Richard Henrion

German composer and Prussian bandmaster (Militärkapellmeister). Born: 9th March 1854, Artern, Thuringia, Germany. Died: 9th January 1940, Stettin, Pomerania, Germany [now Szczecin, Poland]. Henrion became an army musician in 1874, studying music under Gustav Rebling in Magdeburg. After serving in Brandenburg, Metz, and Prenzlau, he became the leader of the band (Musikkorps) of the Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm IV. (1. Pommersches) Nr. 2 in Stettin in 1897. He stayed with this regiment for the rest of his career, rising to Königlicher Musikdirektor in 1914. In 1920 he retired from the military. Henrion composed more than 350 works, including about 100 marches. Particularly popular were four marches for fanfare, the most famous of which is the "Fehrbelliner Reitermarsch," which today serves as the regimental march of several units of the German Bundeswehr. The other three are "Kreuzritter-Fanfare," "Hie guet Brandenburg allewege!" and "Unter dem Sparrenschild."