F. H. Losey

Frank Hoyt Losey (March 18, 1870 – 3 May 1931) was an American musician, composer, and arranger of band and orchestra music. He is credited with over 400 compositions and 2,500 arrangements including his most recognized composition, Gloria March.

Losey was born in Rochester, New Jersey and raised in Lawrenceeville. While it has been commonly cited that he was born in 1872 or 1875, his presence as an infant in the 1870 Census shows these references to be incorrect, as well as his correct age of 61 on his death certificate. Frank studied music at an early age, learning to play cornet, violin, and piano. Losey was a cornetist for local and regional bands until he suffered from lip paralysis which forced him to switch to trombone and euphonium and limited him to smaller theater performances.

Starting in 1902, Losey composed and arranged music for Carl Fischer and became editor-in-chief of the Vandersloot Music Publishing Company. In 1919, Thomas Edison selected Losey to be the music adviser for Edison's phonograph company. He was also approached by Henry Ford to arrange music for the Ford Orchestra in Detroit. Losey died in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1931.

The Historic American Sheet Music Project contains nine examples of his work:

  • Call of the wild march and two-step (1904);
  • Parade of the humming birds (1906);
  • Heather bells mazurka (1906);
  • The Seventy-Fourth Regiment Band March (1906);
  • March of the Nile (1907);
  • Loyal knights march (1907);
  • Dance of the nightingales; Barn dance (1908);
  • The Magic Mirror (1910); and,
  • Tangle-foot rag (1910).

Birth and Death Data: Born March 18, 1870, Died May 3, 1931

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1903 - 1935

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, leader, conductor, arranger, piano

