Parade Of The Tin Soldiers.
- 17 years ago
Leon Jessel (1871-1942) was born in the eastern German city of Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland) and mainly worked as a bandmaster and theater conductor.
He is primarily remembered as a composer of lighter orchestral pieces, salon music and marches. He also achieved considerable success during his lifetime with a series of operettas which brought him considerable acclaim, though none of these have survived into the modern repertory. In fact the only piece of music through which Jessel's name is still perpetuated is a delightful march for orchestra (originally for military band) entitled "De Parade der Zinnsoldaten", or "Parade of the Tin Soldiers" which became especially well known in the UK in the late 1940's being used for almost two decades as the theme tune for the Toytown series, broadcast on what was then the BBC Home Service's Children's Hour. The Parade became a favorite for children -- and adults -- through this medium, but was seldom heard after the BBC axed this popular show.
He is primarily remembered as a composer of lighter orchestral pieces, salon music and marches. He also achieved considerable success during his lifetime with a series of operettas which brought him considerable acclaim, though none of these have survived into the modern repertory. In fact the only piece of music through which Jessel's name is still perpetuated is a delightful march for orchestra (originally for military band) entitled "De Parade der Zinnsoldaten", or "Parade of the Tin Soldiers" which became especially well known in the UK in the late 1940's being used for almost two decades as the theme tune for the Toytown series, broadcast on what was then the BBC Home Service's Children's Hour. The Parade became a favorite for children -- and adults -- through this medium, but was seldom heard after the BBC axed this popular show.