Alex Lithgow
Encyclopedia
Alexander Frame Lithgow (1 December 1870 in Glasgow
– 12 July 1929 in Launceston, Tasmania
) was a Scottish-born, New Zealand and Australian based composer
and bandleader
known as the "Sousa
of the Antipodes
".
His name for some reason is pronounced by the family as AleK.
, New Zealand
aged 6.
Alex went to Invercargill Grammar School (now Invercargill Middle School).
He attended Invercargill's Presbyterian Church, First Church.
He liked Ice Hockey, the Circus and Rugby.
His family was musical, performing as the six-member Lithgow Concert Company around Southland.
1881 At the age of 11 having had lessons on the cornet
initially by his father, Alex joined the local brass band
the Invercargill Garrison Band. Alex also learnt the violin
to a very high standard.
1886 At the age of 16 he advanced to be the band's solo and principal cornetist. However despite often being stated, he never was this Band's conductor.
1887 At the age of 17 his first composition, 'Wairoa', was published. This was named after a ship at the band was playing on at the Invercargill estuary.
Alex played with the Theatre Royal orchestra as first violin.
He won national solo cornet titles for the next few years.
1893 At the age of 23 he toured New Zealand as a professional soloist.
Tasmania. He earned his living as a compositor at The Examiner
and the Daily Telegraph.
1900 Alex aged 30 married Elizabeth Hill Telfer at a Presbyterian church at Launceston on 6 June.
1901 He came back briefly to New Zealand to conduct the Woolston Band at Christchurch
where at a charity concert the band performed an entire concert of his compositions.
1903 He went back to Launceston St Joseph's Band.
1904 At the age 34 he started the Australian Army's 12th Battalion Launceston Regiment Band.
1909 He spent his time conducting and being a spontaneous composer for the silent film orchestra at the Lyceum and Princess Theatres.
.
The 'Invercargill March
' link will explain the origin of the tune, how the tune became famous, an update on the centenary of the tune and the official Lyrics.
1923 He founded and conducted the Launceston Concert Orchestra where he presented many of his compositions plus symphonic jazz. There were more charity all-Lithgow compositions concerts.
1927 At the age of 57 he retired from work and the Band due to ill health.
His marches were published throughout the world and the Americans acclaimed him as 'the Sousa of the Antipodes'. Lithgow produced approximately two hundred marches, as well as numerous pieces for band, orchestra, piano and voice. He acquired no copyrights and many of his pieces, in his immaculate notation, were lost or unpublished. Music dominated his existence, but time for composing was scarce when after a long day's work he cycled home to change for an evening performance or a musical gathering.
12-7-1929 At the age of 59 a few months short of his 60th birthday Lithgow died of a Stroke at Launceston. At his funeral massed bands played The 'Invercargill'. He is buried in Carr Villa cemetery. He was survived by his wife, son and two daughters. One of the daughters Pat Ward wrote a book on him. In 1953 a memorial plaque was unveiled at Paterson Street Barracks and a Band Rotunda built in City Park, Launceston. Still today in Tasmania they continue with Lithgow-only concerts. Tasmanians regard him as theirs but to Kiwis he is from Invercargill.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
– 12 July 1929 in Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
) was a Scottish-born, New Zealand and Australian based composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
known as the "Sousa
John Philip Sousa
John Philip Sousa was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era, known particularly for American military and patriotic marches. Because of his mastery of march composition, he is known as "The March King" or the "American March King" due to his British counterpart Kenneth J....
of the Antipodes
Antipodes
In geography, the antipodes of any place on Earth is the point on the Earth's surface which is diametrically opposite to it. Two points that are antipodal to one another are connected by a straight line running through the centre of the Earth....
".
His name for some reason is pronounced by the family as AleK.
Youth
In 1876, the Lithgows emigrated to InvercargillInvercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
aged 6.
Alex went to Invercargill Grammar School (now Invercargill Middle School).
He attended Invercargill's Presbyterian Church, First Church.
He liked Ice Hockey, the Circus and Rugby.
His family was musical, performing as the six-member Lithgow Concert Company around Southland.
1881 At the age of 11 having had lessons on the cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
initially by his father, Alex joined the local brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
the Invercargill Garrison Band. Alex also learnt the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
to a very high standard.
1886 At the age of 16 he advanced to be the band's solo and principal cornetist. However despite often being stated, he never was this Band's conductor.
1887 At the age of 17 his first composition, 'Wairoa', was published. This was named after a ship at the band was playing on at the Invercargill estuary.
Early adulthood
Alex played for the Star Rugby football club in Invercargill.Alex played with the Theatre Royal orchestra as first violin.
He won national solo cornet titles for the next few years.
1893 At the age of 23 he toured New Zealand as a professional soloist.
Move to Australia
1894 Aged 24 he left New Zealand and moved to Australia where became conductor of the St Joseph's Total Abstinence Society Band in LauncestonLaunceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
Tasmania. He earned his living as a compositor at The Examiner
The Examiner (Tasmania)
The Examiner is the daily newspaper of the city of Launceston and north-eastern Tasmania, Australia.- Overview :The Examiner was first published on 12 March 1842, founded by James Aikenhead. Its first editor was the Reverend John West. At first it was a weekly publication . The Examiner expanded to...
and the Daily Telegraph.
1900 Alex aged 30 married Elizabeth Hill Telfer at a Presbyterian church at Launceston on 6 June.
1901 He came back briefly to New Zealand to conduct the Woolston Band at Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
where at a charity concert the band performed an entire concert of his compositions.
1903 He went back to Launceston St Joseph's Band.
1904 At the age 34 he started the Australian Army's 12th Battalion Launceston Regiment Band.
1909 He spent his time conducting and being a spontaneous composer for the silent film orchestra at the Lyceum and Princess Theatres.
The 'Invercargill March'
1909 At the age of 39 his celebrated quick march, The 'Invercargill March' was handed over to the city of InvercargillInvercargill
Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...
.
The 'Invercargill March
Invercargill March
The "Invercargill March" is a march written by Alex Lithgow and named after his home town of Invercargill, on the South Island of New Zealand.The Invercargill rates alongside John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever", Kenneth Alford's "Colonel Bogey March", and Johann Strauss' "Radetsky...
' link will explain the origin of the tune, how the tune became famous, an update on the centenary of the tune and the official Lyrics.
Later life
1922 He returned to the St Joseph's band for the last time.1923 He founded and conducted the Launceston Concert Orchestra where he presented many of his compositions plus symphonic jazz. There were more charity all-Lithgow compositions concerts.
1927 At the age of 57 he retired from work and the Band due to ill health.
His marches were published throughout the world and the Americans acclaimed him as 'the Sousa of the Antipodes'. Lithgow produced approximately two hundred marches, as well as numerous pieces for band, orchestra, piano and voice. He acquired no copyrights and many of his pieces, in his immaculate notation, were lost or unpublished. Music dominated his existence, but time for composing was scarce when after a long day's work he cycled home to change for an evening performance or a musical gathering.
12-7-1929 At the age of 59 a few months short of his 60th birthday Lithgow died of a Stroke at Launceston. At his funeral massed bands played The 'Invercargill'. He is buried in Carr Villa cemetery. He was survived by his wife, son and two daughters. One of the daughters Pat Ward wrote a book on him. In 1953 a memorial plaque was unveiled at Paterson Street Barracks and a Band Rotunda built in City Park, Launceston. Still today in Tasmania they continue with Lithgow-only concerts. Tasmanians regard him as theirs but to Kiwis he is from Invercargill.