Russell Alexander

"Belford's Carnival"
"Belford's Carnival", published in 1897 and played here by the U.S. Navy Band in 2006.
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"The Storming of El Caney" played by the Bensenville Municipal Band conducted by Fred Lewis. Recorded in concert May 17, 1986.

Russell Alexander (February 26, 1877 – October 1, 1915) was an entertainer and composer, active primarily with vaudeville shows and musical comedy organizations.

Alexander was born in Nevada, Missouri, and became a euphonium virtuoso who joined the circus band of Belford's Carnival at the age of 18. At 20, he became arranger and euphonium soloist with the Barnum & Bailey Circus Band and toured Europe from 1897 to 1902. Following his tour with Barnum & Bailey, Russell Alexander worked in a novelty musical vaudeville act with his brothers. Although his compositional output was relatively small, he is considered a great composer of marches. He wrote 33 marches, 6 galops, and several overtures, novelties, and other works. For part of his career he worked in acts with his brothers, Newton and Woodruff.

On July 20, 2015, a memorial plaque honoring Alexander was unveiled on the Main Street Stage in Liberty, NY, just a short distance from the Old Town Cemetery in which Alexander is buried. The ceremony included a performance of seven Alexander works, and the event was sponsored by Windjammers, Unlimited.

Works

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Unless noted, his works were published by C. L. Barnhouse Co., to whom Alexander's widow sold the rights to his music shortly after his death.

  • Across the Atlantic March (1899)
  • Americans Before Havana Overture (unpublished)
  • Baltimore's Boast March (1899)
  • Bastinado Galop (1908)
  • Belford's Carnival (1897)
  • Burr's Triumphal (1897)
  • The Butterfly Dance (unpublished)
  • The Cantonians March (1908)
  • Charioteers of Semiramis Galop (unpublished)
  • Colossus of Columbia (1901)
  • The Comedy Club March (1907) White Publishing
  • Congressional Limited Galop (unpublished)
  • The Conquest March (1913) Fillmore Bros. Music House
  • Conway's Cantata March (unpublished)
  • The Crimson Flush March (1897)
  • The Darlington March (1896)
  • Decatur at Tripoli Overture (unpublished)
  • Embossing the Emblem March (1902)
  • The Exposition Four March (1903)
  • The Four Gladiators (1899) (unpublished)
  • From Tropic To Tropic March (1898)
  • Hampton Roads March (1919) Fillmore Bros. Music House
  • International Vaudeville (1897)
  • Memphis the Majestic (1900)
  • Olympia Hippodrome March (1898)
  • Pall Mall Famous March (1909) Star Music Co
  • Paramour of Panama March (1904) McMillin
  • Patriots of the Potomac March (1903)
  • La Reine March (1907)
  • Rival Rovers March (1899)
  • Round Up The (1916)
  • Salute to Seattle March (1905)
  • Shoot the Chutes Galop (1901)
  • Song of the South (1905) [Solo with Band Acc.]
  • The Southerner March (1908)
  • The Southerners Galop (unpublished)
  • Steeplechase Galop (1900)
  • The Storming of El Caney (1903)
  • Storming El Caney March (unpublished)
  • Vicksburg the Valiant March (unpublished)
  • Vienna to Vicksburg (unpublished)
  • Yankees in Vienna March (unpublished)

References

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  • Hoe, Robert, Jr. "Alexander, Russell". In Rehrig, William H. ed. The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music: Composer and Their Music, Vol. 1. Westerville, OH: Integrity Press, 1991. p. 8.
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