# Bohumir Kryl

Bohumir Kryl (May 3, 1875 – August 7, 1961) was a Czech-American financial executive and art collector who is most famous as a cornetist, bandleader, and pioneer recording artist, for both his solo work and as a leader of popular and Bohemian bands. He was one of the major creative figures in the era of American music known as the "Golden Age of the Bands".

## Biography

Bohumir Kryl (originally Bohumil Krill, also Bohumír Kryl) was born on May 3, 1875, at Hořice 230, Bohemia, Austria-Hungary. He was baptized Catholic 7 days later. His first instrument was the violin, which he studied at age 10. While attending school in Hořice he was classmates with Jan Kubelík, with whom he maintained correspondence. He spent time performing both the violin and the cornet for a circus band in Prague. He also performed as an aerialist acrobat with the Rentz Circus in Germany, but an accident in 1886 ended this line of work. His father was a sculptor, and Bohumir also studied this art. He emigrated to the United States in 1889, paying the fare in part by performing with the ship's orchestra. After he moved to Chicago, English sculptor H.R. Saunders furthered his profession there. Bohumir followed Saunders to Indianapolis and was soon employed, along with his brother, as a sculptor by General Lew Wallace and also working on the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. Simultaneously he joined the When Clothing Company Band, playing the cornet and soloing on this instrument. Before long he was hired by John Philip Sousa, but was fired in 1898 by Sousa because he copied some of the band's music for his own personal use. He then joined Thomas Preston Brooke's Chicago Marine Band, where he spent the next two years. During this time he studied with Weldon of Chicago's Second Regiment Band. In 1901 he spent some time with Phinney's United States Band, but he joined the Duss Band permanently that year. This group was based at Madison Square Garden, at $800 per-month and became its assistant conductor in 1903. This band, led by Frederick Innes, was not as well known, but he was hired as soloist, and the heavy touring schedule and two solos per concert gained him wide exposure. His solos would result in requests for multiple encores. Studying bandleaders Creatore and Vessela, he adopted a wild "lionesque" hairstyle that became his trademark. He became acquainted with Joseph Jiran, who owned a Czechoslovak music store in Chicago. With Jiran's encouragement, he formed his own band in 1906 styled as Kryl's Bohemian Band by 1910 with the Cimera brothers. This group worked for Columbia, Victor, and Zonophone, recording works by such composers as Smetana, Dvorak, and Safranek. He earned the distinction of the first Czech musician to record on phonograph cylinders. Kryl's older brother František Xaverský (Frank) Kryl became a band-leader in Chicago. An even older brother Jan Křtitel (John) was president of the Pilsen Foundry & Iron Works there.
World War I interrupted his professional career, as he was serving in the U.S. Military. Here he attained the rank of Lieutenant and was given the title "Bandmaster of all the Military Camp Bands in the country". Immediately after the war he was touring with his bands, including many appearances on the Chautauqua circuit. This activity continued until he dismantled the band in 1931. From 1926 to 1929 he would spend winters at his mansion in Tarpon Springs, Florida. He built a bandshell on his property and would give numerous concerts each year. Through his compositions and band touring, he became a millionaire by the mid-1920s. He was a victim of an extortion attempt in 1929, but the perpetrator was caught and sentenced to prison. The Great Depression did not affect his personal affluence as much as others, as he was a bank president and a known financier in 1932. He later formed a "Women's Symphony Orchestra" that featured daughter Josephine on violin and daughter Marie on piano. He also formed and conducted the "Kryl Symphony Orchestra", which featured soloists such as Florian ZaBach and vocalist Mary McCormic. His public musical career ended in the late 1940s, when he had difficulties with the American Federation of Musicians, because although his musicians were well taken care of, he did not pay scale. His last groups played popular dance music as well as "heavier classics". Before his musical retirement, he had traveled more than one million miles and soloed more than 12,000 times. His touring included many small towns such as Albany, Oregon and Bend, Oregon, where his orchestra was the first appearance by any symphony orchestra. Aside from the United States, he toured Canada, Cuba, and Mexico with his bands and orchestras and America and Europe with his daughters. He later formed booking agency and a music bureau. An Honorary Doctor of Letters was given to him in 1957.
Before his death he was President of the Berwyn (Illinois) National Bank, and was also involved in several savings and loans around the Chicago area. He died at his summer home in Wilmington, New York, on August 7, 1961, leaving an estate valued at over 1 million dollars. He was interred at Masaryk Memorial Mausoleum in Bohemian National Cemetery in Chicago. His widow was Mary Jerabek Kryl, originally of Vienna.

