572651-52 bk Sousa US 22/11/10 17:07 Page 8 the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration % The National Game (1925) of Independence, the Sesqui-Centennial Exposition Composed at the request of Judge Kenesaw Mountain WIND BAND CLASSICS march is also particularly appropriate for the celebration Landis, major league baseball’s first high commissioner, of Sousa’s own sesqui-centennial of his birth in 1854. It Sousa’s unique The National Game featured four features a chime solo evocative of the Liberty Bell. baseball bat solos. (Track 2 from 8.559093) (Track $ from 8.559092) SOUSA’S # La Flor di Sevilla (1929) ^ Bullets and Bayonets (1918) Composed for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition in Bullets and Bayonets, another First World War rouser, Seville, the march La Flor di Sevilla was ‘written and was dedicated ‘To the officers and men of the U.S. GREATEST dedicated to the people of Spain’. The soaring trio tune Infantry’. is one of Sousa’s most flowering melodies. (Track # from 8.559059) (Track 5 from 8.559092) MARCHES & The Naval Reserve March (1917) $ The Corcoran Cadets (1890) The 1917 Naval Reserve March was composed for the The march The Corcoran Cadets was composed for a 300-piece naval band Sousa led at Great Lakes Navy crack Washington D.C. teenage drill team. Their Training Center during World War I. It was dedicated The Liberty Bell organization performed with colorful uniforms and “To the Officers and Men of the U.S. Naval Reserve”. bearing wooden rifles. The march was most likely The trio incorporates a popular Sousa song of the time: written for the band that accompanied their drill Blue Ridge I’m Coming Back to You. The Washington routines. (Track # from 8.559247) (Track 1 from 8.559092) Post Keith Brion The Stars and The Royal Artillery Band (by permission of the Director of Music, Royal Artillery, Lt. Col. Malcolm Torrent) Stripes Forever The Royal Artillery Band had their “drum and fife” as long ago as 1557, but it was the need for a “band of musik” in the regiment that led to the formation of the Royal Artillery Band in 1762. Since 1764, the band has been quartered Sabre and Spurs with the Royal Artillery regiment in Woolwich, SE London. Today’s band employs over fifty musicians who, in keeping with tradition, must be accomplished on both orchestral and wind band instruments. The band may appear on one day as a symphonic wind band (one of the largest in the British army), the next as a marching unit, and at King Cotton another time as a full symphony orchestra (England’s oldest established symphony orchestra). Their conductor and Director of Music at the time of these recordings was Lt. Col. Malcolm Torrent. Keith Brion Royal Artillery Keith Brion leads his own New Sousa Band and is a frequent conductor of light music orchestral concerts Band throughout America and internationally. He is a specialist in Sousa’s period style and has published numerous performing editions of his music. Keith Brion 2 CDs 572651-52 8 572651-52 bk Sousa US 22/11/10 17:07 Page 2 John Philip 3 The Invincible Eagle (1901) this case the first two strains came from his show Chris Sousa thought this march would become his greatest hit. and the Wonderful Lamp. SOUSA If it did not, it is surely one of his finest. Sousa (Track 8 from 8.559248) (1854-1932) commented: “The new march, The Invincible Eagle, is what I call one of my sunshine marches. Some of my 8 America First (March of the States) (1916) heavy marches are intended to convey the impression of America First was composed for a 1916 Broadway SOUSA’S GREATEST MARCHES the stir and strife of warfare, but The Invincible Eagle show Hip! Hip! Hooray! The title was inspired by a shows the military spirit at its lightest and brightest— 1915 Woodrow Wilson speech: “Our whole duty for the CD 1 53:43 the parade spirit. In fact, with the bravery of uniform, present is summed up in the motto “America First”. The 1 Hands Across the Sea (1899) 2:50 the sheen of silken stands, and the gleam of polished march and its subtitle are taken from an extensive ballet 2 Semper Fidelis (1888) 2:57 steel and all its other picturesque features.” score for the Hip! Hip! Hooray! show called The 3 The Royal Welch Fusiliers (1929) 2:42 (Track 6 from 8.559058) Sisterhood of the States. Included in the march are four 4 Sabre and Spurs (1918) 3:16 state themes: Dixie, Maryland, My Maryland, We’re Off 4 5 King Cotton (1895) 2:57 Solid Men to the Front (1918) to Philadelphia in the Morning, and Yankee Doodle. Solid Men to the Front is one of Sousa’s finest and (Track 1 from 8.559247) 6 Pathfinder of Panama (1915) 3:14 strongest marches. It is also one of the very few marches 7 The Liberty Bell (1893) 3:45 recorded by the Sousa Band with the March King 9 Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co. (1924) 8 Hail to the Spirit of Liberty (1900) 3:19 himself conducting. The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co. of Boston is 9 The Black Horse Troop March (1924) 3:31 (Track ! from 8.559059) the oldest military organization in the United States. 