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Josef Franz Wagner (20 March 1856 – 5 June 1908) was an Austrian military bandmaster and composer. [1] He is sometimes referred to as "The Austrian March King". [2]
He was born in Vienna on 20 March 1856, at that time the capital of the empire of Austria-Hungary. He studied with Johann Emmerich Hasel and, in 1874, he joined the band of Austrian Infantry Regiment No. 23 led by Philip Fahrbach jnr. [3]
As military bandmaster he served in 1878–91 with Infantry Regiment 47 in Trento in Tyrol, Vienna , and Marburg (Maribor) and Graz in Styria. Then in 1891-1899 with the Infantry Regiment 49 in Krems near Vienna, Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Brno in Moravia. During its stays in Krems and Brno, his military band often travelled to Vienna to give concerts and, in 1900, he set-up his own band there. [3]
Wagner composed approximately 500 works, mainly dance music and marches. He is best known for his 1893 march " Unter dem Doppeladler" (Op. 159) or "Under the Double Eagle", referring to the double eagle in the coat of arms of Austria-Hungary. [1] The march became a favourite part of the repertoire of American composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa, whose band recorded it three times. [4] [5] The piece was the official regimental march of Austrian Artillery Regiment Number 2 until its dissolution in 2007. [1] [6]
Wagner is also known for the march "Tiroler Holzhackerbuab'n" (Op. 356), or "Tyrolean Lumberjacks". [3] In 1895, his only opera, Der Herzbub, premiered in Vienna. [7] Also popular are his Gigerl March (op. 150) and 47th Regimental March (op. 180).
He died in Vienna on 5 June 1908. [3]