Concert Band
Prof. Googleheimer's Clarinet Polka
Grade 1.5 | 4 Mins
Little is known about the life of Prof. Armin Googleheimer. Despite local success as a musician, postman and wine-lover, his fame did not travel much outside his charming home village of Unterbingen in the Tirol. He was born around 1812 and died in a spectacular fondue-related accident in 1867. Apart from that, all we can say is, judging from the style of much of his dance music, one of his legs was shorter than the other*. He was also famous for inventing the first internet search engine: a short-lived success, perhaps because of the name he chose – Heimer.
Clarinet Polka is perhaps his best-known work and has become a sort of anthem for the village of Unterbingen, where the residents now hate the piece. But it has an undeniably merry tone and makes an approachable work for young band.
None of the above has any basis in fact (except the last sentence).
* apologies and thanks to Peter Schickele