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The Worlds of Gilbert and Sullivan

John Philip Sousa was born in 1854, in Washington D.C. This American composer and bandmaster played violin in theatre orchestras in his youth. Later he became conductor of the US Marine Corps band.

When he was 38 he formed his own military band. This became very popular and toured Europe and the world several times during the period 1905 - 1911.

He (and his band) were best known for playing the superb marches he had composed. He composed nearly 100. Among these were: The Stars and Stripes, The Washington Post, El Capitán, Semper Fidelis, King Cotton, and Hands across the Sea. One of his best known tunes is the one featured on this page: The Liberty Bell. He died in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1932, leaving a legacy of marvellously innovative music which had a tremendous influence on composers of every nation.

My dictionary describes the Liberty Bell as the bell rung in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, to announce the Declaration of Independence. It may be, of course, that John Philip intended a wider interpretation in his march - military band experts might throw some more light on this for us. (Some suggestions include the bell to announce the departure of the liberty boat, taking sailors to shore leave; or a bell announcing leave for other service personnel . . .) What did John Philip have in mind? Let us know your views.

Whatever the origins, this jaunty, freedom-loving, hippety-hoppety tune in compound duple time, is full of fun and vitality. Feel free to march (or skip) to it, or simply hum to our arrangement of John Philip Sousa's The Liberty Bell . . .

And next a visit to that individual American sound the Jazz Scene . . .

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