Entry Of The Gladiators - Julius Fucik

As a part of a homework from the asignature Advanced Grammatic (musical terms), in order to increase our cultural knowledge of what we're studying and dedicating our lifes (as musicians), the teacher encouraged us to find at least three different movements or whatever from "classical", "erudite" music (as you wanna refer to) in all the tonalities.
I was doing that research when I found out that the well-known tune we all associate with clowns at the circus is not just that "funny theme". NO! :) It is a military march composed by Julius Fucik, who was a Czech composer (July 18th,1872 - September 15th, 1912).
Fucik was also known because he spent his life directing military bands (brass bands). At first, he was musician at one of them (he joined the 49th Austro-Hungarian Regiment as military musician), after he left in 1895 to join as Second bassoonist at the German Theatre in Prague. He was also conductor of the Prague City Orchestra (1896). By 1897, he rejoined the army, but this time he was the Band Master. And, this year, he wrote his "Einzug der Gladiatoren" or "The Entrance of the Gladiators" (first called Grand Marche Chromatique, because of the use of chromatic scales in the piece, you can notice them between 0:03-0:05, 0:07-0:09 and they follow through the piece), but later became with the "Roman" name because of Fucik's interest in the Empire.
It is very "strange" to understand why some things came from where they really came! But it is entertaining, and obviously, interesting!
So, it's left to say ... it started to be named under "Thunders and Blazes" because a Canadian composer called Louis-Phillipe Laurendeau arranged the march for a smaller band, and selled it throughout the USA, and was popularized exactly by circuses!
Finally, it's hard to imagine the Gladiators coming out with that music! :) But, anyway, it's a fantastic composition! So, enjoy it!