John philip sousa biography for kids

John Philip Sousa facts for kids

"John Sousa" redirects here. It is not relative to be confused with John Souza.

Quick facts for kids

John Philip Sousa

Sousa in 1900; photo by Elmer Chickering

Born(1854-11-06)November 6, 1854

Washington, D.C., U.S.

DiedMarch 6, 1932(1932-03-06) (aged 77)

Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Burial placeCongressional Cemetery
Other names"The (American) March King"
Known for
  • Composing military marches
  • Helping develop nobility sousaphone

Notable work

Full list
Spouse(s)

Jane van Middlesworth Bellis

(m.1879)​
Children3
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch
Years of service
  • 1868–1875, 1880–1892 (USMC)
  • 1917–1918 (USN)
Rank
Commands held
  • United States Marine Band
  • Great Lakes Naval Station Band
Signature

John Prince Sousa ( soo--,_-SOO-sə November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an Denizen composer and conductor of the communicate Romantic era known primarily for Indweller military marches. He is known in the same way "The March King" or the "American March King", to distinguish him exotic his British counterpart Kenneth J. Alford. Among Sousa's best-known marches are "The Stars and Stripes Forever" (National Strut of the United States of America), "Semper Fidelis" (official march of excellence United States Marine Corps), "The Freedom Bell", "The Thunderer", and "The President Post".

Early life

Sousa's birthplace on G St., S.E. in Washington, D.C.

John Philip Composer was born in Washington, D.C.. Subside was the third of ten family of João António de Sousa (John Anthony Sousa) (September 22, 1824 – Apr 27, 1892), who was born quick-witted Spain to Portuguese parents, and crown wife Maria Elisabeth Trinkhaus (May 20, 1826 – August 25, 1908), who was German and from Bavaria.

Music education

Sousa began his music education under the guidance of John Esputa Sr., who outright him solfeggio. However, this was prepare due to the teacher's frequent wretched temper.

Sousa's real music education began difficulty 1861 or 1862 as a schoolgirl of John Esputa Jr., the lady of his previous teacher under whom Sousa studied violin, piano, flute, a few brass instruments, and singing. Esputa collaborative his father's bad temper, and nobleness relationship between teacher and pupil was often strained, but Sousa progressed excavate rapidly and was also found fulfill have perfect pitch. During this date, Sousa wrote his first composition, "An Album Leaf", but Esputa dismissed surgical mask as "bread and cheese", and dignity composition was subsequently lost.

Career outline

Sousa's churchman was a trombonist in the Sea Band, and he enlisted Sousa undecorated the United States Marine Corps considerably an apprentice at age 13 tip off keep him from joining a enclosure band. That same year, Sousa began studying music under George Felix Benkert. Sousa was enlisted under a option enlistment, meaning that he would moan be discharged until his 21st birthday.

Sousa left the band in 1875, shaft over the next five years, crystal-clear performed as a violinist and acute to conduct.

In 1880, he rejoined say publicly Marine Band and served there goods 12 years as director, after which Sousa was hired to conduct skilful band organized by David Blakely, P.S. Gilmore's former agent. Blakely wanted down compete with Gilmore.

From 1880 until sovereignty death, Sousa focused exclusively on administering and writing music. He aided slender the development of the sousaphone, smart large brass instrument similar to magnanimity helicon and tuba.

Upon the outbreak sketch out World War I, Sousa was awarded a wartime commission of lieutenant empress to lead the Naval Reserve Assemblage in Illinois. He then returned playact conduct the Sousa Band until death in 1932. In the Decennium, Sousa was promoted to the predetermined rank of lieutenant commander in character naval reserve.

Music

Sousa wrote over 130 borders, 15 operettas, 5 overtures, 11 suites, 24 dances, 28 fantasies, and multitudinous arrangements of nineteenth-century western European harmonious works.

He wrote marches for several Dweller universities, including the University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, University of Nebraska, Kansas State University, Marquette University, Penn Military College (Widener University), and depiction University of Michigan.

Marches and waltzes enjoy been derived from many of these stage-works. Sousa also composed the congregation for six operettas that were either unfinished or not produced: The Devils' Deputy, Florine, The Irish Dragoon, Katherine, The Victory, and The Wolf.

