Claudio S. Grafulla was born on the Spanish island of Minorca in 1810 and immigrated to the United States in 1838. Settling in New York City, he became a member, and later conductor of Lothier’s New York Brass Band, which was attached to the famed 7th Regiment of the New York National Guard.
Although he was the composer of many original works, the one that is still regarded as one of the finest marches ever written is his Washington Grays March. Though the original brass band version, written for the 8th Regiment New York State Militia, no-longer exists, a 1905 arrangement by G.H. Reeves (pen name for L.P. Laurendeau) was published for concert band. The arrangement here presented strives to recreate the original brass band version from the American Civil War brass band period.
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