John Hightower
Host of Brass, Reeds and PercussionBorn in Natchez, Mississippi, in 1951, John moved to Huntsville in 1975, where he worked for a communications training firm. From 1997 to 2022, John worked for the Lanier Ford law firm. During his tenure, He served as Lanier Ford's law librarian, marketing specialist, trainer, and professional recruiter.
From 7th grade to 12th grade, John was involved in band (he played flute and piccolo), a fact that explains his fascination with band music.
John graduated from Mississippi State University (MSU) with a degree in communications and from the University of Mississippi with a law degree. While attending MSU, he worked in professional radio in Starkville for WSSO and WSMU-FM (sister stations). While attending law school in Oxford, John worked for WSUH and WOOR-FM (sister stations). .He served as program director at both sets of stations. Radio was always a lot of fun for him, and he said, "I can't believe how lucky I am to be working in radio again."
John says he has big shoes to fill in following Darryl Adams as host of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion. Darryl passed away on October 18, 2011. But since that time, John has continued a Huntsville tradition at 1 p.m. every Saturday on WLRH.
Thank you, Darryl Adams, for the many wonderful years you dedicated to WLRH. You are missed!
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This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features original classical wind band music by the Bavarian composer Johan Simon Mayr. But this edition begins with an arrangement of the default national anthem of the United Kingdom. Most often, this tune is named “God Save the King.” In the United States, it is known as “America” or “My Country Tis of Thee.” The tune also used for the national anthems of New Zealand, Canada, and many other countries in the British Commonwealth, as well as Liechtenstein. The tune served as the national anthem for the Kingdom of Prussia from 1795 until 1918 and the imperial anthem of the Russian Empire from 1816 to 1833. The tune also serves as the royal anthem of Norway. The version that opens this edition was composed for the Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953. -
This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features some adventures in Latin music accompanied by the Xavier Cugat big band with trips to Spain and Cuba. But this edition opens with a sortie composed by Louis James Lefebure-Wely, a French organist and composer who lived from 1817 to 1870. When used to name a musical composition for organ, sortie refers to a piece played at the end of a church service, often as a postlude. In the case of the recording opening this edition, the organ work has been arranged for harmoniemusik.
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John Philip Sousa said he wished he had written the march “Military Escort” by Henry Fillmore. And the sheet music for “Military Escort” even outsold the sheet music for the “Stars and Stripes Forever” for at least 4 years. Today’s edition off Brass, Reeds, and Percussion opens with “Military Escort” composed by the American circus-band composer Henry Fillmore. But you will also hear Darius Milhaud’s most famous composition arranged for wind ensemble, original classical wind-band music by Francois Joseph Gossec, and a wind-band arrangement of a big hit from 1922.
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Aram Khachaturian, the Armenian composer, wrote the score for the 1949 Soviet war film The Battle of Stalingrad, which depicts the World War II battle of the same name. The film score vividly depicts aspects of the battle, which has been described as one of the single biggest and bloodiest battles in military history. The low estimates for the deaths on both sides exceed 1.1 million soldiers. This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features a wind-band arrangement of the movie score performed by the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra.
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This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features wind-band music by the Romantic Era composer Louis Théodore Gouvy, a French-German composer who lived from 1819 to 1898. He was born in Sarre region of German, right on the border with France and Luxembourg and began piano lessons at age 8. He moved to Paris to study law and attempted to attend the Paris Conservatory, but he was unsuccessful. Later in life, he moved to Germany, where he felt more appreciated. Although he wrote nine symphonies and numerous other works for orchestra, he was most appreciated for his chamber music. Johannes Brahmes was even a fan.
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This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion features original classical wind-band music by the Czech composer Vaclav Pichl, a classical composer who was a contemporary of Joseph Haydn. After studying philosophy, theology, and law in Prague, he became a professional violinist and worked for a number of orchestras. He was born in 1741 and died on January 23, 1805, from a stroke he suffered while performing a violin concerto. He wrote over 400 compositions, including 89 symphonies and 20 operas.
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We open today's edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion with a popular march from the Broadway musical "The Music Man," which was also made into a movie. "Seventy-Six Trombones" was composed by Meredith Wilson, who also served as the music director for Tallulah Bankhead's radio show. As part of a running joke in the show, Meredith addressed Tallulah as "sir," as in "Yes, sir, Miss Bankhead." As a child, Wilson began playing the bass drum in the Salvation Army Band, but eventually he played the flute and piccolo in both the Sousa Band and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He not only wrote two very popular Broadway musicals, but also symphonies and film scores.
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Wind-band arrangements (transcriptions) of opera music are featured in this edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion. But this edition begins with music by the German composer Carl Teike. Teike wrote over 100 marches and at least 20 concert works. For today’s edition, you’ll hear one of each: a march and a waltz. Born in Pomerania, Teike began studying music at age 14 and learned to play a variety of instruments. He was a member of the Wurttemberg army band, in which he played French horn and percussion. Because his bandmaster didn’t like Teike’s march entitled “Old Comrades,” he quit the army band and became a police officer and postal worker. “Old Comrades” is now Teike’s most famous work—as well as one of the most popular marches in the world. This edition begins with a different march: “ The Prince Albert March.”
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Music by 20th century wind-band composers is the focus of this edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion: music of Malcolm Arnold, Vitorio Giannini, and James Barnes. This edition begins with the march “Overseas,” composed in 1960 by Sir Malcolm Arnold, the British composer who lived from 1921 to 2006. After seeing Louis Armstrong perform, Arnold took up the trumpet at age 12. At age 17, he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music. During WW II, he registered as a conscientious objector and therefore did not fight. This also allowed him to continue work as the first trumpet of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. After his brother was killed in 1944, he volunteered for military service and was assigned to a military band. He shot himself in foot to get back to civilian life. He became a full-time composer in 1948.
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This edition of Brass, Reeds, and Percussion begins with three circus marches: “Rolling Thunder” by Henry Fillmore, “Melody Shop” by Karl L. King, “Belford’s Carnival” by Russell Alexander. The first two marches are considered two of the hardest marches to play. The third has a challenging woodwind part. “Rolling Thunder” was used for high sway poles, elephant acts, and liberty horses. Karl King wrote “ Melody Shop” when he was 19 years old and playing euphonium for Robinson’s Famous Shows. “Belford’s Carnival” was used for high-pole acts and liberty horses. Russell Alexander originally wrote the march for a sideshow band of which he was a member just before he joined the Barnum and Baily Circus Band for a 5-year tour of Europe.