## Musical style

Kryl was one of the few musicians who enjoyed successful dual careers as a mainstream musical artist and as an ethnic recording artist. He transitioned from a star soloist with the Sousa outfit to a leader of ethnic Czech music, and made the transition back to the broader national audience. Because of his solo ability, he was branded "the Caruso of the cornet". He was a master of producing pedal tones and the technique of multiphonic effects. He would hold a high note for a duration of one minute. As a conductor, he was well regarded, and known for his disuse of a score and baton.

## Legacy

While never a jazz player, his technique was an influence on Louis Armstrong and Harry James.
Kryl became known as the "robber baron of the music field" because of his business talent and frugality. Upon not receiving his full fee, he was known to cancel concerts with audience members seated.
Kryl's two daughters became established musicians, performing with Bohumir's "Bohemian Band" as early as 1912. Kryl was insistent that his daughters become professional musicians. He offered each $100,000 if they were to remain single until the age of 30, so that their careers would not be stalled by the distractions of romance. Josephine Kryl (1897–1960), a pupil of Eugène Ysaÿe, spurned this offer in order to marry Dr. Paul White, director of the Rochester Civic Orchestra, in 1924, even though Bohumir managed to delay the wedding twice. Marie initially took the same course of action when she became engaged to Greek Count Spiro Hadji-Kyriacos. However, Marie broke her engagement and was able to collect the full amount from her father. Marie did wed at age 35 to composer and NBC conductor Michel Gusikoff. Both daughters continued their musical careers after marriage.
A popular Conn cornet model formally named the "Conn-queror" was nicknamed the "Kryl Model."
His band furthered the career of many Czech musicians, including Vlasta Sedlovská, Jaroslav Cimera on trombone, Leo Zelenka-Lerando on harp, František Kuchynka on double-bass, J. Frnkla on French horn, Jaroslav Kocián on violin, and multi-instrumentalist Alois Bohumil Hrabák.
At one point, Kryl was considered to have one of the best private art collections in the United States. Kryl donated 16 paintings to St. Joseph's College.

## Compositions

* King Carnival, published 1909 by Carl Fischer Music
* Hoch Habsburg Marsch
* Josephine Waltz, published 1909 by Carl Fischer

