Arthur Wellesley Hughes

Arthur Wellesley Hughes was born in Kingston, Ontario, Canada about 1870. He separated from his family at a young age, spending many years in the United States as an itinerant circus musician. He was a performer on piano, calliope, and alto horn. His circus associations on record include Mighty Haag, Downie & Wheeler Circus (1912); Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus (1922), Sells-Floto Circus (1923), Ringling Bros & Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows (1924-26). He was with Robbins Bros. Circus (1928-29) whence his "Robbins Bros. Triumphal" March arose, and Miller Bros. 101 Ranch Wild West Show, and Walter L. Main Circus (1930-31). Hughes worked as composer and arranger for the Waterloo Music Company, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada from 1932-1935. At other times, Hughes worked as arranger in the Whaley, Royce and Cundy-Bettoney publishing houses. According to his own account, Hughes wrote band music in the USA for much of his life, under various pen names, including Arthur Wellesley and H W Arthur.

In his 70's, Hughes returned to Kansas, which he considered his home. It is reported that he died in an indigent ward in a New York City hospital in 1950.

Compositions

Composed under the name A W Hughes ( names in parentheses are publishers w/ copyright dates )

* Aces High Galop ( unpublished manuscript )
* Ambassador March ( Mace Gay 1897)
* Aquitania March (Cundy Bettoney 1915)
* Belle of Coontown Dance ( Mace Gay 1895 )
* Canada, Land of Liberty Medley
* Canadian Patriots Medley ( Waterloo 1930)
* Carry On March ( Cundy Bettoney 1940 )
* Chain Lightning Galop (unpublished manuscript )
* Champlain March (Cundy Bettoney 1923)
* Charter of Liberty March ( Cundy Bettoney 1921 )
* Circus Echoes Galop ( C L Barnhouse 1928 )
* Comrades All March (Cundy Bettoney 1921)
* Corinthian March (Mace Gay 1895)
* Darkey's Connundrum - song & dance (Mace Gay 1895 )
* The Dawn of Peace March (Cundy-Bettoney 1920)
* Del Rio March ( Cundy Bettoney 1925)
* Dufferin March ( Whaley, Royce 1910)
* Echoes from the Harem ( Cundy-Bettoney 1917 )
* Eventide ( Walter Jacobs 1923 )
* Fond du Lac March ( Cundy-Bettoney 1913 )
* Fort Garry March (Whaley, Royce 1911 )
* Fraternity March (unpublished manuscript )
* Greater Boston March ( unpublished manuscript )
* Hail Edward VII
* Hospitality March (Waterloo 1930)
* In the Lead March (Waterloo 1930)
* In Old Quebec March (Whaley, Royce 1908)
* Italia Giovinezza March Medley (Cundy-Bettoney 1928)
* Little Bugler ( Karl King 1930)
* Mediterranean March (H C Miller 1925)
* Novelette ( Cundy-Bettoney 1917 )
* Novelty Overture ( Karl King 1930)
* Our Commonwealth March (Cundy-Bettoney 1940)
* Our Pilot March ( Cundy-Bettoney 1940)
* The Proclamation March ( Cundy-Bettoney 1918)
* Red Deer March(Whaley,Royce 1911)
* Reign of Peace March (Whaley, Royce 1894)
* The Rosedale Three Step
* Rose Festival Waltz ( Waterloo 1931 )
* St Augustine March ( Mace Gay 1895 )
* St Julien March ( Cundy-Bettoney 1918)
* Salute to the Adjutant March ( Ditson 1927)
* Salute to Buffalo March (Whaley, Royce 1901)
* Salute to Mars March ( Mace Gay 1895 )
* Spark Plug Galop ( unpublished manuscript )
* Tipperary Tommy March ( Whaley, Royce 1916)
* The Tournament March ( Whaley Royce 1894 )
* Unique Overture ( Karl King 1929 )
* United Empire March ( Whaley, Royce 1897 )
* Utility March (Karl King 1929)
* Veteran Brigade March ( Cundy-Bettoney 1940)
* Ye Old Tyme March ( unpublished manuscript )

Composed under name of O.A. Gilson
* Robbins Bros. Triumphal March ( C L Barnhouse 1928 )
* Vindicator Concert March ( unpublished ms )

See also

*Screamer (march)
*American march music

References

*Rehrig, William H., "Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music", Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1991, pp. I 359; Sup 390.
*Smith, Norman, "March Music Notes", pp 210-211, Lake Charles, LA: Program Notes Press, 1986.