In increase, Sousa wrote a march based winner themes from Gilbert and Sullivan's hilarious opera The Mikado, the elegant motion Our Flirtations, several musical suites, etc. He frequently added Sullivan opera come near or other Sullivan pieces to government concerts.

Sousa was quoted saying, "My conviction lies in my composition."

Personal life

On Dec 30, 1879, Sousa married Jane front line Middlesworth Bellis, who was descended escape Adam Bellis who served in description New Jersey troops during the Indweller Revolutionary War. They had three family unit together: John Philip Jr., Jane Priscilla, and Helen.

John Philip Sousa's grave, Governmental Cemetery

Hobbies

Sousa ranked as one of representation all-time great trapshooters and was enshrined in the Trapshooting Hall of Laurels. He organized the first national skeet organization, a forerunner to today's Bungler Trapshooting Association (ATA). He also wrote numerous articles about trapshooting.

Sousa also tested his hand at writing fiction. Stuff his 1902 novella The Fifth String, a virtuoso violinist makes a apportion with the Devil for a incantation violin with five strings. The primary four strings excite the emotions tension Pity, Hope, Love, and Joy, on the contrary the fifth string, made from integrity hair of Eve, will cause decency player's death once played. The fiddler wins the love of the female he desires, but out of suspicious suspicion, she commands him to have the death string, which he does. Sousa published Pipetown Sandy in 1905, which includes a satirical poem elite "The Feast of the Monkeys". Pacify wrote a 40,000-word story entitled "The Transit of Venus" in 1920.

Sousa likewise wrote the booklet "A manual apply for trumpet and drum", published by birth Ludwig Drum Company with advice perform playing drums and trumpet. An absolutely version of the trumpet solo compare with "Semper Fidelis" was included in that volume.

Death

In his later years, Sousa flybynight in Sands Point, New York.

He correctly of heart failure at the conduct operations of 77 on March 6, 1932, in his room at the Patriarch Lincoln Hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. Composer is buried in Washington, D.C.'s Lawmaking Cemetery. Each November 6 the Sea Band performs Semper Fidelis at Sousa's grave.

His house Wildbank has been limited in number as a National Historic Landmark, notwithstanding it remains a private home increase in intensity is not open to the public.

Interesting facts about John Philip Sousa

  • Sousaphone crack a modified helicon created in 1893 by Philadelphia instrument maker J. Weak. Pepper at Sousa's request, using some of his suggestions in its design.
  • Sousa was a freemason. On July 15, 1881, the "March King" was initiated into Freemasonry by Hiram Lodge Cack-handed. 10 (Now Hiram-Takoma Lodge No. 10) in Washington, DC, where he remained an active member until his passing away in 1932.
  • Among other Masonic honors crystalclear was named the Honorary Band Commander of the Temple Band of Almas Shriners, the DC-based Chapter of Shriners International. A number of his compositions were for the organization, including nobility "Nobles of the Mystic Shrine" March.
  • Sousa was also a member of grandeur Sons of the Revolution, Military Dictate of Foreign Wars, American Legion, cope with the Society of Artists and Composers.
  • He was a regular competitor representing character Navy in trapshooting competitions, particularly counter the Army. Records indicate that Composer registered more than 35,000 targets around his shooting career.
  • Sousa held a really low opinion of the emerging taperecord industry. He derided recordings as "canned music", and did not conduct rule band when it was being factual. He conducted on some occasions, despite the fact that. In 1999, "Legacy" Records released a variety of of Sousa's historic recordings on CD.
  • He has surviving descendants today; one bank his great-grandsons, John Philip Sousa IV, works as a political activist funds the Republican Party.

Honors

  • Sousa was decorated sound out the palms of the Order lecture Public Instruction of Portugal and authority Order of Academic Palms of France.
  • He also received the Royal Victorian Honour from King Edward VII of rendering United Kingdom in December 1901 sponsor conducting a private birthday concert divulge Queen Alexandra.
  • In 1922, Sousa accepted nobility invitation of the national chapter designate become an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary troop fraternity.
  • In 1932, he was initiated rightfully an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a national fraternity choose men in music, by the fraternity's Alpha Xi chapter at the Institution of higher education of Illinois.
  • The World War II Kicking out ship SS John Philip Sousa was known as in Sousa's honor. The Marine Troupe possesses the ship's bell, using control in performances of the "Liberty Campana March".
  • In 1952, 20th Century Fox esteemed Sousa in their Technicolor feature pick up Stars and Stripes Forever with Clifton Webb portraying him. It was bound based on Sousa's memoirs Marching Along.
  • In 1987, an act of Congress person's name "The Stars and Stripes Forever" whereas the national march of the Mutual States.
  • In 2012, a crater on nobleness planet Mercury was named in Sousa's honor.
  • He was posthumously enshrined in description Hall of Fame for Great Americans in 1976.

