Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1884

Death

:

1960

Period

:

Romantic

Genre

:

Band

 

Charles Edward Duble was an American composer and arranger of classical music. He was born on February 28, 1884, in Bloomington, Illinois, to a family of musicians. His father, Charles H. Duble, was a cornetist and bandmaster, and his mother, Mary E. Duble, was a pianist and organist. Charles E. Duble showed an early interest in music and began playing the cornet at the age of six. Duble's family moved to Chicago when he was a child, and he continued his musical education there. He studied cornet with his father and piano with his mother. He also studied harmony and composition with several prominent Chicago musicians, including Frederick Grant Gleason and Adolf Weidig. In 1902, Duble joined the United States Marine Band as a cornetist. He served in the band for 20 years, rising to the rank of first cornetist and soloist. During his time in the Marine Band, Duble also began composing and arranging music. His first published composition was a march called "The Thunderer," which was published in 1910. Duble left the Marine Band in 1922 and moved to New York City to pursue a career as a freelance composer and arranger. He quickly became one of the most sought-after arrangers in the music industry, working for publishers such as Carl Fischer, Belwin, and Rubank. He arranged music for a wide variety of ensembles, including concert bands, orchestras, and military bands. Duble's most famous composition is the march "Bravura," which he wrote in 1924. The march is known for its virtuosic cornet solo, which was originally written for Duble himself to perform. "Bravura" quickly became a popular concert piece and has remained a staple of the concert band repertoire to this day. In addition to "Bravura," Duble composed many other marches, including "The Invincible Eagle," "The Rifle Regiment," and "The Black Horse Troop." He also wrote several suites for concert band, including "The American Legion," "The United States Air Force," and "The United States Navy." Duble's music is characterized by its strong melodies, bold harmonies, and virtuosic solos. His marches are particularly notable for their use of syncopation and unusual rhythms. Duble was also known for his skill as an arranger, and his arrangements of popular songs and classical works were widely performed by bands and orchestras. Duble continued to compose and arrange music throughout his life, and he remained active in the music industry until his death in 1960. His music continues to be performed and recorded by bands and orchestras around the world, and his legacy as one of America's greatest march composers is secure.

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