Julius Arnost Wilhelm Fučík
(Czech pronunciation: [ˈjuːlɪjus
ˈfutʃiːk]) (18 July 1872 – 15
September 1916) was a Czech
composer and conductor of
military bands.
Fučík spent most of his life as
the leader of military brass
bands. He became a prolific
composer, with over 300
marches, polkas, and waltzes
to his name. As most of his
work was for military bands,
he is sometimes known as the
"Bohemian Sousa".
Today his marches are still
played as patriotic music in the
Czech Republic. However, his
worldwide reputation rests on
one work: his Opus 68 march,
the Entrance of the Gladiators
(Vjezd gladiátorů), which is
universally recognized as the
theme tune of clowns in a
circus. (This march is also
known by the title Thunder and
Blazes.)
Another composition, The
Florentiner March, composed
as a grand march for an opera
never completed, isn't as
popular as Entrance of the
Gladiators, but it is regularly
performed and recorded by
wind ensembles.
