And There I Stood with My Piccolo

by Meredith Willson

And There I Stood with My Piccolo , originally published in 1948, is a zesty and colorful memoir of composer Meredith Willson’s early years—from growing up in Mason City, Iowa, to playing the flute with John Philip Sousa’s band and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, to a successful career in composing for radio and motion pictures in Hollywood. It was apparent to everyone, except maybe Willson himself, that he was on his way to something big.

Lighthearted and inspiring, it is no surprise Willson’s tales caught the attention of prominent Broadway producers. In 1957, just nine years after the publication of this book, The Music Man became a Broadway sensation, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Meredith Willson’s musical comedy is to this day arguably the most produced and beloved musical in American culture.

Genres: Music, Memoir, Biography, Nonfiction, Theatre

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1948

Reviews

[Martha Bode · Rating 5 out of 5]

very entertaining autobiography from the creator of the MUSIC MAN -- focuses on his early music and career. I have a signed copy handed down from my grandmother!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Meredith Willson's first autobiography, And There I Stood With My Piccolo, which was first published in 1948. The book isn't an organized biography by any means, but each chapter contains a sketch or two about his life and experiences. Some of these experiences are from his youth and childhood in Mason City, Iowa, but, many are from his experiences as an adult musician. Readers learn about his time in New York City, San Francisco, Hollywood, Pasadena, etc. The book is about his experiences as a musician, a composer, a professional in the radio industry. These are stories about places he's lived, places he's traveled, people he has met, people he has worked with closely, etc. There are even plenty of sketches about quite common things. The book isn't even chronological, he might spend one chapter talking about working on a radio show and the next chapter talk about playing marbles as a boy or going to see fireworks. But. If you don't mind rambling, if you enjoy conversational books, this one might be just right for you. I am glad I kept reading even if I didn't exactly "love" each and every chapter. I think the book is enjoyable for the point of view it provides on the entertainment industry of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s.

My favorite quote comes close to the end:

If I ever write another symphony, I'd like to take a crack at something that would include all the promise of the train whistle and engine shoofing. The promises and dreams are in many ways more wonderful than the fulfillments. (254-255)

My next-favorite quote is found at the beginning:

An old Moravian flute player once told me a story that went like this: A very important king hired a whole orchestra to play for him one night during his supper, just because he felt lonesome. This orchestra played great and the king was so delighted that before going to bed he said, 'Boys, your playing gave me the whips and jingles, and just for that you can all go to my countinghouse and fill your instruments with gold pieces.' I can still hear that happy clatter as sack after sack of golden tiddlies streamed into the tuba and slithered down the neck of the bassoon and spilled out over the bells of the French horns. And there I stood with my piccolo. (7)

[Tara Harness · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have said it once, and I will say it again; Meredith Willson is a national treasure. I read this book because my sister recommended it to me, and I love musical theatre, but had never had the chance to really learn about the Music Man, a classic show, so I was excited about the chance. And There I Stood With My Piccolo is a story about the life of not only Meredith Willson, but the lives of every Iowa morning and the people that witnessed them. This book is a composition, made by a true composer, who writes from his heart and his mind with seemingly little consequence. There is no timeline to the autobiography, it will go along for a while, then, as thoughts do, jump to a random memory that could or could not be related. In these memories lies tales of bands, orchestras, bent piccolos, Mama, crisp uniforms, and changes, along with chances. I loved this book because of its rawness in how it was told; every sentence is like a thought straight from Meredith’s brain, and it is just so easy to become connected to everything. And “you’re darn tootin’ he’s kept that piccolo shined up.”

[Rachel Gorham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colorful and witty, and interesting for its history-as-current-events perspective, reading it as I am nearly 75 years after it was written. But this series of reminiscences doesn't grab me, here in the 21st century, *quite* as hard as *But He Doesn't Know The Territory*. Many of the chapters consist of a lot of "wow, who'd have thought I'd have got to meet THAT guy!" name-dropping that was probably super interesting to readers who knew about the radio celebrities mentioned. There were sections that were more interesting than others -- yes please, Toscanini stories -- and the general nostalgia about growing up in rural Iowa was sweet. I was familiar with a few of the radio personalities (hello, George and Gracie when they were young!) and I enjoyed the general behind-the-scenes at the radio shows. And of course it's fascinating to follow a person from a small-city boyhood to nationwide fame. All in all, this was a really pleasant but not life-changing way to while away a quiet afternoon.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having heard Meredith Willson speak while I was in college, I find that he wrote this book much like he spoke, in a rambling way. I enjoyed the connections with his youth in Iowa, my home state. I also found the music historical accounts enlightening.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering this memoir’s title and the fact that the author was a member of both the New York Philharmonic and John Philip Sousa’s band, I was hoping the book would focus mainly on Meredith Willson’s experiences playing the flute and piccolo. Well, there are some interesting tidbits about his days as a musician—for instance, that his first flute came via Wells Fargo (as did some maple sugar, perhaps on his birthday, perhaps not); that his first flute teacher was a trumpet player in Mason City, Iowa, and his second one was the renowned Georges Barrère (the first flutist to perform the solo in Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun); and that he played for Vladimir Horowitz’s debut in Carnegie Hall and once performed “The Stars and Stripes Forever” with fifteen other piccolo players (!) under Sousa. On balance, though, the book spends a lot more time on Willson’s random childhood memories and his days working on radio programs on the West Coast than on his time as a flutist.

