as a french horn player with a director who would sell his soul to meet john sousa... I hate this. John Phillip Sousa is cool and all but he tries to kill french horn players everytime my vision starts to go blurry towards the end cause im so exhausted
This march, extracted from the operetta of the same name, is unique in several ways. Firstly, it's the only march that a (12-bar) interlude between the first and second repeated strains. Secondly, as in only a handful of other marches, it includes a mix of 6/8 and 2/4 meters. Presumably this is to accommodate the simple and compound meter from the operetta sections like three of his other operetta marches Thirdly, there's essentially two trios. The first one, immediately after the march turns to 2/4 is 16 bars in length, and repeated identically before moving onto the main 32-bar theme that is the "On to Victory" song in the operetta. I really like it when the second reprise of the trio is done by piccolo, rather than claranets. It's a beautiful (if challenging) obbligato and well worth showcasing, and one of the reasons this trio is one of my all time favourites. This is probably JPS's longest march (excluding grand marches such as The Golden Star & March of the Royal Trumpets), but you could hardly accuse it of being boring with so much contrast. BTW, not sure why there's a ritard just before the final trio, I was under the impression JPS NEVER slowed the tempi of his marches, including in S&S Forever, despite almost all of today's versions doing so.
I gather that critical reaction to JPS's operettas was just that - critical, and that they never held their place on stage like G&S, Offenbach, Strauss II, Lehar and Herbert; perhaps that's why they don't get revived today, even as curiosity pieces. I'd sit through almost any amount of bad dialogue and contrived situations (sound like the plots of most operas??) just to hear his music! Still, this is a lovely, lively work . . . thanks in large part to the USMB!
A community operetta group I play with occasionally has done several revivals of lesser known Sousa operettas. It's difficult to get the orchestra parts, though there are usually at least piano scores publicly available at the Library of Congress. It's a shame since the shows really are a joy to play! Sousa really brought a lot with him to the operetta stage, and if he had had better librettists probably would have been much more successful. Still, most of the best moments of these otherwise forgotten shows are distilled in these marches he left us to enjoy so I'm glad they still get played occasionally.
Thanks; good to know his other work isn't completely forgotten. Still, as regards libretti, there are PLENTY of operas and operettas with wretched ones! Fortunately, most of these are in languages Americans don't understand, so they don't sound as absurd!
It is important to remember that operas and operettas were the weekly entertainment of their day...much like TV shows and movies are today. Literally thousand of operas and operettas were composed and produced for a hungry public, and very few are still performed today. That the works of Verdi, Puccini, Gilbert/Sullivan are still mainstream repertoire speaks volumes to their artistry and musicality. The rest were good entertainment in their day, but not much more.
@@coloraturaElise Also worth mentioning….Sousa’s operettas were quite popular in their day. Plus, it’s been said that Sullivan was quite pleased and impressed with Sousa’s theater orchestra arrangements (reductions for small orchestra) of his scores.
My favorite Sousa march EVER
LOVE the Free Lance....might be my favorite Sousa! There are so many interesting harmonic shifts, it's heaven!
One of my faves too!
That gorgeous trio, so lyrical, and then that little piccolo obbligato first time through the last strain....so well played! What's not to like?
as a french horn player with a director who would sell his soul to meet john sousa... I hate this. John Phillip Sousa is cool and all but he tries to kill french horn players everytime my vision starts to go blurry towards the end cause im so exhausted
As a horn player too I’ve never played any of his songs, but Karl king is quite a doozy to play.
This march, extracted from the operetta of the same name, is unique in several ways.
Firstly, it's the only march that a (12-bar) interlude between the first and second repeated strains.
Secondly, as in only a handful of other marches, it includes a mix of 6/8 and 2/4 meters. Presumably this is to accommodate the simple and compound meter from the operetta sections like three of his other operetta marches
Thirdly, there's essentially two trios. The first one, immediately after the march turns to 2/4 is 16 bars in length, and repeated identically before moving onto the main 32-bar theme that is the "On to Victory" song in the operetta.
I really like it when the second reprise of the trio is done by piccolo, rather than claranets. It's a beautiful (if challenging) obbligato and well worth showcasing, and one of the reasons this trio is one of my all time favourites. This is probably JPS's longest march (excluding grand marches such as The Golden Star & March of the Royal Trumpets), but you could hardly accuse it of being boring with so much contrast.
BTW, not sure why there's a ritard just before the final trio, I was under the impression JPS NEVER slowed the tempi of his marches, including in S&S Forever, despite almost all of today's versions doing so.
You are a bigger band nerd than I am. I love it!
The best bass lines ever.
My favourite march from Sousa along with the USAAC March. I love those two!
Great performance!
first rate sousa march and a personal favorite...
That's my favourite March of J. P. SOUSA!
That time stamp tho
What time stamp?
@@LyleFrancisDelpThe length of this recording is 4 minutes and 20 seconds. 420 is a number often used to reference marijuana and its use
I gather that critical reaction to JPS's operettas was just that - critical, and that they never held their place on stage like G&S, Offenbach, Strauss II, Lehar and Herbert; perhaps that's why they don't get revived today, even as curiosity pieces. I'd sit through almost any amount of bad dialogue and contrived situations (sound like the plots of most operas??) just to hear his music! Still, this is a lovely, lively work . . . thanks in large part to the USMB!
A community operetta group I play with occasionally has done several revivals of lesser known Sousa operettas. It's difficult to get the orchestra parts, though there are usually at least piano scores publicly available at the Library of Congress. It's a shame since the shows really are a joy to play! Sousa really brought a lot with him to the operetta stage, and if he had had better librettists probably would have been much more successful. Still, most of the best moments of these otherwise forgotten shows are distilled in these marches he left us to enjoy so I'm glad they still get played occasionally.
Thanks; good to know his other work isn't completely forgotten. Still, as regards libretti, there are PLENTY of operas and operettas with wretched ones! Fortunately, most of these are in languages Americans don't understand, so they don't sound as absurd!
It is important to remember that operas and operettas were the weekly entertainment of their day...much like TV shows and movies are today. Literally thousand of operas and operettas were composed and produced for a hungry public, and very few are still performed today. That the works of Verdi, Puccini, Gilbert/Sullivan are still mainstream repertoire speaks volumes to their artistry and musicality. The rest were good entertainment in their day, but not much more.
@@LyleFrancisDelp As a lover of G&S, I'm so pleased to hear you say that, sir!
@@coloraturaElise Also worth mentioning….Sousa’s operettas were quite popular in their day. Plus, it’s been said that Sullivan was quite pleased and impressed with Sousa’s theater orchestra arrangements (reductions for small orchestra) of his scores.
Ah, gets me everytime.
Someone remove your like from this video or else the gods will smite you