Robert Henry McAnally (8 December 1882 - 10 July 1956) was an Australian composer and conductor.[1]
Career
He was a prolific composer, arranger, conductor and instructor.[2][3][4] He was member of the Salvation Army Leichhardt Corps.[5]
From an early age he was an instructor for brass instruments in the brass band in the Salvation Army, also giving lessons for brass instruments outside the band. He later became a captain in the Salvation Army and the conductor of the Australian Travelling Band.[6]
In 1899 he composed the musical score for Soldiers of the Cross, one of the first films made and produced in Australia.[7]
McAnally was also the conductor of other wind and brass bands[8][9] including the New South Wales Transport Band.[10] He was president of the Brass Bands' Association;[11] served on the board of music for the Salvation Army in Australia; adjudicated band competitions;[12] and was a founding member of the New South Wales Bandmasters' Association.[13]
An event is held by the Australian School Band and Orchestra Festival each year honouring the legacy of McAnally[14]
Suppan, Wolfgang; Suppan, Armin (1994). Das neue Lexikon des Blasmusikwesens (in German). Freiburg-Tiengen: Blasmusikverlag Schulz. ISBN3-923058-07-1. OCLC31008113.
Rehrig, William H.; Bierley, Paul E.; Hoe, Robert (1996). The heritage encyclopedia of band music : composers and their music. Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press. ISBN0-918048-08-7. OCLC24606813.
^""Ginger" Is Hot Favorite At Concerts". The Sun. No. 1852. New South Wales, Australia. 25 September 1938. p. 16 (NEWS SECTION). Retrieved 27 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"BLUE LAKE JUBILEE SONG". The Border Watch. Vol. 91, no. 10, 310. South Australia. 24 May 1951. p. 7. Retrieved 27 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"LYCEUM—SPENCER'S THEATRESCOPE". Table Talk. No. 128[?]. Victoria, Australia. 24 February 1910. p. 27. Retrieved 27 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^"SALVATION ARMY AND TERRITORIAL STAFF BAND". Numurkah Leader. No. 1019. Victoria, Australia. 23 March 1921. p. 2. Retrieved 27 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
^Edmondson, Ray (July 1977). "Soldiers of the Cross". Cinema Paper. 13: 15.
^"WESTMEAD BOYS' BAND". Tweed Daily. Vol. XXVI, no. 202. New South Wales, Australia. 26 August 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 27 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.