Sunday Bandstand 6 September 2020

Sunday Bandstand 6 September 2020

Geoffrey O'Hara (February 2, 1882 – January 31, 1967) was a Canadian American composer, singer, and music professor.

O'Hara was born in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. He initially planned a military career. O'Hara entered the prestigious Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario at age 18 and he trained with the 1st Hussars. He had to abandon his military career upon the death of his father, Robert O'Hara.

He moved to the United States in 1904, the same year he began performing in Vaudeville. He began recording for Edison Records in 1905. In 1913 O'Hara undertook the recording of traditional Indian songs on behalf of the American government. He was recorded on phonograph cylinder lecturing about the complexity of the music as well as singing and playing several types of Navajo traditional songs in 1914. During World War I, he was a singing instructor of patriotic songs for American troops.

O'Hara lectured on music and song writing and held positions at Teachers' College of Columbia University (1936–37), Huron College and the University of South Dakota, where he later received an honorary Doctor of Music degree in 1947. He lectured for the remainder of his life. In 1920, O'Hara helped organize The Composers' and Lyric Writers' Protective League. He also was a board member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), was the president of the Composers-Authors Guild, and served in the United Service Organisations (USO).

He was a National Patron of Delta Omicron, an international professional music fraternity.

n 1919, he married Constance Dougherty from Massachusetts, and together they had two children; the same year, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

O'Hara composed over 500 popular and patriotic songs, and hymns. He had some moderate popular music hits in the 1910s with songs such as Your Eyes Have Told Me What I Did Not Know (1913), Tennessee, I Hear You Calling Me (1914), The Old Songs, and Over the Top: Military March (1917).

His one huge hit was his song K-K-K-Katy (1918), one of the most popular tunes of the World War I era. It was sung in both World War I and World War II, occasionally as "K. K. K. K. P."

He was commissioned by the Wilson administration to compose the modern-day version of the Star Spangled Banner.

We are featuring one of his on this week's show.

 

Enjoy

Playlist  6 September 2020   

Recording Details 

Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke   Opening for weekly show Foden's Band MD: Michael Fowles - 2010  'Patrons' Choice III' - CD - Egon CD-SFZ154 - 2010
Pompous Main - Shipley Douglas  Black Dyke Mills Band MD: James Watson  - 1996  'Great British Marches' - CD - Doyen ‎– DOY CD039 - 1995
Bartered Bride Overture - Bedřich Smetana arr. Derek Broadbent Cory Band MD: Dr. Robert Childs - 2011  'Cory In Concert Volume II@ -  Doyen Recording ‎– DOY CD290 - 2012
Viennese Ladies -  Franz Lehar arr. Roger Barsotti  Tullis Russell Mills Band MD: Duncan S. Campbell - 1969  'Tullis Russell Mills 50th Anniversary' - Vinyl - Craighall Recording SSLX326 - 1969
Unfailing Love - Ruben Schmidt  Tenor Horn Solo  Barney Lawrence with the North York Temple Band (Canada) BM: Glenn Barlow - 2013  'Kingdom Seekers' CD - NYTB - CD007 - 2013
Dublin Pictures - Marc Jeanbourquin Soli Brass (The Netherlands) MD: Frans-Aert Burghgraef - 2011  'Intrada'  - CD - De Haske Recording DHR 03-056-3 - 2011
The Magic of Mozart - Darrol Barry Brass Band Willebroek (Belgium) MD: Frans Violet - 2006  'Let's Get Loud' - CD - Bernaerts Records BR2006.034 - 2006
Saltarello from Symphony No. 4 'Italian' - Mendelssohn arr. Halliwell The Fairey Band MD: Ken Dennison - 1974  'Brass Band Gala - Compilation' - DCD - Decca Record 452 907-2 - 1974
Upon the Celtic Cross - Jonathan Bates Flowers Band MD: Paul Holland - 2015  'Highlights from the (UK) Nationals Brass Band Finals 2015' - CD - Doyen Recording  DOYCD356 - 2015
Rousseau March - Ray Ogg The Household Troops of the Salvation Army BM: Carl Saunders - 2013  'Favourites' - CD -  SPS 319CD - 2013
Spectrum - Gilbert Vinter Sun Life Stanshawe Band MD: Walter B. Hargreaves - 1974  'Legacy CD1' - CD - Triple compilation CD set  - 2001
What now my Love - Gilbert Becaud arr. Ray Farr Brass Band Burgermusik Luzern (Switzerland) MD: Ludwig Wicki - 1994  'Brass Cinema 2' - CD - Obrasso Recording CD844 - - 1994
Carnival of Venice arr. Antonio Briccialdi  Euphonium Soloist Stef Pillaert (Belgium) with the Black Dyke Band MD: Nicholas Childs - 2002  'European Championships 2002 - 25 years' - DCD - Doyen Recording DOY CD136 - 2002
I Walked Today - Geoffrey O'Hara Waratah Brass  (Australia) MD: Ronald Prussing - 2005 The Nationals Adelaide 2005' - CD - Muso's Media  MM2-016 - 2005
Spiderman - Danny Elfman - arr. Frank Bernaerts  Stonesfield Silver Band MD: Terry Brotherhood - 2005  'Magic of the Movies' - CD - Stones CD02 - 2005
Fanfare and Flourishes - James Curnow Black Dyke Mills Band MD: Heinz Friesen - 1991  'European Brass Band Championships 1991' - FT Records FT5001 - 1991
American in Paris - George Gershwin arr. Howard Snell Williams Fairey Band MD: Allan Withington - 2002  'Bridgewater Hall 2002 Live - Highlights from the Great Northern Brass Festival' - CD - Egon Sforza SFZ110 - 2002
Arizona Belle - William Rimmer  Cornet Soloist Morven Gilchrist with the Foden's Courtois Band MD: Elgar Howarth - 1999  'Rimmer' - CD - Doyen Recording DOY CD080 - 1999
Stephen Foster Revisited - Stephen foster arr. Martyn Thomas  Brass Band De Waldsang (The Netherlands) MD: Rieks van der Velde - 2009  'Darkness Visible' - CD - Lake Music Publications LMP 2009.01 - 2009
The Jarrow Song - Alan Price arr. Derek Broadbent  CWS (Glasgow) Band MD: Archie Hutchison - 1993  'The Pioneers March' - CD - Kirklees Music Commissioned Recording for the CWS - YCLCD 001 - 1993
Rhythm and Blues – Philip Sparke   Closing for weekly show Foden's Band MD: Michael Fowles - 2010​  'Patrons' Choice III' - CD - Egon CD-SFZ154 - 2010

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