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"The New England March King"
Composer, Musician, Conductor
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R.B. Hall Biography
Reprinted from 14th Annual R.B. Hall Day Program, Westbrook, Maine
Robert Browne Hall is known as a cornet virtuoso, bandmaster and composer of marches. He was born into a musical family on June 30, 1858 in Bowdoinham, Maine. His father played E flat cornet in a local band and was his son's first cornet instructor. R.B. Hall continued playing cornet and eventually took lessons and received much encouragement from Mr. Melville H. Andrews, a music store owner in Bangor, Maine. The first march the Hall composed, entitled "M.H.A.", was dedicated to Mr. Andrews. R.B. Hall was an outstanding cornetist with tremendous playing range. It is said that while marching in parades, he would play certain strains an octave higher than written. You always knew when his band was coming you way.
At age 19, R.B. Hall was director of the Richmond Cornet Band. His first three marches written for that band were simply known as "RCB1", RCB2", and "RCB3".
In 1878 Hall auditioned for J.T. Baldwin's First Corps of Cadets Band in Boston and shared the solo cornet chair with Allesando Liberati for four years. Passing up other tempting offers, R. B. Hall accepted a call to rebuild the Bangor Band. He did the job so well that a week of tribute to him in 1884 culminated with the presentation of a gold Boston Three Star Ne-Plus cornet by the grateful citizens of the city. Hall responded by writing the march, "Greeting to Bangor".
Hall was associated with several other bands including the Bangor Band, Waterville Military Band (later known as R.B. Hall's Military Band), Chandler's Band, Cherryfield Band, Olympia Band of Augusta, and the Colby College Band. During this period he took time to rebuild the "musically bankrupt" Tenth Regiment Band of Albany, New York. Hall left the Albany assignment to return to his former position in Waterville as director of Waterville Military Band. While in Waterville several of his finest marches were written. He also enjoyed great popularity throughout New England as a cornet soloist.
Besides dedicating his compositions to people and places, dedications include local characters ("Uncle Dooley's Delight"), newspapers ("Richmond Bee", The Sentinel"), and Fraternal Orders ("Demolay Commandery" for Knight Templars, "The Redman's March" for Improved Order of Redmen, "Exalted Ruler" for Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and "Independentia" for Independent Order of Oddfellows).
R.B. Hall died on June 8, 1907 in Portland, Maine. He had published more than 62 marches during his lifetime. The funeral procession included the Olympia Band, the Waterville Military Band, and Chandler's Band. "March Funebre", "Eternal Rest" and "Independentia" were among the Hall compositions played for that day. After his death, his wife sold many of his manuscripts. Publishers patched up the manuscripts and sold them under the R.B. Hall name.
Hall received important recognition during and after his lifetime, including John Philip Sousa playing a Hall march at the Paris Exposition in 1900. His marches were also popular with British bands. A memorial program was given in his honor on August 14, 1936 in Waterville, Maine. During this event, a Memorial Band Stand was dedicated to R.B. Hall's memory. A bill was approved by Maine Governor Joseph Brennan on May 11, 1981 to establish an annual R.B. Hall Day to honor and commemorate Robert Browne Hall.
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This page developed and maintained by Allen Graffam. Any additional information or comments about R. B. Hall would be greatly appreciated.