C. L. Barnhouse

Charles Lloyd Barnhouse was born March 20, 1865, in Grafton, West Virginia. As a youngster, he developed a keen interest in music and was given a second-hand cornet by an uncle. Barnhouse quit school at age 14 to work as a laborer in local factories, learning the machinist’s trade, but spent many hours teaching himself to master the cornet. His determination paid off, and at 16 he was elected leader of the Grafton town band, a post he held briefly until his decision to “see the world” and join up with various traveling show bands, first as a cornetist and later as the leader. Barnhouse established a favorable reputation as a bandleader and cornet soloist on the touring circuit, and during this period began to compose band music. His travels brought him to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1888 where he decided to open his own band music publishing enterprise. Using his skills as a machinist, Barnhouse created his own music engraving tools to make printing plates for his own compositions. His first advertising bulletin introduced five marches, most of them designed for small-town bands and touring ensembles. Meeting with great success, the C. L. Barnhouse Co. was born in a 9′ x 12′ room, thus beginning a long and successful career as “The Iowa Music Publisher.”
Barnhouse accepted a position in 1890 as leader of the Burlington, Iowa Boat Club Band, and in 1892 settled permanently in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he was hired as leader of the Knights of Pythias band. The publishing company moved with him, and for the remaining decades of his life, the C. L. Barnhouse Company flourished. In addition to Barnhouse compositions, the company’s catalog included works by leading composers of the day including Karl L. King, Fred Jewell, Russell Alexander, J. S. Taylor, W. H. Kiefer, George D. Barnard, and many more. Composer/soloist Clay Smith wrote, “Starting with no financial assistance in an environment which was anything but conducive to his artistic accomplishments, C. L. Barnhouse has done some might big things, musically.” Under his direction, the Oskaloosa band (later named the Iowa Brigade Band) became one of the finest semi-professional concert bands in the country. The publishing company which he founded continues its operation in Oskaloosa and is highly regarded as one of the premier band music publishers in the world.
Charles Lloyd Barnhouse died at the age of 64 on November 18, 1929.
Publications by C. L. Barnhouse
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The Messenger March
Barnhouse/arr. Susi
Grade: 3
026-4914-00More Info026-4914-00 -
Record Breaker
Barnhouse/arr. Glover
Grade: 2.5
011-4865-00More Info011-4865-00 -
Adeste Fidelis
Barnhouse
Grade: 2.5
090-0100-24More Info090-0100-24 -
Adeste Fidelis
Barnhouse
016-0296-00More Info016-0296-00 -
Adeste Fidelis
Barnhouse
Grade: 2.5
080-0100-24More Info080-0100-24 -
America Invincible
Barnhouse
016-0292-00More Info016-0292-00 -
America Invincible
Barnhouse
080-6066-24More Info080-6066-24 -
America Invincible
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
090-6066-24More Info090-6066-24 -
Among the Roses
Barnhouse/arr. von Lenz
016-0050-00More Info016-0050-00 -
The Argonauts
Barnhouse
016-0248-00More Info016-0248-00 -
The Argonauts
Barnhouse
Grade: 3
080-0045-24More Info080-0045-24 -
The Argonauts
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
090-0045-24More Info090-0045-24 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
092-0102-24More Info092-0102-24 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
090-0102-24More Info090-0102-24 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
092-0102-38More Info092-0102-38 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
092-0102-51More Info092-0102-51 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 3.5
013-0968-00More Info013-0968-00 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
080-0102-24More Info080-0102-24 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
082-0102-20More Info082-0102-20 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
082-0102-22More Info082-0102-22 -
Argumentation
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
082-0102-38More Info082-0102-38 -
Autumn Colors
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
080-0008-33More Info080-0008-33 -
Autumn Colors
Barnhouse
Grade: 4
080-0008-99More Info080-0008-99 -
Barbarossa
Barnhouse/arr. Buchtel
Grade: 3
083-0071-39More Info083-0071-39 -
Barnhouse’s Book of Cornet Duets
Barnhouse
090-7071-24More Info090-7071-24