## Partial discography
### As soloist

| Label | Catalog # | Title | Format | Year | Notes |
| Columbia | 1091 | Alice, Where Art Thou? | 7-inch 78rpm | – | duet with Leroy Haines on trombone. take 1 issued |
| Columbia | 1091 | Alice Where Art Thou | 10-inch 78rpm | – | duet with Leroy Haines on trombone. takes 1 and 5 issued Also appeared on Oxford 1091. |
| Columbia | 32031 | Alice Where Art Thou | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | duet with Leroy Haines on trombone |
| Zonophone | 5226 | Alice Where Art Thou | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | duet with Leroy Haines on trombone |
| Edison | 50613 | Aloha Oe | 10-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | ~1919 | Great 78 Project entry |
| Edison | 80523 | Ambassador polka | 10-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | ~1917 | |
| Edison | 3833 | The Ambassador polka | 4-minute celluloid cylinder | 1919 | |
| Edison | 8254 | Answer | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1902 | |
| Zonophone | 5218 | Answer | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Columbia | 31324 | Arbucklenian Polka | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1901 | |
| Edison | 8327 | Arbucklenian Polka | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1902 | |
| Edison | 822 | At the Mill | 4-minute wax cylinder | 1911 | Re-issued on Blue Amberol 1995 |
| Zonophone | 5219 | Be My Own | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Edison | 3547 | Ben Bolt | 4-minute celluloid cylinder | 1918 | |
| Columbia | 32021 | Birds of the Forest | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Columbia | 32124 | Birds of the Forest | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone. |
| Columbia | 1189 | Birds of the Forest | 10-inch 78rpm | ~February 1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone. also appears on Columbia A221 |
| Edison | 8253 | Carnival of Venice | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1902 | |
| Victor | 2598 | Carnival of Venice | 10-inch 78rpm | 1903 | euphonium solo |
| Columbia | 32123 | Carnival of Venice | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: Benedict |
| Columbia | 1188 | Carnival of Venice | 10-inch 78rpm | ~February 1903 | also appears on Columbia A213 |
| Zonophone | 5220 | Carnival of Venice | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Victor | 35298 | Carnival of Venice | 12-inch 78rpm | May 17, 1911 | with Kryl's Bohemian Band. take 3 issued |
| Edison | 80718 | Carnival of Venice: Variations | 10-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | – | |
| Pathé | 29216 | Carnival of Venice | 11.5-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | ~1918 | |
| Edison | 8609 | Cary waltz | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Zonophone | 5769 | Cary waltz | 7 and/or 9 inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Edison | 80412 | Cleopatra Polka | 10-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | ~1917 | |
| Edison | 8307 | Columbia | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Zonophone | 5616A | Columbia, Fantasia Polka | 10-inch 78rpm | – | Also released on Oxford 5616A |
| Columbia | 1081 | Columbia Polka | 10-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | also appears on Columbia A226 and Marconi 167 |
| Zonophone | 5221 | Columbian Fantasie | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Victor | 63578B | Děvčátko darovalo mi prstýnek | 10" 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | ethnic series. with Kryl's Bohemian Band. take 2 issued |
| Zonophone | 5221 | Down Deep Within the Cellar | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Columbia | 32130 | Du, Du with Variations | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: Levy |
| Columbia | 1204 | Du Du with Variations | 7-inch 78rpm | - | |
| Victor | 2595 | Du, Du | 10-inch 78rpm | 1903 | euphonium solo |
| Zonophone | 613 | Du, Du, with variations | 10-inch 78rpm | ~1906 | |
| U.S. Everlasting | 1305 | Du, Du | 2-minute celluloid cylinder | 1909 | |
| Columbia | 32029 | Facilita | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: Hartmann |
| Columbia | 1089 | Facilita | 7-inch 78rpm | – | take 3 issued |
| Columbia | 31326 | Fantaisie, from "Fra Diavolo" | 2-minute cylinder | 1901 | Composer: Auber |
| Zonophone | 638 | Gobble Duet from "The Mascot" | 10-inch 78rpm | – | duet with Jaroslav Cimero, trombone. Also released on Oxford 5346B |
| Victor | 35195 | Grand trio (Attila. Te sol quest'anima) (Verdi) | 12" 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | take 1 issued. Also on Victor 68316 |
| Zonophone | 5227 | Il Trovatore: Miserere | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Columbia | 1094 | Il Trovatore: Miserere | 10-inch 78rpm | ~Nov. 1902 | duet with Leroy Haines, also appears on Columbia A187, Oxford 1094 and Silvertone 1094 |
| Columbia | 32034 | Il Trovatore: Miserere | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | |
| Edison | 8308 | Inflamatus from Stabat Mater | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Columbia | 1090 | Im Reize Von 16 Jahren | 7-inch 78rpm | ~Nov. 1902 | |
| Zonophone | 5223 | Inflamatus from Stabat Mater | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Pathé | 29216B | Irish Fantasies medley | 11.5-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | ~1918 | |
| Pathé | 20381 | Killarney | 10-inch 78rpm | – | |
| Victor | 2596 | King Carnival | 10-inch 78rpm | 1903 | on euphonium |
| Edison | 8663 | King Carnival polka | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Edison | 8745 | Kryl's favorite | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1904 | |
| Columbia | 1199 | Last Rose of Summer | 7-inch 78rpm | - | |
| Columbia | 1199 | Last Rose of Summer | 10-inch 78rpm | – | also issued (take 5) on Columbia A187, Oxford 1199, and Aretino D621 |
| Edison | 9860 | Lvi silon | 4-minute celluloid cylinder | 1913 | Bohemian series |
| Zonophone | 5616B | Miserere | 10-inch 78rpm | – | |
| Columbia | 31327 | My Lodging Is on the Cold Ground | 2-minute cylinder | 1901 | Title originally released by W. S. Mygrants |
| Columbia | 31325 | My Pretty Jane | 2-minute cylinder | 1901 | Composers: Fitzball - Bishop. Title originally released by W. S. Mygrants |
| Edison | 9861 | Na prej | 4-minute celluloid cylinder | 1913 | Bohemian series |
| Edison | 8482 | National fantasia | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Edison | 9005 | O Promise Me | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1905 | |
| Zonophone | 89 | Oh, How Delightful | 10-inch 78rpm | ~1905 | Also released on Oxford 89 |
| Columbia | 31313 | One I Love, Two I Love | 2-minute cylinder | 1901 | |
| Edison | 9812 | Orly Polskie | 4-minute wax cylinder | – | Bohemian series, Re-issued on Blue Amberol 9862 |
| Zonophone | 5228 | The Palms | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Edison | 9807 | Pode mlejnem | 4-minute wax cylinder | – | Bohemian series, Re-issued on Blue Amberol 9857 |
| Edison | 9813 | Povidky s. Vidensky lesu | 4-minute wax cylinder | – | Bohemian series, Re-issued on Blue Amberol 9863 |
| Edison | 790 | Praise Ye | 4-minute wax cylinder | – | Re-issued on Blue Amberol 2054 |
| Berliner | 03451 | Robin Adair | 7-inch 78rpm | March 1899 | |
| Victor | 35239 | Rigoletto quartet | 12-inch 78rpm | May 18, 1911 | "Brass Quartet." take 1 issued. Also on Victor 68346 |
| Edison | 8208 | Russian fantasia | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1902 | |
| Columbia | 32023 | Russian Fantasia | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: Portnoff |
| Zonophone | 5225 | Russian Fantasie | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | |
| Victor | 2597 | Serenade Pierne | 10-inch 78rpm | 1903 | euphonium solo |
| Columbia | 32120 | Short and Sweet Polka | 2-minute cylinder | – | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Columbia | 1185 | Short and Sweet Polka | 10-inch 78rpm | – | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Zonophone | 90 | Short and Sweet Polka | 10-inch 78rpm | ~1905 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone. Also released on Zonophone 5346A |
| Edison | 8418 | Sing, Smile, Slumber | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | |
| Zonophone | 111 | Sing, Smile, Slumber | 10-inch 78rpm | ~1905 | Also released on Oxford 111 |
| Victor | 68338 | Sweet Is the Dream | 12-inch 78rpm | May 17, 1911 | with Jaroslav Cimera, trombone. Ethnic series. take 2 issued |
| Columbia | 32030 | Sweet Sixteen Waltz | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: Aronson |
| Edison | 8811 | Sweet Sixteen waltz | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1904 | |
| Zonophone | P-5842 | Sweet Sixteen | 7-inch 78rpm | - | |
| Columbia | 32032 | Theresa Polka | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: Waldron |
| Columbia | 32035 | Tyroleans, The | 2-minute cylinder | 1903 | Composer: J. F. Frøhlich |
| Zonophone | 5229 | Tyroleans | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Columbia | 32033 | Utility polka | 2-minute wax cylinder | 1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Zonophone | 5230 | Utility polka | 7 and/or 9-inch 78rpm | ~1903 | duet with Leroy Haines, trombone |
| Edison | 80578 | Where the River Shannon Flows | 10-inch vertical-cut 78rpm | – | |
| Pathé | 20381 | Where the River Shannon Flows | 10-inch 78rpm | – | |
| Edison | 9808 | Zeleny hajove | 4-minute wax cylinder | – | Bohemian series, Re-issued on Blue Amberol 9858 |

