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Re: John Hartmann




James:

John Hartmann was Prussian. Most of his not very happy career was spent in
English military bands. As a brass instructor, you should become familiar
with some of the basic references. Here is a brief article from the Rehrig
Encyclopedia of Band Music:

HARTMANN, JOHN (1830-1897)
 John Hartmann, son of a peasant farmer, was born at Auleben, Prussia, on
October 24, 1830. He came from a large musical family, and his grandfather,
an enthusiastic amateur musician, left the family a large collection of music
and instruments. The Hartmann children enjoyed playing and experimenting with
these instruments, and John, who made the most progress, began arranging
music for the village band at the age of ten. He later was sent to the school
of music at Sondershausen, where he remained for four years. By this time, he
had gained a general knowledge of harmony and instrumentation and was a fair
violinist and an excellent cornetist.
 Service in the Prussian Army was mandatory, and because musicians were
allowed to choose their own regiment, he elected to join the Cuirassiers and
remained at Cologne as solo cornetist of that band for three years. The
Cuirassiers performed as a small string orchestra in which he played first
violin. Early in 1854, Herr Schallehn, who resigned as bandmaster when the
band went to the Russian War, was engaged by the Crystal Palace Company of
England to provide a brass band. This band became the best in England. He
went to Germany to seek musicians and returned to England with August Manns
and John Hartmann's brother, Ernest. John followed as soon as his term of
military service expired the following October.
 Hartmann's first appearance in England was as a cornet player in the Crystal
Palace Band. He composed and arranged several new pieces for band, and they
were soon performed. It was evident that there were many excellent musicians
in the Crystal Palace Band, and one day Hartmann received a letter from
Boosey's offering him the position of bandmaster of the Tyrone Militia, then
stationed at Sheffield.
 He went from the Tyrone Militia to Sunderland and afterwards accompanied
that regiment to Ireland. While there, his brother Ernest obtained for him an
appointment to the 1st (King's) Dragoon Guards. In the meantime, John had
taken over the band of the Royal Sherwood Foresters (Nottingham Militia),
which at that time was one of the best brass bands in the country.
 When the Nottingham Militia was discharged, Hartmann joined the newly formed
2nd Battalion of the (King's Own) 4th Foot at Chichester, where he again had
to form the band from scratch. The colonel in charge did not understand much
ahout music; only three days after the band had begun to learn to play their
instruments, he ordered them to play for him. At first Hartmann thought it
was a joke, but being assured by the adjutant that the colonel was serious,
he went to the Colonel and invited him to listen to them in the rehearsal
room. He did and was pleased with their performance. Seeing that his
superiors wanted music from his band immediately, Hartmann imported several
German musicians. These turned out to be less than the best, and as a result
the English recruits soon were playing better than their fellow German
soldiers, giving rise to much animosity between the two factions.
 Hartmann went to Corfu with the 4th Foot Guards, and three years later he
returned to London on leave. On the plea that the climate in Corfu would
create a hardship for him, he obtained a release from that regiment and
joined the 12th Lancers at Hounslow for four years. His service with this
regiment was unpleasant; the band members were indifferent, and he could get
no assistance from the Officers to put the band on a proper footing. In
addition to their band work, the bandsmen had to do stable duty and other
chores not related to music. A few months after they were relieved from these
other, nonmusical chores, the 12th Lancers band was reputed to be one of the
best in the service.
 While in Dublin, the Duke of Cambridge sent for Hartmann and enlisted him to
serve with his regiment in Aldershot, Leeds, and Manchester. When the order
came that all bandmasters should be enlisted, and that they had to pass
through Kneller Hall, he retired. His old regiment, the King's Dragoon
Guards, endeavored to have the order suspended so Hartmann could rejoin
their band as bandmaster, but the request was denied.
 Hartmann returned to Germany, but there he found himself a stranger, having
outlived the simple manners and customs of his homeland. He soon returned to
London and devoted the remainder of his life to arranging and composing for
many of the major publishing houses of England. He died in Liverpool.
References
Berger, Band Encylopedia.
Metronome, May 1892; June 1891.


KNOWN WORKS
A. INSTRUMENTAL SOLOS (cornet solos unless noted)
1. Alexis
 a. (Fischer,1883)
 b. (unpublished, arr. H. Higgins)
2. Arhucklenian Polka
 a. (Bovaco)
 b. (Fischer, 1912)
3. Auld Lang Syne, grand fantasy
 a. (Bovaco, arr. H. Prendiville) 
 b. (Fischer, 1889)
4. The Champion, grand fantasy (Fischer, 1891, arr. P. DeVille)
5. Columbia Polka
6. The Conquering Hero, grand fantasy (Fischer, 1889)
7. DeBereit's 6th Air Vane, (Fischer, arr. P. DeVille)
8. DeBereit's 7th Air Vane, (Fischer, arr. P. DeVille)
9. Facilita
 a. (Boosey & Hawkes, arr. T.C. Brown)
 b. (Fischer, 1900, arr. L.P. Laurendean)
10. TheFavorite (Bovaco, arr. F. Beyer) h. (Fischer, 1000)
11. Lizzie Polka
 a. (Fischer, 1912)
 b. (Hawkes)
12. Longing for Home (Fischer, 1922)
13. Mia, grand fantasy, (Fischer, 1895)
14. New Star Polka (Fischer, 1887)
15. Pretty Jane, grand fantasy (Fischer, 1889, arr. H. Prendiville)
16. The Return, air vane (Molenaur, arr. G. MOI)
17. See the Conquering Hero
18. Sehnsucht, euphonium solo
19. Silver King Polka (Fischer, 1887)
20. Skirmish Polka (Fischer, 1905)
21. Tom Bowling, grand fantasy, (Ftscher, 1891, arr. P. DeVille)
22. Una, concert polka (Fischer, 1891)
23. Weher's Last Waltz, variations
a. (Bovaco, arr. P. DeVille)
h. (Fischer, 1903)
c. (Kalmus)
24. The West Brighton (Fischer, 1883)
B. OTHER WORKS
25. A Battle Scene, fantasy (LaFleur, Journal 90)
26. The Chanticlears, humorous serenade (Hawkes, Journal 149)
27. Maid of Athens, troop (Boosey)
28. A Night in Berlin, medley (Fischer, 1883, arr. M. Meyrelles)
29. Two Mexican Dances (Hawkes, Journal 143)

Hope this helps.

-Mark in Woodstock, NY USA


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