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The Life and Music of John Philip Sousa

Music in general is an art; it is an activity people perform according to their culture. It includes different elements such as pitch, rhythm, texture, and dynamic. These elements may be different from one to another. The music is performed using several instruments and techniques. By combining those elements, vocal pieces become easier to sing. Good composers are gifted at combining many techniques to create different types of music. One of the successful composers is John Philip Sousa whose life had a lot of remarkable steps the same as his music career.

John Philip Sousa or what most people called him “the American March King” was born in Washington, D.C. in the United States of America on November 6, 1854. He was born to a German mother, Maria Elisabeth Trinkaus, and Spanish/Portuguese father John Antonio Sousa. He grew up with ten brothers and sisters living near their father’s marine barracks where he was playing the trombone in the US Marine Band. His father’s musical passion led to Sousa’s curiosity toward music at a very young age. Because of his father, John joined the United States Marine Band between 1868 to 1875. John Philip Sousa was influenced by his father, both his instructors John Esputa Sr. and John Esputa Jr, and George Felix Benkar. However, John Philip Sousa learned violin under the instruction of John Esputa Sr who was a prominent violinist, viola instructor, and a good cornetist. Sousa also learned the basics of how to play several brass instruments, piano, violin, singing, and flute from his instructor John Esputa Jr the son of John Esputa Sr. During this period, Sousa wrote his first composition called “An Album Leaf.” In addition, when he was thirteen years old, he ended his grammar school education in Washington, then enrolled into a private conservatory of music where he attended for several years. The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica stated that Sousa also studied privately with “famous composers like George Felix Benkard” (1).

John Philip Sousa served two different period of times in the Marine Corps. First, his rank was recorded as "boy" who was originally enrolled on 1868 at age 13 as an understudy performer. Then, he was elevated to artist re-enrolled on 1872. When he turned 20, John Philip Sousa was no more with the Marine Band after 1875. The second time of him in the Marine service was from the beginning of 1880 to the late of 1892. At this time, John was the pioneer of the Marine Band. After he left the Marine Band, Sousa created ‘Sousa Band’. In between 1892 to 1931 Sousa Band performed around 15,000 shows around the world. After the Sousa’s band began to travel playing in orchestras throughout Philadelphia and Washington. Sousa was selected as a director of the orchestra. It was during this time he wrote his most renowned pieces such as “The Stars And Stripes Forever”, “The Washington Post”, “The High School Cadets”, and “The Gladiator.” By 1880, Sousa was famed for his work as a conductor, composer, and arranger. It was around the peak of his popularity when John Philip Sousa stated, “anybody can write music of a sort, But touching the public heart is quite another thing” (Sousa). It was the same thing that Sousa included in his songs. Not only did his pieces spark the world’s love an admiration for music, they were also a stable example of American pride his patriotic pieces for the U.S brought Americans together. His outstanding skills at work guides him to become the U.S. military bandleader where he would shape the band into the finest military band of the world for 12 years of his life. Dedicating his whole life to music, he was able to compose over 136 bring marches as well as many other classical style compositions. Many of Sousa’s pieces are honored today and are still played by bands all over the world.

The example of the “Washington Post March” is such as an amazing piece by John Philip Sousa. Detailing the musical elements of the piece, the melody has been divided in three to four parts A, B, C, and D. Both parts A and B have disjointed lines, but the part C has a smoother and more connected line. The rhythm of the piece is a little high and accented in most meters, but it moderates in some others. The harmony has a major key with some chromaticism; trio is in the key of the subdominant. The Washington post march has a varies texture from homophony to antiphonal exchanges to polyphony with counter-melodies. The form of the song is very organized. It starts with introduction, then goes to A-A-B-B-C-C-D-C-D-C form with 8 and 16 measure strains. The expression of the march is changing in dynamic levels and instrumental timbers. Woodwinds, brass, and percussion are the performing forces discovered from the song. Overall, Sousa was the most influential band director at his time. Sousa’s performances and techniques revolutionized concerts and marching bands. His pieces will forever be honored and live within the musical world from the beginning of his career until his death in 1932.

On December 30, 1879, Sousa wedded Jane van Middlesworth Bellis and have nine youngsters. The career of John Philip Sousa is really rich of many kind of works. Based on his music career, John Philip Sousa gave a lot to music history. In the period between 1879 to 1932, Sousa made 137 marches and 15 operettas. He also had as a number of 28 fantasies, 11 suites, 24 moves, 5 recommendations and more. On March 6, 1932 at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Reading city, Pennsylvania at age of 77 years old, John Philip Sousa passed away of congestive cardiovascular breakdown. Sousa conducted and wrote many music works during his life. He wrote marches for several American universities such as the university of Minnesota, Illinois university, and the college of Pennsylvania military. Some of his well-known marches include “Manhattan Beach Marc’’, ‘‘King Cotton”, “El Capitan’’, ‘‘Hands Across the Sea’’, and more. Sousa got numerous honors Even after death, Sousa keeps on being recognized as "The American March King" through the John Philip Sousa Foundation. The non-benefit association established in 1981, remembers one prevalent understudy in walking band for musicianship, constancy, dependability, and participation. After the John Philip Sousa Foundation exists it gives many awards, and activities. The Sadler Flag of Honor, National Young Artists, and The Hawkins Scholarship are some benefits the foundation offers.

It is an incredible story discovered about John Philip Sousa that by the age of 13, he wanted

to permanently have music in his life. His father enlisted him as an apprentice in the marine band where he would play with many talented musicians in the marine corps. After he turned 16 years old, he started to master violin very well. He went on to play piano, trombone, flute cornet,

baritone, and alto horn. Sousa’s contributions to music are monumental to the nation’s customs; this information is pivotal in my understanding of his life and the importance of his contributions to music in America that I previously was not aware of and learned through my research oh his life.

Composer Research Project- Sample Annotated Bibliography

Books

David, Ewen. Popular American composers from revolutionary times to the present: A bibliographical and critical Guide. New York. W. Wilson, 1962.

This book emphasized biographical guides to the most famous American composers, such as William Billings, John Philip Sousa, Richard Adler, and many more.

Zannos, Susan. The Life and Times of John Philip Sousa . Mitchell Lane Publishers Inc, September 1, 2004.

The author of the book provides biographical details about the American leader John Philip Sousa, who is more commonly known as “The American March King.”

Journals/Articles

Church, Charles Fremont. The Life and Influence of John Philip Sousa. 1942. Ohio State University, PhD dissertation.

In this article, the author describes the influence of John Philip Sousa on the American band and how he grew up close to his father, then his instructor who was instrumental to the fact that Sousa would become a leader years later. The article also talks about the incredible band of John Philip Sousa and its activities.

Whisler, John A. " The Songs of John Philip Sousa." Diss., Memphis State University, 1975.

In this article, the researcher presents particular information about the most popular performances of John Philip Sousa. The article includes many details about works that John Philip Sousa has done both in America and around the world.

Online Sources

Colonel Jason K. Fettig, Director “ ‘The President's Own’ United States Marine Band MARINES The official website of the united states marine corps.” https://www.maineband.marines.mil/About/Our-History/John-Philip-Sousa/

In this online database, complete marches of John Philip Sousa were included. The researcher highlights comprehensive points about the long period of time that Sousa spent in the American Marine Band.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Philip-Sousa

On this website, the author provides the childhood of John Philip Sousa and how he started doing music at very young age. The author also discusses he role of Sousa's instructors in making him a professional composer and conductor.