William Paris Chambers
From Marchdb.net
November 1, 1854 - November 13, 1913
Self-taught cornet virtuoso and bandleader. Started practicing the cornet when he was thirteen.
William Paris Chambers was an American composer, cornet soloist and bandmaster of the late 19th century. He was born William Paris Chambers in Newport, Pennsylvania but spent most of his early years in Newville, Pennsylvania. It was in Newville that he studied music, quickly becoming a proficient performer on the cornet. By the age of eighteen he was conducting the Keystone Cornet Band. At the age of 25, he conducted the Capital City Band of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Between 1887-1893 he conducted the Great-Southern Band of Baltimore, Maryland.
In 1905-1906 he performed cornet solos in Europe and Africa, accompanied by his own band of musicians. One of his favorite concert tricks was to play the cornet inverted during difficult solos, pushing the valves up instead of down. In 1906, he performed for Jules Massenet in Paris. The famous French composer was averse to hearing the cornet, but he relented and accompanied Chambers in his own Élégie Op. 5, No. 10 and afterward complimented Chambers on his performance. Next, the two performed Massenet’s Je t’aime! together.
On February 20, 1910, he performed on the cornet with his wife (she on the piano) at the Maine Memorial Service” for the United Spanish War Veterans at Carnegie Hall in New York.
He wrote several cornet solos and nearly 90 marches. His most well-known works are The Boys of the Old Brigade (Unrelated to the Irish republican song of the same name) and Chicago Tribune, both marches.
Marches composed by William Paris Chambers:
- Chicago Tribune 1892
- Detroit Free Press 1897
- Buffalo Bill's Equestrian 1903
- Cavalcade 1902
- The Boys of the Old Brigade 1901
- Way Down South
- March Religioso
- Masterstroke
- Northwind
- On Dress Parade
- Royal Blue Line
- St. Andrew's March 1902
- Choral March
- Comrades Return 1902
- Falcon
- Hostrauser's March 1896
- King Radium
- Revelation
- Old England
- Quarterback
- Religioso
- Through the Line
- Trombone Section