0 The High School Cadets (1890) 2:35 Sousa composed his march at their request and included ! Daughters of Texas (1929) 3:21 5 The Diplomat (1904) their marching song Auld Lang Syne. It was formally @ The Fairest of the Fair (1908) 3:40 One of Sousa’s personal favourites, The Diplomat was presented to them at a concert in Symphony Hall Boston # Riders for the Flag (1927) 2:38 dedicated to Secretary of State John Milton Hay. in September 1924. $ The Thunderer (1889) 2:53 Sousa’s composition portrays his admiration for Hay’s (Track 7 from 8.559093) % The Washington Post (1889) 2:43 elegant and ebullient diplomatic skills. (Track @ from 8.559131) 0 The Minnesota March (1927) ^ The Glory of the Yankee Navy (1909) 3:32 Minnesota was composed at the request of the & The Stars and Stripes Forever (1896) 3:50 6 The Picador March (1889) University of Minnesota football coach and the alumni. CD 2 53:13 Sousa had a great love for Spanish music. His Picador The march is still performed today, and is a popular March portrays the grandeur and drama of the bullfight. addition to university sporting events. 1 Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (1922) 3:34 (Track % from 8.559132) (Track 1 from 8.559131) 2 Wisconsin Forward Forever (1917) 3:27 3 The Invincible Eagle (1901) 3:32 7 Jack Tar (1903) ! The Atlantic City Pageant March (1927) 4 Solid Men to the Front (1918) 3:59 Sousa hoped that the march Jack Tar would become as During Sousa’s final years, beginning in 1926, the band 5 The Diplomat (1904) 3:24 important to navy men as his Stars and Stripes Forever often played summer engagements at Atlantic City’s 6 The Picador March (1889) 2:57 had become to army men. The march had its première in Steel Pier. The Atlantic City Pageant March was written London’s Royal Albert Hall with the King and Queen at the request of the city’s mayor, and honoured the 7 Jack Tar (1903) 2:33 present and was performed at that time by the joint famous Atlantic City Beauty Pageant. 8 America First (March of the States) (1916) 2:28 forces of the Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Irish (Track ^ from 8.559131) 9 Ancient and Honorable Artillery Co. (1924) 2:31 Guards, Himenoa Band of NZ, Sousa’s Band and the 0 The Minnesota March (1927) 3:19 Queen’s Hall Orchestra. It is also another of Sousa’s @ Sesqui-Centennial Exposition (1926) ! The Atlantic City Pageant March (1927) 2:39 marches based on themes from one his operettas… in Composed for an exposition in Philadelphia celebrating 572651-52 2 7 572651-52 572651-52 bk Sousa US 22/11/10 17:07 Page 6 # Riders for the Flag (1927) & The Stars and Stripes Forever (1896) @ Sesqui-Centennial Exposition (1926) 3:39 A sturdy, jaunty calvary march, Riders for the Flag was With the possible exception of The Star Spangled # La Flor di Sevilla (1929) 2:41 composed for the Fourth U.S. Cavalry and bears Banner, no musical composition has done more to $ The Corcoran Cadets (1890) 3:09 unmistakable signs of its equine and military arouse the patriotic spirit of America than The Stars and inspirations. Stripes Forever, John Philip Sousa’s most beloved % The National Game (1925) 3:19 ^ (Track 6 from 8.559093) composition. It is the official national march of the Bullets and Bayonets (1918) 3:39 United States. Symbolic of flag-waving in general, it & The Naval Reserve March (1917) 2:24 $ The Thunderer (1889) has been used with considerable effectiveness to The Thunderer was a nickname for a person whose generate patriotic feeling ever since its introduction in CD 1 1 8 !; CD 2 3 recorded at Henry Wood Hall, London, UK, from 5th to 6th August, 1999 actual identity may never be known. This gentleman Philadelphia on 14th May, 1897, when the staid Public Producer and editor: Mike Purton • Engineer: Eleanor Thomason (K&A Productions Ltd.) was most likely a Washington, D.C. Masonic friend of Ledger reported: “... It is stirring enough to rouse the CD 1 2; CD 2 #-% recorded at Woolwich Town Hall, London, UK, from 16th to 17th November, 2000 Sousa.