### As leader

| Label | Catalog # | Title | Format | Year | Notes |
| Victor | 68338 | Bartered bride: Selection (Bedřich Smetana) | 12-inch 78rpm | May 18, 1911 | |
| Victor | 68335 | Bartered bride: Sextette | 12-inch 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 2–070003. |
| Victor | 16891 | Dance of the Wood Nymphs | 10-inch 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | take 1 issued. Also on Victor 63472. |
| Victor | 35195 | Grand trio (Attila. Te sol quest'anima) (Verdi) | 12-inch 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | "Brass trio with band" take 1 issued. Also on Victor 68316. |
| Victor | 63578A | Kukačka valčik (Cuckoo waltz) (Antonín Dvořák) | 10-inch 78rpm | May 19, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. |
| Victor | 63645 | Láska a život ve Vídni | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 7–70013. |
| Victor | 68335 | Libuše overture | 12-inch 78rpm | May 19, 1911 | ethnic series. take 1 issued. Also on Gramophone 2–070004. |
| Victor | 63303B | Lvi silou pochod | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 1 issued. Also on Gramophone 7–70001. |
| Victor | 35298 | Marche fantastique | 12-inch 78rpm | May 19, 1911 | take 1 issued. Also on Gramophone 0427. |
| Victor | 35258 | Marche Indienne | 12-inch 78rpm | May 18, 1911 | take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 0387. |
| Victor | 63782B | Na prej | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 7–70008. |
| Victor | 63302A | Národin kalop | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 1 issued. Also on Gramophone 7–70011. |
| Victor | 68296 | Pepe polka | 12-inch 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 2–070001. |
| Victor | 63303A | Pode m'lejnem pochod | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 7–70010. |
| Victor | 63302B | Prodaná nevěsta: March | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 7-7009*. |
| Victor | 31832 | Sakuntala overture (Carl Goldmark) | 12-inch 78rpm | May 16, 1911 | take 2 issued. |
| Victor | 68296 | Směs českých písní | 12-inch 78rpm | May 17, 1911 | ethnic series. take 1 issued. |
| Victor | 63645 | Sokol's triumphal march | 10-inch 78rpm | May 15, 1911 | ethnic series. take 2 issued. Also on Gramophone 7–70006. |
| Victor | 63782A | Zelený hájové march | 10-inch 78rpm | May 17, 1911 | ethnic series. take 1 issued. |