Glenn Miller

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Glenn Miller while serving with the US Army Air Corps

Alton Glenn Miller (born March 1, 1904 in Clarinda , Iowa , † December 15, 1944 in a plane crash over the English Channel ) was an American jazz trombonist , band leader , composer and arranger of the swing era. He was one of the most successful musicians in the United States at the time of World War II. With his "Glenn Miller Orchestra" he created world-famous titles such as Moonlight Serenade , In the Mood , American Patrol and Chattanooga Choo Choo .

Life

Alton Glenn Miller was born on March 1, 1904 in the country town of Clarinda, Iowa. He first attended elementary school in North Platte, Nebraska. In 1915, his parents Mattie Lou (née Cavender) and Lewis Elmer Miller moved with him to Grant City, Missouri. Around this time Miller bought his first trombone with the money he had made milking cows and played in the local music club. In 1918 his family moved again, this time to Fort Morgan, where Miller attended high school. He also played in the local high school orchestra and was able to finance two years of his studies. In addition, he joined the school football team "Maroon" in the fall of 1919, which won the 1920 "Northern Colorado Football Conference" in American football . After graduating from high school in 1921, Miller decided to become a professional musician. In the meantime he studied the Schillinger composition system ; he composed his later signature tune Moonlight Serenade with its inventor Joseph Schillinger .

After studying at the University of Colorado, he joined the "Ben Pollack Band" in 1926, where he played with future stars such as Benny Goodman (then 17 years old). In 1928 he left this again and moved to New York at the end of the year, where he married his childhood sweetheart Helen Burger (1902–1966). From 1929 to 1937 he played as an independent trombonist with Red Nichols , Benny Goodman, Ray Nobles American Band and the Dorsey Brothers . Miller recorded with his first band in 1937 for Columbia (Solo Hop , April 1935, Miller's first hit, which reached number 7), Brunswick (Doin 'the Jive , in which rap- like chanting is used to explain the eponymous dance , dated November 29, 1937) and Decca . The band broke up in the same year due to fierce competition.

Miller returned to New York disappointed and from then on worked as an arranger on a "unique sound". He made recordings in different line-ups until he was able to place his second hit "Every Day's Holiday" in the national charts in the spring of 1938, which initiated his breakthrough. He formed a new band that broke all attendance records and eventually got a three-month deal at the Glen Island Casino on Long Island . The fees paid there were still not enough to ensure the long-term survival of the band, but at least radio broadcasts were regularly broadcast from the casino, Miller's new "sound", in which the clarinet performed the saxophone ( Glenn Miller movement ), made known. Miller was invited to the ASCAP anniversary concert in New York's Carnegie Hall in late 1939 . Pieces of music such as Moonlight Serenade , Little Brown Jug and In the Mood were played there. The original composition "Moonlight Serenade" became Miller's third number 1 hit. His authorship of Moonlight Serenade and In the Mood are well known; that the Glenn Miller Band formed a broad spectrum of instrumental and vocal melodies and also set classical accents, less so. The band played in the Café Rouge in the Hotel Pennsylvania in 1940; in the summer of the same year, gigs at the Wardham Park Hotel in Washington and other cities followed. The classics Pennsylvania 6-5000 and Tuxedo Junction were released in the same, Chattanooga Choo Choo and String of Pearls in 1941. Except for Moonlight Serenade, Glenn Miller composed none of his hits himself; one of his greatest hits, In the Mood , came from the composer Joe Garland . His first record sold poorly because he had recorded the same pieces of music on it as swing king Benny Goodman.

Glenn Miller won the first gold record in music history on February 10, 1942 for the song Chattanooga Choo Choo , which he played with his orchestra in the film Adopted Glück (1941), his first film. After this comedy he worked with his band in Orchestra Wives the following year .

In the meantime, the United States had entered World War II. Miller, who was an avowed opponent of National Socialism , resigned from his orchestra in February 1942, despite his great successes, and after overcoming a number of bureaucratic hurdles, because of his advanced age of 38 years, he first joined the US Navy and then the air force in order to cope with the war effort support. He headed the Army Air Force Orchestra with the rank of captain , which was significantly more jazz-oriented than his previous, more commercially oriented big band . This was not least thanks to such excellent arrangers as Jerry Gray , who, among other things, knew how to seamlessly integrate the string section of the Army Air Force Orchestra into the big band sound - no easy task for a jazz arranger. Probably the most spectacular arrangement by Jerry Gray was American Patrol , appropriately announced as "And now, here's the biggest tune of the books!"

