Charles A. Zimmerman
Encyclopedia
March (music)
A march, as a musical genre, is a piece of music with a strong regular rhythm which in origin was expressly written for marching to and most frequently performed by a military band. In mood, marches range from the moving death march in Wagner's Götterdämmerung to the brisk military marches of John...
and popular music. A graduate of the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, he was appointed bandmaster at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1887 at the age of 26. He served as the Academy's bandmaster until his death from a brain hemorrhage in 1916. He is buried at the Naval Academy cemetery.
Zimmerman composed his most famous march, "Anchors Aweigh
Anchors Aweigh
"Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy, and strongly associated with the United States Navy, composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmerman with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. Zimmerman was at the time a Lieutenant, and had been bandmaster of the United States Naval Academy...
", in 1906 when he was a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the United States Navy. The lyrics were written by Alfred Hart Miles, a cadet. The march was intended from the beginning to serve as a rousing tune for football games. Zimmerman also composed numerous songs for the 1902 stage play The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1902 stage play)
The Wizard of Oz was a 1902 musical extravaganza based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, which was originally published in 1900...
.
List of Compositions
- with Frank Keesee:
- Only You (Sir Dashemoff Daily)
- with Mr. Hollister:
- When the Heart is Sad (Sir Dashemoff Daily)
- with Vincent Bryan:
- Marching Thro' Georgia (Scarecrow and Tin Woodman)
- Sitting Bull (Scarecrow)
- Football (Scarecrow and Tin Woodman)
- Marching Through Port Arthur (Scarecrow and Tin Woodman)