Note: I called this a memoir at the beginning, but it is really more of a potpourri of stream-of-consciousness vignettes that often start out on one topic, like grape juice, and then jump to semi-related topics, like the basement where his family kept their grape baskets, ending up on something completely unrelated such as Frank Sinatra’s appeal to bobby-soxers. There is a LOT of dropping of names of the people he worked with. Some of them are still famous, like Charlie Chaplin, Arturo Toscanini, Bob Hope, and George Burns and Gracie Allen. Others could definitely benefit from footnotes to identify them. Overall, the book is a quick and enjoyable read, probably of most interest to fans of The Music Man and people interested in the history of radio programs in the US.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at a book sale, and immediately marched around the room humming "Seventy-SIX trombones in the big par-ADE!" so I had to buy it. I knew very little about Merredith Wilson until I read this, and even less about the music scene at that time. How easily he moved from small town boy to big city powerhouse musician. The stories go back and forth from childhood to silly dinner table jokes and rights of passage in the music world.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Music Man was my first introduction to musicals and band and the PICCOLO ❤️

That show is the reason I chose to play flute which also led to my choice to be a band director.

I can’t believe it took me this long to see how much I had in common with the composer of the show 🥰

This was a delightful book and a trip back in time…reading this book was like listening to a grandparent tell you stories. I loved it!!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating partial autobiography of a very interested and talented man. Shows many of the small town things that wound up in The Music Man.
Also very funny. He has a clever way of turning words.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This first book by Meredith Willson is charming and fun. One might overdose a little on hokey folksiness, but it's a harmless vice, and I'm looking forward to the next of his books, which I think deals at least somewhat with the creation of his masterpiece, THE MUSIC MAN. This book really made me wish I could have met and hung out with Mr. Willson.

[Sharon McNeil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining if you're a Music Man fan!!!!

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I want in a memoir/fun/ easy read. He seems like such a great guy and I just love hearing all his stories and the tidbits from this book that informed Music Man. Just perfection imo.

[Abby Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most entertaining autobiography I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since teenage years, Meredith Willson has been a hero of mine. This little book had been on the reading shelf in my family home as a child. I had been told the story behind the title, I had met the man, he had touched all of us with "The Music Man", and at long last, I was able to own this fun little book and actually read it through and through. His choice of words, his lively clever mind, and the plot were finally brought together from memories I treasure. He influenced so many young people with his love of music even before the musical and his life was certainly magical.

I am so thankful this story is now safe in my library so that I might read snippets and have a wonderful laugh at his view of life in the late forties.

[Allan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this little book back in 1965 and loved it. I've wanted to reread it all these years and this Christmas it came to me as an unexpected gift. Meredith Willson of "The Music Man" fame wrote this back in 1948 as an offhand autobiography. While not a great writer, he delivers humor and gee-whiz enjoyment of his past that wins you over in the first few pages. His asides, digressions and time shifts somehow add to the whimsy of his writing rather than detract from it. I just loved this book and thank the University of Minnesota Press and my daughter-in-law's sister for reprinting this little gem and gifting me with it.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a native of Mason City, I loved reading about the way things were in my hometown before my time. But I especially enjoyed learning more about Meredith Willson's personal history in his own, carefree words. While not composed like a traditional biography, it is the work of a creative individual who skillfully strings stories together to give readers an entertaining view into his life before The Music Man.

[Chelsey Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. I was reading it as research for the Music Man, so i would have liked to see more about his hometown, Mason City. Otherwise, this was an amazing autobiography, both infomative and very, very humorous. As to his other books, "But He Doesn't Know the Territory" is next...

[Viktor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming even when you have no idea who these people are. He's a talented fellow who convinces you that he kept somehow failing upwards.

Nicely done, Mare.

My copy was from the Los Angeleles Public Library. First edition. Smelled fantastic!

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sort of autobiography that is full of amusing ramblings. Not the most organized, but very enjoyable.