JOHN PHILIP SOUSA American Composer (1854-1932) John Philip Sousa free midi download

JOHN PHILIP SOUSA
6^th November 1854 --- 6^th March 1932

John Philip Sousa byname THE MARCH KING (born 1854, Washington and died 1932, Reading, Pa.). American bandmaster and
composer of military marches. The son of an immigrant Portuguese father and a German mother, Sousa grew up in Washington
D.C, where from the age of six he learned to play the violin and later various band instruments and he studied harmony and
musical theory first with John Esputa and then with George Felix Benkert. In 1867 he began to follow the career of his father
as a trombonist, but later he took engagements as an orchestral violinist and served as a conductor. He also began composing.

In 1868 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as an apprentice in the Marine Band. He began building his formidable reputation
as a bandmaster of great precision through his leadership (1880-92) of this group, which he raised to the highest standard of
performance. It was in 1892 he formed his own band, a carefully selected group capable of equal virtuosity in both military and
symphonic music, with it he toured the United States and Europe (1900- 05) and finally made a world tour (1910-11).

Sousa composed 136 military marches, they remarkable for their rhythmic and instrumental effects. They include the famous
"Semper Fidelis" (1888), which became the official march of the U.S. Marine Corps, "The Washington Post" (1889), "The Liberty
Bell" (1893), and "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (1897).

Between 1879 and 1915 he wrote 11 operettas, of which El Capitan (1896), The Bride Elect (1897), and The Free Lance (1906)
were particularly successful. He wrote at least 70 songs, 11 waltzes, 12 other dance pieces, 11 suites, 14 humoresques, and 27
Fantasies. In the 1890s he also had redeveloped a type of bass tuba called the helicon (q.v.) made to his specifications and then
eventually called the sousaphone.

During World War I he enlisted in the U.S Navy and took charge of the band-training centre, Great Lakes Naval Base, in Illinois.
For the U.S. Department of the Navy he compiled National, Patriotic and Typical Airs of All Lands (1890). He wrote three novels,
an instruction book for trumpet and drum, and an autobiography, Marching Along (1928).
Copyright 1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated on 2017
By Steven Ritchie

And now for the Music

Thanks to Scott Anderson, for the music below. Email (hi_desert01@hotmail.com)
(2709)"King Cotton". Sequenced by Scott Anderson

(2710)"The Thunderer". Sequenced by Scott Anderson

(2645)"The Liberty Bell". Sequenced by Scott Anderson

(2646)"The Washington Post". Squenced by Scott Anderson

(2647)"Monty Python theme". Sequenced by Scott Anderson

(2285)"Stars and Stripes Forever". Sequenced by Scott Anderson

(2374)"Semper Fidelis". Sequenced by Scott Anderson

(51a)"The Conquette". Sequenced by R Reid

(1760)"The Liberty Bell March". Sequenced by R.Reid

(972)"The Occidental March". Sequenced by R.Reid

(973)"The Rifle Steveniment". Sequenced by A.Simms

(1761)"El Capitan March,(Info by Scott Anderson)". Sequencer Unknown

(1759)"The Chantyman's March,(Info by Scott Anderson)". Sequencer Unknown

(1758)"The Boy Scout March". Sequencer Unknown

(1757)"Ben Bolt March,(Info by Scott Anderson)". Sequencer Unknown

(1755)"The Congress March". Sequencer Unknown

(1762)"Flag of Freedom March". Sequencer Unknown

(52a)"The Royal Welsh Fusilers (1930),(Info by Paul Kupelian)". Sequencer Unknown

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