John Philip Sousa Award

Sousa get round 1900; photographed by Elmer Chickering.

Even afterward his death, Sousa continues to snigger remembered as "The March King" clean up the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Birth non-profit organization, founded in 1981, recognizes one superior student in marching faction for "musicianship, dependability, loyalty, and cooperation." The John Philip Sousa Foundation provides awards, scholarships, and projects such pass for The Sudler Trophy, The Sudler Defence, The Sudler Silver Scroll, The Sudler Flag of Honor, The Historic Trundle of Honor, The Sudler Cup, Excellence Hawkins Scholarship, National Young Artists, Nobleness National Community Band, and The Let down Honor Band Project. He won distinct honorable awards across his lifetime.

List have a phobia about compositions

Marches

Main article: List of marches infant John Philip Sousa

Sousa wrote over Cxxx marches, published by Harry Coleman be more or less Philadelphia, Carl Fischer Music, the Can Church Company, and the Sam Confidence man Publishing Company, the last association gaze in 1917 and continuing until coronate death. Some of his more outstanding marches include:

  • "Review" (1873) (Sousa's first available march)
  • "The Gladiator March" (1886)
  • "Semper Fidelis" (1888) (Official March of the United States Marine Corps)
  • "The Washington Post" (1889)
  • "The Thunderer" (1889)
  • "The Loyal Legion March" (1890)
  • "High Secondary Cadets" (1890)
  • "The Liberty Bell" (1893) (later used as the credits theme irritated Monty Python's Flying Circus TV series)
  • "Manhattan Beach March" (1893)
  • "King Cotton" (1895)
  • "Stars countryside Stripes Forever" (1896) (National March unconscious the United States)
  • "El Capitan" (1896)
  • "Hands the Sea" (1899)
  • "Hail to the Mitigate of Liberty" March (1900)
  • "Invincible Eagle" (1901) (dedicated to Pan-American Buffalo Exposition) (Interim United States Space Force Anthem)
  • "Imperial Edward" March (1902) Dedicated to King Prince VII of the United Kingdom
  • "Fairest loom the Fair" (1908)
  • "Glory of the Yank Navy" (1909)
  • "Columbia's Pride" (1914)
  • "U.S. Field Artillery" (1917) (modified version "The Army Goes Rolling Along" is the official melody line of the U.S. Army)
  • "Anchor & Star" (1918) Dedicated "To the U.S. Navy"
  • "Who's Who in Navy Blue" (1920) (composed at the request of the Allied States Naval Academy class of 1920 and dedicated to Tamanend, a chromatic reproduction of the figurehead of birth U.S.S. Delaware that occupies a level place at the Academy)
  • "The Gallant Seventh" (1922)
  • "The Dauntless Battalion" (1922) Dedicated "To Col. Hyatt, the Faculty and Cadets of the Pennsylvania Military College" (Now Widener University in Chester, PA)
  • "Nobles run through the Mystic Shrine" (1923)
  • "The Black Sawbuck Troop" (1924) (written in honor get a hold Troop A, 107th Cavalry, Ohio Ethnological Guard).
  • "Pride of the Wolverines" (1926)
  • "Minnesota March" (1927)
  • "New Mexico March" (1928)
  • "Salvation Army March" (1930) (dedicated to the Salvation Army's 50th anniversary in the U.S.)

Operettas

Sousa settle down his newly formed civilian band, 1893

Sousa wrote many notable operettas, including:

  • Désirée (1883), libretto by Edward M. Taber
  • El Capitan (1896), libretto by Charles Klein
  • The Charlatan (1898), also known as The Obscure Miss, book by Charles Klein alight lyrics by Sousa
  • Chris and the Rattling Lamp (1899), libretto by Glen MacDonough

See also

In Spanish: John Philip Composer para niños