Arthur Pryor (1870–1942) was one of three accomplished musician brothers from St Joseph, Missouri. He became so well known as a trombonist that he was styled the ‘Paganini of the trombone’. He was in turn a leading attraction of the bands of Patrick S Gilmore and John Philip Sousa, whose assistant conductor he became before forming his own band in 1903. Besides marches and trombone solos he composed many dances and novelty pieces, among which
The Whistler and his Dog (1905) has proved the most enduring. Besides its extensive solo for the piccolo, it provides the opportunity for a brief but virtuoso demonstration of whistling and barking!
from notes by Andrew Lamb © 1998
