"The cornerstone of circuses in America has always been music, without music we should never
have had a circus parade, slideshow, big top performance, concert, or after-show." (The
American Circus 2012)
\Circus music has become highly iconic and of course has become easily recognizable. As unto many
performances, the music and accompaniment is what inspires an audience members to experience
intense levels of varying emtions. And every sound, ever crash, every drumroll was specifically placed
there for a reason, created with precise intent to lay down the framework for an
experiential emotional masterpiece.
Many other influential circus musical stars included Maestro Merle Evans, Weber, Rossini, Liszt,
Wagner, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky\[], Beethoven, Puccini, Schubert, Boito, Mozart, Jullien,
Gottschalk, Toch, Schuman, Piston, Charles Ives, and many, many more.
The grand spectacle or "spec" referred to the lavish main attraction of the show. Popular 'specs'
included: Cleopatra; The Death of Captain Hook; The American Revolution; Lalla Rookh and the
Departure from Delhi; Jack and The Beanstalk; The Veiled Prophet; The Crusades; Field of Cloth;
Aladin and His Wonderful Lamp; Joan of Arc; Marco Polo; and Mother Goose.
Now there was one more theme that seemed to reoccur quite frequently: patriotism. Often you would
find circuses putting on grand spectacles that revolved
around the most recent up-to-date news and information about the rapidly expansion of the
United States. Media sources and newspaper companies commonly struck deals with
companies, promising to provide a continuous stream of news and also committing to review
the shows and print press releases. At the tragic assassination of President McKinley in 1901,
The Ringling Bros. Circus canceled their afternoon showing to participate in the memorial with
the rest of the public.
"Deep down in the breasts of even the clowns and the sideshow freaks is a well-
spring of patriotism...The Ringling Bros., even though at great loss to themselves,
with commendable respect for the government to which they owe allegiance,
and the great body of American people from which they derive their patronage,
cut out their afternoon performance yesterday, in order that their employees
might join with the public generally in doing honor to the foremost American of
his time...With true loyalty to the Stars and Stripes, and with profoundest
reverence and respect for the dead president, they joined in hold a memorial
service that in sincerity and devotion, was exceeded by none of the many
remarkable outpourings of grief and reverence the land over." (Ringling, Annual
Circus Ringling Bros 1978)
This honorable act, along with others from different groups, advertised and sent out a
cry that they were patriotic, honorable, and as far from profit-minded as possible.
around the most recent up-to-date news and information about the rapidly expansion of the
United States. Media sources and newspaper companies commonly struck deals with
companies, promising to provide a continuous stream of news and also committing to review
the shows and print press releases. At the tragic assassination of President McKinley in 1901,
The Ringling Bros. Circus canceled their afternoon showing to participate in the memorial with
the rest of the public.
"Deep down in the breasts of even the clowns and the sideshow freaks is a well-
spring of patriotism...The Ringling Bros., even though at great loss to themselves,
with commendable respect for the government to which they owe allegiance,
and the great body of American people from which they derive their patronage,
cut out their afternoon performance yesterday, in order that their employees
might join with the public generally in doing honor to the foremost American of
his time...With true loyalty to the Stars and Stripes, and with profoundest
reverence and respect for the dead president, they joined in hold a memorial
service that in sincerity and devotion, was exceeded by none of the many
remarkable outpourings of grief and reverence the land over." (Ringling, Annual
Circus Ringling Bros 1978)
This honorable act, along with others from different groups, advertised and sent out a
cry that they were patriotic, honorable, and as far from profit-minded as possible.
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