Some days, you discover something and must share it with the world.
You know that piece of rousing music you probably most associate with the circus? It often heralds the entrance of the clowns. I’ll let Marty the Zebra refresh your memory:
Well, as it turns out, this particular piece of music was not written for the big top, but it was written with another circus in mind, a circus that takes it to the maximus, one might say.
Yes, the name of the piece Marty is lending lyrics to is often known as “Entry of the Gladiators” or “Entrance of the Gladiators” in English. It’s a rousing military march from 1897 composed by one Julius Fučík, a Czech composer who, like many of us guys before and since, was thinking about the Roman Empire.
I mean, you listen to it and you think of other 19th century marches and you consider how gladiatorial combat in Ancient Rome might be part of “bread and circuses” and it suddenly makes perfect sense that this is the name and theoretical purpose of the piece.
And if Ancient Romans had this piece of music back in the day, they may have used it to herald the entry of the gladiators into the arena, because the purpose of the music would be essentially the same as what it started being used for in non-gladiatorial circuses in the early 1900s: as a screamer march (another term I learned in going down this rabbit hole). I mean, in both cases, you want the spectators to be excited, right?
But speaking of rabbits, this feels like Bugs Bunny’s perversion of the name Nimrod from fearsome hunter to clueless dweeb. I mean, I am not picturing Kirk Douglas or Russell Crowe or any of their compatriots stepping into view ready to do fearsome battle. I’m getting ready to count how many clowns have polka dots. And perhaps a multi-color afro.
I’m sorry Julius Fučík. I promise to listen to more of your music and try not to think of zaniness (unless it’s appropriate. SIlver-lining: achieving musical immortality associated with zaniness is still immortality.