Gilmore, Patrick

Gilmore, Patrick (Sarsfield)

(born Dec. 25, 1829, County Galway, Ire.—died Sept. 24, 1892, St. Louis, Mo., U.S.) Irish-born U.S. bandmaster. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 19. In 1859 he took over the Boston Brigade Band (later known as Gilmore's Band). During the Civil War, the entire band enlisted in the Union army. A flamboyant showman, Gilmore organized extravaganza performances in 1869 and 1872 with more than 10,000 performers; the first featured cannon fire and 100 firemen beating anvils, and the second employed a chorus of 20,000. From 1872 until his death he led the New York 22nd Regiment Band, giving 150 concerts in Europe in 1878. His innovations reduced the heavy reliance on brass instruments in favour of the higher proportion of reeds characteristic of modern concert bands.

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Gilmore, Patrick (Sarsfield) (1829–92) bandmaster; born near Dublin, Ireland. Having been taught music and the cornet by his town's regimental bandmaster, he toured with the band to Canada in 1846. Several years later he came to Massachusetts where he founded Gilmore's Band. During the Civil War he headed all the Union army's bands in the Department of Louisiana and it was in New Orleans in 1864 that he presented the first of his monster concerts. He continued to organize these "jubilees"—with thousands of instrumentalists, singers, various bells, and cannons—while touring the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe with his own band. He also composed many band numbers, dance melodies, and popular songs, including the famous "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" (1863). He died while conducting his band at the St. Louis Exposition.