Forrest Buchtel

[Dan Schultz]

I'm looking for contact information for Forrest Buchtel. Sources on The Web keep pointing me to a trumpet player for Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Is this the same fellow who was a prolific arranger of concert band material in the 50's? Anyone know?

[Chuck Jackson]

Dan,
This may be a big stretch, but I remember reading somewhere that Henry Fillmore was actually Forrest Buchtel in disguise. Fillmore also was attributed to being Al Huffine, Will Huff, David Bennet, Gus Guentzel, and numerous other composers. Not sure of an of this, but it might be a point of departure.

Chuck

[Mark]

This may be a big stretch, but I remember reading somewhere that Henry Fillmore was actually Forrest Buchtel in disguise.

The 13th President of the United States?

[Dan Schultz]

Dan,
This may be a big stretch, but I remember reading somewhere that Henry Fillmore was actually Forrest Buchtel in disguise. Fillmore also was attributed to being Al Huffine, Will Huff, David Bennet, Gus Guentzel, and numerous other composers. Not sure of an of this, but it might be a point of departure.

Chuck

I checked out some of that theory. The tune I'm trying to find information about is "Grand Crescent March". It was written for The Hadi Temple Shrine Band in Evansville, Indiana by one of it's past directors... Joe Shoemaker. The copy I have indicates that it was arranged by Forrest Buchtel and published by WB Music in 1972. Fillmore died in 1956. That doesn't necessarily nix the theory that Buchtel was actually Fillmore but since "Grant Crescent March" isn't exactly a widely known piece makes a reprint 16 years after the arranger's death sort of remote.

Any Shriners out there interested in this piece? If so... drop me an email.

[Dan Schultz]

Nevermind... Forrest Buchtel, sr. died in 1997. Guess I won't get a chance to ask him a couple of questions. He died in 1997.

[hibiscus80]

Mr. Buchtel taught a class in march composition at VanderCook College of Music in Chicago in the late 1950s. He was a great teacher and I enjoyed his class. He wrote many very easy marches that were useful in the 20s, 30s, and 40s when there wasn't that much available for beginning band students in public school music. I wouldn't use them today, but they served a purpose then.
William