Miller was in London during the German V1 and V2 rocket attacks . Numerous sound recordings of the “Army Air Force Band” performances were made in Abbey Road Studios , some of them with live broadcasts from the BBC London , called “Wehrmacht Hour”, with the announcer Ilse Weinberger in German. The mono recordings made there are of excellent quality and reflect the high standard of the orchestra.

Miller's disappearance

An Avro Lancaster above the clouds
Machine of the type "Noorduyn Norseman"

After Paris had been liberated by the Allies , the Army Air Force Orchestra was to perform at the Olympia in December 1944 . However, Glenn Miller previously died under circumstances that have not yet been clarified. It is believed that the plane with which he was en route to France on December 15, 1944, was hit over the English Channel in thick fog when British bombers were unloading their bombs. Approximately 138 four-engine Lancasters of No. 3 bomber groups of the RAF Bomber Command returned with a full bomb load; the attack on the German city of Siegen was canceled because the fighter planes intended to protect the bombers could not take off due to bad weather. Bombs not dropped in enemy flight were usually dropped over the English Channel during the return flight, as landing with the explosive cargo would have been too dangerous. The navigator Fred Shaw observed the falling bombs and saw a small, single-engine propeller plane directly under the hail of bombs. Since Glenn Miller's machine was on the opposite course from London to Paris at the time, it is likely that Miller was in this machine. In large-scale attacks with hundreds of bomber planes in close formation, accidents not only occurred when planes touched or collided, but also because lower-flying - mostly own - aircraft were hit by bombs dropped by higher-flying aircraft or parts of the wings broke off. The wreck of the civilian Noorduyn Norseman was never found. In the Battle of Britain and the war years that followed, numerous planes crashed into the English Channel and sank to the bottom, where they still lie today. The news that Miller was missing over the canal was made on Christmas Eve 1944.

Miller's name is listed on the Wall of the Missing in the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial .

Legends

Similar to other music stars who died early, there are also many versions and rumors about Miller's death. The propaganda of both warring parties tried to spread what was appropriate for each of the circumstances of his death. Due to the chaos of war, the pure facts are very thin and partly contradictory, which promotes the formation of legends. There is little reliable material in the accessible archives, which also leads to the claim that this was intentional. At that time, millions of people died as a result of the war, and the crash or disappearance of a single aircraft was normal everyday life. A special public investigation according to today's standards was not initiated because the authorities felt that there was something more urgent during the war. Contemporary witnesses who, because of their position at the time, could have contributed something worthwhile to the clarification, would be around 100 years old today or have long since died. Therefore, reliable knowledge about the true circumstances of death of the musician appears to be almost impossible.

More theories

Several theories of death circulate: Glenn Miller did not die in a plane crash, but from lung cancer. This is said to have been suppressed because up until 1942 he recorded a radio program sponsored by a large tobacco company; but it is unlikely because the connection between lung cancer and cigarette smoking was not generally known at the time and - at least in the United States and the United Kingdom - was not yet scientifically proven. Another theory is "crash due to wing freezing ", which is a possibility based on the weather on the day of the crash.

Incidentally, the airspace over the English Channel was under the control of the Allied air forces at this time . This and also the fact that no German fighter pilot was in this airspace and also did not claim an aerial victory for this section are signs that a crash after enemy action is unlikely.

The film The Glenn Miller Story , which otherwise allows itself some freedoms with biographical reality, sticks to the official cause of death, the undocumented plane crash.

Successful musician and businessman

Glenn Miller was a perfectionist in terms of arrangements that he wrote or co-wrote, as well as a gifted businessman. His band was a band organized like a company. The musicians were insured and the orchestra employed the stage workers. A PR department was also set up. All of this was done in a socially acceptable manner; a role model that many bands later followed. Miller was a headstrong person and often just followed his sympathies. Some talented musicians quit his orchestra when they couldn't cope with his character. Glenn Miller had been married since 1928. According to his biographer George T. Simon, the only point of contention with his wife Helen was how to hang the toilet rolls.

