Tommy Dorsey occasionally had them with his larger bands throughout the 1940s, and the Glenn Miller Army Air Corp Band based in the UK also had French horns; these band leaders used the French horns somewhat orchestrally, whereas Thornhill had the French horn sound as an integral part of his overall sound.
I was 6 mos old when Claude died. He was married to my grandmother at the time, and passed away in New Jersey of a heart attack. My father Lou helped make the arrangements and attended the funeral, he did not die in a house fire. I'm attempting to set up this account for Dad to get going online & was looking up things for him when I sawthis post.
The band at the time was scheduled to play the pier in Atlantic City, his band directer fulfilled the engagement in his memory.
I just learned that Thornhill graduated from same H.S. I did...recently a celebration was held in our home town to raise money for a headstone for his grave...there was none there when the locals checked
I'm 99% sure Claude died in a home fire. Very sad. If you like this video make sure you see the video with Rosemary Clooney and Tony Pastor (whom she started her professional career with).
This was filmed for those "Soundies" film jukeboxes in 1942, with "guest vocalists" Martha Wayne & Buddy Stewart. Fran Warren didn't join the band until '46. All in all, Claude never had the success other bandleaders had during that period, possibly because his sound was too "subtle" for dancing.
Well, folks . . . the only big-band units I'm aware of that used French horns were Thornhill's & Kenton's. Not even Ellington.
Prove me wrong? I'm open to persuasion---from a charming young music-major coed . . . but she'd better know her szforsando---forward & back!
Gary in Arizona
garysaddleback 7 months ago
@garysaddleback
Tommy Dorsey occasionally had them with his larger bands throughout the 1940s, and the Glenn Miller Army Air Corp Band based in the UK also had French horns; these band leaders used the French horns somewhat orchestrally, whereas Thornhill had the French horn sound as an integral part of his overall sound.
JVTeragarden 4 months ago
Well, folks . . . it was the gifted Randy Brooks who died in a fire in 1967, after being incapacitated by a stroke (the trumpeter's curse).
Just where was Thornhill's home town? I know he studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory.
Gary in Arizona
garysaddleback 10 months ago in playlist Orcestral
I was 6 mos old when Claude died. He was married to my grandmother at the time, and passed away in New Jersey of a heart attack. My father Lou helped make the arrangements and attended the funeral, he did not die in a house fire. I'm attempting to set up this account for Dad to get going online & was looking up things for him when I sawthis post.
The band at the time was scheduled to play the pier in Atlantic City, his band directer fulfilled the engagement in his memory.
Sarah Cameron Miles
loucameron85 2 years ago
Notice Conrad Gozzo playing lead trumpet (he replaced Randy Brooks)
rmayer821 2 years ago
I just learned that Thornhill graduated from same H.S. I did...recently a celebration was held in our home town to raise money for a headstone for his grave...there was none there when the locals checked
jaketner 2 years ago
I'm 99% sure Claude died in a home fire. Very sad. If you like this video make sure you see the video with Rosemary Clooney and Tony Pastor (whom she started her professional career with).
callmeBe 2 years ago
I don't know but he was too darn young.
stokepogue 2 years ago
How did Claude Thornhill die? Wikipedia and other sites don't say.
Dommy1952 3 years ago
The theme for his orchestra was Snowfall, not Snow Flake.
wrfreytag 3 years ago
Stewart is so cute!
hep2jive 4 years ago
Addendum: at the time of this "video", Martha Wayne & Buddy Stewart were members [with Lillian Lane] of Thornhill's vocal group, "The Snowflakes".
fromthesidelines 5 years ago
This was filmed for those "Soundies" film jukeboxes in 1942, with "guest vocalists" Martha Wayne & Buddy Stewart. Fran Warren didn't join the band until '46. All in all, Claude never had the success other bandleaders had during that period, possibly because his sound was too "subtle" for dancing.
fromthesidelines 5 years ago