= 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
Victor A-368 7-in. 8/28/1903 'His Master's Voice' concert polka Sousa's Band Band, with cornet duet composer  
Victor C-368 12-in. 8/28/1903 'His Master's Voice' concert polka Sousa's Band Band, with cornet duet composer  
Victor B-368 10-in. 8/28/1903 'His Master's Voice' concert polka Sousa's Band Band, with cornet duet composer  
Victor B-1783 10-in. 10/18/1904 Waldmere march Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-1791 10-in. 10/20/1904 Call of the wild march Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-1792 10-in. 10/20/1904 Louisiana Purchase march Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-6440 10-in. 9/22/1908 Forest whispers Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-8374 10-in. 11/15/1909 Heather bells William H. Reitz Bells solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-9328 10-in. 7/27/1910 An African symphony Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-9462 10-in. 9/19/1910 The warrior march Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor C-10867 12-in. 8/8/1911 The right of way march Victor Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-14436 10-in. 2/12/1914 Golden lily William H. Reitz Bells solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-20062 10-in. 6/4/1917 Slippery Hank Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band Jazz/dance band composer  
Victor B-28573 10-in. 9/19/1923 Forest whispers Arthur Pryor's Band Band, with whistling composer  
Victor BVE-53480 10-in. 7/1/1929 Forest whispers Carson Robison ; Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra, with bird imitations composer  
Victor BVE-87871 10-in. 2/6/1935 March Lenoir Lenoir High School (N.C.). Band Band composer  
Columbia 1897 7-in. ca. 1904 Noisy Bill Columbia Band Band composer  
Columbia 1897 10-in. between January and November 1904 Noisy Bill Columbia Band Band composer  
Columbia 3405 10-in. Jan.-June 1906 Sliding Jim Prince's Military Band Band composer  
Columbia 3622 10-in. between January and May 1907 The Golden West march Prince's Military Band Band composer  
Columbia 3783 10-in. ca. 1907-Feb. 1908 Ida and Dot polka Vincent C. Buono ; Frank Chiafferelli ; Prince's Military Band Cornet duet, with band composer  
Columbia 78397 10-in. 4/17/1919 Ida and Dot polka Vincent C. Buono ; Frank Chiafferelli Cornet duet, with band composer  
Columbia W144725 10-in. 9/30/1927 Waldmere Johnnie Sylvester Piano accordion solo composer  
OKeh S-7111 10-in. ca. Dec. 1919 Trumpeter's carnival Conway's Band Band composer  
OKeh S-7414 10-in. May 1920 Windy Willie Conway's Band Band composer  
Brunswick E27270 10-in. 4/4/1928 Feast of the flowers Brunswick Concert Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Edison 1095 10-in. between 6/19/1912 and 6/21/1912 Forest whispers Reed Orchestra [Edison Records] Reed orchestra composer  
Edison 1536 Not documented 1921 Carry me back to old Virginia Losey's Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 1537 Not documented 1921 Silver threads among the gold Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 1545 Not documented 1921 Smiling eyes Losey's Orchestra Orchestra leader  
Edison 1546 Not documented 1921 Dance of the brooklet Losey's Orchestra Orchestra leader  
Edison 1577 10-in. 9/11/1922 The magic mirror Ernest L. Stevens Trio Instrumental trio composer  
Edison 2250 10-in. 4/24/1913 Fidelity two-step National Promenade Band Band composer  
Edison 2285 10-in. 5/13/1913 Dream of autumn American Symphony Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Edison 2286 10-in. 5/14/1913 Alita American Symphony Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Edison 2295 10-in. 5/19/1913 Feast of the flowers American Symphony Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Edison 2297 10-in. 5/20/1913 Mary Emerson waltzes American Symphony Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Edison 2301 10-in. 5/22/1913 A rural festival New York Military Band Band composer  
Edison 2451 10-in. 9/11/1913 Vigoroso march New York Military Band Band composer  
Edison 2476 10-in. 10/3/1913 Dance of the Nile maidens Edison Concert Band Band composer  
Edison 2477 10-in. 10/3/1913 The fountain dance Edison Concert Band Band composer  
Edison 2478 10-in. 10/3/1913 Patrol of the guardsmen New York Military Band Band composer  
Edison 2486 10-in. 10/8/1913 Flaming arrow Edison Concert Band Band composer  
Edison 3798 10-in. 5/19/1915 Forest whispers Reed Orchestra [Edison Records] Reed orchestra composer  
Edison 4206 10-in. 10/19/1915 Dancing with ma honey Charles Daab Xylophone solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 5616 10-in. 6/12/1917 Invincible America march New York Military Band Band composer  
Edison 5856 10-in. 10/23/1917 The vampire Sodero's Band Band composer  
Edison 5861 10-in. 10/30/1917 Love's message Sodero's Band Band composer  
Edison 6110 10-in. Mar. 1918 The ambassador polka Bohumir Kryl Cornet solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 6114 10-in. Apr. 1918 Trumpeter's carnival New York Military Band Band composer  
Edison 6423 10-in. between 10/10/1918 and 10/23/1918 La dance des sorcières Sodero's Band Band composer  
Edison 6949 10-in. 9/30/1919 Windy Willie New York Military Band Band composer  
Edison 7927 10-in. 4/20/1921 Valse caprice Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor, composer  
Edison 7928 10-in. 4/20/1921 Fairyland caprice Losey's Orchestra Orchestra composer, conductor  
Edison 7959 10-in. 5/4/1921 Fragrant rose Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison 7960 10-in. 5/4/1921 La grace Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison 7999 10-in. 5/18/1921 Massa's in de cold, cold ground Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 8043 10-in. 6/2/1921 Ever dear Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 8044 10-in. 6/3/1921 Come where my love lies dreaming Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 8067 10-in. 6/15/1921 Forgotten Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 8068 10-in. 6/15/1921 Afterwards Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 8108 10-in. 7/1/1921 Answer Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet leader  
Edison 8109 10-in. 7/1/1921 A dream Losey Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet composer  
Edison 8615 10-in. 10/5/1922 The 74th Regiment Band march United States Marine Band Band composer  
Edison 8828 10-in. 1/25/1923 Dance of the nightingales Imperial Marimba Band Marimba band composer  
Edison 9103 10-in. 7/28/1923 Heather bells John F. Burckhardt Bells solo, with orchestra composer  
Edison 10022 10-in. 5/1/1924 Kathleen Mavourneen Venetian Instrumental Quartet Instrumental quartet arranger  
Edison 10097 10-in. 1/29/1926 A scene in the ball room Venetian Orchestra Instrumental quartet arranger, leader  
Edison 11067 10-in. 6/24/1926 Tales from the Vienna Woods Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison 11068 10-in. 6/24/1926 Tales from the Vienna Woods Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison 11069 10-in. 6/24/1926 Tales from the Vienna Woods Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison 11084 10-in. 7/2/1926 Sonata pathetique Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison 11085 10-in. 7/2/1926 Sonata pathetique Losey's Orchestra Orchestra conductor  
Edison [EXP-no number] 10-in. 1/25/1926 Experimental disc recording F. H. Losey Experimental recording or dubbing instrumentalist, piano  
Gramophone y 22118 10-in. 1920 Ida and Dot St. Hilda's Band Cornet duet, with band composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Losey, F. H.," accessed April 25, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109642.

Losey, F. H.. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 25, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109642.

"Losey, F. H.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 25 April 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109642

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.