Sousa's Band

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Sousa's Band was the civilian concert band of the American composer and conductor John Philip Sousa, known as the March King of the United States. Sousa was born in 1854 in Washington, D.C. His father played trombone in the Marine Band and enrolled him as an apprentice at thirteen, to prevent him from joining a circus orchestra. There he learned violin, piano, flute and wind instruments, and turned out to have perfect pitch. In 1880 he became leader of the Marine Band and made it the country's most important military band, with more symphonic music and stricter rehearsals.

Music and breakthrough

In 1892 Sousa left the army and founded his own group. It toured from 1892 to 1931 and gave 15,623 concerts, in the United States and beyond, including at the world exposition in Paris and at the Royal Albert Hall in London. In Paris the band marched through the streets to the Arc de Triomphe. In the early 1920s the saxophonist Jascha Gurewich played with it as a soloist. His marches include The Stars and Stripes Forever, Semper Fidelis, The Liberty Bell, The Thunderer and The Washington Post. He also helped in the development of the sousaphone, a marching tuba. During the First World War he led the navy band near Chicago. He died in 1932.

Influence

The band's music consists of clear, powerfully constructed marches, with trumpets, trombones and percussion setting the beat and a melody that is immediately singable. With his tours Sousa brought wind music to a wide audience, at a time when there was as yet no radio or recorded pop.

Listening

• 
  The Washington Post · Sousa's Band, 1902
  Apple Music ↗

See also

• March music and brass bands