Image Source: Wikipedia

John Philip Sousa


John Philip Sousa ( SOO-zə, SOO-sə, Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈso(w)zɐ]; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic era known primarily for American military marches. He is known as "The March King" or the "American March King", to distinguish him from his British counterpart Kenneth J. Alford. Among Sousa's best-known marches are "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (National March of the United States of America), "Semper Fidelis" (official march of the United States Marine Corps), "The Liberty Bell", "The Thunderer", and "The Washington Post".

Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. Sousa's father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. He left the band in 1875, and over the next five years, Sousa performed as a violinist and learned to conduct. In 1880, he rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director, after which Sousa was hired to conduct a band organized by David Blakely, P.S. Gilmore's former agent. Blakely wanted to compete with Gilmore. From 1880 until his death, Sousa focused exclusively on conducting and writing music. He aided in the development of the sousaphone, a large brass instrument similar to the helicon and tuba.

Upon the outbreak of World War I, Sousa was awarded a wartime commission of lieutenant commander to lead the Naval Reserve Band in Illinois. He then returned to conduct the Sousa Band until his death in 1932. In the 1920s, Sousa was promoted to the permanent rank of lieutenant commander in the naval reserve.

Birth and Death Data: Born November 6, 1854 (Washington, D.C.), Died March 6, 1932 (Reading)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1894 - 1950

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, arranger, conductor, director, speaker

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 101-125 of 698 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1012 7-in. 10/14/1901 Thunderer march Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1012 10-in. 10/14/1901 Thunderer march Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1014 7-in. 10/14/1901 Washington Post march Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1014 10-in. 10/14/1901 Washington Post march Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1017 7-in. 10/14/1901 El capitan march Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1017 10-in. 10/14/1901 El capitan march Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1019 7-in. 10/15/1901 The charlatan : March Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1019 10-in. 10/15/1901 The charlatan : March Metropolitan Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1167 7-in. 12/26/1901 The stars and stripes forever Kendle's First Regiment Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1167 10-in. 12/26/1901 The stars and stripes forever Kendle's First Regiment Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1175 7-in. 12/31/1901 Semper fidelis Sousa's Band Band, with drum solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1175 10-in. 12/31/1901 Semper fidelis Sousa's Band Band, with drum solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix C-]1175 12-in. 6/23/1902 Semper fidelis Sousa's Band Band, with drum solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1177 7-in. 1/1/1902 The gladiator march Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1177 10-in. 1/1/1902 The gladiator march Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1179-A 7-in. 1/1/1902 Coquette Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1179-B 7-in. 1/1/1902 Summer girl Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1179-C 7-in. 1/1/1902 Dancing girl Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1179-A 10-in. 1/1/1902 Coquette Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1179-B 10-in. 1/1/1902 Summer girl Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1179-C 10-in. 1/1/1902 The dancing girl Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1180-A 7-in. 1/2/1902 The king of France Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1180-B 7-in. 1/2/1902 I too was born in Arcadia Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1180-C 7-in. 1/2/1902 In darkest Africa Sousa's Band Band composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1180-A 10-in. 1/2/1902 The king of France Sousa's Band Band composer  
(Results 101-125 of 698 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Sousa, John Philip," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102569.

Sousa, John Philip. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102569.

"Sousa, John Philip." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102569

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.