Metz was born in Hanover, where as a child he studied violin at the city's Conservatory. After emigrating to the United States, he worked in a pharmacy in Brooklyn and then as a gymnastics and swimming instructor in Indianapolis, where he took lessons in orchestration. In 1886, he settled in Chicago, where he worked on building projects in the daytime and as a musician at night, conducting local bands in ragtime interpretations of familiar tunes. He became the conductor of a touring company, the McIntyre and Heath Minstrels, and copyrighted "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight" in 1897.[1]
According to Metz, he wrote the tune after seeing children starting a fire in a place called "Old Town", although it has also been suggested that he may have first heard the tune played by musicians in Babe Connor's well-known brothel in St. Louis, Missouri.[2][3] It became his company's signature tune in their street parades, and words were added by one of the company's singers, Joe Hayden. The song became a popular marching tune, especially during the Spanish–American War of 1898, when enemy troops reputedly heard it so often that they believed it to be the national anthem.[1][4]
Metz wrote a number of other popular tunes, including "When the Roses Are in Bloom" and "Never Do Nothin' for Nobody", as well as an operetta, Poketa, with libretto by Monroe Rosenfeld. He set up a music publishing company in Stamford, Connecticut, later relocating to New York City. He retired there after World War I. In 1935, he received a standing ovation at Madison Square Garden when the band played "There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight". He died in New York in 1936, aged 87.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abc"Theodore Metz", Big Band Database. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
^Jeannette Cooperman, "Babe & Priscilla", St Louis, September 19, 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2017
^John Aaron Wright, Discovering African American St. Louis: A Guide to Historic Sites, Missouri History Museum, 2002, pp.11-12
^Tucker, S.C. (2009). The Encyclopedia of the Spanish–American and Philippine–American Wars: A Political, Social, and Military History [3 volumes]: A Political, Social, and Military History. ABC-CLIO. p. 768. ISBN9781851099528. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
April 18, 2024
theodore, metz, theodore, august, metz, march, 1848, january, 1936, german, born, american, bandleader, composer, best, known, writing, there, time, town, tonight, birth, nametheodore, august, metzborn, 1848, march, 1848kingdom, hanoverdiedjanuary, 1936, 1936,. Theodore August Metz March 14 1848 January 12 1936 was a German born American bandleader and composer best known for writing There ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight Theodore MetzBirth nameTheodore August MetzBorn 1848 03 14 March 14 1848Kingdom of HanoverDiedJanuary 12 1936 1936 01 12 aged 87 New York City New York U S GenresRagtimeOccupation s Bandleader composerBiography editMetz was born in Hanover where as a child he studied violin at the city s Conservatory After emigrating to the United States he worked in a pharmacy in Brooklyn and then as a gymnastics and swimming instructor in Indianapolis where he took lessons in orchestration In 1886 he settled in Chicago where he worked on building projects in the daytime and as a musician at night conducting local bands in ragtime interpretations of familiar tunes He became the conductor of a touring company the McIntyre and Heath Minstrels and copyrighted There ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight in 1897 1 According to Metz he wrote the tune after seeing children starting a fire in a place called Old Town although it has also been suggested that he may have first heard the tune played by musicians in Babe Connor s well known brothel in St Louis Missouri 2 3 It became his company s signature tune in their street parades and words were added by one of the company s singers Joe Hayden The song became a popular marching tune especially during the Spanish American War of 1898 when enemy troops reputedly heard it so often that they believed it to be the national anthem 1 4 Metz wrote a number of other popular tunes including When the Roses Are in Bloom and Never Do Nothin for Nobody as well as an operetta Poketa with libretto by Monroe Rosenfeld He set up a music publishing company in Stamford Connecticut later relocating to New York City He retired there after World War I In 1935 he received a standing ovation at Madison Square Garden when the band played There ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight He died in New York in 1936 aged 87 1 References edit a b c Theodore Metz Big Band Database Retrieved 12 April 2017 Jeannette Cooperman Babe amp Priscilla St Louis September 19 2014 Retrieved 13 April 2017 John Aaron Wright Discovering African American St Louis A Guide to Historic Sites Missouri History Museum 2002 pp 11 12 Tucker S C 2009 The Encyclopedia of the Spanish American and Philippine American Wars A Political Social and Military History 3 volumes A Political Social and Military History ABC CLIO p 768 ISBN 9781851099528 Retrieved 13 April 2017 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Theodore Metz amp oldid 1209242290, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
