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| − | {{epname|Sousa, John Philip}}
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| − | {{Infobox Military Person
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| − | |name=John Philip Sousa
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| − | |lived=November 6, 1854 – {{death date and age|1932|3|6|1854|11|6}}
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| − | |placeofbirth=[[Washington, D.C.]]
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| − | |placeofdeath=[[Reading, Pennsylvania]]
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| − | |image=[[Image:JohnPhilipSousa-Chickering.LOC.jpg|180px]]
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| − | |caption=Portrait of John Philip Sousa taken in 1900
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| − | |allegiance=[[United States Marine Corps]]
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| − | '''John Philip Sousa''' (November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an [[United States|American]] [[composer]], [[Conducting|conductor]], [[band leader]], and author of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries particularly famous for his [[American march music|American military marches]].
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| − | Sousa composed at least 136 marches, many of which included innovative instrumental effects that became emblematic of the [[music genre|genre]]. Among his best known compositions are “The Washington Post” (1889), “The Liberty Bell” (1893), “Stars and Stripes Forever” (1897), and “Semper Fidelis” (1888), later adopted as the official march of the [[U.S. Marine Corps]]. He led the [[U.S. Marine Band]] to national prominence and later formed his own band, touring widely and popularizing many of the march [[tune]]s for which he was best known.
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| − | Sousa also composed several [[operettas]] and light [[orchestra]]l works, as well as works of [[literature]]. Although he resisted recording his [[music]] until near the end of his life, his marches became among the most-recorded works in history.
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| − | Because of his prominence and expertise in composing marches, Sousa is known as [[March Kings|"The March King"]]. He held a deep-seated belief that his talent was a [[God]]-given gift and that he had a particular responsibility to use that gift in a noble fashion. His "The Stars and Stripes Forever" was designated as the national march of the [[United States]] on December 10, 1987. The low brass instrument known as the [[Sousaphone]], now standard in college and high-school [[marching band]]s, was Sousa's creation. An American icon, Sousa is arguably the most well-known American [[composer]].
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| − | ==Biography==
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| − | [[Image:Sousa4.jpg|thumb|Sousa with [[conductor]]'s baton]]
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| − | Sousa was born in [[Washington, D.C.]], to John António de Sousa and Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus. His parents were of [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]], [[Spanish people|Spanish]] and [[Bavaria|Bavarian]] ([[Germans|German]]) descent; his grandparents were Portuguese [[refugee]]s. When he started his [[music education]] playing the [[violin]] at the age of six, he was found to have [[absolute pitch]].
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| − | When Sousa reached the age of 13, his father, a [[trombone|trombonist]] in the [[United States Marine Band]], enlisted him in the [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]] as an [[apprentice]]. Serving for seven years until 1875, he apparently learned to play all the [[wind instrument]]s while honing his skills with the [[violin]]. He also studied [[music theory]] during this time. He then joined a theatrical [[orchestra]], where he learned to [[conducting|conduct]].
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| − | Sousa returned to the U.S. Marine Band as its head in 1880 and remained as its conductor until 1892. During his tenure as the director, Sousa transformed the ensemble into an organization of the highest musical standards. It was during this time that he composed many of his most popular marches, including ''The Gladiator'', ''High School Cadets'', ''El Capitan'', ''Washington Post'', and ''Semper Fidelis'', which became the official march of the [[United States Marine Corps]].
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| − | [[Image:1893sousaband.jpg|300px|left|thumb|Sousa and the Marine Corps Band, 1893]]
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| − | Sousa also introduced the Marine Band to the practice of performing the [[music]] of European classical composers via his arrangements of well-known classical works. He would also alter the configuration of the Marine Band to accommodate these compositions. As an orchestrator, he was not adverse to utilizing instruments that were not common in the standard military band, including the [[harp]] and a wide array of percussion instruments. The immense popularity of his concerts with the Marine Band led to its first tour in 1891, a tradition that has continued throughout the band's history.
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| − | Sousa organized his own band in 1892. Known as the Souss Band, it quickly became the most prominent musical ensemble in the United States, a distinction it carried for nearly four decades. The band toured widely, representing the [[United States]] at the [[Paris Exposition]] in 1900 before touring [[Europe]]. During its illustrious history the Sousa Band performed over 10,000 concerts in hundreds of cities in the United States and abroad, helping to establish an American tradition of afternoon band concerts in public parks. Sousa took great interest in bringing musical performances of the highest quality to the public, and the Sousa Band was created in large part to accomplish this. The band was comprised of some of finest instrumentalists in the land including [[cornet]] player [[Herbert L. Clarke]] and trombonist [[Arthur Pryor]]. Flutist Merideth Wilson, [[composer]] of the [[Broadway]] musical, ''The Music Man'', was also a member of the Sousa Band. The band was the first American ensemble to embark on a world tour.
