William Rimmer

William Rimmer (1862–1936) was a Lancashire composer and conductor of brass band music who was particularly well known for his marches.

Rimmer was born in Southport in 1862 into a musical family. His father was bandmaster of the Lancashire Volunteer Rifles and encouraged both Rimmer and his brother Robert in their musical studies. At the age of 15 Rimmer joined the Southport Rifle band as a side-drummer and then moved on to the cornet, eventually becoming the band's principal cornet soloist. As a young man he made himself into one of the finest cornet players in the country under the eye of Alexander Owen at Besses o' th' Barn Band. His prowess on the instrument became well known, and he was engaged as a soloist by many of the best bands of the day. He eventually gave up playing to concentrate on training and conducting bands. He started his conducting career with the Skelmersdale Old Band and the Skelmersdale Temperance Band where he saw excellent success at local contests from 1891 to 1895. Then like most of the top brass band conductors of his generation, he became associated with many different bands in the Lancashire area. At the height of his fame conducted every winning band at both the Crystal Palace and Belle Vue competitions between 1905 and 1909.

In 1999, a CD dedicated to his music, recorded by Fodens Courtois Band, was released on the Doyen label (DOY CD080).

On 29 July 2007, Phillip Hunt devoted his weekly "Sounds of Brass" radio programme on BBC Radio Devon to Rimmer and his works.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1862, Died 1936 (Southport)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1906 - 1928

Roles Represented in DAHR: conductor, composer, arranger

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia 46470 10-in. 3/2/1916 The bells of St. Malo Prince's Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 6370 12-in. approximately 1913 Titania polka Arthur Laycock ; Regt. Band of H. M. Scots Guards ; Frederick. W. Wood Cornet solo, with band composer  
Columbia 6375 12-in. approximately 1913 Liebestraum no. 3 William Rimmer ; Southport Corporation Military Band Band conductor  
Columbia 6376 12-in. approximately 1913 Prelude, op. 1 William Rimmer ; Southport Corporation Military Band Band conductor  
Columbia 25963 10-in. approximately 1906 Bells of St. Malo London Military Band Band composer  
Columbia 28452 10-in. approximately 1913 Eventide : Air varié St. Hilda Colliery Band Band arranger  
Columbia 28668 10-in. approximately 1913 Rock lea Southport Corporation Military Band conductor  
Columbia 28669 10-in. approximately 1913 Passe-pied Southport Corporation Military Band conductor  
Columbia 28670 10-in. approximately 1913 Jocelyn : Berceuse Southport Corporation Military Band conductor  
Columbia 28671 10-in. approximately 1913 Secrets : Intermezzo Southport Corporation Military Band conductor  
Columbia 28672 10-in. approximately 1913 Heart’s ease : Intermezzo Southport Corporation Military Band conductor  
Columbia 28678 10-in. approximately 1913 Minuet Southport Corporation Military Band conductor  
Edison 7306 10-in. 4/21/1920 Les cloches de St. Malo Conway's Band Band composer  
Gramophone YR1868 10-in. 3/30/1928 The bells of St. Malo National Military Band [Black Diamonds Band of London] Band, with organ composer  
Gramophone 9178e 10-in. 11/13/1908 Honest toil march Alexander Prince Concertina solo composer  
Gramophone y 22119 10-in. 1920 Titania St. Hilda's Band Cornet solo, with band composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Rimmer, William," accessed March 29, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109254.

Rimmer, William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109254.

"Rimmer, William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 29 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109254

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