Whenever I hear Stars and Stripes Forever, tears well up in my eyes. It’s so quintessentially American and beautiful. It’s also a great piece of music. When I was a child it was my absolute favorite and most orchestras played it including the one I was in.
I noticed that there were two distinct appearances of Sousa during his career. The first was of a fully-bearded middle-aged man, then of an old man with just a mustache. When did the transformation occur?
The transformation took place during WWI when JPS conducted the Naval Training Station Band(s) at Great Lakes, IL - he shaved his beard to give himself a more youthful appearance among his young recruits. Afterwards Kaiser Wilhelm stated that no nation could be defeated when their people were willing to make such sacrifices! 😃
A music for to endure. Sousa is a great composer, just as Richard Wagner, Jacques Offenbach, Richard Strauss, Carl Teike, Wilhelm Zehle and Kenneth J. Alford. The musical richness and brilliance says this. 👥⚕️👥
I love both, the "heavier" classical music, and the "lighter" classical or "semi-classical" greatness of Sousa and others of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
One Sunday evening many years ago my father, a retired Marine Lt. Colonel, and I were watching TV. This American Experience program about John Phillip Sousa came on. To this day this is one of my favorite documentaries. This is the music I grew up with and is the music that makes the 4th of July for me. Enjoy!
The first time the "Stars & Stripes Forever" march was publicly performed was in New Jersey in 1897. I'm still looking up the date, concert venue, etc.
I gained my love for Sousa before I started Marching Band, and it has never left me. His compositions just stir the patriotic blood. Semper Fi and Thank You to our Marines, past and present. May they never be forgotten. Always Faithful. "Don’t you know the Marines are marching, When you can hear this song? So, when all of the boys are marching, Sing as they march along. Yes, we know the Marines are coming! Everyone sing along! As we hear how the drums are thrumming, Welcome the marching throng! You can see as they pass before us, Shoulders square, heads held high; That the pride of the Corps is glorious, Hail to our “Semper Fi!” ".
It's ironic that although Sousa wrote a lot of military music, the tune for the "Marines' Hymn" was from a French operetta by Offenbach. And Sousa himself wrote 15 operettas, although they are seldom heard, and in some of his marches even used music from the light operas by Gilbert and Sullivan.
Sousa is "So USA". His music makes me feel so American! To me, the very essence of our national identity is in his marches.
Excellent documentary. Semper Fidelis. I very glad to claim him as one of our own. An American, a patriot, a Marine. USMC '67-'71 still.
Semper Fi. Thank you for your service.
And also a navy Lt. Commander during WW1.
Whenever I hear Stars and Stripes Forever, tears well up in my eyes. It’s so quintessentially American and beautiful. It’s also a great piece of music. When I was a child it was my absolute favorite and most orchestras played it including the one I was in.
It’s a great march!
I noticed that there were two distinct appearances of Sousa during his career. The first was of a fully-bearded middle-aged man, then of an old man with just a mustache. When did the transformation occur?
The transformation took place during WWI when JPS conducted the Naval Training Station Band(s) at Great Lakes, IL - he shaved his beard to give himself a more youthful appearance among his young recruits. Afterwards Kaiser Wilhelm stated that no nation could be defeated when their people were willing to make such sacrifices! 😃
A music for to endure. Sousa is a great composer, just as Richard Wagner, Jacques Offenbach, Richard Strauss, Carl Teike, Wilhelm Zehle and Kenneth J. Alford. The musical richness and brilliance says this. 👥⚕️👥
I love both, the "heavier" classical music, and the "lighter" classical or "semi-classical" greatness of Sousa and others of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
If John Philip Sousa hadn't been around, Karl King would have been the March King in the USA.
The world best loved March King.
One Sunday evening many years ago my father, a retired Marine Lt. Colonel, and I were watching TV. This American Experience program about John Phillip Sousa came on. To this day this is one of my favorite documentaries. This is the music I grew up with and is the music that makes the 4th of July for me. Enjoy!
I share your experience, but in my case as an Army brat. 😊🇺🇸❤️
Absolutely wonderful. My screen is blurry from all the tears in my eyes..
He was a great man!
Can anyone tell me the timestamp for if this video talks about the first live performance of "Stars and stripes forever"?
The first time the "Stars & Stripes Forever" march was publicly performed was in New Jersey in 1897. I'm still looking up the date, concert venue, etc.
I gained my love for Sousa before I started Marching Band, and it has never left me. His compositions just stir the patriotic blood. Semper Fi and Thank You to our Marines, past and present. May they never be forgotten. Always Faithful.
"Don’t you know the Marines are marching,
When you can hear this song?
So, when all of the boys are marching,
Sing as they march along.
Yes, we know the Marines are coming!
Everyone sing along!
As we hear how the drums are thrumming,
Welcome the marching throng!
You can see as they pass before us,
Shoulders square, heads held high;
That the pride of the Corps is glorious,
Hail to our “Semper Fi!” ".
It's ironic that although Sousa wrote a lot of military music, the tune for the "Marines' Hymn" was from a French operetta by Offenbach. And Sousa himself wrote 15 operettas, although they are seldom heard, and in some of his marches even used music from the light operas by Gilbert and Sullivan.
His father was born in Seville, Spain