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| − | In addition to composing marches, Sousa also delved into the realm of [[operetta]] and [[orchestra]]l [[music]]. His operettas show a variety of [[French]], Viennese and British influences. (In his younger days, Sousa made an orchestration of [[HMS Pinafore]] and played the first [[violin]] on the American tour of [[Jacques Offenbach]].) The music of these operettas is light and cheerful. ''The Glass Blowers'' and ''Desirée'' have had revivals, the latter having been released on CD. ''El Capitan'', which makes fun of false heroes and is the best known of these works, has been in production somewhere in the world ever since it was written. Marches and [[waltz]]es have been derived from many of these stage works. Sousa also composed the music for six operettas that were either unfinished or not produced: ''The Devils' Deputy'', ''Florine'', ''The Irish Dragoon'', ''Katherine'', ''The Victory'', and ''The Wolf''. In addition, Sousa wrote ''[[The Mikado]] March'', the elegant overture of ''Our Flirtations'', a number of musical suites, large-scale band compositions ''(Tales of the Traveler)'', and concert overtures.
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| − | Sousa conducted the Seventh Regiment Military Band at the opening of [[Yankee Stadium]] on April 18, 1923. For many years, Sousa refused to conduct on the [[radio]], fearing a lack of personal contact with the audience. He was finally persuaded to do so in 1929 and became a huge success as a recording artist.
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| − | ==Other skills and personal life==
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| − | On December 30, 1879, Sousa married Jane van Middlesworth Bellis. They had three children. Their first child was John Philip Sousa, Jr. (April 1, 1881 - May 18, 1937). The second was Jane Priscilla (August 7, 1882 - October 28, 1958), and the third was Helen (January 21, 1887 - October 14, 1975). All three are buried in the John Philip Sousa plot in the Congressional cemetery.
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| − | Sousa exhibited many talents aside from music. He wrote five [[novel]]s and a full length [[autobiography]], ''[[Marching Along]]'', as well as a great number of articles and letters-to-the-editor on a variety of subjects. His skill as a [[Equestrianism|horseman]] met championship criteria. Sousa also ranks as one of the all-time great [[trap shooting|trapshooters]], and he is enshrined in the Trapshooting Hall of Fame.
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| − | In 1905 Sousa published the book ''Pipetown Sandy'', which included a satirical [[poem]] titled "The Feast of the Monkeys." In 1920 he wrote another work called ''The Transit of Venus'', a humorous 40,000-word story about a group of [[misogynist]]s called the Alimony Club who, as a way of temporarily escaping the society of women, embark on a sea voyage to observe the transit of Venus.
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| − | A [[Freemason]], Sousa was fascinated by what the group considered mystical qualities in otherwise natural phenomena. He also composed a march, "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine," dedicated to the high degree freemasonry Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. The march is elaborately scored for traditional band instrumentation.
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| − | Sousa died on March 6, 1932, in his room at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in [[Reading, Pennsylvania]].
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| − | ==Legacy==
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| − | [[Image:Santaclaus2007 Sousaphone dsc112.jpg|thumb|[[Marching band]] member with a [[Sousaphone]]]]
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| − | John Philip Sousa is arguably the most well-known and most often performed [[composer]] in the annals of American [[music]]. Perhaps no other American musician is associated so predominantly with the patriotic spirit of America. His march, ''The Stars and Stripes Forever'', has been recognized by the United States government as "America's National March." Composed on Christmas Day in 1896, Sousa perform the march in almost all of his band's concerts and it was the last piece he conducted before he died in 1932.
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| − | Sousa possessed a strong conviction that attributes such as loyalty and honor were extremely important in life. He believed that being a musician was the noblest of professions.
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| − | Though Sousa himself decried the advent of recording technology, his [[music]] has been recorded by virtually every professional band in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]], as well as many major symphony orchestras. There have been over 135 known recordings of ''The Stars and Stripes Forever'' alone. The United States Marine Band continues to perform and record his marches frequently.
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| − | The creation of the low brass instrument known as the [[Sousaphone]] was another of Sousa's contributions to the tradition of American band music. The modern Sousaphone is now the standard bass instrument in virtually every college and high-school [[marching band]].
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| − | Sousa was also one of the leading proponents of making ''The Star Spangled Banner'' the national anthem of the United States, and his arrangement of the song remains one of the most popular.
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| − | In 1979, American band director and historian [[Keith Brion]] created "The New Sousa Band" as an homage to the "March King" with the intent to faithfully recreate the performing tradition of the original Sousa Band. Legendary choreographer [[George Ballanchine]] paid tribute to Sousa in his [[New York City Ballet]] production of ''Stars and Stripes''.
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| − | In [[Washington, D.C.]], the John Philip Sousa Bridge carries [[Pennsylvania Avenue]] across the [[Anacostia River]].