The "Glenn Miller Orchestra"

After Miller's death, the Army Air Force Orchestra was directed by arranger Jerry Gray until it was dissolved after November 17, 1945. In 1946 a civilian Glenn Miller Orchestra was called up by longtime band saxophonist and singer Tex Beneke ; it remained largely true to the style of the "Army Air Force Orchestra" with an integrated string section. The band's pianist was the future film composer Henry Mancini , who was also responsible for various arrangements. The newly formed orchestra made many appearances in the United States, including some at the Hollywood Palladium in 1947, where Glenn Miller's original band had already played. Beneke thought about how to expand the typical "Glenn Miller sound" and also achieve success under his own name. What began as the “Glenn Miller Orchestra” under the direction of Tex Beneke eventually became the “Tex Beneke Orchestra”. By 1950, Beneke separated from Miller's style to the extent that the saxophonist himself disappeared from the performances of the former band members.

In the early 1950s, various band leaders such as Bob Chester and other big bands imitated Miller's style by having the clarinet lead the saxophone setting. This as well as the fact of the success of the Glenn Miller Story led to the formation of a new civil Glenn Miller Orchestra, this time under the direction of jazz drummer Ray McKinley . This band, formed in 1956, now forms the official "Glenn Miller Orchestra" in the United States, currently under the direction of Nilk Hilscher. The Dutch jazz musician Wil Salden is responsible for the official European “Glenn Miller Orchestra” and Ray McVay for the “Glenn Miller Orchestra” in England.

To this day only these three orchestras are allowed to play Glenn Miller's original arrangements . The licenses are administered by Glenn Miller Productions Inc. It also decides which orchestra can play when and where, and controls legal and financial matters.

Orchestra repertoire (selection)

Known band members

Well-known singers of the big band

Discography

Albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE AT AT UK UK US US
1961 The Glenn Miller story - - UK10 (27 weeks)
UK 		US-
gold
gold
US
1963 Glenn Miller DE25 (4 weeks)
DE 		- - US-
gold
gold
US
Glenn Miller Story II DE23 (4 weeks)
DE 		- - -
1964 The Glenn Miller story DE41 (4 weeks)
DE 		- - -
1967 Nearness Of You - - UK30 (2 weeks)
UK 		-
Chart entry in UK only 1969
1969 The Best of Glenn Miller - - UK5 (14 weeks)
UK 		-
1970 A Memorial 1944-1969 - - UK18 (16 weeks)
UK 		US-
gold
gold
US
1974 A legendary performer - - UK41 (5 weeks)
UK 		US115 (9 weeks)
US
1976 His 20 greatest hits DE5 (8 weeks)
DE 		AT3 (12 weeks)
AT 		- -
A Legendary Performer Vol. 2 - - UK53 (2 weeks)
UK 		-
1977 The original recordings of his greatest successes DE34
gold
gold

(4 weeks)DE 		- - -
The Unforgettable Glenn Miller - - UK4 (8 weeks)
UK 		US-
platinum
platinum
US
1982 The Legendary Sound Of Glenn Miller And His Bigband DE6 (8 weeks)
DE 		- - -
1993 The Ultimate Glenn Miller - - UK11 (6 weeks)
UK 		-
In The Christmas Mood Volume 2 - - - US199 (1 week)
US
1995 The Lost Recordings DE-
Gold (German Jazz Award)
Gold (German Jazz Award)
DE 		AT4 (11 weeks)
AT 		UK22nd
silver
silver

(9 weeks)UK 		-
2003 In The Mood - The Definitive Collection - - UK43 (4 weeks)
UK 		-
2004 Glenn Miller's 100th Birthday - AT6 (10 weeks)
AT 		- -
2010 The very best of - - UK4th
gold
gold

(21 weeks)UK 		-

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

Singles

year Title
album 		Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements
(Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) 		Remarks
UK UK US USTemplate: chart table / maintenance / charts non-existent
1939 Moonlight serenade UK12 (1 week)
UK 		-
Chart entry in UK only in 1954
1976 Moonlight Serenade / Little Brown Jug / In The Mood ( Medley ) UK13 (8 weeks)
UK 		-

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

Awards for music sales

Silver record

  • United KingdomUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
    • 1977: for the album Golden Hour of Glenn Miller
    • 2013: for the album In The Mood - The Very Best Of

Golden record

Golden record

  • United StatesUnited States United States
    • 1984: for the album Pure Gold
    • 1991: for the album In the Digital Mood

