Harr, Haskell

Haskell Harr

Biography

Born: June 27, 1894

Died: September 24, 1986, Glendora, California

Country: Baraboo, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

Studies:

Teachers: Roy Knapp, George H. Green

Mention: Inducted into the Percussive Arts Society "Hall of Fame" (1972)

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PAS Hall of Fame member Haskell Harr may be best remembered as the author of the popular elementary drum methods, but he was also an active performer and educator throughout his long career.

Harr began playing music at the age of thirteen and was soon working with local bands and combos. He formed The Haskell Novelty Trio with a saxophonist and pianist, and the group performed frequently on radio and in the theaters. A Chicago area reviewer described Harr as a wizard on the xylophone, comparing his playing to George Hamilton Green, Homer Chaffee, Frisco, Shutts, and all the leading exponents of this instrument.

In 1933 Harr played at the Chicago World's Fair, where he accompanied the famous Sally Rand during her 'fan dance.' At the end of each performance, Rand would wave to the audience from the stage curtain, where she would lean on Harr's xylophone. Harr had placed a small towel on this spot so the dancer wouldn't get chilled, and she responded with an autograph, 'Hurrah for Mr. Harr, and my "back-up" xylophone.

Works for Percussion

Snare Drum Works

Aquamarine
Bob Buggert (Snare)
Challenger
First and Second Thirteen Rudiments
Medley of 6/8 Rhythm
Nine Complete Drum Solos
Peter Gruber
Simplified Drum Solos
Tapologym
The Commodore
The Four-Hundred (Snare Drum)
The Glenwood Boy (Snare Drum)
The Green Diamond (Snare Drum)
Tourmaline
Turquoise
Van Grad

Bass Drum Works

Bob Buggert (Bass)
Jumbo's Holiday
Mr. Boom-Boom

Timpani Works

Bunker Hill
Cuckoo Quickstep
Method for Tympani
Newport (Solo)
The Downfall of Paris (Harr)
The Four Hundred (Timpani)
The Glenwood Boy (Timpani)
The Green Diamond (Timpani

Mallets Works

Harr Intermediate Xylophone-Marimba Solos - Xylophone / Marimba

Percussion Ensemble Works

Black Cat Quintette - Percussion Quintet
Chesapeake - Percussion Duo
Colonel Irons - Percussion Quintet
Double Drummin' - Percussion Duo
Duo for Drums - Percussion Duo; Piano
Flying Sticks - Percussion Quartet Piano
Jerry and Terry - Percussion Duo; Piano
Lexington - Percussion Duo
Lieutenant Donna - Percussion Quintet
Newport (Ensemble) - Percussion Quintet
Rataplan - Percussion Trio
Saratoga - Percussion Duo
Susquehanna - Percussion Duo
The Downfall of Paris (Ensemble) - Percussion Sextet; Piano
The Elmhurst Quintet - Percussion Quintet
The Harvey Quintet - Percussion Quintet
Ticonderoga - Percussion Trio
Trio for Percussion (Harr) - Percussion Trio
Vally Forge - Percussion Quartet