The Musical Bridge: Salute to America's Bandsmen – John Philip Sousa and Glenn Miller
Updated: Nov 4, 2019
What says, "summer" more than a parade? And, what says, "parade" more than a band—complete with brass, woodwinds, drums and more? Music has been the flint to strike up the fire of the patriotic spirit since time and memorial. For this journey across The Musical Bridge, let's get to know two great composers for band, who also happen to have served as U.S. military bandsmen, John Phillips Sousa and Glenn Miller.
John Phillips Sousa
John Philip Sousa is very likely the most well-known composer of band music in history. In fact, his association with marches is so strong that he is still known as "The March King" or "The American March King." Sousa remains one of the most popular composers of American music.
Sousa was born on Nov. 6, 1854 in Washington, DC. His father, John Antonio Sousa, had been born in Spain to Portuguese Parents and had immigrated to the U.S. where he served as a musician in the U.S. Marine Band. Sousa complete his early education in Washington's public schools and enrolled in a private conservatory of music operated by John Esputa, Jr. where he studied piano and most of the orchestral instruments as well as ear training and sight-singing. However, Sousa's preferred instrument was the violin. He became so accomplished at the violin at a young age that at 13 he was nearly persuaded to join a circus band. However, his father stepped in and enlisted him as an apprentice musician in the Marine Band, which he remained with until he was 20. Besides musical training in the Marine Band, he studied music theory, composition, and violin with noted music teacher and orchestra leader, George Felix Benkert. After being discharged from the marines in 1874, Sousa performed as a violinist and worked as a conductor in various theater orchestras in Washington and Philadelphia.
By 1880, Sousa's reputation as a conductor, composer, and arranger had been established, and he was appointed leader of the U. S. Marine Band, a position he held for the next 12 years. Sousa is credited with turning the U.S. Marine Band into the finest military band in the world. In 1892, he left the Marines to form his own civilian band. His farewell concert was given at the White House on July 30, 1892. Sousa's concert band gained a reputation equal to that of the finest symphony orchestras of the time. Many notable musicians played with Sousa's band and audiences sold out the band's many American and International tours.