Platinum record

  • CanadaCanada Canada
    • 1985: for the album A Memorial 1944-1969
Country / Region Silver record icon.svg silver Gold record icon.svg gold Platinum record icon.svg platinum Sales swell
Awards for music sales
(country / region, awards, sales, sources)
Germany (BVMI) Germany (BVMI) 0! S.- Gold record icon.svg 2 × gold2 0! P- 260,000 musikindustrie.de
Canada (MC) Canada (MC) 0! S.- 0! G- Platinum record icon.svg platinum1 100,000 musiccanada.com
United States (RIAA) United States (RIAA) 0! S.- Gold record icon.svg 5 × gold5 Platinum record icon.svg platinum1 3,500,000 riaa.com
United Kingdom (BPI) United Kingdom (BPI) Silver record icon.svg 3 × silver3 Gold record icon.svg 2 × gold2 0! P- 380,000 bpi.co.uk
All in all Silver record icon.svg 3 × silver3 Gold record icon.svg 9 × gold9 Platinum record icon.svg 2 × platinum2

Movies

With Glenn Miller

About Glenn Miller

literature

  • George T. Simon: Glenn Miller and His Orchestra . Da Capo Press, New York 1980, ISBN 0-306-80129-9 .
  • George T. Simon: Glenn Miller: His Life - His Music . Droemersche Verlagsanstalt Th. Knaur, Munich 1991, ISBN 3-426-02412-8 .

Web links

Commons : Glenn Miller  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c d e The Free Information Society - Miller, Glenn. Retrieved January 26, 2017 (English).
  2. ↑ a b c d Glenn Miller - laut.de - Band . In: laut.de . ( laut.de [accessed on January 26, 2017]).
  3. ^ Fort Morgan, CO - Glenn Miller. Retrieved January 26, 2017 (English).
  4. ↑ Wayback Machine. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 6, 2006 ; accessed on October 2, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Glenn Miller Orchestra: The Road to Fame. Retrieved January 26, 2017 .
  6. ↑ a b George T. Simon, Bing Crosby: Glenn Miller And His Orchestra . Da Capo Press, November 1974, pp. 105 .
  7. ^ Glenn Miller Orchestra :: News. Retrieved January 26, 2017 .
  8. ^ American Patrol (Meacham, Frank W.) - IMSLP / Petrucci Music Library: Free Public Domain Sheet Music. Retrieved January 26, 2017 (English).
  9. ↑ different numbers in the sources; on the official side there are 138 bombers on the other 139 bombers
  10. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of May 17, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) engl. Website about the 3rd group
  11. ↑ Archive link ( memento from June 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Documentation about the aborted RAF bombing attack on December 15, 1944
  12. ↑ SPIEGEL.de: Lost above the clouds (section: "Death of a superstar")
  13. ↑ DER SPIEGEL: Glenn Miller killed by "Friendly Fire"?
  14. ↑ Example: German Air Force Sept. 8, 1943, Kampfgeschwader 55 over Novo-Ekonomtschenkoje: A He-111 is hit by bombs from a He-111 flying higher and destroyed.
  15. ↑ Silent Night on All Fronts - ZDF shows documentary about the last Christmas in World War II , accessed on December 26, 2010
  16. ↑ "Who the hell is Glenn Miller?" - Jazzpages - Jazz in Deutschland / Germany. Retrieved January 29, 2017 .
  17. ^ Glenn Miller Orchestra :: Big Band Business. Retrieved January 26, 2017 .
  18. ↑ Glenn Miller Medley - Concert moderation. Retrieved January 29, 2017 (de_DE).
  19. ↑ a b Simon (1980) . 1980, p. 437-439 .
  20. ^ Henry Mancini at All About Jazz. March 31, 2008, archived from the original on March 31, 2008 ; accessed on January 29, 2017 .
  21. ↑ George T. Simon: Simon (1980) . 1980, p. 258 .
  22. ↑ a b Glenn Miller Orchestra. Retrieved January 29, 2017 (American English).
  23. ↑ Solid! - Bob Chester. February 8, 2007, archived from the original on February 8, 2007 ; accessed on January 29, 2017 .
  24. ↑ BBC - Devon Theater - Review - Glenn Miller Orchestra at Plymouth Pavilions. Retrieved January 29, 2017 .
  25. ↑ This legendary hit was the model for Udo Lindenberg's special train to Pankow in 1983
  26. ↑ a b Chart sources: DE AT UK US
personal data
SURNAME Miller, Glenn
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Miller, Alton Glenn (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz trombonist and band leader
DATE OF BIRTH March 1, 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH Clarinda , Iowa
DATE OF DEATH December 15, 1944