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| − | ==Music==
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| − | ===Marches===
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| − | He wrote 136 marches; some of his most popular are:
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| − | *"[[The Gladiator March]]" (1886)
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| − | *"[[Semper fidelis#The United States Marine Corps|Semper Fidelis]]" (1888) (Official March of the [[United States Marine Corps]])
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| − | *"[[The_Washington_Post_March|The Washington Post]]" (1889)
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| − | *"[[The Thunderer]]" (1889)
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| − | *"[[The Picadore]]" (1889)
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| − | *"[[High School Cadets]]" (1890)
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| − | *"[[Liberty Bell (march)|The Liberty Bell]]" (1893) (credits theme for [[Monty Python's Flying Circus]])
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| − | *"[[Manhattan Beach March]]" (1893)
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| − | *"[[The Beau Ideal March]]" (1893)
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| − | *"[[King Cotton (march)|King Cotton]]" (1895)
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| − | *"[[The Stars and Stripes Forever (march)|The Stars and Stripes Forever]]" (1896) (National March of the United States)
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| − | *"[[El Capitan (operetta)|El Capitan]]" (1896)
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| − | *"[[Hands Across the Sea]]" (dedicated to the band of the [[Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets]] - the [[Highty Tighties]]) (1899)
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| − | *"[[Invincible Eagle]]" (1901) (Dedicated to Pan - American Buffalo Exposition)
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| − | *"[[The Freelance March]]" (1906)
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| − | *"[[Fairest of the Fair]]" (1908)
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| − | *"[[Glory of the Yankee Navy]]" (1909)
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| − | *"[[U.S. Field Artillery]]" (1917)
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| − | *"[[Processional (Wedding March)]]" (1918)
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| − | *"[[The Gallant Seventh]]" (1922)
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| − | *"[[Nobles of the Mystic Shrine]]" (1923)
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| − | *"[[The Black Horse Troop]]" (1924)
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| − | *"[[Marquette University March]]" (1924)
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| − | *"[[Pride of the Wolverines]]" (1926)
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| − | *"[[Minnesota March]]" (1927)
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| − | *"[[George Washington Bicentennial March]]" (1932)
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| − | Sousa wrote school songs for only four Universities in the country (including Marquette University and the University of Minnesota).
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| − | The marching brass bass, or [[Sousaphone]], is named after him.
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| − | === Operettas ===
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| − | [[Image:Elcapitansheet.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Sheet music cover, 1896]]
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| − | *''The Queen of Hearts'' (1885), also known as ''Royalty and Roguery''
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| − | *''The Smugglers'' (1882)
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| − | *''Desiree'' (1883)
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| − | *''[[El Capitan (operetta)|El Capitan]]'' (1896)
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| − | *''The Bride Elect'' (1897), libretto by Sousa
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| − | *''The Charlatan'' (1898), also known as ''The Mystical Miss'', lyrics by Sousa
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| − | *''Chris and the Wonderful Lamp'' (1899)
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| − | *''The Free Lance'' (1905)
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| − | *''The American Maid'' (1909), also known as ''The Glass Blowers''
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| − | ==References==
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| − | * Berger, Kenneth. ''The March King and His Band The Story of John Philip Sousa''. Exposition Press, 1957. {{OCLC|59434058}}
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| − | * Bierley, Paul E. ''John Philip Sousa American Phenomenon''. Donald Hunsberger wind library, Miami, FL: Warner Bros. Publications, 2001. ISBN 0757906125
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| − | * ———.''The Incredible Band of John Philip Sousa''. Chicago/Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2006. ISBN 0252031474
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| − | * Delaphine, Edward S. ''John Philip Sousa and the National Anthem''. Frederick, MD: Great Southern Press, 1983. {{OCLC|10560054}}
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| − | *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200152755/default.html John Philip Sousa Biography], The Library of Congress, August 3, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
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| − | * [http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=20078 John Philip Sousa at the readingeagle website] Retrieved December 12, 2008.
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| − | * Lingg, Ann M. ''John Philip Sousa'', New York: Henry Holt, 1954. {{OCLC|360927}}
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| − | * Newsom, John (ed.). ''Perspectives on John Philip Sousa''. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 1983. ISBN 084440425X
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | All Links Retrieved December 12, 2008.
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| − | *[http://www.library.uiuc.edu/sousa/ The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music]
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| − | *[http://www.dws.org/sousa/works.htm The Works of John Philip Sousa in MIDI format]
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| − | *[http://www.angelfire.com/ks/landzastanza MIDI sequences of piano transcriptions of 48 Sousa compositions]
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| − | *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200152753/default.html Harris, Neil: "John Philip Sousa and the Culture of Reassurance"]
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| − | *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200152754/default.html Fennell, Frederick: "The Sousa March: A Personal View"]
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| − | *''[http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=2589 Sousa: "The Experiences of a Bandmaster"]''
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| − | **''[http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=504 ''The Fifth String'']''
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| − | * [http://www.oldfashionedamericanhumor.com/the-feast-of-the-monkeys.html ''The Feast of the Monkeys'']
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| − | *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200152756/default.html Sousa discography]
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| − | *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/search?query=format:photograph%20+memberOf:sousa&view=thumbnail&sort=titlesort Numerous Sousa photos]
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| − | {{DEFAULTSORT:Sousa, John Philip}}
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| − | [[Category:history and biography]]
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| − | [[Category:Biography]]
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| − | [[Category:Musicians]]
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| − | [[category:Music]]
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| − | [[category:literature]]
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| − | {{credit|174544622}}
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