SOUSA: Music for Wind Band, Vol. 5

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John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)Works for Wind Band, Volume 5John Philip Sousa personified turn-of-the-century America,the comparative innocence and brash energy of a still new nation. His evertouring band represented America across the globe and brought music to hundredsof American towns. John Philip Sousa, born on 6th November, 1854, reached thisexalted position with startling quickness. In 1880, at the age of 26, he becameconductor of the U.S. Marine Band. In twelve years the vastly improved ensemblewon high renown and Sousa's compositions earned him the title of \The MarchKing. Sousa went one better with the formation of his own band in 1892,bringing world acclaim.In its first seven years the band gave 3500 concerts; in anera of train and ship travel it logged over a million miles in nearly four decades.There were European tours in 1900, 1901, 1903 and 1905, and a world tour in 1910-11, the zenith of the band era. The unprecedented popularity of the Sousa Band came at atime when few American orchestras existed. From the Civil War to about 1920, bandconcerts were the most important aspect of American musical life. No finer bandthan Sousa's was ever heard. Sousa modified the brass band by decreasing thebrass and percussion instruments, increasing its woodwinds, and adding a harp.Sousa's conducting genius attracted the finest musicians, enabling him to buildan ensemble capable of executing programmes almost as varied as those of asymphony orchestra. The Sousa Band became the standard by which American bandswere measured, causing a dramatic upgrading in quality nationally.Sousa's compositions also spread his fame. Such marches asThe Stars and Stripes Forever, El Capitan, Washington Post, and Semper Fidelisare universally acknowledged as the best of the genre. Sousa said a march"should make a man with a wooden leg step out," and his surely did. Although hestandardised the march form as it is known today, he was no mere maker ofmarches, but an exceptionally inventive composer of over two hundred works,including symphonic poems, suites, operas and operettas. His principles ofinstrumentation and tonal colour influenced many classical composers. Hisrobust, patriotic operettas of the 1890s helped introduce a truly nativemusical attitude in American theatre. The library of Sousa's Band containedover 10,000 titles. Among them are the numerous band compositions of Sousaincluding the marches and numerous other compositions. The present series seeksto record them for the world to hear. This fifth volume of Sousa's music forwind band is being released in honour of the sesquicentennial of Sousa's birth(1854-2004).[1] The Minnesota March (1927)Minnesota was composed at the request of the University ofMinnesota football coach and the alumni. The march is still performed today,and is a popular addition to university sporting events.[2] The Thunderer (1889)The Thunderer was a nickname for a person whose actualidentity may never be known. This gentleman was most like