John Philip Sousa
From Marchdb.net
November 6, 1854 - March 6, 1932
USA
John Philip Sousa (November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known particularly for American military marches. Because of his prominence, he is known as “The March King”.
John was born in Washington, D.C., to John António de Sousa and Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus. His parents were of Portuguese, Spanish and Bavarian (German) descent; his grandparents were Portuguese refugees. Sousa started his music education, playing the violin, as a pupil of John Esputa and G. F. Benkert for harmony and musical composition at the age of six. He was found to have absolute pitch. When John reached the age of 13, his father, a trombonist in the Marine Band, enlisted his son in the United States Marine Corps as an apprentice. John served his apprenticeship for seven years, until 1875, and apparently learned to play all the wind instruments while honing his mettle with the violin. On December 30, 1879, he married Jane van Middlesworth Bellis. They had three children. First child was John Philip Sousa, Jr (1 April 1881 – 18 May 1937). Second was Jane Priscilla (7 Aug 1882 – 28 Oct 1958). Third was Helen (21 Jan 1887 – 14 Oct 1975). All three are buried in the John Philip Sousa plot in the Congressional cemetery. Jane joined the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1907. Several years later, John left his apprenticeship to join a theatrical (pit) orchestra where he learned to conduct. He returned to the U.S. Marine Band as its head in 1880, and remained as its conductor until 1892. Sousa also led the marching band of Gonzaga College High School. Sousa organized his own band in 1892. It toured widely, and in 1900, represented the United States at the Paris Exposition before touring Europe. Sousa repeatedly 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 smash hit. Sousa died on March 6, 1932, in his room at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Marches composed by John Philip Sousa:
- America First (1916)
- Anchor and Star (1918)
- Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company (1924)
- The Atlantic City Pageant (1927)
- The Aviators (1931)
- The Beau Ideal (1893)
- The Belle of Chicago (1892)
- Ben Bolt (1888)
- The Black Horse Troop (1924)
- Bonnie Annie Laurie (1883)
- Boy Scouts of America (1916)
- The Bride Elect (1897)
- Bullets and Bayonets (1919)
- El Capitan (1896)
- A Century of Progress (1931)
- The Chantyman's March (1918)
- The Charlatan (1898)
- The Circumnavigators Club (1931)
- Columbia's Pride (1914)
- Comrades of the Legion (1920)
- Congress Hall (1882)
- Corcoran Cadets (1890)
- The Crusader (1888)
- Daughters of Texas (1929)
- The Dauntless Battalion (1922)
- The Diplomat (1904)
- The Directorate (1894)
- Esprit de Corps (1878)
- The Fairest of the Fair (1908)
- The Federal (1910)
- Flags of Freedom (1918)
- La Flor de Sevilla (1929)
- Foshay Tower Washington Memorial (1929)
- The Free Lance (1906)
- From Maine to Oregon (1913)
- The Gallant Seventh (1922)
- George Washington Bicentennial (1930)
- The Gladiator (1886)
- Globe and Eagle (1879)
- The Glory of the Yankee Navy (1909)
- Golden Jubilee (1928)
- The Golden Star (1919)
- The Gridiron Club (1926)
- Guide Right (1881)
- Hail to the Spirit of Liberty (1900)
- Hands Across the Sea (1899)
- Harmonica Wizard (1930)
- The High School Cadets (1890)
- The Honored Dead (1876)
- Imperial Edward (1902)
- The Invincible Eagle (1901)
- Jack Tar (1903)
- Kansas Wildcats (1931)
- Keeping Step with the Union (1921)
- King Cotton (1895)
- The Lambs' March (1914)
- The Legionaires (1930)
- The Liberty Bell (1893)
- Liberty Loan (1917)
- The Loyal Legion (1890)
- Magna Charta (1927)
- The Man Behind the Gun (1899)
- Manhattan Beach (1893)
- March of the Pan Americans (1916)
- March of the Royal Trumpets (1892)
- Marquette University March (1924)
- Mikado March (1885)
- The Minnesota March (1927)
- Mother Goose (1883)
- Mother Hubbard March (1885)
- National Fencibles (1888)
- The National Game (1925)
- The Naval Reserve (1917)
- New Mexico (1928)
- The New York Hippodrome (1915)
- Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (1923)
- The Northern Pines (1931)
- The Occidental (1887)
- Old Ironsides (1926)
- On the Campus (1920)
- On the Tramp (1879)
- Our Flirtation (1880)
- The Pathfinder of Panama (1915)
- Pet of the Petticoats (1883)
- The Picadore (1889)
- Powhattan's Daughter (1907)
- The Pride of the Wolverines (1926)
- Prince Charming (1928)
- The Quilting Party March (1889)
- Resumption March (1879)
- Review (1873)
- Revival March (1876)
- Riders for the Flag (1927)
- The Rifle Regiment (1886)
- Right Forward (1881)
- Right-Left (1883)
- Sabre and Spurs (1918)
- The Salvation Army (1930)
- Semper Fidelis (1888)
- Sesqui-Centennial Exposition March (1926)
- Solid Men to the Front (1918)
- Sound Off (1885)
- The Stars and Stripes Forever (1896)
- The Thunderer (1889)
- Transit of Venus (1883)
- The Triton (1892)
- Triumph of Time (1885)
- University of Illinois (1929)
- University of Nebraska (1928)
- USAAC March (1918)
- U.S. Field Artillery (1917)
- The Volunteers (1918)
- The Washington Post (1889)
- Wedding March (1918)
- The White Plume (1884)
- The White Rose (1917)
- Who's Who in Navy Blue (1920)
- Wisconsin Forward Forever (1917)
- The Wolverine March (1891)
- Yorktown Centennial (1881)
- Untitled march (1930)
- In Memoriam (Garfield's Funeral March) (1881)
- March of the Mitten Men (Power and Glory) (1923)
- On Parade (The Lion Tamer) (1892)
- The Phoenix March (lost) (1875)
- President Garfield's Inauguration March (1881)
- The Pride of Pittsburgh (Homage to Pittsburgh) (1901)
- Recognition March (1880)
- The Royal Welch Fusiliers (No. 1) (1929)
- The Royal Welch Fusiliers (No. 2) (1930)
- Salutation (lost) (1873)
- Universal Peace (1925)
- Homeward Bound (1891)
- Across the Danube (1877)
- The Wildcats (Salute to Kansas) (1930)
