Josef Franz Wagner (20 March 1856 – 5 June 1908) was an Austrian military bandmaster and composer.[1] He is sometimes referred to as "The Austrian March King".[2]
He is best known for his 1893 march "Unter dem Doppeladler" (Op. 159) or "Under the Double Eagle", referring to the double eagle in the coat of arms of Austria-Hungary.[1] The march became a favourite part of the repertoire of American composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa, whose band recorded it three times.[3][4] The piece was the official regimental march of Austrian Artillery Regiment Number 2 until its dissolution in 2007.[1][5]
The tune was parodied in the Benny Goodman recording "Benjie's Bubble" and was also used for the well-known Monty Python's Flying Circus animation segment "Conrad Poohs And His Dancing Teeth".
"Under the Double Eagle" is well known in country music, having been recorded by a number of guitar and banjo players, several of them identified with the bluegrass style.
Wagner is also known for the march "Tiroler Holzhackerbuab'n" (Op. 356), or "Tyrolean Lumberjacks".[6] In 1895, his only opera, Der Herzbub, premiered in Vienna.[7] Source de l'extrait biographique : Wikipedia (Retracter)...(lire la suite)
