "waltz king" Johann Strauss II performed at one of them.
These events made Gilmore known as the top musical figure of his time. Huge buildings called coliseums were built just for these festivals. They could hold 60,000 and 120,000 people! The people of Boston were so thankful that they gave Gilmore medals and money.
In 1873, he moved to New York City. There, he became the bandmaster for the 22nd Regiment. Gilmore took this band on very popular tours across Europe.
Patrick Gilmore's Last Years and Legacy
Patrick Gilmore was planning a musical celebration in 1892. This event was to honor the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage. While preparing in St. Louis, he suddenly collapsed and passed away. Patrick S. Gilmore was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens, New York.
Gilmore's Lasting Impact on Music
Patrick Gilmore was a very important person in American music during the 1800s. He was a talented composer. One of his famous pieces is the "Famous 22nd Regiment March" from 1874.
He also started the first "Promenade Concert in America" in 1855. This was the beginning of what we now know as the Boston Pops concerts. He also set up "Gilmore's Concert Garden." This place later became the famous Madison Square Garden.
Gilmore was like the musical director for the whole country. He led the celebrations for the 1876 Centennial in Philadelphia. He also directed the music for the dedication of the Statue of Liberty in 1886. In 1888, he started the tradition of celebrating New Year's Eve in Times Square.
Introducing the Saxophone
Patrick Gilmore was the first American band leader to feature the saxophone. At the World Peace Jubilee, the French Garde Republicaine military band performed. Gilmore was very impressed by them. The next year, he changed his band to include the instruments the French band used.
His new band had a full saxophone section. It included a soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone. Edward A. Lefebre was a soloist in this section. They also performed as a quartet, which became the model for today's classical saxophone quartets. Because Gilmore and Lefebre promoted the saxophone, American companies started making them. This made the United States a major center for saxophone music.
Other Musical Innovations
In 1891, Patrick Gilmore played for some of Thomas Edison's first commercial recordings. He was one of the first musicians to record his work.
Musically, he was also very innovative. He was the first to arrange brass instruments against reed instruments. This style is still used today in big band music. His arrangements of classic European music helped many Americans learn about these great works.
Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore was recognized for his contributions in 1970. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
See also
- Thomas Coates
- John Philip Sousa
