Josef Franz Wagner (20 March 1856 – 5 June 1908) was an Austrian military bandmaster and composer.[1] He is sometimes known by the sobriquet 'The Austrian March King'.[2]

He is best known for his 1902 march Unter dem Doppeladler or Under the Double Eagle, referring to the double eagle in the coat of arms of Austria-Hungary.[citation needed] The march became a favourite part of the repertoire of American composer and bandleader John Philip Sousa, who recorded it three times.[citation needed] The piece was the official regimental march of the Austrian Artillery Regiment Number 2 till its dissolution in 2007.[citation needed] [3]

Wagner's other most popular pieces are the Holzhackerbaum march and the Jolly Lumberjack polka. In 1895, his only opera, Der Herzbub, premiered in Vienna.[4]

The tune "Under the Double Eagle" was also used for the well known animation segment "Conrad Pooh And His Dancing Teeth" in Monty Python's Flying Circus.

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